14/05/2015
Champions league semi final games were played this week with Bayern hosting Barcelona and Real Madrid welcoming Juventus. 2 Fixtures that would have every football fan licking their lips.
I opted to stay in on Tuesday for the Bayern fixture and even though i could only see Barcelona qualifying and stamping their place in the final, it was going to be a game not to be missed. So i sat down with my fish and chips, stella's to the right of me and my phone to the left. I had no plans of moving for this game. I was not disappointed. The football on show was spectacular. When you have Messi, Suarez and Neymar as your front 3 men it will be very rare that you struggle in any game. Barcelona's first goal was an equalizer after Medhi Benatia header opened the scoring for "ze germans". A simple ball from Messi allowed Suarez to run in behind and just like playing Fifa he squared the ball across to Neymar beating Neuer to level the match. So simple, so precise and it works so well.
Lewandowski scored a beaut of a goal later in the match after a show of skill on the edge of the box. Overall with a bit of bad defending it was a masterclass. Bayern win on the night but go out due the aggregate as they were whipped in the first leg 3-0.
Now i turn my head back to being an Arsenal fan and i am worried. Not just for Arsenal but for the premier league as a whole. Even the current Champions Chelsea would be schooled by these teams in the semi finals. If an English could make it that far in the competition to start with that is. Our teams in our league are a million miles away from the likes of Barca, Madrid and Bayern Munich. Juventus have become a very good european side once again and they are now in the champions league final and it is not by fluke.
If you look at the caliber of player within these teams there should not be such a big gap when it comes to team performance. Hazard, Costa and Fabregas. 3 Very good players but would you go as far as saying they are world class? Personally i wouldn't. Aguero is world Class, Alexis Sanchez is up there with the best but apart from the odd player within our top 5 teams our starting 11's would be benched when it comes to the elite teams.
Would you bench Neymar or Ronaldo for Hazard who won the PFA award this year. No of course you wouldnt. If you would you need to take a step back and look at yourself and ask yourself some serious questions regarding your health. I know Chelsea fan boys will disagree but everyone knows within themselves, he cannot compare.
If you look at the midfield players would Matic get a look in against Xavi Alonso or Sergio Busquests or even Sami Khedira? No he would be cleaning there boots or warming up with the under 21's yet he is still rated as a top player in the premier league? Maybe we settle for lower standards and that's why the premier league is always an exciting league to watch. Im not sure.
I just think it will be years until an English teams lifts that trophy. Maybe once this golden generation has moved on and our young players in the league start stepping up.
I think when it comes to European competitions we are not quite there much to the frustration of every single fan.
#CoulingKnows
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