For Better or For Worse?

I mentioned to a couple of guys at work last week that I felt that the quality of the Champions League this season was lower than it has been for a while now. I was laughed at. Granted, I based my argument predominantly on the fact that I felt the English teams in particular had lost their way somewhat, and that in turn had led to a decrease in the level of quality. Of course, I realise that European football, and the UCL especially does not revolve around English teams, even if they have been the dominant force in the last few years. That said, I do feel it is a factor as to why the level has been poorer this season than in previous editions.

Perhaps rather than looking specifically at the UCL, it probably makes more sense to look at the domestic leagues. The Premier League this season could be one of the most exciting for several years with a three-way battle at the top, and a four-way battle for fourth place. At the same time, points totals are lower than average, and none of the top three in England convince me at all.

Chelsea seem intent on throwing it away. I have felt all season that if they could overcome losing some key players at the African Cup of Nations – which they did - they would be the team to beat in the league. Yet, John Terry and friends, combined with some injuries, are threatening to derail everything.

Man Utd have impressively managed to overcome the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo, yet if you remove Wayne Rooney from the team (which may now be a reality), then the lack of threat is clear to see. The midfield does not inspire me at all, while the defence has shown plenty of cracks this season for one reason or another.

I wrote about Arsenal and Arsene Wenger last month. I was not convinced then, and I am not convinced now that they will win anything this season. They have been gifted a route back into the title race thanks to Chelsea and Man Utd’s inadequacies rather than their own ability to grind out results. The run-in favours them unquestionably, but I still have clear doubts.

All three have been far from dominant and I think this has, and will be reflected in Europe. The way Man Utd let Bayern back in to the game last night will have concerned Sir Alex significantly. I am fairly sure Utd will go through at Old Trafford, I think Bayern are a class below Utd. But the way they lost possession so frequently, and looked vulnerable at the back, was alarming to say the least. Make no mistake, Bayern could and should have scored more, even if you could argue the same for Utd.

I am at the Arsenal v Barca game tonight, and I am genuinely excited about this game. It has the makings of being a superb game of entertaining football. That being said, I strongly favour Barca to emerge victorious from the two legs. Their form is not great right now, as they have scraped through a couple of league results recently, and have relied on the brilliance of Leo Messi. I think they have lost some edge and quality from last year even – I’m still not convinced that they are as good with Zlatan over Etoo. Overall however, I see them having too much for Arsenal over the two legs, in what should be some great football to watch.

Looking at the Spanish league this year, and over the last 18-20 months, the overall quality of football has declined also. This has been disguised somewhat by Barca’s superb performances, and also those of the national team. But outside of Barca and Real, who can simply outscore opposition in Spain but struggle against more canny European opposition, the quality really has dropped. The likes of Sevilla, Valencia, and Atletico are decent on their day, but are incredibly inconsistent and unable to challenge the top two. This cannot be good for the competitiveness in the league, and when they come to play in European competitions.

Maybe it is not such a bad thing that the English and Spanish teams are losing their way a little, and opening the door for other teams such as Inter and Bayern to push along and have a serious chance of doing well this season. I am however concerned that the general level of football this season has really dropped off. The World Cup could be a factor with the priorities of some players being focused on that rather than with their clubs. I would not say that it has affected the entertainment value of the UCL – it’s been a fascinating season, and is sure to continue that way. But I cannot help but feel that the quality of what I consider to be the best football tournament in the World, is declining.