the world's top soccer players

Forty games in eleven days! Now that's my kind of country. Good to see the Premiership folks have their priorities in order. Some leagues (read: Germany) stop for six weeks. And some leagues step it up and cram a ton of games into a week and a half. And seeing as this is the time of year when most people are home for the holidays, lounging around their living rooms, lapsing into food comas...and in desperate need of some good quality sports entertainment...I'd say they've got the right idea in dear ole En-ga-land. So for all you fine readers out there, wherever you may be, I hope the holidays find you healthy, happy, and somewhere near some good soccer. Merry Christmas, everyone!

On paper, it was a mismatch. And that might be an understatement. But, as they say, that's why they play the games. Except this one was almost not even played. After four of Recreativo Huelva's fans were killed in a car accident as their tour bus headed to Madrid, Recreativo appealed to the Spanish league to call off Wednesday's game against Real. Of course, the league - clearly taking the mindset that there are in fact NOT more important things in life (or death) than soccer - controversially said the game must go on. To their credit, Real, after promising to abide by whatever the federation decided, then said it would donate all of the game's ticket profits to Recreativo in honor of their deceased fans. A classy move, but unfortunately in the midst of all this commotion no one bothered to tell Real's players that, yes, they had one more game to play before their holiday break.

You see, this is a common problem at Real. Last year their 'galactico' squad crashed to a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of...Racing Santander. Live and learn, right? Um, right??? Not in Madrid. See, you can buy all of the talent in the world, but if you can't motivate the boys to play - well, you should've just saved your money. And when Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, and Emerson already have their bags packed - loaded with bathing suits, sun-tan lotion, and the like - all set for a splendid week on the beaches of Rio, it's not easy to see why they might not have had the same motivation as, say,...Recreativo's Sinama Pongolle. Remember him? Yep, that little French kid from Liverpool. It was Sinama who banged in a deserved goal for Recre just a half hour into the game, prompting Recre's grieving players to point skyward in memory of their late 'aficionados'. Talk about motivation. And they were just getting warmed up. Although Real frequently falls behind at home (they wrote the book on 'underestimating opponents') only to wake up and then obliterate their inferior competitors by two or three or four goals, today there would be none of that. Ten minutes into the second stanza, a talented Nigerian chap named Uche pulled a Ronaldinho, taking the ball from the halfway line, running at pace at defenders, blowing past Guti, then Cannavaro (worst game I've ever seen him play), and ripping the ball past a helpless Casillas. A la 'Dinho, Uche was treated to thunderous applause from the Madridista faithful. And even then, two-nil down and getting whistled by their own fans, Real couldn't react. Today was Recre's day. A third goal put the icing on the cake, albeit in a mostly empty Bernabeu. But there were other fans watching, four in particular, and maybe it was some divine intervention that helped Recre pull off this stunning upset. Or maybe it was simply a testament to the importance of motivation. Whatever it was, this game was a mismatch from the start.

As we cruise into the Christmas break in Europe, it seems like a good time to dish out some awards. It's been one heck of a year so far. Here's wishing everyone a happy holidays wherever you are and hoping for an even better year to come!

PREMIERSHIP:

PLAYER OF THE MID-YEAR: LOUIS SAHA
- Dubbed by some as a bust heading into this season, Saha has not only been good...he's been better than Rooney. And Henry. And Sheva. And Kuyt. And Martins...
COACH OF THE MID-YEAR: ALEX FERGUSON
- ManU might be one of the biggest clubs in the world, but raise your hand if you had them in first place heading into the holiday break. I see no hands raised.
BEST SIGNING OF THE MID-YEAR: JONATHAN WOODGATE
- Yeah, so maybe he had two injury-riddled seasons in Madrid, but what on earth were Real's directors thinking when they off-loaded him to 'Boro? Woody had a great pre-season, Real desperately needed help at center-back, their defense is already short on size...so they ship Woody off to the Riverside? Muy no inteligente.
BUST SIGNING OF THE MID-YEAR: ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO
- You can make the argument that Sheva has been instrumental in attracting the attention of defenders and freeing up Didier Drogba to score loads of goals, but let's face it - the Blues expected way more from the Ukranian than what they've seen so far.
OVERACHIEVER OF THE MID-YEAR: READING
- After spending years in the First Division, they're now sixth in the Prem. I rest my case.
UNDERACHIEVER OF THE MID-YEAR: NEWCASTLE
- They've been racked by injuries (again), but there's way too much talent on Tyneside to be stuck in a relegation battle. Another disappointing year at St. James.

LA LIGA:

PLAYER OF THE MID-YEAR: GUTI
- A month ago I had pencilled David Villa into this slot. Two weeks ago it was Van Nistelrooy. Last week Ronaldinho. A few days ago, Sergio Ramos. Today, it's Guti. If you look at the player of the mid-year award as an MVP-type deal, then I don't know what player is more valuable to their team than Guti. No player in la Liga has suffered more fouls than him. No player on Real has the vision, composure, and . In a league that is home to some great playmakers (Ronaldinho, Aimar, Riquelme, De la Pena), I am not saying that Guti is the best. But I am saying that he is having the best season of his career, having finally been given the reins of the team, and that Real would be nowhere near the top-3 were it not for his amazing talents. Case in point: his sublime pass to Ruud Van Nistelrooy in Saturday's duel with Espanyol.
COACH OF THE MID-YEAR: JUANDE RAMOS
- As good as they were last year, they're even better this year. I've gushed on this site before about how impressed I am with the boys from Andalucia and something tells me Real & Barca are, too - both Spanish giants have already crashed to defeat at the hands of Juande's squad.
BEST SIGNING OF THE MID-YEAR: TIE - EIDUR GUDJOHNSEN & PABLO AIMAR
- Ruud has been excellent, but Eidur has come up huge in the absence of Etoo (despite a horror-show display in the game against Real) and 'El Payasito' has been superb in leading Zaragoza into the top-5 in Spain.
BUST SIGNING OF THE MID-YEAR: MAHAMADOU DIARRA
- Emerson would have walked away with this award after the season's first month, but he has improved since then. However, his counterpart in midfield continues to disappoint and was even left on the bench in Sunday's game. Yeah, they shouldn't be playing together in the first place, but that's another story.
OVERACHIEVER OF THE MID-YEAR: REAL ZARAGOZA
- The Argentine contingent of Aimar, D'Alessandro, Zapater, Ponzio, and the brothers Milito have been immense in catapulting this club into the top-5. Sure, I predicted this, but most didn't - so, they're my overachiever of the mid-year.
UNDERACHIEVER OF THE MID-YEAR: VILLAREAL
- Valencia almost captured the honor but they avoided this dubious distinction by defeating my overachiever of the mid-year this past weekend, so they're in the clear & we have to give it to another team on the East Coast. After Villareal's semifinal run in last year's Champions League, one would have expected better than a mid-table showing this year.

SERIE A:

PLAYER OF THE MID-YEAR: JAVIER ZANETTI
- Arguably the best player on the best team in the league. Zanetti has rebounded from being left off of Jose Pekerman's World Cup squad by showing all of his versatility, experience, and leadership for the Nerazzurri. Mancini has deployed Zanetti at rightback, leftback, center-mid, left-mid, right-mid and everywhere he's played, 'El Pupi' has impressed.
COACH OF THE MID-YEAR: LUCIANO SPALLETTI
- The only team that can threaten Inter, Spalletti has helped make Roma the Barca of Italy. No titles to show for it yet, but where else have you seen a striker-less 4-3-3 side play a possession-oriented, pass-you-to-death game that scores loads of goals, is fun as heck to watch, and has one of the best #10s in the world? Grazie mille, Luciano.
BEST SIGNING OF THE MID-YEAR: HERNAN CRESPO
- Inter went nuts again this off-season with a flood of high-profile signings. Stop me if you've heard this before. But wait - this year they've actually come good. Vieira has been great. Dacourt solid. Ibrahimovic excellent. But no one's been better than Crespo, a player who's always been one of the best in Italy.
BUST SIGNING OF THE MID-YEAR: RICARDO OLIVEIRA
- Ain't it funny how Sheva is a bust at Chelsea? And Oliveira replaces him at Milan and is a bust? And even Rafael Sobis, brought to Betis to replace Oliveira, has been a disappointment, too. Moral of the story: the grass ain't always greener...
OVERACHIEVER OF THE MID-YEAR: PALERMO
- The magic may be wearing off for the boys in pink, since their season has hit some roadblocks in the last few weeks. Still, they've spent most of the season in the top-3 in Italy. Not too shabby.
UNDERACHIEVER OF THE MID-YEAR: AC MILAN
- No explanation needed here. Just a disastrous year all around for the Rossoneri.

BUNDESLIGA:

PLAYER OF THE MID-YEAR: DIEGO
- Easiest award of the bunch. Signed from Porto in the off-season, Diego has been simply magnificent, injecting a dose of Brazilian magic and flair into the cold, hard Bundesliga. Playing as a traditional #10 ahead of Frings & Borowski but behind Klose, the latest Carioca wunderkind has been phenomenal, picking apart defenses and catapulting Bremen to the top spot in the land.
COACH OF THE MID-YEAR: THOMAS SCHAAF
- Look, I know this becoming the Werder Bremen show here, but not only is Schaaf's squad winter champions of the Bundesliga, but they also play the most entertaining, attack-oriented style of any team in the country. Stay classy, Bremen.
BEST SIGNING OF THE MID-YEAR: DIEGO
- See above. And speaking of good signings, Real should stop wasting their time with Kaka and pluck this gem to replace Guti in a year or two. He could get re-acquainted with his ole buddy Robinho from Santos and guarantee the Bernabeu faithful years of 'jogo bonito'. You listening, Pedja? Fabio? Ramon? Anyone? Bueller?
BUST SIGNING OF THE MID-YEAR: LUKAS PODOLSKI
- Have you heard anything about Prince Podo this year? Me neither.
OVERACHIEVER OF THE MID-YEAR: SCHALKE 04
- I realize that they're a big club and it's no surprise that they're a force to be reckoned with in the Bundlesliga, but tied with Bremen for top spot? Now try to tell me that you saw that coming.
UNDERACHIEVER OF THE MID-YEAR: BAYERN MUNICH & HAMBURG
- They've been better in recent weeks and my money would still be on the Bavarians to take the title, but at the moment, that's still just a prediction. Based on what we've seen so far, the evidence on hand says that Bayern, a team that routinely blows away all comers in Germany, should be doing better than barely scraping by to finish the first half in third spot in the league. Hamburg, who qualified for this year's edition of the Champions League on the strength of their top-4 finish last year, have already been bounced from the competition and currently sit next to last with only 13 points thus far. Ugh.

REST OF EUROPE:

PLAYER OF THE MID-YEAR: ALEX
- The big centerback has been the leader of a PSV back-line that's helped the Eindhoven boys vault to the top of the Eredivisie. I know, I know, that's now the second defender that's won the player of the mid-year award, but hey, they've earned it. I just work here.
COACH OF THE MID-YEAR: JESUALDO FERREIRA
- Imagine taking over a team on August 18, after having spent all summer preparing to coach a rival club, with pre-season long-gone, having had no say in the creation of the squad, and with no time to get anything done before the season kicks off. Now imagine leading that same team to the top spot in the league and a Champions League quarterfinal date with Chelsea. Now imagine winning the coach of the mid-year award on worldsoccerblogger. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Jesualdo Ferreira of Porto!
BEST SIGNING OF THE MID-YEAR: JEREMY TOULALAN, KIM KALLSTROM, SEBASTIEN SQUILLACI & ALOU DIARRA
- When you sell Mahamadou Diarra for around $40 million...and then spend way less than half that to get this array of talent...and you don't miss a beat...still 14 points up in France and cruising along in the Champions League...well, you're the best.
BUST SIGNING OF THE MID-YEAR: RUI COSTA
- A member of Portugal's Golden Generation, Rui Costa enjoyed a fantastic career in Serie A with Fiorentina and Milan. When he returned home to Benfica to joing up with the likes of Nuno Gomes, Simao, Miccoli, and Luisao, big things were expected. But he's missed a large chunk of the season due to injury and now they're out of the Champions League and 11 points behind Porto in the domestic competition. Need I go on?
OVERACHIEVER OF THE MID-YEAR: ST ETIENNE
- No, not the band. I'm talking about the club that only three years ago was mired down in the lower divisions of French footie. Today, they're third in the country, just a point out of second place. In a league with big-money clubs like Marseille and PSG and Bordeaux, that's no small feat.
UNDERACHIEVER OF THE MID-YEAR: AJAX
- Henk Ten Cate's boys have flattered to deceive, both in Europe and Holland. Booted out of the Champions League by FC freakin Copenhagen and languishing eight points off the pace in the Eredivisie, Ajax have achieved something this year - they've won this dubious distinction. Feyenoord's ugly first half warrants mentioning, too, as does PSG's 15th-place effort (or lack thereof) in France's Ligue 1.

Back with another edition of the Top 20, but first a comment on rankings in general. Let's not mince words here: some of the rankings printed in prominent publications (Sports Illustrated, I'm talking to you) are downright idiotic. I know that in theory it makes sense for 'world' rankings to favor leaders of leagues around the world rather than second, third, and fourth-place teams in the major European leagues, but it's just stupid to rank a team such as Sao Paolo at #6 ahead of Real Madrid, Liverpool, Arsenal, Sevilla, etc. Does anyone really think that Sao Paolo is better than all of those teams? Would the writer of those rankings really be willing to bet his own money that Sao Paolo would beat those teams more often than not? Of course not. It's nothing more than a way of trying to give equal time to leagues around the world, but if you're doing that at the expense of accuracy and honesty, then it trivializes the rankings in general. Look at my top 10 - do you see any South American teams? No, you don't, but does that mean that they're not taken into consideration? Hardly. It's just that, while I give credit where it's due to teams such as Sao Paolo and Estudiantes, I'm not about to vault them into my top 10 just because they're doing well in second-tier leagues such as the Brasileirao and the Apertura. Now the counter-argument is the fact that teams from these leagues have beaten the European powers - Boca Juniors' wins over AC Milan and Real Madrid in the Intercontinental Cup come to mind. But let's be real - those instances tend to be one-offs, games where on that given day...in a stadium far far away...playing for a trophy that the Europeans may or may not care about...anyone can win. And if you still need proof, if teams such as Sao Paolo are so good, how come when their best players (like Cicinho at Real Madrid or Luis Fabiano at Sevilla) move to the bigger European clubs they instantly struggle to get into the squad and more often than not fail to duplicate their success in Latin America? Gee, I dunno.

But enough of that, I'll come down off the ole soapbox now...mainly because I've exceeded my allowance of rhetorical questions, but also because today is not a day when I really want to take the luster off of the achievements of Latin American teams. Of course, I'm talking about Estudiantes de La Plata. Diego Simeone's boys have done the impossible. Trailing almighty Boca by 7 points with three games to play, Estudiantes forced a playoff and then, to everyone's surprise, won the title, defeating los Xeneixes 2-1. It was an epic comeback, one that will live on in the memory for years to come. Just three weeks ago, all the talk in Buenos Aires was about Boca's three-peat. Their new coach Ricardo LaVolpe was promising to shave off his famous 'bigote' (mustache) if (he meant 'when') Boca won it all. If there were any concerns, it was over whether or not LaVolpe or his predecessor Alfio Basile (now coaching the national team) would get credit for the famous three-peat. Well, not so fast, mis amigos. A Boca loss and Estudiantes win cut the margin to four. Then Boca went to Cordoba and lost, but no need to worry because Estudiantes gave up a late equalizer to Gimnasia - the gap was still three, so all Boca needed was a draw in the finale, a home game against Lanus, a team everyone pegged as a hopeless case heading into the inferno of La Bombonera. After Boca went up 1-0 on a penalty by Martin Palermo, the celebrations were on. Shame no one told Lanus. Two second-half goals silenced the home crowd and, when word came that Estudiantes was winning 1-0, shockwaves could be felt all around Argentina. It was on to a playoff game. Even then, no one thought that the team captained by Juan Sebastian Veron could pull it off...especially not after Palermo again put Boca a goal up with an easy finish in the 3rd minute. That scoreline held until the second-half when Estudiantes finally stopped squandering the chances that they'd had all game long. Two goals by the Students and all of a sudden it was 2-1 with 15 minutes to play. Could the underdogs hold on? Damn straight - and just to rub it in, they were never pressured in the final minutes, coming far closer to scoring an insurance goal than giving up an equalizer. And just like that - Estudiantes campeones! The post-game scenes are hard to put into words, but suffice to say that that's why soccer is the best game on earth - fans and players sobbing with joy, unrestrained emotion everywhere you looked, downright disbelief on the faces of even the winning fans much less the losing Boca supporters (who to their credit stayed in the stadium to applaud the Estudiantes players)...it was truly an amazing sight to behold. Now does that mean that Estudiantes will be cracking the top-5 in the rankings anytime soon? Puhleeze, don't be ridiculous.

1. Chelsea - No matter what Fergie says, they're not at their best but they're still right in the thick of it in the Premiership and Champions League. Would be favored against anyone in the world.
2. Barcelona - Nothing like a round-the-world trip to Japan when you're trying to defend your titles in Spain and Europe. Please send all postcards to Sepp Blatter.
3. Olympique Lyon - They just keep rolling along, beating everyone in their path.
4. Inter Milan - Mancini's got all systems go at the San Siro. And there's enough talent there to...(gulp)...make a run at the Champions League title. Nah, who am I kidding? They'll find a way to screw it up.
5. Manchester United - They could be higher and maybe they should be. Right now they can play with anybody, although my money's still on Chelski to steal the title come May.
6. Sevilla - They've lost Reyes, Baptista, Sergio Ramos, Saviola, but they're still second in la Liga and they've beaten both Real and Barca (in the European SuperCup) in the past four months. Don't sleep on the boys from the south.
7. Real Madrid - It's under-20 night at the Bernabeu: Marcelo, left-back from Fluminense - signed. Higuain, striker from River Plate - signed. Gago, midfielder from Boca Juniors, signed. So I'm guessing we can now officially lay to rest that whole 'Zidanes y Pavones' policy now, huh?
8. Arsenal - No Henry. No Gallas. No problem - the Gunners have climbed to third in the Premiership.
9. Roma - Love watching this team, but wow did they get destroyed by Lazio in the latest edition of the Roma derby.
10. Werder Bremen - Just when you think they might be for real, they get shellacked by Barca and bounced out of Europe. But hey, it was fun while it lasted.
11. Bayern Munich - They're only ranked this high because they won their European group that included Inter Milan and they're hanging tough (New Kids-like) in the Bundesliga despite being far far far from their best.
12. Liverpool - Not having a good year, so why do I think they'll still play Barca tight in the Champions League?
13. Porto - Oh, it'll be a special night in the Dragao stadium when they get to welcome back ole buddy Jose Mourinho when the Champions League resumes in February...
14. PSV Eindhoven - Best in the Eredivisie. Now let's see if they keep Alex from moving to Real Madrid. But hey, how many players can one team sign?
15. Sao Paolo - Don't get me wrong - they're good. Just not #6 in the world good.
16. AC Milan - Serious issues for the Rossoneri. When the three major talking points of the season are 1- A courtcase resulting in a massive points penalty for match-fixing, 2- Kaka's possible move to Real, and 3- An unexpected battle with relegation...well, you know it's a bad year for the red half of Milano.
17. Celtic - Cruising along in Scotland. Blah blah blah.
18. Internacional - Play Barca tonight for the World Club Cup title. Thanks for coming guys. Enjoy the trip home.
19. Zaragoza - Fourth in la Liga, with talent like Aimar, Ewerthon, the brothers Milito...don't say I didn't warn you.
20. Estudiantes - Cinderella story.

On the Bubble - Bolton (good time to be a Wanderers fan), Schalke 04 (top-3 in Deutschland), Lille (advanced in Champions, now they get Milan...), Palermo (fallen off the pace in Serie A), Valencia (injuries, in-fighting, and controversies have de-railed the season for los Ches)

...then all 10 of my readers really really love me right about now. Nothing like a month spent traveling in Argentina and working long hours to put a stop to the ole blog. Sorry bout that, but now we're back. And after a month off, we've got a lot to talk about:

1. If there's a more soccer-mad country than Argentina, I haven't seen it. That place loves the futbol. Heck, they even kill over it. Nuff said. Fortunately yours truly managed to catch a River Plate game down in Mendoza. Aside from the nagging feeling that a riot could start at any time and leave you trampled to the seat-less cement bleachers, it's a helluva way to spend a Sunday afternoon. When the week before saw all visiting fans banned from games...and a game called off beacause angry fans wouldn't let the teams leave their hotels...well, you know you're not exactly attending a figure skating exhibition. Fortunately we lived to tell about it. Oh, and River won 1-0. Goal by Belluschi (remember that name - trust me).

2. Real Madrid crashed to a 2-1 loss at Sevilla over the weekend, confirming two theories: 1 - Sevilla is for real. Like top-5 in Europe for real. 2 - Real is on the right track, despite the scoreline. Capello has them playing well, Guti is healthy again, and Raul & Ronaldo are back scoring loads of goals. The funny thing is that, other than a handful of good Van Nistelrooy outings, Real's success this year has NOT been the result of any of the new players. Cannavaro, Emerson, Reyes, and even Diarra have all been disappointing. While one could've predicted the struggles of the first three (Cannavaro & Emerson, as defensive players, will always look better in a defense-oriented league like Serie A, where they won't be exposed at the back; Reyes has never really lived up to the hype), Diarra looked to be a solid signing, but he's been no better than mediocre. Look for la Liga to come down to Real, Sevilla, and Barca, who are doing one heck of a job overcoming all their injury struggles. What a deep, deep squad.

3. Just weeks after a try-out with Man Utd, Freddy Adu is off to, uh, Salt Lake. The Next Great American Hope never really delivered at DC United, but to be fair that has more to do with the coaching than with any lack of talent. He's young as heck and making a huge jump going from a high school freshman to an MLS professional. To make matters worse, Peter Nowak played him as a right wing-back in a 3-4-1-2. Not exactly where you'd expect a young, raw, small, lightning-fast striker to succeed. Here's hoping it goes better for Adu in Utah. I, for one, think it will.

4. Say what you want about Italy or Spain, but it really doesn't get any better than the Premiership. The fans, the stadia, the players, the coaches... - you just can't beat it. Watching Chelsea-ManU or Chelsea-Arsenal, it's just amazing what a great league that is. The pace of play is electric, the quality is superb, the fans never sit down or stop buzzing, the stadiums are these old-school, close-to-the-action cathedrals, and the coaches are as good as it gets. You tell me what's better in club soccer than a Saturday afternoon watching the Premiership's best go at it.

5. Count me among the legions of American fans that were shocked and disappointed at the US Federation's failure to land Jurgen Klinsmann. After months of talks, it all fell through and we were left with...(drum roll please)...Bob Bradley! Um, right. Look, I know that Bradley is an American, who knows and understands American players, who has had MLS success...but please, he didn't lead a team to the World Cup semis last summer. Nuff said. Bradley is a perfectly decent coach, but somehow I don't see how he's going to take the US team to the next level. And that's the goal, isn't it?

6. Whatever this World Club Cup Championship or whatever it's called...I don't get it. Seems like one more pointless tournament to me, one more way FIFA can make money. And hey, the only downside is that it's more unnecessary fixture in an already-overpacked world soccer schedule. But who cares about exhausting the players? I mean, sign me up for watching a jet-lagged Ronaldinho suit up in his 90th game this year to battle it out against some random Latin American team in some cavernous Japanese stadium. Blah blah blah.

7. Speaking of Ronaldinho, before his trek to the Land of the Rising Sun, he was just starting to get back to his pre-World Cup best. His goal against Villareal was...well, if you haven't seen it, find a way to watch it. It's a dandy. Best of the year so far. And he came up clutch the next week against Werder Bremen in a must-win Champions League affair. Somewhere in South Africa, Carlos Alberto Parreira is slamming his head against a brick wall...

8. Not to jinx them or anything, but this looks like the year for Inter Milan. I know, I know - they won the title last year. But hey, I don't think winning a title in a courtroom is quite the same as winning one on the pitch. This year it's all setting up nicely for them. No one plays a prettier game than Roma (more on them later), but Inter's the one building a nice, solid Serie A lead as we head into the Christmas break. Mancini has settled in on a regular line-up, Crespo and Ibrahimovic have been deadly up front, and all of a sudden, everything Nerazzurri seems to be coming up golden. Need any more proof? Well, AC Milan is stuck in a relegation battle. I rest my case.

9. Ahh yes, Roma. This might not be the ideal time to sing their praises, since they're coming off a 0-3 thrashing in the Rome derby at the hands of arch-rivals Lazio. Whatever, I can't resist. There is nothing more impressive than what clubs like Roma, Sevilla, Lyon, and Arsenal have been doing for the last decade - and that is churning out young talent year after year. And even when they lose that talent, they just bring in another wave of top-notch players. Take a look at their line-up: Mexes, Chivu, Ferrari, De Rossi, Taddei, Mancini...the list goes on. I will never understand why a struggling big club doesn't start throwing boatloads of money at Roma's scouts...and the scouts for Lyon, Sevilla, and Arsenal, too. These clubs clearly have a knack for spotting great youngsters, so why not spend some money on the scouts who can spot them rather than waiting a few years until you've got to spend millions & millions more to get the same player? Look at Arsene Wenger in north London - deprived of the services of Henry and Gallas, Wenger trotted out a line-up featuring the likes of Djourou, Fabregas, Eboue, Senderos, Hleb, Adebayor and watched as they shut down Chelski for 85 minutes, almost stealing a victory in the process. Bottom line: you can't put a price on an eye for talent.

10. Champions League draw this Friday. Should be a dandy. Almost all the big guns made it through to the next round with a pretty good split between 1st and 2nd place finishers (who get drawn against each other), so just sit back, relax, and watch as these heavyweights line up to face one another when the tourney resumes in the New Year. Just imagine what it could be like to watch Lyon-Barca, Chelsea-Real, ManU-Inter, Arsenal-Roma (you know I'd love to see that), Bayern-PSV...the list goes on and on.

11. And just because I was gone, I'll include a little bonus note. Set your TiVOs, set your VCRs (gosh, that is SO 1994), play hookie from class, leave work early...do what you got to do, but whatever you do - plant your ass in front of a TV for tonight's Boca-Estudiantes showdown for the Argentine title. When I left Buenos Aires last month, Boca had a 4-point lead with two to play and the bubbly was all set to go. Now it looks like a little too much time was spent planning celebrations instead of working on the ole game-plan. So tonight, to decide the title of a championship that has been almost ruined by violence and hooligans, Boca has to play Diego Simeone's Estudiantes (captained by Juan Veron - remember him?) for the Apertura title. Don't miss it. (Damn, it's good to be back...)

Earlier this week, a reader chimed in with a comment about his dislike for Jose Mourinho. Can't blame him, since Mourinho can be an insufferable jerk half the time. Either way, he's a polarizing figure - ya love him or ya hate him and there's no in-between. I, for one, think that the Portuguese coach is a brilliant tactician, an amazing success-story, and an outspoken, opionated breath of fresh air. Oh, and he's an asshole, too. I'm sure that the man himself wouldn't claim otherwise.

Mourinho's rise to prominence is a stunning one. Not too long ago, the present-day coach of one of the world's biggest and best club teams was nothing more than an assistant to Bobby Robson at Barcelona, a guy employed more for his translating abilities than for any soccer knowledge. Fast forward to today and he's already won domestic titles in Portugal and England and collected European soccer's crown jewel, the Champions League trophy. He has out-coached some of the world's best coaches. He has found a way to motivate a group of 'galactico' players at Chelsea, keeping them hungry for more & more success. He has spent owner Roman Abramovich's millions wisely, investing in an intelligent mix of up & coming youngters and established superstars. He has molded these playaers into a cohesive unit, one with its own identity. No one can doubt this man's soccer IQ. But to do so, to be so successful, he has employed his own unique - borderline unfair - methods. Chelsea's dealings in the transfer market are questionable to say the least; at best, they overspend by such a wide margin that they unnaturally distort the market, hurting a wide variety of clubs; at worst, they are flat-out breaking the rules, employing any means necessary to throw their weight around & acquire any player they damn well please. As a coach, Mourinho consistently motivates his players by making them believe that everyone is out to get them. From the refs to the opposing team's medical staffs, everyone hates Chelsea and wants to knock them off their perch atop the soccer world. Before his players can be lulled into complacency, Mourinho ratchets up the tension of any match by ripping the other team, the other coach, the other fans...whatever it takes. The man is a motivational genius.

Of course, he's also a poisonous element. Any soccer fan knows that there's already enough of that in the sport already. Whatever the situation may be, Mourinho will inflame it, injecting it with all sorts of controversy and ill-will. Half of the time, this is just not fair - almost all of the time, this is just bad for the game. Case in point: this week Mourinho ripped Barcelona's players, claiming that most of them were divers; he questioned the ref, saying that he didn't know if the match could be officiated fairly with so much cheating from the other team; he even criticized the host country, proclaiming that the Spanish league was a country full of divers and cheaters. What would have otherwise been a showcase of two of the world's best teams battling in a crucial match was suddenly a tense, hostile affair. And the match played out just like Mourinho would have planned. His squad, already well on its way to clinching qualification in the next round, stormed out of the gates, matching the intensity of a Barca team that had much more to play for. The match boiled over on numerous occasions, with players constantly at each other's throats and in the referee's face. When Drogba scored an equalizer in injury time, Mourinho showed more excitement than Marcello Lippi at the end of the World Cup final. All of the passion proved contagious, even prompting the normally mild-mannered Frank Rijkaard to confront the ref at the final whistle. Mourinho had done it again.

For all of his motivational tricks and on-field success, Mourinho has done a great deal of damage off the field. Just last month, he claimed that a Reading player intended to hurt Petr Cech by leaving his foot in as he barged in on goal, then blamed Reading for not getting medical care to the injured keeper quickly enough. The situation was already bad enough as it was - Cech had a depressed skull fracture. The Reading player was clearly shaken; it is hard to imagine that he had meant to hurt Cech, even harder to imagine that he ever could have imagined that he would hurt him so badly. And to think that an opposing Premiership club either didn't have adequate medical services or didn't make enough of an effort to aid an injured player is just plain ludicrous. For someone who's had the success and good fortune that he has enjoyed, Mourinho has more ill-will than can be explained in one column, but suffice to say that he is one bitter, bitter man.

What happens in the future is anyone's guess. On the one hand, it's only a matter of time before Mourinho lands himself in some serious trouble. UEFA is looking into the various incidents during the Barca match, but investigations are becoming routine for Chelsea. As for the coach himself, one wonders if he really enjoys what he's doing. Maybe he has to stay bitter to stay motivated, but that can only go on so long. It is hard to imagine that he can keep up at this pace, with so many controversies and problems and incidents, for many more years. With so many feuds brewing, you have to think that before too long it'll all blow up in his face. If he doesn't burn out or get himself into loads of trouble, then you have to think that eventually his act will get old. Sure, all anyone cares about in sports is titles. If you've got talent, then that's what counts. But after that trophy case is good and stocked, fans and executives start to get greedy - eventually, they'll want to see beautiful soccer, likable coaches, classy players, and personable executives. And what will happen to good ole Jose then? Stay tuned...

In the meantime, get used to seeing Mourinho on your tele and in the news. He's everywhere. Of course, outside of the friendly confines of Stamford Bridge, he is well-liked just about nowhere. But hey, since when was sports a popularity contest?

Lots to discuss after another pulsating weekend of world soccer action. Italy was all over the news, this time for some good reasons. Well, mostly good ones. An enticing Milan derby had all Serie A fans tuned in and, thankfully, a final verdict in the Moggigate scandals was dished out earlier in the week so fans could concentrate on the on-field action once again. Across the Mediterranean, one of Italy's young stars plying their trade in Spain was in the news for the wrong reasons - Antonio Cassano, full of talent but short on smarts, was suspended indefinitely by Real Madrid. A coach who's fairy-tale World Cup was ended by Italy's national team also made headlines - Jurgen Klinsmann is in talks with United States soccer federation officials. And finally, an issue that everyone always seems to be talking about - diving - is on the tongues of many a soccer fan this week after Eidur Gudjohnsen's flop in the Nou Camp this weekend. Jose Mourinho, who always has something to say about damn near everything, weighed in on the subject - no surprise there. Enough previews - let's get on to the action.

Big games have a way of getting weighed down by expectations. Derbies have a habit of getting ruined by overwhelming passion and massive tension. Italian soccer frequently is marred by ultra-defensive play and boring 'catenaccio'. So, what happened on Saturday at the San Siro but the season's best match thus far, an offensive feast of some of the world's best attackers battling back and forth, with little to no defense to note. Catenaccio? What's that, some type of pasta? Inter, disappointing in Europe but excellent domestically, came in to the match hoping to complete an impressive trifecta of three away wins against their main rivals for the title. The Nerazzurri had already defeated Fiorentina and Roma; now it was Milan's turn. The Rossoneri sprung some surprises with their line-up, choosing to employ Chelsea's tactic of fielding a team heavy on central midfielders: Gattuso, Ambrosini, Pirlo and Seedorf all made the starting 11, with only Kaka and Inzaghi up front. Right from the start, the strategy backfired. Pippo was isolated up front and the Brazilian playmaker was unable to make his mark on the match. At the other end, Inter was scoring the types of back-breaking goals that Milan used to specialize in. First, a header by Crespo from a free-kick gave them the lead. Minutes later, a long-range wonder-goal by Stankovic doubled their advantage, followed by the Serb nearly ripping Mancini's head off his neck with an unrestrained goal celebration (seriously, you could see the fear of God in Mancini's eyes as Stankovic was shaking him like a naughty little kid). Milan was reeling as the match headed to the half. A triple-change at the interval by Ancelotti was a bold move, but when Ibrahimovic scored on a counter to make it 3-0 it also appeared to be a futile one. Not so fast. Inter has shown a bad habit this year of being unable to close out matches, such as when they let Fiorentina rally from three goals down to make it a nervous one-goal nail-biter. So, cue the Milan rally. Goal off a deflected Seedorf shot. Here come Milan. The onslaught is on...wait, nope, Materazzi rams in a header and it's back to a three-goal cushion. But the big Italian gets sent off for his goal celebration (weren't we just discussing that last week?) and Milan are a man up for the final half-hour. A header by Gilardino makes it 4-2. Then in the 90th minute Kaka lobs Julio Cesar for to cut it to 4-3. Wow. At this point, the match was no more than an offense-defense drill, with wave after wave of Milan attacks raining down on Inter's exhausted, shell-shocked backline. Oliveira had a close-range header to score an improbable equalizer, but it trickled just wide. Inter, despite their second-half woes, had held on. In the sports world, there's a tendency for hyperbole. Every match has to be the greatest this or the best that or the most intense or...it's always something, but in fact it really rarely is. Well, you'll have to forgive me for saying that this is the best match I've seen all year, the most attack-minded Serie A game in recent memory, and the most entertaining derby in years. If you don't believe me, look no further than the outpouring of joy and unbridled expression of happiness and elation seen from the Inter places at the final whistle. Guys like Zanetti, Maicon, and Ibrahimovic acted like they'd just won the World Cup. Not quite, but it was a massive hammer blow to the hopes of Inter's title rivals, as well as the perfect way to head into this week's big Champions League showdown with Spartak. Oh, and I'll take the catenaccio with bolognese sauce.

In Spain, Real Madrid is continuing their impressive resurgence under Capello (who, in turn, should thank Robinho), but leave it to their little headcase Antonio Cassano to ruin the good vibes at the Bernabeu. After being granted a new lease on life in Madrid and the chance to play under his father figure Capello, you'd think that the boy would've learned. Um, no. Cassano went ballistic after Real's 3-1 win over Gimnastic, insulting Capello and demanding more playing time (despite the fact that the team has been infinitely better with him on the bench and Guti and Raul playing just behind Van Nistelrooy). On Monday, Real suspended him indefinitely while they conduct an investigation, whatever that means.

Real's main rivals, Barcelona, won in part thanks to a con-job on the ref by Eidur Gudjohnsen. The former Chelsea man took a dive in the box and won a penalty, prompting his former coach Jose Mourinho, speaking ahead of this week's Barcelona-Chelsea rematch, to say that the Icelandic striker has apparently learned how to dive in Barcelona, a city renowned for its theater scene and acting talent. More on Mourinho in a sec, but first let's touch on the issue of diving. We've said it before, but if players can't police themselves to stamp diving out of the game, then it's up to the authorities to start handing down harsh penalties (suspensions, etc) against the offending parties. As for the controversial Portuguese coach, whether you love him or hate him, he's right that diving has to be stopped. Mourinho is a shockingly polarizing figure, one who is always at the center of controversy, but he has succeeded in creating a 'us-against-the-world' atmosphere at Chelsea. So far, it's worked. Whether it's taking shots at former players or criticizing the medical services at Reading or claiming conspiracies in the refereeing...Mourinho has his players thinking that the world is out to get them. Of course, he's wrong, but he's made a team that's already tasted success in recent years only hungrier and hungrier for more. The Barca match should be a dandy - let's just hope that the actors stay in the theaters, not on the pitch.

Speaking of Hollywood, the U.S. soccer federation appears ever closer to naming Jurgen "Tinkerbell" Klinsmann their new head coach. It would be a fantastic move for the Americans, as well as a match-made-in-heaven for Klinsi, who now lives in southern California. Now whether or not he can find an American Ballack and an American Klose is another story...

That's all for now. Back later in the week for full Champions League analysis...

With so many different countries and teams and topics to cover, I've decided to continue ripping off Sports Illustrated's Peter King's 'Ten Things I Think I Think' format from his Monday Morning Quarterback column. Without further ado, here are this week's thoughts:

1. That Liverpool is a team in disarray. November is only just around the corner, but one of the Premiership's most promising squads is already seeing their title hopes vanish into thin air. The boys from Anfield are languishing in mid-table, have fallen 11 points off the leaders, and astonishingly, despite an attack with the talents of Gerrard, Garcia, Alonso, Crouch, Bellamy, Pennant, Fowler, Gonzalez and Kuyt, have failed to score a goal away from home in the Premiership for over five hours. Knowing that big games tend to bring out the best in top-notch teams, I thought that Liverpool's match-up with Man Utd this weekend could be just what the doctor ordered. Maybe if it's Dr. Kevorkian. Liverpool stunk up the joint at Old Trafford. Simple as that. A first-half strike from Scholes put them on their heels - the Englishman could've pitched a tent on the penalty spot he had so much time - and in the second half the Reds were just lifeless. A wonderfully-taken goal from Ferdinand, who looked nothing like a centerback as he trapped a cross in the box, cut the ball back across the face of goal away from the pressure of Riise, and laced a fierce drive into the top side netting leaving a sliding Carragher and a stunned Reina no chance whatsoever. Game, set, match (and to think that ManU cruised to victory with a poor performance from Rooney and Ronaldo and Heinze on the bench). The frustration was visible from the Liverpool players' faces to their body language. An errant pass from Alonso. Gerrard screams in anger. Pennant dribbles off his foot. Sissoko slumps his shoulders. Gerrard smacks a shot well wide. Crouch looks on in disbelief. It was a Liverpool nightmare at the Theater of Dreams. And worse still, with no real injuries or other problems to note, there are no easy answers or simple solutions in sight. This is a good team, stocked with great players, that is playing like a bunch of strangers. The Champions League title in Istanbul seems like a decade ago. Now it's time for Rafa the Gaffa to earn his money. And fast.

2. That Real Zaragoza is the new Villareal. As predicted in this year's la Liga preview, Zaragoza has employed Villareal's successful policy of acquiring big-name South American cast-offs from other, larger clubs. This shrewd tactic brought superstars like Juan Roman Riquelme, Juan Pablo Sorin, and Diego Forlan to El Madrigal and catapulted the Yellow Submarine all the way to the Champions League semis last year. Now it's Zaragoza's turn to make some noise in la Liga. The Aragon club already counted among its ranks the likes of Argentinian Leandro Ponzio and brothers Diego and Gabriel Milito, as well as Brazilians Ewerthon and Savio. This summer, they added midfield maestros Pablo Aimar and Andres D'Alessandro. Today, Zaragoza sit in the top five of the table and look poised to make a serious run at Spain's fourth Champions League spot. For anyone who doubted their quality, look no further than Aimar's scintillating run to set up Diego Milito for the game-winning goal against Betis this weekend. Pure quality. Made in South America. Somewhere down in the standings, Villareal can relate.

3. That Middlesborough's 1-0 Tyneside derby win over Newcastle is not exactly a match I'll remember forever. A few things did leave a mark, though: Stuart Downing, Boro's much-balleyhooed winger, appeared to me to be an over-rated, over-hyped player, but in this game he was Boro's best threat. I still don't think he's the answer to England's left-wing problems, but he was man-of-the-match at the Riverside. On Boro's other wing, right-back Andrew Davis won't be winning any such honors. In fact, the only prize he gets is the dubious one of worst-haircut ever seen. Imagine an Albino boy with a shock of bleached blond hair that appears to have been scalped on one side. Poor kid. Davis also doesn't seem like a very competent defender, so it's a good thing that he's got Real cast-off Jonathan Woodgate alongside him. Say what you want about Real's ill-advised decision to pass on the aforementioned Gabriel Milito to sign the oft-injured Woody, but when healthy, few can argue that the Englishman is one of the top five centerbacks in the Premership. Unfortunately for Woody, "when healthy" means "one month over the past two years". Oh, and speaking of quality defenders in the Premier, there's a great article on Watford's Jay DeMerit in last week's Sports Illustrated. It'd be quality reading for Landon Donovan and a number of other MLS stars who could learn a thing or two about how much American footballers can benefit from plying their trade in Europe.

4. That the MLS playoffs got underway this weekend. For those not in the know, eight out of the twelve teams in the league qualify, so really all you have to do is show up for the games and not suck. And when the playoffs roll around, fans are treated to a bunch of mismatches involving crappy teams. Case in point: the atrocious New York Red Bulls got to play a home-and-home against regular season champs DC United. Gee, I think I'll take the boys from the capital city. But I won't take them to win it all. That honor will go to the winner of the other Eastern Conference first-round series between the New England Revolution and the Chicago Fire. No predictions as to who that might be, but I'll take the victor to go on to beat United and then FC Dallas in the final. Ya heard it here first.

5. That the Galactico Era at Barcelona may be underway. A squad of high-profile superstars. Loads of success and praise for a few years running. A power-hungry president prone to ego-tripping. Energy-sapping worldwide pre-season tours. Constant emphasis on advertising and expansion. Sound familiar? So it goes with Barca 2006. Maybe we should've seen the warning signs with their loss to Sevilla in the Spanish Supercopa. Maybe we should've known when most of Barca's big stars underperformed during the World Cup. Heck, maybe Ronaldinho's ill-fated headband idea should've clued us in. But if it didn't, then this week's back-to-back losses to Chelsea and Real Madrid - followed in quick succession by Ronaldinho's trip on Monday to appear in a TV ad with Michael Jordan - sure indicate that all is far from well at the Camp Nou. Now no one should overreact just because the Blaugrana lost two away matches to two of the world's best teams - they were still ranked #1 in the most recent edition of WSB's Top 20. But let's just say that that aura of invincibility is fading fast up in Catalunya.

6. That even with this summer's World Cup debacle, I'll still rank Brazil's B-team right up there with the best national sides in the world. Being the most talented soccer nation in the world doesn't always translate into international trophies, since of course you can only play 11-on-11 and not 150-on-150, but man, it is just amazing to see the guys that new coach Dunga has at his disposal. The newest star? Werder Bremen's Diego. His man-of-the-match showing in their 3-1 demolition of Bayern Munich is the latest indication that no one produces artistic playmakers quite the way they do it down in Brazil. And to think that Diego, the player of the year thus far in the Bundesliga, will be hard-pressed to break into a national team where Ronaldinho and Kaka are already laying claim to the #10 shirt...just amazing. Here's a thought - anyone want to take odds on Diego joining up with his former Santos buddy Robinho at Real Madrid next year? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

7. That we've said it before, but we'll say it again. As much as we love the veritable plethora of soccer games throughout the year, the schedule-makers need to chill. For the good of the game. It's clear that Ronaldinho is burnt-out. So is Lampard. So are countless others. These guys aren't machines. They can't play forever. Throw in all of the pressure and stress and non-stop media attention and it's no wonder that they struggle to perform the way up to their capabilities. Until there are fewer international friendlies and pre-season tours and meaningless club tournaments, soccer fans will continue to watch the best players in the game play at a level well below their best. And that, my friends, is a crying shame.

8. That all of the goalie injuries of the past month, especially the doubleheader of Chelsea knock-outs in their game against Reading, are starting to mess with the heads of these net-minders. And I don't just mean in the physical sense. Check out Victor Valdes' half-hearted attempt to stop an onrushing Van Nistelrooy as the Dutchman scored Real's second goal in Sunday's clash at the Bernabeu. Something tells me that the sight of Petr Cech nearly getting decapitated was fresh in the Spaniard's mind. And I can't say I blame him.

9. That poor Atleti just can't catch a break. Or maybe they catch too many? After we wrote about how unfortunate it was that their star winger Maxi Rodriguez went down with a season-ending ACL injury in Argentina's friendly against Spain (see point #7), what happened in their next game against Recreativo but another ACL injury to their other winger Martin Petrov. And just when everything was going so well for Atleti, as they had just outplayed Real in a 1-1 derby draw and leapt to a top-five spot in the la Liga table. The sight of Maxi and Petrov both laid up in the hospital after surgery was not a pretty one. Not many teams can afford to lose both of their wingers for the season in the span of one week. With Torres and Mista struggling up front, Jurado a disappointment, and Galletti nowhere near as good as Maxi or Petrov, it's hard to see how Atleti will cope. On the basis of their loss at Deportivo this weekend, I'd say that Javier Aguirre has his work cut out for him to avoid another season of underachievement for the boys from the Calderon.

10. That Bayern Munich might be the most dislikable team ever. Not that they used to be any better, with the despicable Stefan Effenberg patroling their midfield and the petrifying Carsten Jancker up front, but this team is something special. Mark Van Bommel, for my money the dirtiest player around, was one of their summer signings - George W will win the Nobel Peace Prize long before Van Bommel ever takes home a Fair Play award. The Dutchman joins the likes of Hasan Salihamdzic, who's just a dreadful little devil. Oliver "Chewbacca" Kahn still mans the goalposts, causing wayward shots simply by looking into the stunned of eyes of opposing strikers. Roy Makaay and Willy Sagnol are the type of annoying players that Bayern seems to love for some reason. So it is with great dread that I hereby set the over/under at one year before they sign Marco Materazzi, Thomas Gravesen, and possibly even the reigning five-time winner of world's most dislikable player...Robbie Savage.

There are few certainties in life, even fewer in sports. One is that Fabio Capello's teams hardly ever allow any goals. Another is that my predictions are almost always wrong. Hopefully this lethal combination meant that most of you weren't in the least bit surprised by Real Madrid's 2-0 win over Barcelona.

It was a game that gave us a lot of talking points, but to fully appreciate what happened on Sunday at the Bernabeu all it takes is a good understanding of the importance of common (or is it uncommon?) sense. Capello has struggled mightily to mold this team in the image of his successful Juventus sides. Past history tells us that he will eventually turn Real into an ultra-defensive team full of veteran superstars that will find a way to win titles while never winning any beauty contests for impressive play.

Capello's work began this summer when new president Ramon Calderon hired him away from the disgraced Italian champs. Capello had some tough decisions to make when he arrived at the Bernabeu. However, he had carte blanche to do as he pleased. He quickly jettisoned the youth policy adopted by Real in 2005 (Robinho, Julio Baptista, Cicinho, Cassano & Diogo all came to Madrid last year) in favor of the old guard - in his first month, he had signed Cannavaro, Emerson, and Van Nistelrooy, three superstars all on the wrong side of 30. Such a preference for seasoned veterans served Capello well at Juve, but then again so did paying off the refs. Capello did bring in some youngsters in Reyes and Diarra, but he also made it clear that Baptista and Diogo were surplus to requirements, while Robinho would have to start on the bench. He promised that in 50 days, the demanding Bernabeu faithful would finally see his new-look Real side. On paper, it looked good, but then again so did the Real sides of the last three years and we all know how many trophies they won (here's a hint: one fewer than Espanyol). No one expected Capello's side to entertain, but for all the talk otherwise, everyone knows that if the team is winning titles, no one will be complaining. And heck, even wonderful squads like the present Barca team have to grind out countless results during the season - not every game can be a 5-2 romp with dozens of Ronaldinho highlights. So when the season began with a couple of low-scoring wins and draws, no one was too surprised, although the 0-3 thrashing at the hands of Lyon was cause for concern. Still, the team was gelling, right? Um, right?

Well, the 50 day mark came and went a few weeks ago. In fact, it was marked by one of the worst Madrid performances in recent memory; worse still, Real's 1-0 loss at Getafe came on the heels of a break for international play that saw only 3 of Real's players suit up for their respective national teams. With a squad chock-full of over-the-hill players, only Casillas, Sergio Ramos, and Cannavaro turned up for international duty. Raul, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Emerson, Van Nistelrooy and Beckham were all left out by their national teams. Robinho and Cassano would probably have been included for Brazil and Italy had they not been riding the pine at Real, and Reyes joined up with Spain but soon got hurt. So, while Barca's squad was all over the world playing for their national teams, Real had fewer players called up than their crosstown rivals Atletico. The message was clear: no one wanted them. But maybe the time spent at training in Madrid would help them come together as a unit? Not so fast. The loss at Getafe came on the heels of a 1-1 draw with their cross-town rivals Atletico in which Real was dominated for long stretches of the game and had all of their flaws cruelly exposed.

The problems start with Capello's lineup. After injuries to Salgado and his back-up Cicinho, the Italian opted to play Alvaro Mejia, a centerback who came up through the Real youth team, at right-back. Sergio Ramos is a natural right-back and starts there for Spain, but for some reason Real has insisted on making him a centerback. Huh? Why play a natural right-back in the center and a center-back at right-back? And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Aside from the keeper Casillas, only one player had logged more minutes this year than Emerson, undoubtedly Real's worst player so far. Capello's loyalty to the Brazilian symbolizes a larger problem: a preference for defensive workhorses over attackers. Check out the domino effect that Emerson's inclusion in the lineup causes: Guti, who has played superbly in a two-man center midfield pairing in the past and would surely be a nice complement to the more defensive Diarra, is pushed out to the left; this makes Raul play as a withdrawn forward, which relegates Robinho, Reyes or Cassano to the bench. So not only does it rob the team of one or more of its best attackers, but it makes the team's top playmaker play out of position. Just as happened in years past with Thomas Gravesen (offensive-mid-made-defensive-destroyer), so it goes this year with Ramos, Mejia, and Guti. Why a club with the financial resources of Real continues to try to make a square peg fit into a round hole I will never know. And Capello, unlike some of his predecessors, can't pin the blame on a previous coach. These are his guys. He could've signed William Gallas, a versatile defender. He could've brought in Lilian Thuram, a true centerback. He could've signed Ashley Cole, a natural left-back. Instead, there are still numerous indications that the current Real squad was constructed without enough attention paid to establishing a balance between the offensive firepower and defensive vulnerability. Not only did Capello take a pass on other defensive stars who changed teams this off-season and not only did he loan out the fit-again Jonathan Woodgate to Middlesborough, but he was so desperate to get rid of Ivan Helguera that he handed his #6 shirt to Diarra. But who was it that, wearing the #21 shirt, was called into duty to take the place of the suspended Ramos against Getafe? Yep, Helguera (he was the best defender on the night by the way). Alongside Helguera in the center of defense was Raul Bravo - a career-long left-back of course. Only Real would start a center-back at right back and a left-back at centerback and then cry "woe is me". Folks, you have more money than any club in the world - try spending it wisely. Because as the likes of Mejia, Helguera, and Bravo were trotting out onto the pitch, the camera panned to the most star-studded bench seen in years: Ronaldo, Raul, Cannavaro, and Robinho all being treated to one of the worst Merengue performance in years. So much for equilibrium.

Here's a quick solution: play guys where they're at their best. If you paid tens of millions to bring in Sergio Ramos because he was such a great right-back, well then you might want to play him there. If Ivan Helguera has been one of the club's most consistent defenders over recent years, you might not want to axe him from the squad before you've brought in a competent replacement. If Roberto Carlos is on the decline, you might want to bring in a left-back. If your best ball distributor operates best when he's in the center of the park, you might want to let Guti use his vision in the center of the pitch and not banish him to the wing. If your team is lacking speed and the element of surprise, then tricky attackers like Robinho and Reyes should always be preferred to slow, plodding wingers like Beckham (a starter against Getafe). None of these suggestions are innovative or earth-shattering or in any way unorthodox. They are simply the result of common sense. At a club with all of the resources in the world, it's ironic that the one thing in such short supply is such a basic trait.

After a tumultuous week following the Getafe debacle, Capello supposedly told his players that he would resign if they didn't believe in his system and his plan. No one could've blamed them if they'd taken him up on his offer, but with the disastrous reign of Vanderlei Luxemburgo so fresh in their minds, they thought better of it. Not only did that team meeting inspire the players to play harder and work as a unit, but it also spurred Capello to make some very important line-up changes. In last week's Champions League game against Steaua Bucharest, Capello moved Ramos to right-back, played Helguera at centerback, moved Guti to a more central playmaking spot, and inserted Robinho into the lineup to play on the wing opposite Raul (they swapped sides frequently). And wouldn't ya know it? 4-1 to Real!

On Sunday, Capello kept faith with the same starting 11. Your fearless predictor thought Barca would shake off the after-effects of their loss at Chelsea and bounce back versus Real, who would have a much harder time than they did in Romania. But no. In the rainy cauldron of the Bernabeu, 80,000 fans watched Real dominate Barca from the start. Raul, who is more fired-up than ever before and almost back to his old self, smashed in a header in just the second minute. Who gave him the assist? Real's new right-back, Sergio Ramos. A little over ten minutes later, Raul whacked another shot off the cross-bar after taking a beautiful feed from the left wing. After Valdes chopped down Van Nistelrooy in the box and ref Perez Burrull failed to call a penalty (shocking, I know - where's Medina Cantalejo when ya need him?), one couldn't help but get the feeling that maybe Real had let Barca off the hook by only having a one-goal lead to show for 20 minutes of virtual siege. When Leo Messi then started shredding the Real backline, at one point slicing between Cannavaro and Roberto Carlos to create a clear-cut chance for Gudjohnsen, Real's fears were being realized. Thank God Gudjohnsen is no Etoo. Minutes later it was Messi himself who blew a fantastic chance set up for him by la Liga's flavor of the month Andres Iniesta. In fact, it was the very presence of Iniesta alongside Xavi and Deco that was one of Saturday's big surprises. While Capello had finally figured out his lineup confusion, in the opposing dug-out Rijkaard had made a number of huge mistakes. He had deprived his team of a midfield destroyer, leaving out both Edmilson and Motta. Perhaps because of this lack of steel, Barca never seemed to get a grip on the game in midfield, as they were clearly outplayed by Guti, Diarra, and even Emerson (lucky though he was not to be sent off). At the back, Rijkaard played Sylvinho on the left over Van Bronckhorst, a huge mistake as the Brazilian was given a torrid time by Raul and Robinho. In the center of defense, Thuram was nowhere near as strong as Marquez. Even up front, Gudjohnsen squandered numerous chances that Saviola would likely have put away. Despite all signs of the season's first month suggesting otherwise, Capello outcoached Rijkaard.

Although the Blaugrana controlled the last 25 minutes of the first half and had Real Madrid on their heels, they couldn't grab the equalizer. In the second stanza, another early goal, this one from Van Nistelrooy off a feed from man-of-the-match Robinho, put the game out of reach. Barca threatened intermittently, but to be fair Real never looked to be in too much trouble. They can thank a backline that was simply superb. Roberto Carlos looked rejuvenated. Helguera and Cannavaro have already formed a fantastic partnership, making Real the best defensive team in la Liga. But it was the young boy on the right, Sergio Ramos, who stole the show. A few years ago, with Real at the peak of their galactico powers, los Blancos were shocked by an upstart Barca team mainly because of Barca's up-and-coming right-back who shut down Real's superstar winger. In that game, it was the young Carles Puyol who single-handedly nullified Luis Figo. On Sunday, Ramos did the same to Ronaldinho. It is now officially time for the Blaugrana to start seriously worrying about the burn-out that Ronaldinho is clearly suffering from. He has played far-too many big games over the past few years, games in which his team depended on him & him alone for victory, games with the high pressure and worldwide spotlight that can drain a player so so quickly. It was obvious at the World Cup that Ronaldinho was a shadow of himself. Despite showing signs, like in the game against Sevilla a few weeks ago, that he was getting his form back, Ronaldinho is just not himself. He needs a break, but with the young season just beginning, there is no end in sight. With Etoo out, Barca needs Ronaldinho more than ever, but he appears in no shape to help them. It's hardly time for panic at the Camp Nou, but maybe it is time to give Iniesta a more forward position and let 'Dinho recharge the old battery. And give Saviola a run-out at striker, too. Whatever, giving one world-class coach advice is enough for one day.

In last week's preview of these games, we remarked about what a difference a week makes in the soccer world. So true. Real now look like a genuine contender in la Liga and the Champions League, while Barca are reeling from back-to-back defeats that have given their Spanish rivals renewed confidence and jeopardized the Blaugrana's qualification for the next round of Europe's top competition. If only we'd seen it coming...

I am not one for predictions. You know this, I know this. If you don't - or didn't - know this, look no further than my shocking and appalling predictions during this summer's World Cup. Brazil was my pick to win it all. I may or may not have called them "unstoppable", but I've blacked that out of my memory. I rated Argentina and Spain as two of the best teams in the world and stated confidently that both would reach the semifinals. My other semifinal pick, Germany, proved to be correct, but that was about it. On the flip side, I couldn't have been more wrong about Italy and France, two teams I called "crap" and "lucky to advance". Yep, I'm a genius. So for more enlightenment into what to expect in the near future, stop reading now. But if you're in the mood for a good joke...or maybe you want to use my picks to put money on my predicted losers...or maybe you just couldn't afford another visit to that crack-head psychic down the street that claims that the apocalypse will hit tonight...whatever your motives might be, here are my picks for what should be a thrilling weekend in of top-notch soccer with major showdowns in Germany, England and Spain:

Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich

I'm a big Werder fan, not in the sense of a true fan but more of an admirer of how they play the game, so I'm tempted to pick them to beat Bayern. In my Bundesliga season preview, I said that these two teams would finish top of the league and, despite underwhelming starts to the season for both of them, I'm not ready to bail on that pick. Werder has the best forward in Germany, Miroslav Klose, and the best midfielder, Torsten Frings, and this season's surprise budding superstar, the Brazilian Diego. Bayern has a far superior team on paper, but we all know that's why they play the games. And even though I think that Pizarro can wreak havoc against a weak Werder backline...and even though I think Bayern is going to win the title come spring...I am a weak man...given to temptation...and I like Werder to win in a shoot-out:

Werder 4
Bayern 3

Manchester United vs Liverpool

Speaking of ill-advised predictions, I thought ManU would slump to a 4th-place finish this year. Boy, was I wrong. They've played some of the best footie seen in the Premiership this season. The fact that they've done so with a sub-par Wayne Rooney and an injured Gabriel Heinze is nothing short of scary. Meanwhile, their Northwest rivals have been one of the real disappointments. Benitez's boys just can't get rolling this year. What was once a stellar defense is now a weakness. Even Reina, normally a reliable keeper, has looked shaky at times. Were this game at Anfield, I'd pick the Reds to snap out of their funk and beat ManU. But the action will take place at Old Trafford, where Rooney should get back to his goalscoring ways and Ronaldo should cement his place as one of the world's most exciting players. But wait! What's this? Liverpool is a desperate team, you say? And Arsenal already went into ManU and saved their season with a big win? And doesn't the more desperate team usually win? Yes, yes, and yes. So I'll predict a draw, with ManU goals from Rooney and Ronaldo but Liverpool answering with strikes from Alonso and Riise. Honors even at the Theater of Dreams.

ManU 2
Liverpool 2

Real Madrid vs Barcelona

As mentioned here before, I think that Fabio Capello is having real problems in his first few months at Real. He is loyal to off-form players like Emerson, plays a far too defensive system, deprives his team of the speed and unpredictability that it desperately needs (and that he has in abundance with Robinho, Reyes, Cassano and Guti). But maybe the 4-1 win over Steaua is the start of a new era. Robinho was in the lineup, Guti was in the center of the attack, and Ramos moved over to right-back. Even Emerson played better in the center of defensive midfield. Raul appears to have re-gained some of the form that made him one of the world's best forwards. Cannavaro and Helguera appear to be gelling into a solid backline. And even Roberto Carlos looked rejuventated on the left wing. It's unfortunate for Real that Ronaldo is suspended thanks to a stupid red card picked up last week against Getafe, but now Van Nistelrooy is playing well up front. What a difference a week makes, but Real looks like a team re-born. Only one small detail: Barcelona isn't Steaua Freakin Bucharest. The Blaugrana are the best team in the world, Ronaldinho is showing signs of getting back to his best, and Andres Iniesta is emerging as la Liga's new star midfielder. And oh yeah, that Messi kid ain't bad either. It won't be a cakewalk for Barca like last year's 3-0 romp, but even though Real is a team that could develop into a great one, Barca already is great. A victory for los Merengues would be better for the title chase in la Liga, but something tells me that's no concern to Barca as they head in to the inferno that will be the Bernabeu come Sunday.

Real 1
Barca 3

p.s. As bad as we are with predictions here at WSB, we were right about one thing in a recent post: Fernando Belluschi's man-of-the-match performance in the superclasico against Boca instantly transformed the River middie into a hot commodity, the latest in a long line of sensational Argentine midfielders (none finer than Fernando Redondo, but that's another story). We predicted that it wouldn't take long for the vultures...er, I mean, the top European clubs, to pounce on the latest prodigy. Well, you heard it here first. A few days ago, the Argentinian paper Ole reported that Atletico Madrid, already the home of Sergio Aguero & Maxi Rodriguez, has come in with a big-money offer to acquire Belluschi during the winter transfer market. Watch this space...

Albino wunderkind Andres Iniesta celebrates. Get used to it.





Not a lot of movement at the top of October's installment of the Top 20, as the first three teams stay in the same spots. ManU jumps into the the fourth spot, a rise all the more surprising considering Rooney's poor form over the past month. Valencia round out the top five, thanks to their impressive draw at the Camp Nou. The big drop of the month goes to Inter Milan, who plunge from fourth all the way out of the top 10. It's been a tough time for the Nerazzurri, a slump that can chalked up to injuries, discipline problems, and Mancini's constant tinkering with his lineup and formation. The honor of the month's biggest rise goes to Atletico Madrid, who outplayed city rivals Real at the Bernabeu; of course, Atleti will now have to overcome the loss of Maxi Rodriguez, injured in a mid-week friendly vs Spain. Speaking of la Furia Roja, a new star has emerged: Andres Iniesta. The kid who looks like he just saw a ghost - or maybe he just is a ghost - has been the best player for the national team in their games against Sweden and Argentina and has emerged as the natural successor to Xavi at Barca. One indication of his amazing grace, skill, and vision is that Lilian Thuram, after his first few weeks at Barca this summer, said that the one player that had really impressed him was not Ronaldinho, Etoo, or Deco, but was the little, unassuming Iniesta. As they say, the rich get richer. Enough of that -it's onto the rankings...

1. Barcelona (Etoo's absence will hurt, but Iniesta is emerging as the latest great Spanish middie)
2. Chelsea (Sheva's off-form, Lampard's slumping, Cole's hurt, Ballack's still getting acclimated to life in England...and they're still top of the league)
3. Lyon (Fred, whose name would make you think otherwise, is as good a Brazilian striker as any in the world right now)
4. Man Utd (Ronaldo is one of the top 5 players in the world. Period)
5. Valencia (Villa is the best Spanish striker at the moment, even ahead of Torres & Raul)
6. Arsenal
7. Sevilla
8. Real Madrid (better hope those defensive injuries heal up before Barca comes to town)
9. Bayern (huge win on Saturday over league leaders Hertha)
10. Roma
11. Inter (if they don't get it together soon, they'll be out of the Champions League before Christmas - and Mancini will be out of a job)
12. Milan (after Kaka, Pirlo, and Nesta, they're just a bunch of aging, slumping superstars)
13. Liverpool (underwhelming start to the season for the Reds)
14. Atletico (maybe too high for them, but they looked great vs Real - Maxi's loss is a big one)
15. Ajax (best in Holland - Klaas Jan Huntelaar is the newest Dutch #9)
16. Celtic
17. Marseille (hanging around in France)
18. Sao Paolo
19. River (Belluschi and Higuain were absolutely superb in win over Boca)
20. Boca (huge drop-off since Lavolpe took over from Basile)

On the bubble: Palermo, Bolton, Hertha Berlin

Boca's Gago employs a rarely-used airborne scissors tackle on River's Belluschi. But it was the River man - nappy haircut notwithstanding - who stole the show.




On Sunday afternoon, one of the world's great derbies was played down in Buenos Aires. At the cavernous Estadio Monumental, River Plate took on Boca Juniors. River had to win, not just because they were up against their arch-enemy, but because Boca was already four points ahead in the Apertura standings and had a game in hand. It wasn't looking good for River when their two stars were forced out of the match; Marcelo "El Muneco" Gallardo missed with an injury, while Ariel "El Burrito" Ortega was mentally unfit to play (By that logic, wouldn't Terrell Owens miss every game? But I digress). To make matters worse, Boca's two stars, Rodrigo Palacio & Fernando Gago, were in such fine form that the president of Barcelona was in town to sign one or both of them, with a Real Madrid representative hot on his heels to try to close a deal for los Merengues. As it happened, a young striker/midfielder duo did indeed steal the show, but they were wearing white shirts with a red stripe, not blue ones with a yellow stripe. River's Gonzalo Higuain and Fernando Belluschi were simply unbeatable on the day. Higuain bagged a brace, but Belluschi had a hand (or foot) in all three River goals. It was Belluschi's free-kick that led to the first goal, he provided the through-ball for the second one, and he led a lethal counter-attack right down route 1 to put the finishing touches on River's 3-1 demolition. Palacio scored for Boca, Gago acquitted himself well, but the day belonged to Belluschi. In fact, none of his assists even qualified as his most important contributions to River's victory. With his team up 2-1, Belluschi cleared a ball of the line with his knee, denying Boca the equalizer and helping his team keep a lead that they would never relinquish. For a worldwide audience, including the top European club scouts, it was a performance that will surely springboard Belluschi - and Higuain - over to the Continent someday soon. And even though these much-hyped derbies rarely deliver the goods, as games get bogged down by the tension, pressure, and sheer overwhelming weight of the occassion, this year's Superclasico proved to be just that: super.

Argentina's Leandro Somoza wonders why the hell they're even playing. Ask Villar - he'll tell ya.




Few things in world soccer stir up as much trouble as international friendly matches. With the jam-packed calendar already exhausting players, the last thing that either the players or their club team coaches need are a bunch of exhibition matches to make matters worse. So you can imagine that when Spain and Argentina announced a friendly match in Murcia, no one was all that pleased. Sure, it's a mouth-watering match-up, especially with both teams going through a difficult phase; the former coming off back-to-back losses in Euro 2008 qualifying, first to Northern Ireland and then to Sweden; the latter adapting to a new coach Alfio Basile and Juan Roman Riquelme's surprise retirement. But for the most part, friendlies fail to live up to their billing (last year's England-Argentina match in Geneva stands out as a recent exception). All any fan can hope for is a decent game, some attacking soccer, and no major injuries. Unfortunately, none of the above were the case yesterday. Spain won 2-1 and outplayed the Albiceleste for much of the match, but no one really cared. The victors' coach, Luis Aragones is still under fire (funny how pre & post-World Cup he was full of promises about stepping down if that was what the public wanted...and now, when 90% of the country agrees that he must go, he steadfastly refuses to leave). The losers really learned nothing about what their new squad, save that Pablo Aimar needs to be included. What stole all the headlines is the long-term knee injury suffered by Argentina's Maxi Rodriguez. The man who scored the golazo to beat Mexico this summer went down in the first 20 minutes, no surprise because of the atrocious state of the pitch. See, the match was the inauguration of Murcia's new stadium, the Nuevo Colombino, and the pitch was by no means ready for action. In fact, it was so bad that both coaches agreed that it'd be better not to play at all. But no, not when the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) is involved. Angel Maria Villar's administration makes Bush's look competent by comparison. Not only does Villar oversee the worst group of referees in Europe (seriously, for all their corruption, I'd sooner trust Italy's refs), not only does he clearly favor Barca's Joan Laporta in every way imaginable, but he also has totally botched his handling of the national team by failing to accept Aragones' resignations or force the ole man out of his post, despite three losses in their last five matches, a totally unacceptable losing streak for such a star-studded selection. Now he's even found a way to screw up Argentina's national team. Maxi will be out for six months, leaving Atletico Madrid without their star winger and Javier Aguirre without a key cog in his lineup as Atleti look to make a run at the la Liga title. Just the other week, they outplayed Real in the Bernabeu, but they will be hardpressed to duplicate that form without the talented Maxi. All because of one meaningless match that no one really cared about. But no matter - rumor has it that Villar is in talks to schedule another Spain-Argentina friendly next month...

Guti hacked to the ground - a familiar sight on Sunday at the Bernabeu, but it was Real that finished with 10. As for Barca...






Never a dull moment in the soccer world and this weekend proved to be no exception. All eyes were on Spain to see how Barca would respond to Etoo's absence in Bilbao and what fireworks would be seen in the Madrid derby at the Bernabeu, with a Premiership matinee mixed in with the Iberian showdowns. Sadly, cheating players and incompetent refs stole the show. And not for the first time.

Watching the Athletic-Barca game, I should've seen it all coming. Athletic got off to a stunning start when the fantastic Yeste laced a half-volley into the corner of Barca's net. All of a sudden, one could really imagine that maybe, just maybe, Barca would be unable to overcome Etoo's absence: Ronaldinho has been a shadow of his former self for the past five months, Xavi has yet to return to his pre-injury form, and the squad as a whole has shown signs of vulnerability. Cue the ref. As has happened all too often ever since Laporta became president of Barca and Zapatero took charge of Spain, a highly dubious (and by 'highly dubious' I mean 'so appallingly bad that one can't help but think that something is amiss') decision went Barca's way. Gudjohnsen broke free down the right and, although there were still two Athletic defenders in the middle of the pitch to block his path to goal, Athletic's Casas took him down and was given a straight red. It was completely inexplicable. As if the Basques wouldn't have had enough problems holding a 1-0 lead with 11 men on the pitch, their new task was nearly impossible. Well, actually, it was impossible. Barca ran riot and left San Mames 3-1 winners on the night.

On Sunday, Tottenham-Portsmouth kept with the theme of the weekend. Late in the first half, Spurs' Didier Zokora, a much-praised player on this here site, collapsed to the ground as he contested a ball with Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes in the box. The ref pointed to the spot, although all replays clearly showed that there was no contact whatsoever between the two. It put Spurs' second goal on the scoreboard and, despite the visitors' best efforts, effectively put the game out of reach. To his credit, the ref admitted at halftime to the victimized team's coach, Harry Redknapp, that he had made a big mistake. Still, what's done is done and Redknapp's boys headed back down to the south coast empty-handed, undeservingly so.

By the time the cameras focused on the Bernabeu late Sunday, I should have known that we would complete the trifecta. After Atletico dominated a scintillating first-half and took a 1-0 lead on a Mista goal, Real responded with a Raul goal (typical) just before intermission. It was an undeserved equalizer, but it showed just what Guti can do when given time and space to dissect a defense - it was his ball that lofted over Atletico's backline and came down straight at the feet of the onrushing Raul. Of course, Atletico knew all too well that Guti was Real's danger man and had set about from the start kicking the crap out of the Madrid man; literally, every time he got the ball, an Atletico player went for his ankles. The ref, using some unknown (read: help Barca, not Real) logic, only booked two Atletico boys, while giving Real's Mejia a yellow that looked far too harsh. It all got worse in the second half. Just as Real had started to dominate the game, cue the ref. Fernando Torres and Sergio Ramos were both after a loose ball when the former collapsed clutching his face (it was reminiscent of Henry's dive against Puyol and Spain the World Cup). Ramos hadn't thrown an elbow or done anything half as bad as some of Atleti's challenges on Guti, but the ref handed him a second yellow and an early trip to the showers. The game seemed to die after that, as the visitors were unable to grab a winner and Real were content to escape with a draw (as an aside, when in hell will Capello figure out that the Emerson-Diarra pairing just ain't working?). Once again, a promising afternoon of footie had been spoiled by diving players and incompetent (if not corrupt) refs.

All of the fuss after the matches was nothing more than the usual, standard-issue responses. The hard-done-by coaches and players railed against the crappy refs and cheating players, while the opposing coaches, per usual, saw nothing wrong with the ref's decisions and defended the player's actions. It will be a great day when a coach comes out and says, "You know, he might be my player, but his actions embarassed me today and just to show that I will not tolerate cheating on my team, I'll be suspending him for next week's match." Sadly, a blizzard will blow through Hell before that happens. Everyone is at fault here: the players for diving, the refs for falling for their hystrionics, and the coaches for not calling the players out and refusing to tolerate that sort of cheating. It will take a lot of effort across the board to stamp out that sort of behaviour, but it needs to happen for the good of the game. And fast. In the meantime, soccer fans are stuck watching idiot refs and unsporting players ruin the beautiful game. It happened this weekend, for neither the first nor the last time, and unless something drastic happens soon, it'll happen many, many times again. Sad but true.

One of the best sports columns in the U.S. is Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback piece on the NFL that appears weekly (you can guess when...) on CNNSI.com. King has a segment in it called "Ten Things I Think I Think" and even though we can't do half as good a job as the original author, we can try to come close (plus, we won't mention you-know-who - hint: he's completely insane & loves painkillers). So, after a week off from this website, here's what I think:

1. That it's time for concern at Inter. Just last week we were chalking the Nerazzurri's loss to Sporting Lisbon down to an off day and applauding their impressive away win over Roma, but after Wednesday's 2-0 home loss to Bayern Munich, a third game in which Inter finished with fewer than 11 men (this time it was nine after Ibrahimovic & Grosso saw red), we're not so confident in Inter's prospects. Mancini was very confident after the game that Inter would win their next four Champions League group stage games and advance, but that's no small feat. They still have to go to Moscow to face Spartak & that is never an easy trip, plus the away match against Bayern won't be a cakewalk either. Inter still looks like the team to beat in the Serie A, but there is ample cause for concern. A month into the season, they've still yet to find a consistent style of play (4-3-1-2, 4-4-2, etc), they're playing guys out of position (Zanetti at left mid?), and they've got to get their discipline issues under control. If they don't find the solutions to these problems soon, it could get real ugly in Milan.

2. That I'm already counting down the days to the upcoming River-Boca clasico down in Buenos Aires. 10 days until October 8 and the kick-off of the best derby in the world. Can't wait!

3. That Friday's Dortmund-Hannover matinee was one of the most entertaining games I've seen all year. In front of a capacity crowd at Dortmund's phenomenal stadium (best in Germany hands down), the two teams battled back & forth for all 90 minutes. The hosts went ahead early, but were hanging on for dear life before a frenetic 4-minute stretch starting in minute 73. Hannover equalized, but Dortmund re-gained the lead with a second Smolarek goal, and then, to everyone's surprise, Hannover snatched a draw just seconds later. It was end-to-end stuff for the full 90, played before an outstanding group of fans, and a real treat for any footie fan. Hope you guys got to see some of it.

4. That Didier Drogba is about 1000 times better than Andriy Shevchenko right now. Same with Hernan Crespo.

5. That last weekend's Riquelme-Aimar match-up in the Villareal-Zaragoza game was yet another reason why the Primera Liga is the best in the world. Two brilliant playmakers, two attack-minded teams, a see-saw game that had a bit of everything: controversial refereeing decisions, brilliant goals, and a stirring second-half comeback. Now that Riquelme has retired from international play, can Aimar replace him and lead the Albiceleste to the top of the soccer world? If Basile gives him the chance, here's one vote that says yes, he can. And if that was the pick of the games in Spain last weekend, then this weekend's Madrid derby should be even better.

6. That it's about damn time that Scott Parker got called up to the England squad. He's just what that team needs: a tenacious defensive mid to free up Gerrard and Lampard to push forward. Everyone saw the improvements in the team when Eriksson finally inserted Hargreaves in that role. Well, for my money Parker is even better than the Bayern man. He has been a massive signing for the Geordies and there is no reason to think that he won't be just as good for the Three Lions.

7. That Barca will really miss Etoo, simply because he's one of the the top three strikers in the world right now, but they'll still be first in la Liga when he comes back in March. No thanks to Txiki Begiristain, Barca's director who wanted to sell Saviola this year and even threatened to make him sit out the year if he didn't accept a transfer, but the excellent Argentine striker could be a natural replacement for the Cameroon hit-man. The Blaugrana don't have any other natural #9 - new boy Gudjohnsen is not an out-and-out striker (he's better as a reserved forward) - so Saviola could be key for them in the upcoming months. And there is just way way too much talent at the Camp Nou to have the season unravel just because Etoo is out.

8. That the Homeless World Cup is taking place right now in South Africa. Actually, I don't think that - I know that. I just don't know what I think of that. Insert joke here.

9. That all of us should spare a thought for Uruguayan striker Dario Silva. Speeding along a Montevideo street on Saturday, Silva was involved in a horrific accident. He was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from his truck. When Silva came out of a medically-induced coma a few days later, he awoke to the news that his right leg had been amputated below the knee. While he is clearly lucky to be alive, for anyone to lose a leg must be absolutely devastating and even more so for a soccer player. Animo, Dario, animo!

10. That Luis Aragones made the right decision leaving Raul out of the latest Spain squad. If anything, he should have left him out a few months ago. Don't forget that Spain looked way better in the World Cup with Luis Garcia playing in the 'mediapunta' spot behind Torres & Villa than they looked with Raul there. When Raul started against France, the attack just wasn't the same. Of course, France has a way better back-line than the likes of the Ukraine or Tunisia, but still. Raul has gotten by for the last three years because he is Raul. He has done absolutely nothing on the pitch to justify his inclusion in the starting line-ups of Spain or Real Madrid. I have always been a big fan of him, following him ever since I donned his #7 jersey to attend Real's games at the Bernabeu when I lived there in '98. I'll never forget a Real-AC Milan Champions League game in 2003 when Raul scored two super goals to propel los Blancos into the next round. The next morning, the headlines of the Madrid sports daily read "Gracias a Dios que tenemos a Raul" ("Thank God we've got Raul") and "Que bueno eres, Raul!" ("You are so good, Raul!"). Unfortunately, times have changed. Sure, injuries have played a part in his decline, but after over a decade at the top level, he just doesn't have the speed or power that he once did. People say that Raul isn't even 30 yet, so how can he already be on the decline? But it's like a car: what makes a car go doesn't have nearly as much to do with the year the car was made as it has to do with the miles on the odometer. Would you rather drive a 2002 car with 150,000 miles or a 1999 model with 60,000? In recent years, Raul has been given a spot in the line-up because of his name, not because his performances warranted it. His supporters - and there are many - claim that it's not all about scoring goals, that Raul does so many other important things, such as running hard and leading the line and playing unselfishly and being an emblematic player for the team, that he deserves to play. Well, sacreligious though it might be to say, just because a guy runs a lot and sacrifices himself for the team doesn't mean that he should be guaranteed a spot. Now if Raul were a defensive mid, that's one thing - then those qualities would justify his selection, but as a striker, he's there to score goals. And the fact is, Raul hasn't been scoring. He finally found the back of the net (twice) against Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday, but that's not good enough. Since he hasn't been scoring, some coaches have played him in a more withdrawn role, but he doesn't have the passing skills or the vision to warrant selection over players with the quality of Guti, Robinho or Cassano at Real or Garcia, Xavi, or Iniesta in la Seleccion. This is not to say that he should retire (Brett Favre should, but Raul shouldn't), but it is to say that his best days are behind him. I will be the first to say that Raul is everything that a soccer star should hope to be: humble, unselfish, devoted to club and country, a role model on & off the pitch...but he is no longer the Raul we all knew and loved a few years ago. That's how sports works: your time comes, you get your shot, and then someone comes along to take your place, and your time is up. Right now, Guti and Garcia are simply better than he is and, simply put, the fact that their jerseys don't say "Raul" on the back doesn't mean that they shouldn't be playing instead of him. One of the things that has always made Raul great is that for him, it's never been about the name on the back, but rather the crest on the front. It's time for his coaches, his fans, and his teammates to recognize that.