Filed under: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, Champions League, Premier League, Football
On the surface, all looks rosy. Three English clubs in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. How dim and distant are those days of the 90s when it took years for them after the Heysel ban to re-establish themselves in Europe.Mouth-watering ties they have too. Tottenham simply have to overcome Real Madrid and Barcelona to reach the final. And at least the English are guaranteed a semi-finalist, with Chelsea and Manchester United meeting.
If we look at how the English clubs made it there, though, the story is of struggle.
Tottenham made a meal of putting out ageing, fading Milan and clung on for a goalless draw after winning away. It was almost as if Spurs finally realised how significant was the competition and how close they were to its latter stages - nerves kicked in, cramping the freedom from fear they had thus far shown.
Chelsea also failed to score at home against an ordinary Copenhagen side despite the attacking threat of Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and, later, Fernando Torres. Manchester United were left clinging on after Marseille had missed early chances.
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In addition, three sides departed European competition, with Arsenal bundled out of the Champions League by Barcelona - no disgrace, that, even if some of the shenanigans surrounding the match were - while Liverpool and Manchester City could muster just one goal between them over four last-16 matches and both departed the Europa League.
There is no doubt that the Premier League remains the television attraction around the world, despite the greater technical prowess of the better sides in Spain's La Liga. It is fast and furious with, currently, a depth of competition that means that Wolverhampton Wanderers can beat Manchester United, as they did recently.
This has not been a vintage season for the League, however, with all its big clubs looking flawed all at the same time.
United have lacked creativity at times; questions about Arsenal's backbone remain. Chelsea were missing a depth of squad for the first half of the season while Tottenham can be flaky, having failed to beat a side in the bottom five thus far. Manchester City look too constricted by manager Roberto Mancini's tactics while Liverpool's consistency of folklore has gone missing.
It has made for a exciting competition and it is likely to continue as we find out who has the nerve to handle a title run-in and the talent to assemble a points-gathering run. On the former count, United must be favourites, on the latter, Arsenal could yet pull through.
The London side could also be aided by United's crammed April. They have the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday 16th and the Champions League matches. Arsenal can retain freshness and build towards their home game against United on Sunday May 1st.
Last year, England failed to produce a Champions League finalist for the first time in six years, United having lost to Barcelona in Rome the previous year.
The extra spur for the English this season will be in the final venue being Wembley. The question is whether a demanding season's run-in for United, as they seek to retain the title, and Chelsea and Tottenham, as they chase top-four slots will further, expose flaws.
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