Soccer is not only the most popular sport in the world, it is also the most amazing. Besides having plenty of investors pumping money into the various club leagues, soccer also has the largest talent pool from which to draw from. Soccer scouts can search for new stars in every corner of the world. There are many reasons why soccer is amazing besides these.
Real-time strategy and decision making. Soccer is all about making good decisions, but doing so in real-time. Players are coached and schooled on how to develop the best mindset and acumen for soccer. This means that a player must understand whether a safe pass or a higher risk offensive pass is preferred. Sometimes, however, it is better to dribble the ball into space when that ground is given by a defender. Part of the decision making process for a soccer player will be how to strike the ball, i.e., which foot to use to strike the ball, whether to drive the ball straight, chip the ball with backspin to allow the receiving player more time to run onto the ball or trap it, slice the ball with the outside of the foot for pace and curve, or hit the ball with the instep for a lofted opposite curve with a soft bounce. With defenders bearing down, decisions such as these must be made in a matter of seconds. This is unlike many other popular sports: in the NFL, each play starts from a static and equal position, the strategy and decision making once a play starts is limited to only a few positions, and is the result of plays dictated to the quarterback by a coach through microphone headsets. In soccer, the coach is often too far away to make a real impact on the game, and every player must be able to determine what to be doing--even if they do not have the ball or are on the other side of the field.

Equal parts speed, power, and skill. Soccer does have skill positions, and some players have more specialized roles (such as a center midfielder's ability to send crosses on corner kicks, or a striker's ability to hit accurate shots from free kicks). However, each player must have a similar amount of speed, power, and skill. A defender in soccer must have the same footwork and coordination as a cornerback in football. This includes the ability to back-pedal and keep an offensive player in front while also being able to turn around and sprint with closing speed to catch an offensive player after that player makes a move past them. An offensive player must have the power to explode for a 10-20 yard sprint, but have the skill to stop or cut the ball in various directions--in response to the defensive player's movements! After the offensive player's expenditure of energy to sprint past a defender and the skill to cut or stop the ball mid-sprint, the forward must then (in full stride and with a defender throwing their legs at the forward's) strike the ball toward the goal. According to Accredited Online Colleges, a soccer player can strike a soccer ball with incredible power, regularly touching 80 mph, and often touching between 90-100 mph.
To put it in perspective, playing soccer is akin to a basketball player dribbling while standing on their hands for 90 minutes, be thinking constantly, all the while retaining the power to propell the ball as fast as an MLB pitcher. This is pretty amazing.

Wigan, in recent seasons have played a type of football which is pleasing to the eye. Since the appointment of Roberto Martinez, he had taken the blueprint he developed at Swansea and imbued it onto the Latics DNA. Their passing was amazing against Newcastle last weekend. Rarely kicking a ball in anger, the Latics players played the ball out of defence into midfield, down the channels and finally exploiting the openings with quick one-two wall passes. It was delightful to watch. If Wigan were any other Big Four team, they would have been the toast of English football.
But the current flavour of the month is Newcastle, and that's no surprise with the way the Toon Army has been making its way to a potential Champions League placing. However, that wait may have to be longer as Wigan brought the high flying Magpies back down to earth. With Shaun Maloney pulling the scheming strings, Wigan are all set to stage the great relegation escape that had seemed impossible back in January.

What had seemed like a hellish run-in - games with Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea became the catalyst for a Wigan revival. Who would have thought Martinez' men could pick up nine points against these clubs?? And the results were achieved by playing the right way and with positivity.
The team is finally coming together. Victor Moses, Franco di Santo, Jean Beausejour and James McCarthy are really gelling and that makes for a fantastic footballing displaying befitting of their manager's philosophy.
Victor Moses, above all, has been magnificient. The former England U-21 star has repaid (with interest) the faith that Martinez has in him over the past months.

Newcastle never really got going in the first half...is the pressure of Champions League football affecting the players? Wigan's incisive passing tore the Magpies apart and that's how all the goals came about. In the second half, Newcastle fared a lot better, but a combination of Al-Habsi and the woodwork kept the Toon Army at bay.   Another three points and the Latics will be looking forward to their eighth season in the English Premier League. With Bolton, QPR and Blackburn all slipping, Wigan's Premiership status looks all but secured with two winnable games against Blackburn and Wolves.

When Luis Suarez was accused of racially abusing Patrice Evra, he retorted with the quote, "I go to the field with the maximum illusion of a little child who enjoys what he does." I finally understood what he meant by that last Saturday against Norwich. Suarez looked very much the sure-footed striker who had scored over 100 goals for Ajax. El Pistolero is a player who is either stunningly brilliant or woefully frustrating, there is no middle ground. But then it would be hard to expect him to be anything else. Hence it seemed somewhat fitting that Suarez should liken himself to a little child doing what he loves in a playground. Football is fantasy for the Uruguayan and he plays the beautiful game with a sense of child-like joy and freedom that is rarely found in the Premiership.


That's why his trio of goals truly personify the mad genius that Suarez is. Suarez could have spectacularly missed the goals that he did score and yet still bring the fans to their feet. Against Norwich, Suarez' showed amazing pace, incredible shot power and a delirious penchant for the audacious. His first two goals, scored first with the left and then the right foot were examples of how to belt the ball past keepers. His third goal, a stunning mid-field lob was the stuff of dreams and made one ecstatic Liverpool fan get on the pitch just to hug him. That's why people pay money to watch football matches, to be part of a surreal experience that Liverpool's Luis Suarez or Barcelona's Lionel Messi can bring.

Coincidentally, Fernando Torres also struck his first Chelsea hattrick on Sunday against Mark Hughes' Queens Park Rangers. Uncanny, isn't it, that Suarez and Torres should score their first hattrick for their clubs on the same weekend since their transfer. But there was a marked difference in the way Torres' hattrick was achieved. His was attained with a precision and clinicalness which have been long overdue.

Gaining confidence from his recent performances in Chelsea blue, El Nino is starting to play his part as a vital cog in Roberto Di Matteo's system. QPR could not contain the Spaniard and Torres looked very close to the one I had seen in a red shirt. Chelsea is kicking into gear and that does not augur well for Liverpool's hopes of a domestic cup double.
Torres' hattrick was achieved through controlled brilliance. He rounded Paddy Kenny to slot home his first, curled his second after pouncing on a goalkeeping mistake and finally wrapped up his hattrick by sliding a right foot shot past Kenny's outstretched arm. Methodical, decisive, clinical and most of all, confidently taken. It hasn't been too many of these since El Nino came to Chelsea, against Rangers though, the Chelsea players looked like they are now accustomed to playing with Fernando Torres.
Two excellent hattricks scored by two of my favourite Premier League strikers. But would I trade the stunning brilliance of Suarez for the clinical finishing of Torres? Most definitely not! For once, Liverpool has what Manchester United do not have - the best player in the Premier League.

Roberto Di Matteo has been another inspired decision by Roman Abramovich. The perceptive Italian has managed to solve the old and new divide within the Chelsea squad. There is finally a distinct feeling of squad harmony not seen since the happy times of Mourinho. Winning matches usually helps, but more importantly, man management is the key.
While Chelsea try to revitalize their playing squad this season, the old guards of Frankie Lampard, Drogba and Terry have stubbornly refused to concede their starting places to the young stars-in-the-making. Conversely, the young stars of Mata, Torres and Sturridge have found their performance on the field stifled by the legends.
Against Spurs in the FA Cup semifinal, it was apparent that Chelsea old and new have begun to develop a symbiotic relationship within the team. Frank Lampard commented that Di Matteo should be credited favourably for that.

Under Di Matteo, Chelsea is playing more like a team. Players are working for each other instead of finding cliques on the pitch. There is a willingness now to get results. RDM have reverted to Ancelotti's midfield diamond but with Juan Mata at the head. With players in familiar roles, results have started to flow as have confidence.
Four of the goals that Chelsea scored against Spurs perfectly highlight the confidence flowing through the team and the improved team work.
The Veterans' Act At the 41st minute, Lampard went route one. His long ball found Drogba who controlled it deftly, turned round Gallas and blasted a shot past Cudicini. Frank and Didier reprise the familiar tandem that has been so successful over the years.
Young and Old Working Together On the 49th minute, Lampard takes a Chelsea corner. David Luiz flicks onto goal. Terry flies through the air and missed, but the ball falls to the lurking Mata who scores a controversial goal. A great example of Chelsea legends combining well with the future of Chelsea.

Chelsea's fifth goal was all about Mata and Florent Malouda combining. Another perfect lob for the onrushing Frenchman to slot the ball past the unfortunate Cudicini.
The Future The third goal came in the 77th minute. This time, Juan Mata flighted a ball to Ramires who scored easily. The understanding that has developed will make Chelsea even stronger next season, regardless who comes in as manager.
Chelsea's stock is on the up. From being a crisis club, the Blues is now a team on form. Another final beckons but this time a more formidable opponent awaits. Get past the mighty Barcelona and Abramovich should hire Di Matteo permanently - at least for next season.

Andy Carroll started the last two Liverpool games, and they were important games in some respect. Liverpool ended a four game win-less streak with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Blackburn Rovers. The Reds followed that up with a come-from-behind FA Cup victory over Everton, thus maintaining their hoodoo spell over the blue of Merseyside. In both these games, Carroll scored late winners to emerge as the hero for Liverpool. That the winners were both headed goals made everything all the more sweeter.
When asked about the 87th minute winner, Andy Carroll told ESPN, "It's the best feeling ever. We worked hard and getting the goal right there at the end was great. I had a few chances and should have probably scored earlier. But I kept at it and it was a great ball in by Craig, and I just had to score with that one and I did. It's a great feeling. I've had some criticism but I've just kept on going. I get the winner here and it's a great feeling. I believe in myself every day."
It's been a while since he had felt the love of the fans. And he certainly felt it after that superb header against Everton.



For some time now, Carroll had looked out-of-sync with his fellow team mates and even worse, the giant had been easily outmuscled by smaller central defenders. These two concerns were addressed by his goals against Blackburn and Everton.
Against Blackburn, Carroll followed up on an Agger flick on to power Liverpool's third goal past Paul Robinson. His anticipation has not been the best this season, but he saw the possibility as soon as Agger jumped and he buried his diving header. That goal was vintage Carroll, The Beast that we knew at Newcastle.
In the FA Cup semifinal, Carroll was surrounded by at least five Everton defenders and yet managed to get the side of his head on the Bellamy freekick to score past Tim Howard. That clearly demonstrates his reputed strength and aerial ability.
So, two game-winning goals have given Carroll a confidence boost. Perhaps he is right after all...all that is needed is an extended run in the first eleven. It takes him a while to get into the pace of the game. So to throw him on with 20 minutes remaining, expecting Carroll to change the game, renders him ineffective.
Tony Adams was nicknamed donkey in his time as an Arsenal defender. He went on to become a Gunners legend and multiple Premier League winner. Andy Carroll is now labelled donkey, at age 23, Carroll has time to turn things round and be a Liverpool legend.  

It is a known fact that Roman Abramovich goes into panic mode when his Chelsea team stumbles either in the Premier League or in the Champions League. He has done so in numerous occasions during his ownership of the Blues. With the inevitable departure of Andre Villas Boas, Roberto Di Matteo was entrusted with the task of seeing the current Chelsea players through the season. RDM as he is now known, has shown that a temporary manager fare a whole lot better at Stamford Bridge.
RDM has done fantastically well since taking over from AVB. From impossible situations and player power, he has guided Chelsea into the Champions League quarterfinal and FA Cup semifinal. Overcoming a 3-1 deficit against Napoli and victory over Leicester have earned RDM the player's respect and the chance to improve on Chelsea's poor season. Under Di Matteo's Chelsea, the enigma who is Fernando Torres is even beginning to regain form and goalscoring touch. El Nino has scored three goals and made four goals since AVB's sacking.
Abramovich clearly knew what he was doing when he sacked AVB. The owner was sure that results would improve once the manager was gone and he dealt his ruthless hand. It wasn't a risk, in his mind, after all he had done it before, sacking Mourinho and Scolari, bringing in Avram Grant and Guus Hiddink. The previous temporary assignments had brought immediate results to Chelsea.


When he sacked Jose Mourinho, he gave the short term managerial reins to an unknown Avram Grant. Grant's managerial skills became well known through his steadying handling of Chelsea post-Jose. The Blues could have imploded then but instead, through the wily Grant, they stayed on course for a treble quest. Chelsea under his stewardship made it to the Champions League final (lost to the Red Devils), League Cup final (lost to Spurs) and lost out on the last day of the Premiership to again the Red Devils.

Scolari's initial superb run of results with Chelsea earned the World Cup winning Brazilian rave reviews. However his "flying fullback" tactics were subsequently found out, and after a 2-0 defeat at Anfield, he was sacked. Guus Hiddink was brought in to carry Chelsea through that troubled season. He did just that, with Chelsea winning the FA Cup against Everton. However, the Dutchman could not secure the Premier League title for Abramovich. Players and fans truly loved the football that he presented.
All three interim managers have winning records since taking over from their predecessors, lending weight to the perception that stand-in managers do better with the same squad of Chelsea players than their sacked predecessors had done.

Sinister undertones of players refusing to perform for their beleaguered managers? The troubled manager losing dressing room confidence before his sacking? After all, this is Chelsea with larger-than-life players.
Anything is possible at the high profile, multinational club like Chelsea. For now though, the replacement manager is doing a great job, uniting players and fans alike. More crucially, Torres finally looks happy.

"Super" Mario Balotelli is always an accident waiting to happen. I thought that he had matured quite a bit this season. Unfortunately the talented Italian is still a ticking timebomb on the football pitch. Much of his goalscoring genius stems from that right-brain thinking which also courts disaster by the busloads.
Against Sunderland, Balo once more showed his madness and his genius in equal measure. With City 3-1 down, he chose to get into a childish argument with Kolarov over who should take a freekick.

As though to prove a point to both City and Kolarov, Balotelli went on a run at the edge of the Sunderland box and curled a shot past Mignolet. The curious thing was that the shot took place in roughly the same area as the disputed freekick. Coincidence? With Balotelli, I doubt it. I am sure the Italian wanted to prove a point.



I guess Kolarov sensed that as well. Because as City continued to push forward to level the game, the highly rated Serbian latched onto a Pizarro pass and fizzed a shot past a sea of Sunderland players and into the net. Kolarov must have taken special care to wait till the ball dropped into the exact same spot as the freekick to let fly. Kinda felt as though Kolarov was sticking two fingers up to Mario Balotelli, doesn't it?


With the unexpected 3-3 draw at The Etihad, it is unlikely that Manchester City will lift the Premier League title come May. The Citizens are fading at exactly the wrong time of the season. Unfortunately, Mancini and City must rely on the excellence of Balotelli rather than the tantrums of Balotelli. Edin Dzeko's form has stagnated since the new year, Aguero's injury is a concern and Tevez' return has been a damp squib, City have only the temperamental Italian to count on.

The title is slipping away, and Roberto Mancini is fuming....

It is easy to back Steven Gerrard in any game as a potential match winner. However, this season has been a little bit harder. Having said that, he has shown that just his presence on the pitch adds a significant star quality in the matches that Liverpool have played in this season.
Even in a more restrained role this term, he has been the most influential player in a Liverpool shirt. With Luis Suarez a marked man and unable to repeat his performances of last season, even a half-fit Gerrard looked far more a match winner than Andy Carroll or Suarez or Adam or Henderson or the whole Liverpool team put together.

He has been the one Liverpool midfield player who has played with purpose and direction every time he stepped on the pitch this season. The Reds need goals from midfield, something that we know Gerrard can provide in abundance, so it's time for the captain to be at his marauding best, starting with Newcastle.
Four seasons ago, Steven Gerrard scored two amazing goals in Liverpool's emphatic 5-1 win over Newcastle in a match best remembered for its post match incident.


This season, he provided Reds fans with tiny globules of hope that Andy Carroll could yet be a success at Liverpool. Coincidentally, that hope came against Newcastle when the Liverpool captain turned in a super-sub performance.


Steven Gerrard has shown brilliance against Newcastle in past matches, he should be expected to carry the hope and expectation of all Liverpool fans today at Newcastle's Sport Direct Arena.
Even with a wayward Liverpool, a meeting with a fellow top six team should bring out the best in the Reds. Knowing Steve Clarke and Kenny Dalglish, they are bound to rest Carroll, which means that midfield runs into the Newcastle box will be the best way to break down a disciplined defence.

It's not everyday that Liverpool collapse in the final 17 minutes of a game like they did against QPR. Overconfidence could have something to do with that, as the Reds were so dominant in that game. Much like they had been throughout the season. One could actually count in one hand the number of terrible performances but the Premier League standings don't lie and Liverpool, for all their vibrant football, deserve to sit in seventh spot.

Torres has had to endure tough times since his transfer to Chelsea. Even if his desire to move was to win trophies, he obviously had not figured how difficult it would be to firstly, fit into a world-class team and secondly, to displace Didi Drogba.
The best striker in the Premiership, Fernando Torres had to deal with a trophy-ladened but ego-filled dressing room. And as far as world class strikers go, El Nino had to contend with the ill-fated Chelsea strikers' graveyard. And then there is the looming monster shadow of a defiant Drogba, seemingly oblivious to his diminishing powers.

So you see, Torres had to endure an environment completely different to the one he fondly remembered at Liverpool. Far away from the Anfield adulation he enjoys, he had to undergo a transformation to be successful in a club like Chelsea. So, to replace Drogba is to be like Drogba.
Against Leicester, Nando really did look the part. His acceleration was terrific, his vision exemplary and his contribution with two assists was telling. His two goals also had a Drogba-esque feel to them, a headed second goal and a slightly fortuitous toe poke first goal.

Still, they all count, and scoring two will give the Spaniard a massive confidence boost. The smiles returned and The Torres Revival finally takes shape.

Nando is finally winning over the Chelsea fans. It must have been heartwarming to see the Blues fans willing him on to score during the FA Cup match. His selfless displays and willingness to work hard are reasons that Blues fans have stuck by him.
When Drogba leaves at the end of this season, they clearly see Torres as the future of the club.
May The Torres Revival continue to gather steam. Next up, a brilliant hattrick against the Citizens?

 

The dream of being double Cup winners is slowly materialising. Liverpool got past a potentially difficult quarterfinal match and comprehensively beat Stoke City. Goals from Luis Suarez and Stewart Downing handed a semifinal berth to the Reds.
Like every season, FA Cup semifinal drama could be in store with the prospect of a special Merseyside derby. I'd prefer that Liverpool meet Sunderland instead. Being in the semifinal of the FA Cup should be a big enough game for the Reds to be fairly motivated even if they were to face Sunderland. Besides, Liverpool have unfinished business with O'Neill's men, having lost due to Bendtner's winner recently. Storming into the FA Cup final while demolishing a side with x-Devils O'Shea, Bardsley and Richardson, would bring a happy smile to my face.

Three things stood out in the win over Stoke last weekend.

One, Stewart Downing's recent performances have been very encouraging. There are signs that he is starting to get to grips with the immense spotlight of playing for the mighty Reds. He has built on his sterling Carling Cup final performance with much improved displays. His winning goal, drilled past Sorensen, was deserved reward for his recent improvement. The inverted winger tactics worked for Liverpool's winner. Cutting in from the right, Downing was able to shoot with his favoured left foot. Clarke's insistence on using inverted wingers paid off for the first time this season.
It has been frustrating to watch Downing this season, so for him to score that goal in the weekend should have increased his confidence further. I can't wait for a vastly different and more productive Stewart Downing next season. For now, I hope that he will continue his rise in performance to help Liverpool to the FA Cup trophy.
Two, Luis Suarez had to do everything on his own the whole season. Though he has coped admirably with the pressures of carrying the club, his goals tally have suffered as a result. With Steven Gerrard back in goal scoring form and Downing's resurgence, the pressure is beginning to lift. El Pistolero can now enjoy his football again, doing what he does best, bamboozling defenders with his trickery.
Three, Maxi Rodriguez must be the ultimate team player, kicking his heels on the bench while Dalglish persisted all season with Stewart Downing. However, Liverpool generally win when Maxi plays. The Argentine got his chance against Stoke and his understanding with Suarez created the all-important first goal. In a side short of midfield goals, La Fiera should be playing a lot more often as he is a proven finisher. His intelligent link up play is perfect foils for Gerrard and Suarez.
Winning the FA Cup to dominate the domestic Cup competitions would be a wonderful finale to a turbulent season. Doing the Cup double will cultivate a priceless winning mentality within Dalglish's Liverpool squad. This winning mindset will hopefully drive the Reds to a 19th Premier League crown next season.

Make no mistake about Daniel Sturridge's value to Chelsea, his contributions have been exceptional for the Blues. His goals have somewhat dried up, but he is still a first choice player in the eyes of Robbie Di Matteo. RDM has taken his chance at the helm of Chelsea and now rides the wave of three consecutive victories. Ironically he has reverted to Chelsea's old guards to get the job done.
And so it was a surprise that the Italian decided to gamble on the "new" Chelsea, playing Meireles and Torres against Leicester in the FA Cup quarterfinals. The players he picked have yet to let RDM down, and Chelsea strolled to a victory that they deserved.
Though the standout performance came from Fernando Torres, Daniel Sturridge's singlemindedness to get goals lend itself to a general perception that he is constantly hunting for personal glory. His agenda is to gratify himself rather than doing what's necessary for the good of the team.

Young strikers typically have this trait. It's all about goals and the excitement that scoring brings to them. As they mature, strikers become more rounded. In his early years, Michael Owen was a greedy goal poacher, he went on to refine his game in later years, becoming a more complete attacker in the final third.
Ever willing to run with the ball, Sturridge tried too hard on his own to break down the Leicester defence. Nothing epitomises his eagerness to score than when he weaved his way to the Leicester byline only to shoot disappointingly into the outer net. Torres got into scoring position, waiting for the cutback which never came. The sounding that Sturridge got from Nando will have done him good. Having awareness of the players around him and then making the right decisions (to pass or to shoot) will transform Sturridge from a top Premier League player to a world class striker.

Sturridge can lift his game further by studying the manner Torres has sacrificed personal glory for the better of the team. Torres' selflessness reaches its zenith in the game when he burst past two Leicester defenders to roll the ball for the onrushing Meireles to score. El Nino could easily opt to shoot for the hattrick and Chelsea fans would not have complained.
Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie scores goals and creates goals in equal measures. With the skills and talent that he possesses, Daniel Sturridge is capable of the same. However, he needs to continually expand his all-round game and emulating what Fernando Torres now brings to the Chelsea team is a step in the right direction.

Merseyside derbies, Manchester United derbies, "Big Four" derbies, Champions League, Carling Cup, FA Cup - these are big games that Liverpool in recent times love and strive to win. Hence it should be no surprise that the Reds thumped the Blues of Liverpool 3-0 with a classy hattrick from the soon-to-be Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
Liverpool invariably raise their game in big matches and so it proved against Everton. It's been a while since the Reds have scored three goals this season in the Premier League so it was a nice gesture from Moyes' team to be so generous in defence.

This win underlines the importance of the midfield supporting the frontline, something that Liverpool clearly lacked this whole season. Before his controversial departure, Raul Meireles was providing that all-important midfield runs into the box. This season, the expectation was on young Jordan Henderson to do that but much like Liverpool, Henderson is still a work in progress. So in stepped Steven Gerrard who reprised his old midfield role and treated his adoring fans with marauding runs and three great goals.
Gerrard is peerless when going forward, so I hope that from now till the end of the season, he will shelve his own desire to reinvent himself as a deep-lying Pirlo-like playmaker. In the long term, the Liverpool captain's ideal position should be as a deep-lying playmaker but Liverpool need him to support the misfiring Reds attack.
Liverpudlians have not seen a hattrick in the Merseyside derby since Ian Rush plundered four goals in 1982. With very little else to cheer for this season, I just want to enjoy and bask in the warmth of this super Liverpool win with that long-ago 1982 video.
 

Next up is a potentially tricky FA Cup tie against Stoke City. Win that and another exciting Cup run could be in store for Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish. The Carling Cup was won in dramatic fashion, and if Liverpool can win the FA Cup, then a Manchester City-inspired turnaround could be on the cards for all Reds fans next season. 
Any Premiership title-chasing team need to build a competent squad and also develop a winning mentality, both of which Dalglish and the Liverpool owners are methodically edging towards this season.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been having personal contests ever since Real Madrid nabbed the Portuguese pretty boy from Manchester United.
So far, Messi in his own magical and yet unassuming way have trumped Ronaldo in all global recognition and awards. This season however, Ronaldo leads Messi in the goalscoring charts and Real Madrid is the runaway leaders for the La Liga crown. It would seem that the limelight hogging Portuguese should finally get the better of the inspirational Argentine.
But then Messi goes ahead, scores five goals and virtually create Champions League history and Ronaldo must be cringing, just wondering what he has to do to be the best in the world. No matter what Ronaldo does, Messi is even better at it.
Here are all 50 of Messi's goals this season. You can see this on youtube link here.


This link shows Cristiano Ronaldo who has been phenomenal as well this season. Who would have thought a once one-trick pony could develop into a fearsome goal machine. He is excellent in the air, blessed with two great feet and has blistering pace with awesome close control.



Both players still have much to prove, having not performed as well with their respective countries. Yet, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the top two best footballers in the world right now with little to separate them.
You might want to argue about the third best footballer in the world. My vote goes out to Liverpool's Luis Suarez for his electrifying displays for the Reds since his arrival.

Stateside reports have listed David Beckham as the MLS highest earning player with $250million. This ranks him right up there with Alex Rodriquez. Take a look below, some interesting comparison facts on sports in USA.
Via: ABC Tickets

All the talk was about the thrilling 3-3 draw between Chelsea and Manchester United. The Red Devils' powers of recovery were once again apparent when they had looked down and out following a four-minute blitz by Chelsea. 
Everyone remarked that only Manchester United is capable of coming back and clinching a draw from the jaws of defeat. However, back in 1994, after a strong United scored three times within the first 24 minutes, Liverpool staged a colossal comeback and grabbed a well deserved draw on that eventful day. So anything United can do, Liverpool can do too.




Footymatters.com captured that remarkable match nicely in this brief summary,


LIVERPOOL 3-3 MANCHESTER UNITED
January 4, 1994. Liverpool: Grobelaar; Jones, Wright, Ruddock, Dicks, McManaman, Redknapp, Barnes, Clough, Rush, Fowler. Manchester United: Schmeichel; Parker, Bruce, Pallister, Irwin, Kanchelskis, Keane, Ince, Giggs, Cantona, McClair An oft-recalled classic from the early years of the Premier League saw top of the table United in all black face a Liverpool side struggling in ninth, 21 points behind their bitter opponents. United were already at this point starting to assert their dominance on the domestic game. It was the midpoint of the season and they’d only lost once. Having won the league the previous year for the first time in 26 years they’d go on to do the double at the end of this season. Liverpool, featuring the likes of Julian Dicks and veteran eccentric Bruce Grobbelaar between the sticks, were having their worst season in over 15 years and this was to be one of their final games under Graeme Souness’ management. It took United only nine minutes to take the lead, when a vaguely young looking Steve Bruce headed in a deep cross from Eric Cantona. Eleven minutes later Ryan Giggs beat Mark Wright to a short ball by Jamie Redknapp and ran through to sublimely chip over Grobelaar and double their lead. Only four minutes later and it was 3-0 thanks to Denis Irwin’s stunning free-kick. United were on fire and Liverpool had barely got out their own half. Cue the immediate start of a comeback, triggered by an optimistic 30-yard drive by Nigel Clough that fizzed into the bottom corner just a minute after Irwin’s goal. Clough had endured a frustrating time at Anfield since his move from Nottingham Forest 18 months earlier, but he notched his second with a sharp finish in the 38th minute to bring a sensational first half’s scoring to a close. Both teams created further chances but it wasn’t until the 79th minute that Neil Ruddock charged into the box to head a cross from Stig Bjornebye past Peter Schmeichel and complete the fightback to rapturous home applause. A feast of entertainment, and note, only three starters from overseas.
Liverpool, in recent times, have been at their best when they have their backs against the walls. With the added motivation of ensuring Suarez goes one-up against Evra, the Reds players need no further push to go out and produce another memorable win over their most bitter rivals.

I am just praying that there will be no silly sending-off as has been the case in recent Utd-Liverpool clashes.

We have seen how Liverpool suffered this season without any pace and creativity from midfield. Dalglish's preferred midfield foursome of Downing, Adam, Gerrard and Lucas will pass the ball to death but neither is comfortable to run with the ball.
Against teams that park the bus, especially teams that come to Anfield, the lack of unpredictability in the Liverpool play has caused the mighty Reds dearly. Now that most Premiership teams are double and triple marking Suarez, never has a need for a new footballing wizard been more apparent in Liverpool red.
Though Bellamy has pace, he hardly dribbles past a sea of defenders. Hence enter the young Tunisian who has lit up the 2012 Africa Nations Cup with his scintillating runs and dribbles. Youssef Msakni could be the answer to address Liverpool's shortcomings, frightening Premiership opposition with his close control and mesmerizing trickery.

Two dazzling Msakni runs brought about two goals against Morocco and Niger in the Africa Nations Cup making sure Tunisia progressed to the quarterfinals where they eventually crashed out.
I don't have to rave about him. The videos tell the whole story.



Wonderfully balanced, frighteningly skilful, clinical finishing, Msakni models his game after the peer-less Lionel Messi. In their current state, Liverpool is crying for someone who could get on the ball and  make things happen. While waiting for Raheem Sterling's first team elevation, the Tunisian Messi would make a great alternative. Damien Comolli should use his vast network to snap up this potential world superstar.
Do you think the future hope of Tunisian football able to inspire Liverpool to greater heights?

Fernando Torres at his best, was an absolute terror. Just ask Nemanja Vidic. Or even the whole Manchester United team for that matter. There is no fluke that El Nino became the fastest Liverpool player to reach the 50-goal mark. His searing speed, excellent touch and great dribbling skills made him a Kop hero as soon as he arrived at Anfield. Rafa Benitez' playing system brought out the best in Nando. Steven Gerrard's promptings helped elevate Torres to Anfield hero status.
Without Benitez and with an injured Gerrard, Torres cut a lonely figure upfront for Liverpool in his final season. Nando never settled within the team built by a cautious Roy Hodgson and was soon on his way when Chelsea plumped up the big money for him. His reason - the need to win trophies. For all his individual brilliance, Torres' Liverpool career was marred by boardroom struggles and no trophies. The move to Chelsea was purely motivated by the need for success.
At Liverpool, Roy Hodgson tried to play Torres as a target man and though he still scored goals, since Liverpool players were familiar with him, the Spaniard never looked comfortable. Ironically, that's exactly the way Chelsea plays - with a target man. Torres found very quickly that the service from the Chelsea midfield without a Gerrard-like player, was poor and laboured. He had to reinvent himself if he wanted to be a success at The Bridge.



As it turned out, it was not such a bad thing. The physical nature of the Premiership and his own explosiveness have put a heavy toll on Torres' limbs and so Chelsea bought a player who no longer resembled the old Torres who relied on his pace and elusiveness to score goals. Nando needed to be like Drogba, a play making target man in order to succeed at Stamford Bridge. It has taken him over a year but Torres is clearly more adept now to play the target man.
His link up play is a lot better this season. Eight assists this season is his highest haul since his arrival to England. The cross he sent for Mata to volley past United's De Gea showed that he still has that instinctive footballing ability. He works a lot harder as well in Chelsea blue as Torres often need to defend from the front. His overall play and involvement in matches are much improved as compared in Liverpool red.
Fernando Torres has systematically remodelled his game to suit Chelsea. He is getting some successes with improved personal performances but the transformation to target man will only be complete once he starts banging in the goals and scoring the tap-ins for Chelsea.

After nine matches away, El Pistolero was back in the Liverpool line up. The Uruguayan had been watching in the stands as the mighty Reds gained excellent results against Manchester City and Manchester United without him. Suarez came on as a substitute and could not inspire Liverpool against a weakened Spurs team.
If not for Gareth Bale's uncharacteristic miss late in the game, Liverpool might have had to endure a night where they dominated the game but had no end result as usual. It's the eighth draw at Anfield and these "undeserved" draws are starting to kill the Reds' pursuit for the final Champions League spot.

After some enterprising wins over City, United and then Wolves, Liverpool could not break down a solid Spurs defence in which Michael Dawson was outstanding. Still there weren't enough shots on goal and it was all huff and puff from the Reds in the end. Even with a classy frontline of Bellamy, Kuyt, Carroll and Gerrard, Liverpool could only manage four shots on goal and clearly for a team with a 9% conversion rate, more shots would have meant more probability for a goal.

It's the same story for Liverpool all season. Playing well, dominating possession, comfortable in defence BUT there is no threat in the attacking third. Manchester United frightens opposing teams with the speed of Valencia and Young. Manchester City architects goals with the artistry and accuracy of Silva and Aguero. Arsenal relies on the talismanic goalscoring prowess of Robin Van Persie.
Kenny Dalglish tried to instill a more attacking type of play but have failed so far. Downing was the alternative when Ashley Young turned down Liverpool for Alex Ferguson. The former Boro man was brought in to provide for the much maligned Andy Carroll, zero assists meant that Downing has been a total waste of money this season. Charlie Adam was the British equivalent of David Silva and though he has produced in patches, he too has not reached the heights he set while at Blackpool. Where are all those dangerous corners that he used to deliver for Ian Holloway's Orangemen?? Carroll was the physical presence that every Premiership club wanted and Liverpool pulled off a major coup when the big Geordie signed last January. The rewards have been three measly goals in the past one year, a poor first touch and a very defensive Dalglish. If drinking gets Carroll back to being the beast he was at Newcastle, then go ahead son, have a bitter or two!
Alas, all is not lost. Liverpool could yet be the first club to win a trophy this season even if it is just the Carling Cup. Win that and Liverpool steps back into Europe albeit through the Europa League. The remarkable thing is that for players like Adam, Henderson and Carroll, winning the Carling Cup will be their first taste of English football success.
Dalglish is presiding over a "new" Liverpool and along with it comes some highs and some lows. Liverpool fans will have to continue to stay patient and hope that a refreshed and well-rested Luis Suarez will be the answer to the Reds inadequacy in front of goal this season. It will turn out to be a good season if Liverpool trumps Malaysian-owned Cardiff City at Wembley come February 26.

Liverpool huffed and puffed once more but came up against another excellent goalkeeping display. A feat that Mark Bunn probably will and could not repeat even if he tried. The journeyman goalkeeper showed far better reflexes than Paul Robinson have had this season to deny Andy Carroll a confidence-boosting goal. As if to add insult to hurt, Blackburn defence only had Chris Samba as the experienced defender, the rest were youth team players elevated to emergency first team action!
SIX home draws have surely dampened Liverpool's hopes for a Champions League spot. Drawing against the Wigans, Fulhams and Blackburns of the Premiership are of course nothing new for the mighty Reds. We should remember that home draws against inferior opposition costed Liverpool the Premiership title. There is a strange Benitez resonance to this season's results and this problem to kill off the lesser Premier League teams at home is rearing its ugle head again.

The Reds need to be ruthless like Manchester United if they want that fourth Champions League spot.



Inferior teams will always come to Anfield and "park the bus". It is up to the home team to break down the opposition. Liverpool have the ability through Maxi, Adam and Suarez to open up defences, the return of Steven Gerrard will add more attacking instincts from midfield. Against Blackburn, Steven Gerrard's more incisive and direct passing helped Liverpool maintain attacking momentum. A fit and mobile Gerrard with his renowned finishing ability, is what's needed for Liverpool to overcome any team which will defend.   Andy Carroll will eventually come good....BUT it definitely won't be with Liverpool. Though the Kop faithful have been patiently encouraging him to make good on his promise, the fact remains that Liverpool plays more enterprising and fluent football without the big giant.
A move across the Mersey to Everton would be ideal for Carroll...the Toffees love big men, and Andy Carroll can be a cult hero in the same vein as Duncan Ferguson.
A loan deal perhaps with Jack Rodwell moving to the Reds? That's a win-win deal for both clubs!

The Christmas fixtures brought about a change in team line ups. Clubs which could afford to rest key players relied on their bench to tide them over this hectic time. This meant first team starts for a trio of Premier League superstars who have somewhat faded from this season's football action.
Dimitar Berbatov, Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun made the most of rare starts to remind the Premiership world what they are all capable of. In a word, these forgotten men impressed during the Christmas period.

Dimitar Berbatov had a happy Boxing Day afternoon, scoring a well-deserved hattrick at Old Trafford. He has now scored four in two games and looking sharp although he has hardly played this season. Particularly his second goal deserved special mention, languidly dragging the ball past a Wigan defender and firing high past in-form Al-Habsi. The Red Devils have now scored ten goals in two matches, and they are looking back to their rampaging best. Those "hard-fought" 1-0 wins are banished into the United archives.
Yossi Benayoun is technically on loan from Chelsea to the Gunners. Against Wolves, he gained one assist as he threaded a through pass to Gervinho to finish. He was full of running throughout the game, but could not exert enough influence to get Arsenal the winning goal. The Telegraph went as far as to say Benayoun outshone the talismanic Robin Van Persie, but that was against Villa.
Fernando Torres' troubles with Chelsea continue against Fulham, though I am not convinced that he is entirely at fault. After all Chelsea is a graveyard for world class strikers, isn't it? Furthermore, with the larger than life shadow of Didier Drogba and the slow "Italian-styled" play at Stamford Bridge, it was a recipe for disaster for Nando. Nevertheless, he acquitted himself pretty well against Fulham, bagging an assist as he laid the ball on for Mata to score. He could have scored the winning goal had it not been for a great save from the excellent David Stockdale. In the right team, El Matador is still a force in the Premiership.
These three top players could walk straight into any other Premiership side if they chose to leave. For now, Berbatov, Torres and Benayoun will patiently sit on the bench and try to impress their respective club managers when asked to play.

Newcastle started this season strongly, confounding critics and pundits in the process. When Andy Carroll left for better pastures with Liverpool, everyone predicted the end of the road for Newcastle. Alan Pardew had his detractors and now he is actually being considered to be Capello's successor as England manager.
However you look at it, Newcastle, being a historical and colourful English club, they are exactly where they should be this season. The Toon Army are where they are this season due to the superb efforts of three foreign players.
Tim Krul's performance this season has been sensational. Against Manchester United, he was the reason Newcastle salvaged a 1-1 draw. 45 saves this season with six clean sheets marked him out as one of the outstanding keepers in the Premier League this season. Krul's stellar performances again shunts the unlucky Steve Harper into his all-too-familiar no. 2 spot.



The silky Yohan Cabaye looks like a player more suited to playing in a Manchester United or Liverpool team than Newcastle's. This post in NUFC Blog expertly highlights the importance of Cabaye to Newcastle.
Demba Ba started out slowly in a Newcastle shirt and every fan was baying for his head back then! Now every fan wants to kiss his head. The Senegalese striker has scored 14 goals in 15 Premier League appearances this year for Newcastle, that's 56% of all Newcastle goals!


Chieck Tiote's strong performances since his return, has got Newcastle winning again. The much sought-after midfield enforcer has reiterated his intention to stay at Tyneside and that's a boost for Alan Pardew.
The loss of the prolific Ba and combative Tiote to January's African Nations Cup will hurt Newcastle's bid to stay in seventh spot, though they do have a five point lead over Stoke City.
Alan Pardew have said no striker addition in January, so Hatem Ben Arfa, Shola Ameobi and Leon Best will have to shoulder goalscoring duties while Demba Ba attempts to win the African Nations Cup with Senegal.
Can Newcastle maintain their excellent season without the goals of Ba?

Joe Cole was the flagship signing of the ill-fated Roy Hodgson era, and he was a Rafa signing that Hodgson inherited. For me, like Bellamy, Cole was not given chances to impress at Anfield. It was also unfortunate that he got sent off in his very first game for Liverpool against Arsenal. His Liverpool career seemed to go downhill since then. Hodgson clearly preferred a method of play that stifles any kind of flair and creativity hence Joe Cole watched as Liverpool faltered under Woy.
Alberto Aquilani was brought in (was it a rash Benitez signing?) in the hope of appeasing the Anfield faithful after the sale of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid. Then from Roma, Aquaman walked into Liverpool, still nursing an injury. It took the Italian a while to get accustomed to the pace and strength of the Premiership but at the tail end of 2009/2010, Aquilani showed glimpses of why he is nicknamed "Il Principino" with some masterful performances.

Both these players have grabbed their chance for a new start with relish. Cole and Aquilani are now mainstays with Lille and AC Milan, becoming vital cogs as the two clubs chase trophies in their respective leagues.


Cole is recapturing the form which earned him 56 England caps. His telepathic understanding with Belgian wonderkid, Hazard have revitalised Lille who were struggling in the early part of the season. While Lille fans was despairing the loss of Yohan Cabaye, Joe Cole have been impressive enough to ease that pain. French football have been kind to English footballers, Glenn Hoddle was a successful export and now the classy Cole is creating a place for himself in Ligue 1.


Aquilani is now starting regularly for the Rossoneri, scoring one goal and contributing six assists in 15 games. When he reaches 25 games, Milan will be obligated to buy the classy Italian. In the much slower Italian Calcio, he has looked extremely comfortable and composed, sliding through balls to team mates with ease.


Joe Cole and Alberto Aquilani, two players who would have added much needed flair to an otherwise "British-styled" Liverpool midfield.  

Liverpool have been terribly unlucky this season in front of goal. This fact all Liverpool fans know. 17 shots against the woodwork and four saved penalties testify to the Reds' dominant and yet strange lack of goals. Also Luis Suarez is the Premiership striker with the most number of attempted shots to goal (75) but only scored five goals. Nevertheless El Pistolero is Liverpool's top scorer this season with just eight in all competitions, underlining why Liverpool's supremacy in matches are not being converted into three points.
There is one other reason that has dented Liverpool's Champions League ambition. Excellent goalkeeping displays by the opposition has kept the Reds from winning at least five of their six drawn matches thus far. Under Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool have taken the game to the opposition whenever possible. And it has only been fantastic goalkeeping displays which have stopped Liverpool from winning against Manchester United, Norwich, Swansea, Manchester City and Wigan Athletic.

This is how these clubs' outstanding goalkeeper have kept out the rampant Reds...

Four saves from David De Gea Luis Suarez, Jordan Henderson and Dirk Kuyt forced acrobatic saves from the young Spanish goalkeeper. De Gea took the opportunity in this highly charged match to emphasize his world-class shot-stopping abilities. The former Atletico Madrid keeper have a long and tough road ahead to successfully replace Edwin Van der Sar, but this match against Liverpool showed his boundless potential.
Eight saves from John Ruddy John Ruddy made a staggering EIGHT saves against the mighty Reds. A last minute flying save from a Suarez volley denied Liverpool victory that they deserved at Anfield. Luis Suarez discovered a human brick wall in the Canaries' goalkeeper. Being an ex-Evertonian, Ruddy must have pleased the Blue half of Merseyside immensely.
Five saves from Michel Vorm A snip of a signing, considering how much the former Utrecht goalkeeper has done for the Swans. Against Liverpool, Vorm saved twice from Suarez and once from Glen Johnson to deny the Reds a rare victory at Anfield. "Penalty Killer" Vorm has helped Swansea stay out of relegation trouble so far in the Premiership and is the unfashionable custodian with the most clean sheets.
Six saves from Joe Hart Hart displayed outstanding reflexes to save everything that Liverpool threw at the Citizens. Super saves from Adam and Carroll brought respect for the England number 1. Crucially, with a very good defence in front of him, Hart has managed to keep his concentration and focus in games, pulling out great saves when needed. The legendary Peter Schmeichel have this steely quality and Joe Hart is on track to be as good as the giant Dane.
Nine saves from Ali Al-Habsi Wigan have relied on the brilliance of the Omani keeper all season. Al-Habsi turned in a performance which might make Chelsea and AVB sit up and take notice should Petr Cech continue his erratic form in goal. His saves against Kuyt, Adam and Johnson earned the Latics a point and some much needed confidence going into the tough Christmas and New Year fixtures.
If none of these five goalkeepers stepped up their game, Liverpool would have put ten extra points on the board. Those points could have pushed them up to third in the table and only four points behind the Premiership leaders, Manchester City. It is not a coincidence that Al-Habsi, Vorm and Ruddy are among the top five best goalkeepers in number of saves and save percentage.
Some respite is in store though on Boxing Day. The second-worst defence in the Premiership comes to Anfield. There is no reason to suggest why Liverpool will not wipe the floor with Steve Kean's beleagured Blackburn. Paul Robinson lacks the agility that he had in his heyday and so Anfield will eventually be rocking to a resounding victory over Rovers.
Liverpool, though looking dominant under the Dalglish II, will need to strengthen in the January transfer window. Adding an attacking "media-punta" midfielder and a "fox-in-the-box" striker should be the last two missing pieces in the Reds' rebuilding jigsaw.
Which explains Liverpool's reported pursuit of Mesut Oezil and Xherdan Shaquiri,doesn't it? I'd plump for the brilliant Pato instead if he is available...

Liverpool have taken more points off Aston Villa than any other team in the Premiership, 68 points to be exact. Villa have let in seven goals through opposition setpieces prior to their match against the mighty Reds. And so, it was inevitable that Liverpool would get three points against the toothless Villans and that the goals came from corners meant that Liverpool exploited Villa's weakness.
Bellamy was fantastic throughout the match and poignantly in that 15-20 minute first half spell, Craig Bellamy was involved in everything that was good about Liverpool. He created one and scored one, Kenny Dalglish could not have asked more from the veteran Welshman.
He even took on the role of a playmaker as he sprayed passes left and right in that dominant Liverpool first half spell. The Reds have been excellent away from home, winning five of their eight away matches.

A significant outcome of the win against Villa was that Liverpool did better with their cornerkicks than in any of their previous matches. Charlie Adam, who may have been bought to boost the Reds' setpiece plays, was conspicuous for not taking any part in the goals. Alex Ferguson last season, commented that Adam's corner kicks were worth 10million themselves. It's a good thing that Dalglish did not pay that kind of money as Adam's corners have not garnered any goals.

Jonjo Shelvey's performance deserved a particular mention here. In previous posts, I have highlighted the lack of midfielders supporting Suarez in attack. Though given a surprise start, Jonjo showed why he could be the most natural successor to Steven Gerrard in a Liverpool shirt. He displayed strong running from midfield and could have scored a goal, if Suarez had played him in. Henderson was bought for that kind of dynamism but Shelvey showed a lot more willingness to surge forward than the England U-21 captain ever did.
Andy Carroll came on as a late substitute for Luis Suarez, and once more, seemed to find it hard to get into the rhythm of the game. To be fair, it is an acquired skill to come on late in a game and make an impact. Sadly, Carroll is looking more and more like a late panic buy in the wake of Torres' shock transfer to Chelsea.
All in all, Liverpool is homing in on fourth spot in the Premiership table with dominant displays after dominant displays. With Villas-Boas second-guessing himself constantly, Chelsea is there for the taking.
I am still waiting for that elusive emphatic win though. Maybe Wigan will be the team that will fall to a long overdue four-goal victory for the mighty Reds.

Leroy Lita had the chance to cover himself with glory against Villa last week. After superbly turning the Villa defender, he dragged his shot just wide of the post. That sums up Swansea's problem in their first Premiership season. This lack of a cutting edge may eventually drag the Swans back into a relegation dogfight.
Against Blackburn, Swansea must sought to make their customary lions' share of possession count. This is the sort of game that City must try and score a handful to improve their poor goal difference. Blackburn has the second worst defence in the Premiership and Lita will get another chance to bury a few this time round.

Swansea has impressed everyone in the Premiership with their slick passing and ability to control a match. Their finishing must get better and it's time for Brendan Rogers to delve into the transfer market to find a prolific goalscorer. The Welsh side have failed to score in seven of their 13 matches, underlining their need for a genuine striker of Premiership class.
I suggest Rogers to try the following approaches, Go back to his old club, Chelsea and ask Nicolas Anelka to join him on a loan. Try and convince Dimitar Berbatov that his future is better served playing football rather than sitting on the United bench. Raid troubled Blackburn and entice upcoming Scottish star, David Goodwillie to join. Option 1 and 2 could work, but will be costly for a club the size of Swansea, though it could be worth the risk as staying in the Premiership brings multiple financial benefits. A bit short-termism in my opinion and yet fully necessary to ensure the Swans do not slip out from top-flight football.
Option 3 is a signal of the intent that Rogers is serious about building the quality of the squad and making sure that it is a progressive squad geared for a long stay in the Premiership. David Goodwillie have not had too much playing time at Blackburn and with Rovers struggling, Steve Kean had preferred The Yak upfront. Goodie is a talent that needs nurturing and Brendan Rogers could be the man to get the best out of Scotland's best young player.
Swansea are looking to heap more misery on Blackburn this weekend and if they manage to prise Goodie from Ewood Park this January, the Swans will be on their way to Premiership survival.

Other than against Bolton, Liverpool played their best football of the season against an out-of-sorts Manchester City last weekend. Due to their physical exertions in the Champions League, the Citizens looked short of match fitness and were sluggish against the mighty Reds. But that does not take away a great performance by Liverpool at Anfield. Another draw at Anfield though sooner or later, the Reds will put things right at home no doubt.
It is Liverpool's away form that has been awesome this season and even without Lucas, if Kenny Dalglish gets his lineup right, it will be another three points. Maxi and Bellamy have been excellent every time they have started and Suarez clearly enjoys playing with these two as they create space with their intelligent movement.

Maxi scored a hattrick against Fulham last season and he could well do it again if he starts. A repeat of the 5-2 result of last season may be wishful thinking but all the omens are there to suggest Liverpool are peaking in time for the Christmas schedule.



Defensively, they have tightened up, the Agger-Skrtel partnership have the right balance of composure, aggression and thoughtful ball distribution. The classic defensive pairing of a ball playing defender (Agger) with a physical stopper (Skrtel).
In midfield, Charlie Adam is fulfilling the promise that Liverpool fans want to see. The Scot is looking more mobile, his running with the ball has vastly improved in his last two matches. He looked slimmer as well and that could explain his newfound ability to cover more ground, even helping out defensively as he did against Chelsea and Manchester City.
In attack is where Liverpool is probably strongest. Who would have thought that post-Torres?! The star attraction is and always will be Luis Suarez. The "wee man" was superb the last time he played against Fulham and he is the main threat. Fulham defenders are not known as the quickest in the Premiership and surely they will struggle to contain Liverpool's Duracell-powered Uruguayan. Aided by Bellamy who now seem to have an eye for a pass and Maxi whom we know have an eye for a goal, El Pistolero will be looking to end his worrying six-match goal drought.
Against Chelsea and City, Liverpool looked sharper and fitter and I have a feeling that on Monday evening, Fulham will feel the full force of Dalglish's Red Army. For added motivation, the Liverpool players will want to make light of the disappointing news caused by Lucas' serious injury.

The transfer day deadline was a flurry of activities and I loved it! Sitting down sifting through TFB4's twitter page, there was a feeling of major surprise signings and it did take place albeit in small measures. I compiled The Flat Back Four's top five most intriguing transfer signings.

1. Argentinian Denis Stracqualursi to Everton
This looks perfect for Everton. Stracqualursi has excellent heading abilities and is a useful target man. Everton are lacking in the striking department and Denis should go straight into the Toffees' first team. The Argentinian can fit into Everton's style of football. He is the top scorer in the Apertura with 11 goals in 19 games last season.


2. Real Madrid's Royston Drenthe to Everton Dutch players are footballing enigmas. Much like Ryan Babel's failed experiment at Liverpool and Dennis Bergkamp's Inter holiday, Drenthe did not do himself justice in Real Madrid. His phenomenal talent is in no doubt, and so it is his professional attitude to the game that Moyes must sort out. Drenthe, at his best, is capable of challenging Gareth Bale and Andre Santos as the best left wing back in the Premiership. The Dutchman known as "Edgar Davids with stepovers" has a lot to prove and Everton could be the club that brings out the best in Royston.

3. Everton's Mikel Arteta to Arsenal The devastating loss to the Red Devils last weekend have spurred Arsene Wenger to act decisively in the transfer market. It may have seem late to some Arsenal fans but Le Professor have finally made his mark by bringing in four quality players, all of which are proven and highly experienced. The jewel in the crown, however must be Mikel Arteta. An older version of Fabregas, he is among the top five in assists and chance created in the Premier League. As long as he stays fit, he will lift the gloom and doom currently in the Gunners camp.
4.Craig Bellamy's return to Liverpool The volatile Welshman's temperament has always been in question but there is no doubting his ability. Apart from Luis Suarez, there is no other natural predator in the Liverpool ranks. Kenny Dalglish would have preferred Daniel Sturridge (and may yet get him for next season) but Bellamy will add even more pace, movement and trickery to an extremely mobile Reds' attack. When Robbie Fowler returned to Anfield, he had minimal impact. The Reds' will hope that Bellamy's second stay at Anfield will yield a much more positive return for both player and club.
5. Spurs' Peter Crouch to Stoke City It is a measure of how much the Potters' reputation has grown since their Championship days, that an England international like Peter Crouch agrees to sign for them. His European playing experience may have convinced Tony Pulis that Crouchy has an important role for the Potters and he could be right. Crouch's goal scoring record in Europe is exemplary and Pulis definitely has one eye on Europe when he splashed the cash for the gentle giant.
Good luck to Joe Cole who will be a success at Lille. I know that I will keep a close eye on Lille who has been struggling since their epic championship win last season. The experience Joe Cole brings to this young team will inspire Rudi Garcia's team to retain their Ligue 1 title.

Well, it's hard to refuse when a team like Chelsea comes knocking at your door. Even harder when possibly the best Portuguese coach in the business wants you. Extremely irresistible when Chelsea can offer you first team playing minutes and Champions League football. Thus, Raul Meireles weighed up his options and decided to join the Andre Villa-Boas Chelsea evolution.
While watching the Chelsea-Norwich match, I had argued that Chelsea needed a playmaking midfielder. Little did I know that Chelsea was tracking Liverpool's 2011 PFA Fans Footballer of The Year. To be fair, Meireles is the second best option after Modric. His energy and intelligent footballing skills will be perfect for the Blues once he is fully fit from injury. Fernando Torres must really be licking his chops now knowing that he will soon have the service he craved to become a Blues legend.

Raul Meireles was the midfielder that I felt Liverpool must not lose. Of all the midfield additions that the Reds have made, Meireles offered something different in both ends of the pitch. Lucas and Spearing does the defensive duties well. Adam, Maxi and Downing are great as attacking midfielders. Meireles is the only complete midfielder that Liverpool have and his loss will be felt. The hope is that Jordan Henderson can eventually flourish into the Meireles mould.
With Obi Mikel on Nigeria duty next year, Meireles will play an important role in ensuring Chelsea continue to challenge for the Premiership title this season. As a Liverpool fan, I hate to see him go but the Reds' loss is definitely the Blues' gain.

International matches are proving a bona-fide bane to Liverpool. It has been so since the Benitez days. Charlie Adam came back from Scotland international duty with a slight injury concern. That clearly hampered his performance at the Britannia last weekend. Even the hardworking Dirk Kuyt looked very lethargic and contributed little at Stoke.
Still it wasn't a completely insipid performance. 24 shots on goal and 72% possession time on the ball typifies another solid Reds' performance under Kenny Dalglish. Liverpool must show lots of heart and combative spirit whenever they go to a fortress like the Britannia Stadium. For the first time, no one shirked their duties, and everyone in a Reds' shirt fought hard. Going behind early to Walters' penalty goal allowed Stoke to effectively park the bus and they did that expertly with Shawcross a key man defensively.

I was gutted that Henderson and Adam could not score in that now famous "5 chances in a min" scramble. And like many, I begun to get the feeling that Liverpool will not get the goals that their effort deserved. However, I get excited watching this new-look Liverpool side. I particularly enjoyed the energy, swagger and quickness in the whole "pass-and-move" philosophy that the Reds have once again revived this season. Gone are the boring ho-hum Benitez tactics of stifling opponents in those albeit some successful trophy-laden seasons. Obviously, the less said about Hodgson's reign the better. I much prefer the more cavalier and more British approach that King Kenny has had the Reds playing than at any time in the last ten years.
But if Liverpool are to regain a place in the Champions League next season (which they have a great chance), I feel the Reds coaching team must work to overcome three problem areas.

1. Lack of composure in front of goal by Liverpool forwards
There is no denying that potentially the Reds' attack is a potent one. And yet if a team does not put away 24 chances in a game, something must be wrong. Jordan Henderson snatched at his gilt-edged chance to equalize. Suarez also could have done a lot better with his chance especially in injury time. In an earlier game against Bolton, the Uruguayan also chose to go for the "showboat" chip which went over. So, Liverpool need to work on composure and be clinical in front of goal.

2. Inability to capitalise on Adam's excellent corner deliveries
Against Stoke, Adam delivered several excellent corners and there were no Liverpool player attacking the ball. Last season, Blackpool scored many goals just from Adam's setpiece corners. The Reds must take advantage of the Scot's well taken corner kicks. It is a weapon that even Alex Ferguson acknowledged to be worth £10m alone.

3. Persistent injuries to Liverpool right backs
Martin Skrtel played at right back at Stoke and Liverpool weren't as penetrating down the right channel as they had been in previous matches this season. Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly seemed to be continuously injured, leaving Liverpool with no capable rightback as their backup. With the acquisition of Sebastian Coates, Liverpool could opt for a three-at-the-back system, with Enrique and Gerrard as wingbacks.


In those dominant 80's, I remember watching Liverpool and knowing exactly when they would score and they inadvertently did. Now, I get that same feeling when watching Manchester United matches. I am eager to feel that same way again with Liverpool under Dalglish and I think it could happen.
Four games on, Liverpool is still a work in progress. There is no better man for the job than Kenny Dalglish.

Andre Villas-Boas is trying hard to change the way Chelsea has played over the past six years and mini-Mourinho is getting closer with every game. In all aspect, it was an aging team that AVB inherited at the Bridge.
Ancelotti started the rejuvenation process, bringing in David Luiz and Fernando Torres. Villas-Boas signed Raul Meireles and Juan Mata. Along with Sturridge and McEachran, these players are the future of Chelsea and they will be part of a newer improved Chelsea.
Daniel Sturridge proved again with that eye-catching backheel goal why he is a striker that Chelsea cannot afford to leave out of their starting lineup. He has what Torres currently lacks - goalscoring ability. But that does not mean that Torres have no part to play in the Blues' pursuit of Champions and Premier League glory.

After a traumatic week, Torres found his form once more in the Champions League match against Michael Ballack's Leverkusen, setting up both Chelsea goals. Juan Mata clearly looked like the ideal successor to a young Joe Cole. Playing Daniel Sturridge also means that the pressure on Torres becomes less which augurs well for the World Cup winning Spaniard. Furthermore, Sturridge and Torres have a better understanding and awareness of each other's position.
Torres played as well as I have seen him play in Liverpool red against Leverkusen. He may not have scored but he did have two assists. Chelsea must play in a system that suits Torres rather than Torres adapting to the Chelsea way. It's not all mental as the Chelsea coaches would have us believe, it's the system. AVB knows that and that's why Mata and Meireles were brought in - to release that early pass for Torres to run onto. That's when Torres is at his best, running at defenders, causing panic in opposition defence.
Mata-Torres-Sturridge partnership key to repair this rift  United had better beware, the Mata-Torres-Sturridge partnership are threatening to kick into another gear come Sunday. Ferguson will need his "White Pele" to be at his playmaking best. Torres surely need to banish the ghost curse of Shevchenko from his head and what better way to do so than against the club he loves to score against.

Amazing, amazing, amazing. A truly awe-inspiring display of swift attacking football by the Red Devils killed off any hopes Chelsea had in gaining three points at Old Trafford. Let's face it, Manchester United is not afraid of any team in the Premier League. It may be an inexperienced defensive lineup with Smalling, Jones, Evans and Evra and a weak central midfield with Fletcher and Anderson but yet, the champions despatched an expensively assembled Chelsea team with ease.
When Chelsea saw the line up, the Blues must have felt they had a chance to take the game to United. And so they did. But Chelsea just could not cope with the pace and quickness of the United passing. The Red Devils passed the ball with intent, always moving forwards with the ball and so Chelsea lumbering defence could not cope. By half time, the game was sewn up in front of the Stretford End faithful.


Even a "virtuoso" performance from the much maligned Fernando Torres could not change the game for the Blues. The World Cup winning Spaniard is clearly back to his terrorizing best, much highlighted by his overall performance and his goal over the weekend. While others choose to focus on "The Miss", Torres seems to finally believe he is the star of this Chelsea team. That belief should drive him towards becoming a Chelsea legend. With Drogba and Anelka fading with age, Torres is now firmly established as THE star striker for the Blues. Going back to amazing United. The Red Devils just keep marching on and on. Ferguson and United has the same approach every game and in the Premier League, it is irresistible. With a young team, United has dealt with Spurs, humbled Arsenal and picked off Chelsea. It's hard to imagine Liverpool and a rampant City getting close to beating the red half of Manchester. It remains to be seen if Fergie will employ a different tactical strategy in the much anticipated Manchester derby in a month's time. It would be a huge motivation for Mancini's City boys if United changes their style for that game.
So it looks like the Manchester derbies are going to be the title deciders even at this early stage of the season. These are the only two clubs which are not going through a transition and evidently have further strengthened their squad of last season.
Now if only Torres had looked up before putting his "weaker" left foot through the ball in the 83rd minute....

Arsenal has long been associated with impregnable defences. Superb organization and fantastic man marking defenders were the hallmarks of many an Arsenal triumph over the years. To watch Arsene's defenders during the last two seasons have proven to be quite painful. Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Steve Bould and Nigel Winterburn must all be wondering how it has gone so wrong. Two own goals in one game is more dismal than watching a Jamie Carragher own goal!
Since the departures of William Gallas and Kolo Toure, Arsenal have been short of defensive steel and it has showed. Last season, Arsenal were in the leading positions until they famously capitulated defensively at Newcastle (4-4) and Spurs (2-3 and 3-3).




And yet, Arsene Wenger did not sign a top defensive midfielder nor did he splash the cash for Gary Cahill. Thomas Vermaelen threatened briefly to be that defensive stalwart but he is now the new "Sicknote". Per Mertesacker for all his experience, could be found out in the hustle bustle of the Premiership. Furthermore, an English spine is desperately needed if Arsenal plans on winning trophies.
On a more positive note, Mikel Arteta's arrival has already borne dividends. He has fitted in nicely into the Arsenal system, scoring a perfect goal against Blackburn last Saturday. His passing was exemplary on the day and he is growing more familiar with his new team mates match by match. Arteta is just growing from strength to strength, proving what a super signing he could turn out to be.


Just one more video to highlight just how unreliable this Arsenal "famed" defence had become, look no further than the error which led to Birmingham lifting the Carling Cup last season. Shocking!

Since the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish La Liga, the Premier League was searching for a new world class player who could be as brilliant as the phenomenal Portuguese. Fernando Torres threatened briefly until he started sulking more than scoring, Didier Drogba could never be that star face as he is all brute force but Carlos Tevez could have been that world class marquee player that the Barclays Premier League needed.
Instead for all the important goals he had scored for West Ham, Manchester United and City, he will forever be remembered for refusing to play in last night's Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich. Carlitos' two-year stay at Manchester City has been an ongoing saga. This latest episode has all but hasten his exit.

It's easy to forget the talismanic effects of Carlitos for City, after all the well documented problems he had faced. For West Ham fans though, this man can do no wrong, forever remembered for singlehandedly keeping the Hammers in the Premier League in his first season. No other player is more closely associated to conjuring up a miracle relegation escape as the effervescent Argentine star. Here's how he did it.



Will we see the end of the mercurial Carlos Tevez after this episode? If so, the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League winner will leave with his head held high, proud of his achievements in the Premier League.

Finally Kenny Dalglish have Steven Gerrard back and in time for Derby day! Couple that with the excellent showing of Andy Carroll against Wolves and the Reds are looking capable of beating Everton this Saturday. The right back position is now solid once more with Martin Kelly back from injury and though Carragher and Skrtel are still weak links in central defence, Everton's lack of bite upfront will suit Liverpool as they sought to make it back-to-back wins.
Young Jordan Henderson should make way for the Liverpool captain and Luis Suarez must be preparing to prosper from Gerrard's passes this weekend. Thus why the magical Uruguayan was upset, he wanted some playing time to forge an understanding with Steven Gerrard. Instead, El Pistolero will need to work on developing that telepathy with Stevie G on the training ground.

Without Gerrard, there has been a distinct lack of Liverpool midfielders getting into the penalty box. Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson have all scored from the edge of the box this season but none has regularly featured as an attacking threat in the opposition's box. Gerrard's forceful running often takes him ahead of the last striker and that adds an extra dimension to the Reds' attack.
Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez partnership can be as lethal as Gerrard and Torres once was.
At Goodison, Everton will try to stifle Liverpool's midfield but Suarez' brilliance and movement will prove too much for Jagielka and Distin. With Gerrard bursting a lung to get in the box at every opportunity, Liverpool's attack will have an added potency to it. It's about time Liverpool started converting the chances they create game after game, the Merseyside derby would be a great place to do that.

My buddy, Ed and I continued our almost weekly dissection of Liverpool's weekend performance after a friendly game of indoor futsal. Now Ed is a guy with a rather thought provoking mind. While we were both thrilled that "The Beast" Andy Carroll opened his Premier League account this season with a brilliant derby goal, he remarked how Dirk Kuyt's excellent run and "dummy" duck created the room for Carroll to rifle the ball past Tim Howard.
That got me thinking. Did the Dutchman know what he was doing when he ducked under the ball as Enrique cut the ball back from the byline? Or was it just that the ball was hit at a speed that Kuyt had no choice but to avoid contact with the ball? I watched again the video replay of Carroll's first goal for Liverpool to make up my mind. In the lead up to the goal, Kuyt ran to the near post taking Distin with him, he knew Carroll was centrally placed, showed great vision by avoiding the ball, allowing Carroll to pick his spot with a sweet left footed finish.

Kuyt should get the credit for fantastic vision and the assist rather than Enrique.

So, numerical advantage or not, Liverpool got their second win on the road and looking primed for the grudge match against Manchester United two weeks from now. Particularly pleasing was that both Reds strikers scored. Also of note was that Carroll is now getting on the end of some excellent Charlie Adam corners and the goals will start to come. Now all Liverpool need is some goals from midfield and that will surely give opposition defences more to worry about. That's something that is expected from a fully-fit and match-ready Stevie Gerrard.

Gerrard came on late in the game and had to play a disciplined game as a deep-lying midfielder.

With two wins on the trot, the international break once again come as an unwelcome rest for the Reds. However with Manchester United coming up next at Anfield, there is little doubt that Kenny Dalglish will not let his Red army slack off. The Reds do have to take the chances that will inevitably come against the Red Devils otherwise United can score from their devastatingly quick counter attacks.

An exciting match is in store. Liverpool-Man United matches in recent times are also tinged with red cards and with Luis Suarez in sinister form, Anderson, Evra or Jonny Evans had better watch their tackles!

Roberto Mancini had learned from the Fulham lesson and as David Platt said, Mancini freshened up his team after the Champions League defeat at Munich. He rang in changes for the match against Blackburn and the replacements repaid his faith in them by scoring four goals against Rovers.
Mario Balotelli, Samir Nasri and Adam Johnson together with David Silva were the difference in another routine match for the Citizens. Everytime Adam Johnson plays, he always makes an impression on those who watch him. Fabio Capello obviously feels the same way as I did since he selected Johnson for the England squad.
With Tevez and Dzeko benched for their Munich outburst, Balotelli took his chance and produced another excellent performance. He even afforded a smile after his goal, and this is a player who does not celebrate goals. Mancini has got the Premier League's most talented squad and he must utilise its potential to its fullest advantage.

In contrast, Manchester United looked to have "peaked" a little too early (and it's perfect timing too, since their next match will be at Anfield). David De Gea's punishment for stealing a doughnut was to warm the bench while Anders Lindegaard kept goal against Norwich.The young Dane did save United a couple of times and in general, looked quite solid especially when he made ex-United player Anthony Pilkington miss the target.

Again Dimitar Berbatov was left blowing bubbles on the bench while Park Ji-Sung and Valencia were preferred. Wayne Rooney looked off the pace after his enforced lay off and the classy Bulgarian could have added a bit of magic in this game. Without Ashley Young, the Red Devils did not get going until late in the game. Anderson and Wellbeck got on the scoresheet and that glossed over a performance which was two or three notches below United's previous high scoring matches.
I can't wait for the Manchester derby match end of this month. It will surely be a mouthwatering encounter, although Kun Aguero will most likely miss this match. Even at this stage of the season, the destination of the Premier League could be decided by the Manchester club that wins the derby. This puts an extra significance to the upcoming United v. City match.

Who could forget how Mickey Owen came on as a substitute and broke City hearts with a deft finish two seasons ago? With both teams having so much attacking threat, this season's Battle of Manchester could be Vincent Kompany's golden chance to lead City to a glorious victory.

Mario Balotelli is knuckling down to life in the Premier League. How else can you explain two accomplished performances in his two latest outings? Scoring goals has always been easy for the Italian, his attitude has always been questioned. This season, however, he has let his boots do the talking.

With Tevez sulking, Aguero injured and Dzeko returning from international duty, Super Mario made his second successive appearance in Man City colours. He repaid Mancini's faith in him with a goal and looked to be the one player capable of unlocking the Villan defence. If anyone can get the best out of the temperamental Italian, it is his old Inter boss who knows Balotelli better than anyone.


Balotelli have learned from his earlier outbursts and now is contributing to Manchester City's relentless pursuit of the Premier League title. Although City have had fairly easy opposition (apart from Spurs), their attacking play has been breathtaking and the likes of Aguero, Dzeko and Balotelli have to be credited for making the Blues an awesome attacking unit

Roberto Mancini rested some of his bigger names and yet put out a strong team.

Nigel De Jong's hard tackling allowed City to win control of midfield and from then on, there was only one winner. Adam Johnson impressed again as he has done in every game for the Citizens, scoring another excellent goal and assisting on two more. Owen Hargreaves' first Premier League appearance went well, he even made two crunching tackles just to prove that he is fully recovered.
Manchester United had better watch out as the Blues are in confident form and is in a rich vein of form!
Super Mario, it would seem, has grown up this season, right in front of our eyes. It's bloody time he did something meaningful with his God-given talent. A Premier League winner's medal beckons for Man City's cult hero.

When Robin Van Persie stalled on his Arsenal contract talks earlier in the month, there were tremors felt everywhere. Clubs were perking up their ears, waiting for new development. Arsenal fans were quaking....dismayed that yet another "home-grown" star is on the verge of leaving. Arsenal has not been known to keep their stars with huge wage packages and therefore it will not be hard to imagine the departure of the Dutch star come end of this season. After all, Arsenal in recent times, have turned into a selling club, more intent to balance finances than winning silverware.

It has been frustrating times for RVP. Hardly fit last season, he has been in sterling form in this campaign. The one bright spark for Arsenal all season, Van Persie was Arsenal's talisman again against a stubborn Sunderland at The Emirates. His two goals put the gloss on an indifferent and difficult Arsenal performance as Sunderland worked extremely hard to thwart the famed Gunners' short passing game.

Arsenal still look shaky in defence, even with the addition of Mertesacker and Andre Santos. Sessegnon had an excellent game tormenting the whole of the Arsenal backline but his efforts were let down by a lack of adventure from his Black Cats' team mates.

The Dutchman's freekick winner took Arsenal out of the bottom half of the Premier League for the first time this season. RVP has clearly put his younger volatile nature behind and has stepped up to lead Arsenal out of their current troubles. However, his task is of a one-man nature as none of the current Arsenal squad are good enough to help RVP achieve his goals i.e. to be a Champions League winner. Andrey Arshavin and Tomas Rosicky are fading forces and cannot be counted on to support the world class Dutchman. Theo Walcott in his sixth season with the Gunners, continue to flit in-out of games and clearly need to show more consistency in a season.

Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain represent the next exciting batch of Arsenal superstars and these youngsters desperately need the quiet leadership and experience that Van Persie can provide. A Gunners' side comprising of Szczesny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere and Ramsey with RVP's sublime skills have the potential to be Premier League champions in 2-3 years time. The most complete striker in Arsenal since Dennis Bergkamp, will Van Persie afford to stick around to help the next batch of youngsters try to reach the achievements of the Invincibles?
The talismanic Robin Van Persie is the last jewel in Arsene Wenger's stable. What would Arsenal life be without Robin Van Persie? It's a thought that makes every Gooner shudder.

A high scoring game was not something that I had expected from a Chelsea-Arsenal derby match. Then again I had forgotten that Arsenal does not know how to defend this season nor did I remember that Chelsea has yet to keep a clean sheet this season. And so, we were treated to an eight-goal slugfest in which the Blues and the Gunners went after each other blow-for-blow until that defining John Terry slip. If blame throwing would be allowed, Florent Malouda's right foot must take sole responsibility for this heavy Chelsea defeat.
And so Arsenal's inspirational Captain Vantastic struck a much deserved hat-trick against their London rivals. He also scored his 29th goal in 28 matches, a remarkable record huh? He must surely be the most in-form striker in the Premiership, ahead of even Kun Aguero and Super Mario. The flying Dutchman has had so many injuries in the last two seasons, we had forgotten just how good he really is. This season RVP's goals has lifted Arsenal from the bottom three into seventh place.

A super sub last week, his timely introduction against Stoke allowed Arsenal to finally motor across the finishing line, thanks to his two goals. Two weeks ago, his sublime freekick gave Arsenal a hard-fought victory against Sunderland. His talismanic qualities this season, coupled with his non-committal contract talks surely must be making the Arsenal board worried.
On Saturday, as Chelsea pushed hard for an equaliser, Van Persie ended Chelsea's defiance with a trademark left foot swerving shot that left Petr Cech grasping thin air. His goals, once again, are the reasons why Arsenal are now on a three-match winning streak.
After a disastrous start to the season, Arsene Wenger's Arsenal is now climbing up the Premier League table. Mikel Arteta is doing well and brought some experience into that Arsenal midfield. Andre Santos' goal capped a fine Arsenal afternoon and now the Gunners can clearly claim they are now back to their best. 
Perhaps being out of the media limelight has been good for Arsene's charges, now that they are back in the big time, I wonder how Arsenal's fragile mentality will welcome the unnecessary media pressure.....