UEFA Cup and Operation Ewood

Firstly i would just like to say that Totenham put up a very brave performance agianst an excellent and tactically astute Sevilla side. They fell apart in the first ten minutes, which cost them, big time. Had they not conceded so early on, i think they would have definately gone on to win the tie. However Sevilla did deserve to win in the end i think, Juande Ramos, the Sevilla boss, getting his tactics spot on. These being to go out all guns blazing, snatch one or two goals and then sit back. It worked perfectly. Its a shame Totenham are out, and i do genuinely mean that, despite having such a keen dislike to them, considering Arsenal are my family team. They played excellently during this years competition and deserved to get this far, I have enjoyed watching them.
Moving on to some good news that i found out on Saturday in the Charlton programme, they have announced Operation Ewood! Its brilliant news considering the success of last years Operation Riverside. It will be great to see so many travelling Charlton fans there, and who knows there will probrably be more of us than them. Ill certainly be going. Balckburn will be shocked at the turnout.
It strikes me that in a few years time, the Premiership will be entirely foreign owned. The next target of corse being Arsenal and Kroenke Sports Enterprises buying further into the club. They are thought to be close to securing one of the club's majority shareholders Danny Fiszman's shares, in excess of 25%, which would take them well over the 30% threshold needed to make a formal bid. I dont know whether this is good or bad news. It means more oney and therefore better players in the Premiership so its probrably a good thing but im not convinced.

Champions League football

A good weeks football for English clubs as far as the Champions League. Well i say good, when really i should be saying magnificent, three of our clubs in the semi-finals of the Champions League is absoulutely brilliant for English football and proves that our league is the best in Europe.
It is easy to say that Manchester United didn't need to play well against Roma to win like that because they had an absolute shocker but to be fair to the Roma team as well as the Manchester United team, this really wasn't the case. Although, defensively Roma looked scarily like Charlton earlier in the season, the rest of the team put up a good fight with one player in particular standing out for me, Francesco Totti. Even as Roma were made to look like little boys, Totti still managed to look world class. Roma had 55% of the possesion and they has 15 shots on goal. Not bad for a team beaten 7-1! Them aside though, United were another class, anything that came their way, they seemed to put away, and with ease too. The way they created the chances too were superb, showed perfectly in Alan Smith's goal on 20 minutes. Every pass in the move was one-touch, orchestrated by the danger trio, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo in particular had a stormer of a game, and its the best i think i've ever seen United play in my short life. He for me is by far the best player in the world right now.
Chelsea, for me played their tactics almost to the opposite of United. They came our with a very cautious approach that for me had trouble written all over it. And this was proven in the first half when Fernando Morientes hit the post with a powerfull effort then soon after he scored, leaving the Chelsea team in dissaray. The turning point came in the second half when Jose Mourinho's men were sent out with a much more positive attitude for me, won them the game. Their play in the second half was much more attacking and this helped them through, Michael Essien was the key.
Then after a good night last night, Liverpool rounded it off, seeing of a luckless PSV side, who really only turned up to restore pride, Ronald Koeman said after the first leg that he would be stupid to think they could go through after their display, i agree but i also think that it was stupid of him to say so. It automatically puts a negative perspective in his players minds, after all anything can and does happen in football. Arsenals 6-3 win at Anfield would have been enough to put them through after a 3-0 defeat at home, and if they can do it, PSV can, but it wasnt to be, not that Koeman can be blamed, he was after all right, they did have no chance. More than anything because Liverpool are in the form of the season at the moment and they are not going to give up their last chance at a trophy that easily.
So really, overall an excellent week for English football and really sticks it to Guilleme Balague who said that the Spanish League is still the best in the World. Lets hope Totenham go through in the UEFA Cup, on Thursday, Englands last hope there.