Nick Wright previews this weekend's clash between York City Knights and Hull FC
Alex Reid looks at whether the once ever-present appearance of English clubs in the later stages of the Champions League is set to become a thing of the past
Craig Dobson looks at QPR's decision to sack Neil Warnock and replace him with Mark Hughes
James Tompkinson reviews an excellent pre-season victory for the York City Knights against Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos
Tomorrow sees two great English clubs compete for the ultimate prize in European club football; The Champions League. The trophy will be returning to these shores for the second time in four years but will it be doused in red or blue confetti?
As the betting column on the sports pages of this website bares testament, predictions are notoriously difficult and frequently incorrect. With this in mind, I will go out on a limb: this will be a game of two halves, possibly extra time and a chance of penalties.
In the build up to this clash the mind games employed by the different sets of players have masked the different nature of the two clubs competing. Both have fantastic squads who pushed each other to the last in the league, both have the capability to spend big to attract stars to their payroll and both want to win this game. In the final similarity we have the difference, as both want to win for different reasons.
For Manchester United it would add European glory to the tradition that Alex Ferguson has started. With the exception of 1999, European success has been notoriously threadbare on his CV. A win on Wednesday would rectify this.
Chelsea are looking to start a tradition, Michael Ballack reiterated Roman Abramovich’s sentiments on this. ‘As a team we're still in a development stage. You have to understand that the club has only been playing at this high a level in Europe for a few years. And as yet it hasn't developed a typical Chelsea style. We are still improving. You have to win titles, titles, titles, like Roman Abramovich said. That's the only way to start a tradition.’ This lack of tradition may work in Avram Grant’s favour; it enables him to be ruthless in a way that perhaps Ferguson cannot be, guaranteeing Paul Scholes his place illustrates this. Whilst the players may not dispute this and I would agree that he is a class act it engenders a certain rigidity to team selection, something that does not trouble Grant.
Although Scholes is guaranteed his place Ferguson has some real selection dilemmas, as all 26 members of his first team squad are fit. Picking the starting eleven will be easier than the seven on the bench. For both teams right-back is a problematic area.
Grant does not appear to have much confidence in Belleti or Ferreira and Essien seems to be the natural choice, allowing Makelele to take up the ‘Makelele role’ in the centre of the park.
Ferguson I think will go with Brown rather than Hargreaves at right back. Playing Hargreaves could allow Drogba to pull off Ferdinand and Vidic and isolate him aerially; Brown will be more adept at dealing with this. I expect Ferguson to stick with Carrick and Scholes in the middle, however look out for Anderson if Ferguson thinks his team need more dynamism in the centre of the park.
Whoever starts for United will have to be wary of the late runs from Ballack who is arriving in Moscow in fine form. Park has earned his place in the team in recent weeks, whilst Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo should all start, unless Ferguson chooses to match Chelsea’s 4-5-1. In which case an extra centre midfielder will be brought in, Hargreaves or Anderson. However, the adaptability and fluidity of Ferguson’s formation makes the need for this change unlikely.
The only positions in the Chelsea starting line up that I do not think are certain are the two wide men to support Drogba. Joe Cole is short of form, whilst Malouda appears to be finally setting in. Kalou appears to link well with Drogba and Shaun Wright-Phillips just does not seem to cut it against the better teams. I expect Malouda and Kalou to start, although I would not be surprised if neither did, as none of the four have cemented the position as their own. Anelka could feature in one of these roles, but I would expect this to be from the bench.
Smith's key men for each team:
Michael Essien (Chelsea): Essien occasionally looks suspect at right back, responding to certain threats slowly in the manner of someone being played out of position. However, his energy and power and ability to turn defence into attack from the flank will be invaluable to Chelsea, especially if Evra marauds up the pitch in his usual manner.
Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United): following his recent comments about Drogba’s theatrics he must hope that it does not serve to motivate the Ivorian as Benitez did in the semi final. Returning from a spate of injuries (some a result of Drogba) he must ensure that Drogba does not bully him, as Ferguson will hand him the task of man marking the forward leaving Ferdinand to clear up all the pieces. If he keeps Drogba quiet, then Moscow may well be red again.
Probable teams:
Manchester United: Van Der Sar, Brown, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Park, Rooney, Tevez.
Chelsea: Cech, Essien, Carvalho, Terry, A.Cole, Makelele, Ballack, Lampard, Malouda, Kalou, Drogba.
Whatever happens tomorrow, it won't be a patch on Istanbul 05! It'll be another drab and dull game like last years FA Cup Final.
"Whatever happens tomorrow, it won't be a patch on Istanbul 05" ...Chelsea win 5-4 with four red cards, Ronaldo hat trick all from 30 yards...but Istanbul would still be better? I take it you're a liverpool fan.
Why will it be dull? I don't understand why people complain when the best two teams meet in finals, people seemed so happy that Pompy and Cardiff made the FA cup final so it 'wouldn't be as dull as last year'. Nonsense. This seasons FA cup final was entertaining, but it was distressingly short on quality.
What would you rather, a Spurs vs Newcastle crapshoot - or the current best two teams in europe at the top of their game competing for the highest honour?
And Hen - nice article, but Essien the key man for Chelsea? Surely the 'Drogs Bollocks' will have something to say about that?
Henry does sort of allude to Didier's influence once or twice in the article so I think he's got the two biggies, but I fancy Joe Cole will have to start and play an important role. In what will likely be a tight, tactically minded, nervy affair (a riveting for football fans if not the thrilling 5-4 George predicts and the prawn-sandwich brigade will be hoping for!)a player like Cole can make something happen and change a game. Much like the author but with a better haircut.
Also, for me, a key factor will be the support the United striker gets. In the Barca away game and at Stamford Bridge in the league recently (their two recent games most akin to tomorrow's final) one of Tevez, Rooney or Ronaldo have been left isolated chasing scraps. Although their 3 pronged attack is obviously lethal and can work wonders when they're close enough and clicking with one another, once Tevez is needed to scrap around the half-way line (which, I concede, he does brilliantly) or Rooney lurks too far out wide or Ronaldo is made to win headers and chase into corners like a proper centre-forward, then they are to a large extent nullified. Not only this but, as happened in the games mentioned, it doesn't allow the defence to push up, gives plenty of possession to the opposition and ultimately places enormous stress on the back five (Van der Sar included). Sure Ferdinand and Vidic are the guys to cope with this, as they did in the Nou Camp, but marking Drogba for 90 minutes without much let up would be one hell of a physically and mentally challenging game.
All pointless rambling I mainly agree, but as I'm supporting United (I'm a Chelsea hater, not a United fan) these are my main concerns. So by venting them Sir Al will surely heed my warning and give structure to the front line but allow them freedom to play, poor Wayne can't handle contemplating defending and attacking all at once.
My other and final concern is that there's a chance, a slim one yes, but a chance that John O'Shea comes on. Decent utility player maybe but he is not worthy of a Champions League final!
"Why will it be dull? I don't understand why people complain when the best two teams meet in finals"
They may be the "best two teams" but they just don't play entertaining matches when they face each other, and as far as I'm concerned, I'd rather see an entertaining CL Final as it is our sports showpiece match!
Plus, for all ITV may big this up as "the greatest final ever", there are three great sides in European football history (Real Madrid (9), AC Milan (7), and Liverpool (5)).
"they just don't play entertaining matches when they face each other" ...I know what you're saying, but I just don't agree. As much as I hate the phrase 'one for the purists' (which has now become a euphemism for boring 0-0 draws), I'd much rather watch the technical and tactical skill of the best players in europe compete on the highest stage for the highest stakes than watch Sunderland and 'Boro lump the ball end to end.
I think we're going to have to agree to disagree.
Greg: don't take my words out of context! I have not backed Chelsea to win 5-4 (though those would be some tasty odds no doubt), for the record I've backed Man U to win 2-1 (and Ballack to score at anytime).
I also think you've been unduly unfair to O'Shea - what you say about Joe Cole surely applies to 'JOSH' too? "...can make something happen and change a game". O'Shea has done it more than once! Plus he surely won't be the worst player to feature in a Champo League final, Traore anyone?
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