Watched by a global TV audience of around 650 million, it’s been described as ‘the mother of all derbies’ and the second most important game in the world (after El Clasico) – but is the Manchester derby the biggest derby in Europe?

This all depends on two things: (a) how do we define a derby? (b) how do we compare all the derbies objectively?

The first question is arguably the more difficult one. Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, Inter Milan vs. Juventus, and Liverpool vs. Manchester United are all examples of intense rivalries rather than derbies. We could define a derby as the match between two clubs from the same city, but this would exclude Newcastle United vs. Sunderland, Borussia Dortmund vs. Schalke 04, Ajax vs. Feyenoord and Athletic Bilbao vs. Real Sociedad to give just a few examples.

Even within the same city, Fulham’s main local derby is with Chelsea, whereas Chelsea’s is with Spurs, whose derby is with Arsenal. So even if we were able to compare all European derbies objectively, the very idea of a derby would always be problematic.

Of course, in terms of European footballing success, all one-city derbies pale in comparison to Milan, a city whose two teams have amassed a grand total of ten European Cups/Champions League titles between them (Real Madrid alone are not far behind with nine, whilst Manchester/Liverpool have eight). In fact Milan is the only city in Europe with more than one winner of the competition, making any objective success-based comparisons of European footballing derbies difficult.

An easier and in many ways more appropriate method for comparison would be to combine the average attendances of each derby team throughout the 2010-11 season and list them accordingly. Bear in mind that this is not a list of the fiercest rivalries (which would always be subjective) and that the attendance figure is for all games throughout the season (not just the derby games themselves).

The top 20 derbies in Europe based on combined average attendance

Notes

All figures are based on Wikipedia’s top 70 clubs by average attendance. I haven’t included any clubs that are outside the top 70, e.g. 1860 Munchen (whose average attendance of 20,000 would put the Munich derby in the top ten). This is because I’d like to source all the figures from the same place. However I don’t think the list would change dramatically if this was the case. Fenerbahce (39,542) vs. Besiktas (26,249) would have made the list but the figures given are not for the 2010-11 season (and the Besiktas figures is unsourced).

The top ten teams without representation in the list are Marseilles (51,081), Eintracht Frankfurt (47,335), Napoli (47,210), FC Kaiserslautern (46,378), Hertha Berlin (45,761), Hannover 96 (43,948), Valencia (41,599), VfB Stuttgart (38,847), Porto (36,404) and Shakhtar Donetsk (33,897). I considered classifying Eintracht Frankfurt vs. FC Kaiserslautern as a derby (which with a combined total of 93,713 would’ve made the top ten) but decided not to (see below).

Any list of teams based on average attendance will always be dominated by Germany, where competetive one-city derbies are uncommon. I’ve chosen to include the four biggest regional ‘derbies’ and exclude all the others – although I think the Ruhrgebiet still has to be classed as a single agglomeration (as of course does Greater Manchester).

No team has been included twice. This means that Arsenal vs. Spurs is classed as the biggest London derby, with Chelsea vs. Fulham second. It should be stressed that there is a lot of overlap when it comes to the London derbies. These four teams have been chosen purely because they have the highest average attendances, not (at least in the case of the West London derby) because they have the fiercest rivalry.

The closest distance between two stadiums is of course Milan vs. Inter, where the two teams share the San Siro. The distance between Anfield and Goodison Park is 0.6 miles; between Estadio Da Luz and Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon it is 1.4 miles. The longest distance between two clubs in the list is between Munich and Nuremburg (the two largest cities in Bavaria), which are around 100 miles apart, raising inevitable questions about how we define a derby. The distance between Hamburg and Bremen is around 60 miles, between Bilbao and San Sebastian around 50 miles, between Amsterdam and Rotterdam around 35 miles, between Lyon and Saint-Etienne around 30 miles. The distance between the Westfalenstadion and the Veltins Arena is exactly 17 miles, whilst there are exactly ten miles between St. James’ Park and the Stadium of Light.

The smallest difference in ratio between the two average attendances are those between Milan vs. Inter, Köln vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach and Celtic vs. Rangers. The largest by a long way is Barcelona vs. Espanyol (although the difference between Bayern Munich vs. 1860 Munchen would have been bigger still).

Whilst it isn’t perfect for all the reasons mentioned, the list above arguably gives us a better insight into European football than the list of average attendances itself or the infamous Deloitte Football League, in showing where the real football powerhouses of Europe lie. It’s no surprise to see the Revierderby topping the list with Manchester, Madrid, Munich (Bavaria), Barcelona and Milan all close behind. Manchester’s success on-the-field this season is clearly a reflection of the city’s status as one of the six football capitals of European club football.

More Football Derbies

• The World’s Most Violent Football Derbies.
• Major Football Derbies (with sub-articles for each continent).

The author, Tom Riley, writes about football, music and the history of Manchester at http://ascentofmanchester.blogspot.co.uk.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

World Sport Bloopers has brought you every blooper from the world of football (or for US fans, soccer). We decided to compile a list of top 5 football bloopers to help get you through your weekend!

5). Mario Balotelli Italy Shirt Blooper

Italy recently unveiled their new strip in a friendly match against Uruguay. The frequently misunderstood Italian striker Mario Balotelli appeared for the second half wearing Italy’s old shirt. What was even more bizarre was that he had already been wearing the new one in the first half.

4). Goalkeeper Kicks Fan, Gets Sent Off!

In a cup match between Ajax and AZ Alkmaar, AZ keeper Esteban Alvarado gets an unexpected visit from a fan. He then kicks him while he’s down and get sent off!!

3). Cartwheeling Goalkeeper Blooper

Most sports fans are used to the samba skills of the Brazilian players and the way they casually dance their way post their opponents. It seems that that flare extends to the touchline where this gymnastic trainer performs a ritualistic cartwheel as he runs on and off the field!

2). Argentinian Misses 3 Goals In One Match

Martin Palermo misses three penalty kicks in one game against Columbia in 1999.

1). Unconscious Player Sent Off

You read the title correctly! In a Belgian Provincial League game between Templeuve and Quevy, a player is accidentally head butted and lies unconscious in the penalty area. Astonishingly, as he is about to taken away by paramedics, he is given a second yellow card and sent off!

For more great sport bloopers from around the world, check out World Sport Bloopers.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

After Chelsea’s success in Spain the previous night, Real Madrid would have been looking to add further insult to rivals Barcelona following their win over them at the weekend, by doing what Barcelona could not do and reach the Champions League Final.

Cristiano Ronaldo was wearing a pair of sail/red Mercurial Vapor 8 football boots, changing things up for the first time since the Vapor VIII were launched by not wearing the Bright Mango pair. After just fifteen minutes Ronaldo and his new boots looked to be cruising their way to the final, two quick Ronaldo goals, saw Real move into an early lead over Bayern Munich.

The first, a lesson to his La Liga counterpart Messi, was a sweetly struck penalty, awarded, after Alaba was judged, perhaps harshly, to have handled the ball. The second saw Ronaldo this time coolly finish off a pass by Ozil with an immaculate shot into the bottom left hand corner of the goal.

After that the game did not go the way the Real Madrid fans and team would have wanted. Bayern Munich slowly forced there way back into the game and drew level in the 27th minute when Robben made amends for an earlier miss with a penalty that crept into the corner of the goal despite Madrid keeper Casillas getting a hand to it. From then on the game ebbed and flowed with Bayern Munich possibly having the best of it. Real Madrid kept up the pressure though with a number of free kicks by Ronaldo.

With ninety minutes completed, and the result being the only one that could see the tie ending in a draw, the match went into extra time. After a frantic two halves the football slowed up perhaps understandably as nervousness and tiredness set in. The best attacking play came in the 27th minute of extra time when Marcelo dribbled the ball from his out of his own box before releasing a pass that found Higuain who though had run into an offside position. Unfortunately for Madrid, Ronaldo had been coming up behind Higuain in an on side position, and would have been clean through on goal if the pass had reached him instead.

That was the closest either side came, and the game drifted to a penalty shoot-out, the first in a Champion leagues semi-final since 2007 when eventual winners Liverpool beat Chelsea. Germans sides have an enviable reputation for being successful in penalty shoot outs, but neither side had ever been eliminated from Europe’s premier club competition before in this way, so something had to give.

The Germans got off to the best possible starts in the shoot-out when Ronaldo looking to hit the back of the net for the third time of the night with his new football boots, saw Neuer save his and then Kaka’s penalties. It was only the second time in twenty-four penalties for Real that Ronaldo has missed.

The Spaniards got themselves back in it after Bayern saw their next two penalties saved and Real Madrid’s Alonso scored. Sergio Ramos however blasted his penalty not just over the bar, but nearly out the stadium, leaving it to Schweinsteiger to slot home his penalty and send Bayern Munich to meet Chelsea in the final on 19 May at their own stadium – a final no one really expected a couple weeks ago.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

If you had told Alan Pardew this time last year that his side would be within touching distance of a Champions League spot he probably would’ve told you to turn off Football Manager and go to bed. The reality of the situation couldn’t be closer to what would have been considered a daft prediction to make at the time – as Newcastle United have amassed 56 Premier League points thus far, and are seeking yet another win at home to Bolton Wanderers on Monday.

Newcastle United fans, including myself have run out of superlatives to describe this year’s campaign – we consider it somewhere between amazing & unbelievable.

However, if there is one thing we shouldn’t be amazed at come the end of the season it should be the worthy recipient of the Premier League Manager of the Season award.

Alan Pardew is obviously the number one candidate for a lot of people – shortly followed by Brendan Rogers, and maybe even Paul Lambert/Martin Jol. Of course Manchester United fans will demand that the accolade reside with Sir Alex Ferguson when the Red Devils add another title to their list of achievements at the end of the season, but I don’t think even Alex himself would begrudge Pardew of this one.

In January 2011 Newcastle United sold their prolific goalscorer and local hero in Andy Carroll for £35m to a newly ‘financially flushed’ Liverpool, managed by their own local hero: Kenny Dalglish.

The anger on Tyneside among a lot of fans throughout February at the decision to sell Carroll dominated the newswires.

Who would score the goals to keep Newcastle United afloat? Would NUFC fans ever see any of that £35m reinvested in the club?

By the end of the season, and the start of 2011/12 campaign – all questions had been answered, at least for a little while.

Newcastle United confirmed the signings of Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba, Sylvain Marveaux, Davide Santon and others, in the midst of a mass departure in the form of Joey Barton, Kevin Nolan, and Jose Enrique.

Skip forward to November – Newcastle United are winging it. Demba Ba can’t stop scoring and the team are working as a unit, showing a great team spirit in the process. Pardew beginning to prove himself as a great man manager and a dark-horse in the transfer market.

There were a couple of minor bumps on entry to the New Year, but us Magpies wouldn’t go away. A famous 3-0 win over Manchester United in a match the lads completely dominated summed up Newcastle United’s first half of the Premier League season; special.

A home win against QPR, and a scalp away at Steve Kean’s Blackburn saw NUFC in a position bordering on European football.

Then, something special happened.

Newcastle United signed a new number 9 – in the shape of Papiss Demba Cissé.

His debut? One to remember. With 15 minutes left on the clock The Senegalese forward popped up in the box to send a stunning left footed half-volley into Shay Given’s top left hand corner – securing a memorable three points at home to Aston Villa.

A couple of defeats followed in London, one of which was heart-wrenchingly decided in the 94th minute by Thomas Vermaelen. Alan Pardew’s men desperately unlucky not to bring a point back to the North-East.

What happened after that?

Well, we’ve won every game since then, including two great wins away to West Brom & Swansea and a home thrashing of Liverpool – with Papiss Cissé scoring two goals in every one of those games.

Now, with a very limited budget, a stern owner in Mike Ashley and seemingly ‘unknown’ new signings, what Alan Pardew has achieved so far has been nothing short of remarkable. His signings, man management and tactics have worked to a tee this season and he is building a very young & talented side at St.James Park.

With Bolton at home tomorrow, Newcastle United could very well find themselves in the Top 4 come 5PM, with five games remaining in the season. One way or another, Europe looks a real possibility for the Magpies and considering some ‘experts’ had tipped Pardew’s side to struggle and perhaps even face the drop – the very least Alan deserves is an award, if only an indication of the astounding progress he has made with NUFC, in difficult circumstances.

This post was written by Newcastle United writer Kevin Doocey. You can view his site TyneTime or follow him on Twitter @KevinDoocey.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

With 6 games to go in the season, the race for promotion to the riches of the Premier League is hotting up.

It is seemingly a three-horse race for the two automatic promotion places on offer. Southampton and Reading are the two clubs currently in the driving seat but a strong West Ham United side are lurking close behind in third.

The race for the Play-Offs also looks set for an intriguing finish as a number of sides look to seal their place in the top 6 and be in with a chance of promotion to the “big-time.” 3rd spot looks likely to be taken by one of the top 3 but the positions of 4th, 5th and 6th are still up for grabs with Birmingham, Blackpool and Brighton currently occupying these all important play-off spots.

The teams just outside of the play-offs such as Middlesbrough, Cardiff and perhaps even Hull will be looking to string together a few good results in the last six games to ensure that they get the chance to be in the play-offs. The big question on every fans lips is who will be in the Top 6 of the Championship come the 28th April when all the teams’ fates will be decided?

1st – SOUTHAMPTON
Manager: Nigel Adkins
Played: 40 Points: 78 GD: +34
Current Form: DWWWWL

The Saints have been the frontrunners nearly all season for automatic promotion and have set the pace right from the off. Unlike other sides in the promotion mix, they have been consistent from the start and are deservedly top of the Championship with six games to go. The question is can Southampton hold their nerve for the final run-in to complete unexpected back-to-back promotions and a return to the Barclays Premier League?

Their home form this season has been extraordinary having only dropped 8 points at St. Mary’s all season. This form coupled with a number of crucial goals from star-striker and top scorer Rickie Lambert has seen the South-Coast club stay ahead of the pack at the top of the Championship.

Southampton’s remaining fixtures don’t look tough on paper as they have to play rivals Portsmouth & Coventry who are threatened by relegation and Crystal Palace & Peterborough who are sitting in mid-table with nothing to play for. But no results are set in the stone and if they underestimate such opposition, Southampton could be left red-faced. A home clash against second-placed Reading on the superstitious date of Friday 13th April will have a huge bearing on the race for automatic promotion.

Our Prediction: We think that Southampton will have enough left in the tank to see out the remainder of the campaign and be sitting in one of those two automatic promotion places come the end of April. Adkins is a firm manager who won’t allow for any complacency in the final run-in and will still expect the best from his players to ensure that the Saints achieve their aim of promotion. There is no reason why Southampton can’t continue their excellent form which they have shown all season for the crucial final six games.

Rickie Lambert's goals have been instrumental in Southampton's promotion bid

2nd – READING
Manager: Brian McDermott
Played: 40 Points: 76 GD: +24
Current Form: WDWLWW

On the 21st January after a sloppy 1-0 home defeat to Hull, the Royals sat in eighth position in the league. However, three months later and Reading are flying after a remarkable transformation which has seen them claim a phenomenal 34 points out of a possible 39. Reading’s rich vein of form is in no doubt down to the players, who really stepped up to the mark in this crucial period, but also to their manager Brian McDermott who they managed to keep hold of despite strong speculation of interest from Premier League side Wolves. The much-admired manager then signed a new contract to keep him at the Madejski until 2015 as he made a statement committing himself to the Royals.

At the start of the season, many would never have said that Reading would be in such a strong position with a matter of games remaining as many questioned whether the squad would be strong enough to claim promotion back to the top-flight. However the likes of Noel Hunt, goalkeeper Adam Federici and veteran Ian Harte have all contributed towards Reading’s surge up the table in the past few months. Last Saturday’s crucial 4-2 win at Upton Park against third-placed West Ham really emphasised their dominance and the strides that they have made in order to be in contention for automatic promotion.

Our Prediction: Reading should feel confident of winning their three remaining home games but tough away games against Southampton, Brighton & Birmingham will be decisive in determining Reading’s fate. We think it will be close between West Ham and Reading as to who can grab that all important second place but we believe that West Ham won’t be able to claw back a four point deficit after defeat to the Royals on Saturday, and that Reading will be celebrating automatic promotion. We even think that Reading could overtake Southampton and pip the Saints to the title come the 28th April.

Brian McDermott has earned the plaudits this year but can he lead Reading to a return to the Premier League?

3rd – WEST HAM UNITED
Manager: Sam Allardyce
Played: 40 Points: 72 GD: +21
Current Form: DDDDWL

After a disappointing campaign last year that concluded with West Ham being humiliatingly relegated from the Premier League, everyone associated with the club was keen to see the Hammers return to their rightful place in the top division. They managed to secure a reputable, experienced manager in Sam Allardyce and brought in the likes of Matt Taylor & Kevin Nolan in the summer and Nicky Maynard & Ricardo Vaz Te in January to ensure that the aim of automatic promotion could be achieved.

However, despite all the money being ploughed in to the club from the backing of the owners, things haven’t gone as smoothly as many expected this season for the London-based club. Despite the Hammers sitting in the top two for most of the season, they now find themselves in third place and four points adrift of second placed Reading after a recent erratic run of form which has seen 5 consecutive frustrating draws.

There is no doubt that West Ham have the personnel capable of automatic promotion but in recent weeks they have struggled to string together a good run of results. If the Hammers are to stand any chance of overtaking Reading then they need to look at possibly gaining maximum points from all of their final remaining games which is a tough ask from the players.

Our Prediction: As disappointing as it will be for West Ham, we think that the Upton Park club will have to settle for third place in the Championship and look at gaining promotion through the play-offs, and they should be confident of booking their trip to Wembley for a chance to return to the top-flight.

The Hammers will have to work hard to secure automatic promotion as the play-offs look the most likely option.

4th – BIRMINGHAM CITY
Manager: Chris Hughton
Played: 40 Points: 66 GD: +23
Current Form: LWLDWW

Although Birmingham have played 55 games this season already due to League & Cup commitments, the Midlands club still remains on course for a stab at promotion in the play-offs, despite indifferent form at the start of the season. Since relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season in May, the future of the club has been clouded in uncertainty after money laundering from Carson Yeung and having to sell a number of its Premier League stars.

However, the club under the guidance of manager Chris Hughton has been able to compete successfully in the Championship with a small squad of players and are deservedly in the mix for a spot in the play-offs. Players such as a rejuvenated Marlon King, Chris Burke and talented youngster Nathan Redmond have all helped the Blues climb up the table. A win against Burnley in their game in hand last night helped to consolidate Birmingham’s position in the play-offs and moved them to only 6 points off third placed West Ham.

Our Prediction: We are more than certain that Birmingham City will be in the top-six come the end of April and we believe that they have enough in the tank to overcome the opposition in the play-offs and make it to the final at Wembley. Personally, we think a clash between West Ham & Birmingham City in the play-off final is looming but as we know anything can happen in football!

King has spearheaded Blues' attack this season and contributed with 16 goals.

5th – BLACKPOOL
Manager: Ian Holloway
Played: 40 Points: 63 GD: +13
Current Form: LLWDLW

Ian Holloway’s so-called “Tangerine Army” earned their praises last year after a hard-fought campaign last year saw them go down on the final day of the season to break the hearts of all Blackpool fans. However, ‘barmy’ manager Ian Holloway stayed with the club and has led them to be in the hunt for the play-offs with six games remaining as they look for an unlikely immediate return to the Premier League.

Vital goals this season from old-timer Kevin Phillips have helped the Seasiders to many crucial points along the course of this campaign as the likes of Matty Philips have also been give a chance to shine this season. Blackpool famously clinched promotion to the Premier League last time out with an epic performance in the play-offs but can they secure their place in the top-six once again to have a chance to repeat their heroics once again?

Our Prediction: Over course and distance this season, Blackpool have looked stronger than the likes of Brighton, Middlesbrough and Cardiff who are behind them in the table and waiting for the Seasiders to slip up. Therefore we think that come the end of the season, Blackpool will be in the top six and fighting for promotion via the play-offs.

Kevin Phillips has shown that he's still got the ability to score goals at the ripe age of 38.

6th – BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Manager: Gus Poyet
Played: 40 Points: 63 GD: +8
Current Form: DWLWDD

Considering this is Gus Poyet’s first managerial role, the Uruguayan is doing very well for himself after securing promotion from League One last year. Many expected the Seagulls to struggle in the Championship but Brighton have defied the odds and after just one loss in the League in 2012, Brighton have climbed up the table to leave themselves firmly in play-off contention with only a few matches to go.

However, the last six games will prove to be a serious test for Brighton’s promotion credentials as they have to face Reading, West Ham & Birmingham in the final run-in which could make or break their season.

Our Prediction: We think it will be close between Brighton and Cardiff but in the end the Seagulls fans will be celebrating come the end of the season as we believe that they will just pip Cardiff to 6th place.

Gus Poyet will be hoping that his side can hold their nerve and claim a spot in the play-offs.

7th – MIDDLESBROUGH
Manager: Tony Mowbray
Played: 40 Points: 63 GD: +3
Current Form: LLDDDD

After a great start to the season, Boro were lying in 2nd position at the end of 2011 as hopes were high that the Yorskhire club could reclaim its place among the best in the Premier League. However,a dodgy 2012 so far has seen Middlesbrough slip back down the table as they now find themselves just outside the play-offs on goal difference after recent erratic form has seen the Northern club winless in 6 and facing the prospect of missing out on promotion after what seemed to be a promising start to the campaign.

Goals from Marvin Emnes have played a pivotal role in Boro’s success so far this campaign and the fans will need to see the Dutchman score a few more goals if they are to overtake Brighton and claim a spot in the play-offs.

Our Prediction: Unfortunately for Boro fans we think that Middlesbrough just won’t have enough left to secure that all important play-off spot as the club will ponder what could have been after a bright start to the season.

Emnes' goals have been crucial in this season's campaign.

8th – CARDIFF
Manager: Malky Mackay
Played: 40 Points: 61 GD: +7
Current Form: WLDDDD

In the past few years, Cardiff have been one of those sides that have always missed out on play-off glory as they are still looking for their ultimate quest to be part of one of the 20 sides in the Premier League. The Welsh club, who are now sitting in the shadow of their arch-rivals Swansea who are impressing in the top division, had hoped that they would be sitting higher in the league after a successful start to the campaign; but a run of just one win in 8 after the Carling Cup defeat to Liverpool has seen the Bluebirds slide from 4th to 8th in the league.

However, in spite of their recent miserable form, the side from South Wales are still in contention for a place in the play-offs as they only lie two points behind 5th placed Blackpool and are therefore still in with a shout of reaching the play-offs.

Our Prediction: Cardiff have an easier run-in of fixtures compared to many others as they don’t have to face any of the top-six in their final run of games and they will compete with Brighton for that last play-off spot. However, ultimately we think that they will just miss out on the play-offs as fans will have to wait another season for a chance at making it to the Premier League.

Cardiff's recent dip in form has made it difficult for Malky Mackay's men to achieve promotion.

So fundamentally, we believe that there will be no change to the current top six in the final six games as Southampton & Reading will gain automatic promotion to the Premier League and West Ham, Birmingham, Blackpool & Brighton will battle it out in the play-offs. Nonetheless, as we know a lot of things can change in six games and there are bound to be plenty of shocks and surprises still left in store as the Championship campaign reaches its all important climax.

Please let us know your thoughts on who you think will triumph and who will be in the top six come the end of the season.

This article was written by Alex Grove and originally published on The Tactician.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Useless. Flop. Goddamn waste of money. Adjectives are not too hard to come by when Fernando Torres is the topic of discussion. Few footballers have fallen as far and as fast as the former Liverpool hit man has in the past 2 seasons.

Once feared by the world’s finest defenders and revered by Kopites the world over, the Spanish striker has suddenly become something of a cruel joke in the Barclays Premier League and his name is conspicuously absent when most goalscoring football tips are mentioned. So indelibly has he left his mark in England that his very name has taken on added meaning in the English language:

Nando

Noun – an unbelievably easy goal scoring chance wasted due to woeful finishing.

Example: What a nando from Torres!

Verb – to miss an easy goal scoring opportunity by seemingly defying the laws of Physics.

Example: Dear god, please don’t let Torres nando this one.

But Chelsea didn’t shell out a whopping £50M for Torres to coin words. They need the troubled Spaniard to start hitting the back of the net with regularity. In order for that to happen however, they need to get Torres the one thing he desperately needs – a psychologist. What is psychology going to do that countless hours of training haven’t been able to? The answer is simple; rather than moaning every time Torres misses yet another golden opportunity, a psychologist will address the source of the problem. Consider these points:

1. Fitness

Many commentators like to claim that Torres “doesn’t look fit.” This, of course, is absolute bullshit. Fernando Torres has been available for selection for every single Chelsea game this season bar three – Bolton (away), Everton (home) and QPR (away). And even for those 3 games, he was not missing due to injury. Rather, Mr. Torres was serving a 3 game suspension after picking up a senseless red card versus Swansea.

So Torres is fit. And if even if you’re one of those nitpickers who distinguish between “fitness” and “match fitness” then we can still confidently say that Fernando Torres is match fit. The Spaniard has made 18 appearances in the league to date, even if quite a few have been from the bench. He’s been in the rough and tumble, he’s had to chase balls (haha!) and he’s also been given an extended run in the first team, especially with Didier Drogba off playing in the African Cup of Nations. Clearly then, Torres’ problem is not merely a physical one.

2. Talent

Is Chelsea simply asking too much of poor old Torres? Is Andre Villas Boas demanding the impossible? Hell no. We all saw what Torres did at Liverpool. Is the striker just “past it” then? Over the hill? Unlikely, at 27 years old the lad still has time on his side.

Admittedly, he has shown glimpses of his glorious best on occasion this season: small bursts of speed, clever assists as well as a few deft touches here and there have all been noticed and clutched at by desperate Chelsea supporters. Even if Torres’ performances have been dreadfully inconsistent, it is obvious that ability is not his major problem. He can do all the things he is being asked. He just isn’t.

The harsh reality, dear readers, is that Fernando Torres’ biggest obstacle to recapturing his former glory is his mentality. The man is royally screwed upstairs. Let us address 2 key issues:

1. Pressure

Is there anyone in the Premier League who is under more pressure right now than Fernando Torres? Perhaps not. The hapless duo of David de Gea and Steve Kean are in with a shout, but their troubles only began in August. Torres has been under considerable stress ever since the departure of Rafa Benitez from Liverpool in June 2010.

Hampered by niggling injuries after a goalless World Cup, Torres never really regained his explosive pace and sharpness under new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson. The drop in his on-field performance, coupled with on-going frustrations with then Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillette ultimately led to his acrimonious transfer from Liverpool to Chelsea in January 2011.

But unknown to (or ignored by) Chelsea was the fact this this was not the Torres of old. Their new signing arrived in London with a lot of mental baggage. Torres was already under extreme pressure to recapture his lost form but now he also had to adjust to new surroundings, prove himself to a new club, face intense competition for a starting berth as well as justify his British record £50M price tag. Mix all of that with the ever present media pressure that hounds Premier League players on a daily basis and what you’re left with is a high-stress cocktail that few people can swallow.

Working in high pressure environments will always cause stress, and stress leads to anxiety. For world class athletes though, performance anxiety can be a motivating factor that’s spurs them to excellence. Increased anxiety leads to increased arousal and if this arousal is within the athlete’s optimal functioning zone, then it will lead to better performances. Pressure can bring out the best in football players. That is why we often see the best matches at major tournaments like the Euros, the Champions League or the World Cup (in the high pressure knockout rounds).

However, no one performs optimally under extreme pressure. Too much pressure will result in excessive arousal outside of the optimal functioning zone and that causes a significant drop in performance.

Fernando Torres needs to realize that being nervous is natural. He needs to harness his anxiety and use it constructively to improve his performances. He is simply becoming too worked up. He needs to relax. If he can’t manage to do that, his woeful form will continue to haunt him as the season progresses.

2. Confidence

Trying too hard without success leads to physical as well as mental frustrations and is a classic sign of a player in a slump. And let’s not ignore the facts; Fernando Torres is in a helluva slump. His confidence is shot. Scoring 2 goals in 23 games can do that to a guy. We can only imagine the mental turmoil he experiences each time he sees Andy Carroll ahead of him in the scoring charts.

The danger of suffering from low confidence is that the situation can quickly spiral out of control. Low confidence leads to a drop in motivation, which in turn causes decreased performance, ultimately resulting in even less confidence. It is like a vicious cycle, which if left unchecked, can completely destroy a player’s season or even his career.

So what can Torres do to help himself and get out of this rut? He needs to focus on the simple things. Uncomplicated gameplay will increase the chances that attempted actions or tasks are successful, resulting in elevated confidence levels. No more flick ons or backheels or stepovers for Pete’s sake. The groans of the crowd when those “tricks” fail to come off are far more damaging than you might think. Just run and shoot, Fernando. That’s all you have to do. Something is bound to go in sooner or later, and when it does you need to milk it and build from there.

As for you Chelsea FC, if you value your£50M investment at all, please get off your collective asses and get this man a shrink. “Run and shoot” is a simple enough command, but we wouldn’t want poor old Torres to take it out of context, now would we?

The author, Demetrie Thompson, is a lifelong football fan and the editor of What Is Psychology.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

John Terry, English FA and why he shouldn’t be anywhere near the England national team until the trial is over.

Episode Four : A New Trial…..

In a time not so long ago, in a world departed from this reality….

A Man divided opinion of what was right and decent

A Man led a country; All its people, All casts,

All its hopes rested on his shoulders

His Name was John Terry…

OH F*#k!! We’re So very Screwed! Cue the music………..

I find myself in exact opposition to a United Legend. A man I believe as surprised a lot of people with his good sense and honesty since taking up with the coin of the Devil which is Sky Sports Inc. He has talked with eloquence and shared an insight into the footballing world that few other ex-pro pundits, such as Jamie [Place ADVERT HERE] Redknapp, Shearer ‘I know nothing….’ et al, have managed with such clarity and legitimacy that others have so lacked. He’s been there, done that and rubbished the T-Shirt…..

But I stand here in exact antipathy. He is wrong on so many levels about this one issue that I feel offended. Wrong because he relates fighting the Rio incident with this same issue. Wrong, because like Liverpool FC and the Suarez case, football has again completely and utterly and absolutely missed the very fundamental premise of this case;

‘John Terry is on trial for making a Racially Aggravated Remark.’

What has gone before us this season, let alone the bad old days of football discrimination, should be enough to ensure everyone’s eyes see the primary truth of this statement.

No-one can rightly accuse John Terry of being ‘A Racist’, as much as we could conclude the same of Luis Suarez. He will not be found innocent or guilty of that. He is not on trial for that. That is in fact not even a crime in British law. There is neither a specific law that transmits exactly as Anti-racial abuse law, but this may fall under the Protection from Harassment Act (1997). This is about whether one man has spoken or done something which in law is deemed offensive in discriminating against another person based on his or her race. Or if that a person’s conduct in question can be considered harassment by a ‘reasonable’ man/woman.

Or it may fall under the Crime and Disorder Act (1998), where the offence committed demonstrates hostility based on the ‘Victim’s’ membership to a racial group or based on hostility towards a group based on their membership to that racial group.

So when he uttered the words he is accused of he may well be considered as acting with hostility towards a player based on the colour of his skin which narrates to the membership to a racial group. This is obviously a very simplified form of what will be a complex and complicated legal fight between the crown prosecution and Mr. Terry’s legal team in his defence.

So if I’m admitting the complexity of it why have I come over all righteous and indignant?

If we look at the reams of media produced by this it’s the simple argument between our Red-Nev and the Times Journalist Matt Dickinson on Twitter. Neville is quoted as saying “To ban without process is to sentence that’s what I fought for back in (2003) and still believe.” He replied to further prompts that the FA should only “ACT if it affects the performance of the team/Individual”. Neville has in one single instance, like many before him, become censure to the decent man’s moral conscience.

Dimitrina Petrova (2000) wrote that the ‘denial of racism is gradually conquering the sphere of manifestations of racism and becoming the most typical and widespread modern form of appearance of racist attitudes, opinions, statements, actions and policies, (European Roma Rights Centre). In categorically denying that the governing body should take action should against John Terry prior to the trial, Gary Neville has placed John Terry’s individual rights above that of football, its patrons the fans and in complete opposition to the implementation of policies to the ‘reasonable’ man. He as inexplicably condoned racism by denial.

Remember Him? The reasonable, Man? He’s not the one earning hundreds of thousands of pounds doing something we have such love and passion for and commands such adoration and hate. Football is tribal. The Vile bilious hatred that drips from the terraces against rivals is an ugly reminder of our darker sides. The respect of others is an argument for another day. But with the tribalism that tears at the very heart of integrity we must rise and say ‘NO’.

Our football club have witnessed firsthand how allowing the rights of an individual, not enjoyed by the rest of society, can poison further British football’s impressive stance and rally against racism. Abuse directed to an Oldham player and our own Patrice Evra under the banner of tribalism and banter as left me sickened. The fact that a respected club like Liverpool FC have effectively propagated Neville’s premise lies in the reactionary argument that other pundits and commentators hold, in that acting suggests judgment and prejudices the verdict and his treatment. It’s flawed and an argument not allowed to the rest of the nation’s workforce.

Footballers already seem to have the idea that ordinary rules of society somehow don’t apply to their world. Why shouldn’t they, they’re treated in equal amounts of loathing and reverence. They’re surrounded by people that tell them they ARE special, why shouldn’t they believe it. Why should they be judged by the same rules as us ordinary folk—– But footballers’ are human and are affected by the same emotions and should be judged and ruled by the same laws and ethics as the reasonable man.

I work for a large organisation. If I was reported as expressing the comments credited to John Terry my work would rightly take it seriously and investigate the matter. Due to the seriousness of this I would be suspended. There’s no doubt about that. That would be on full pay and would have no bearing on the appearance of guilt or innocence.

It’s part of the process. It removes me from being effected or being able to influence the investigation. I cannot influence the statements or attitudes of any witnesses or any potential victim/s. I cannot bring pressure to bear. I would be isolated from work colleagues whilst the investigation is concluded. After that I would be restored to my position or punished as per policy. In this case I would be in all likelihood looking at the sack, even deregistration and the end of my career.

This is another concept alien to footballers who due to their unique standing as ‘Assets’ are precluded from this devastating employment discarding. This I accept, but why Should John Terry be treated any different to me or ANY of the peoples of this great land!??? I am still waiting for a reasonable answer to tell this reasonable man why????

Surely the captains standing, within this insular and protective world that constitutes a footballer’s dressing room, is at the apex of this environment with the influence, power and dominance that role provides. It’s perverse to think that John Terry is still allowed to hold that sway within the international and his club’s dressing rooms. Worse still is that John Terry, as captain of England is our leader on the field.

An emblem of national pride, the badge on his chest and the statements of national fervour only further sully and defile sensibility. Britain has confronted and attempted to address the nature, the history and effects of racism in this country. It is not perfect. But if you compare us to other nations in Europe and around the world it’s a good start. John Terry as England captain carrying the mantle of England onto the field of play who symbolizes a nation is a charade.

Our national game is football, and embodies all its peoples no matter what race, sexual orientation or even tribal group (gulp! yes even the Bitters!!). A man stood accused of the inexcusable utterance of a racial jibe at a fellow professional should not be allowed to continue as a representative of this country. A country whose black men and women serve with distinction in its armed forces and local emergency services or even just scrape a living like the rest of us. How can he represent these people or even any of as a multicultural nation?

Why is there no realisation in football that this is utterly wrong on every level?

Why are we still being stained and ruined by distracters that fail to be guided by conscience who belong to the “if’s” and “Buts” brigade that defend people like Terry and Suarez?

John Terry seems a very unlikable and vile human being. There I’ve said it; this is my personal opinion of the man. He has a highly punch-able face and persona.

I really REALLY do not like Him. Viva John Terry is my ironic roar…..

But my personal feelings do not come into it. If he or football authorities had a shred of decency or principles he would not be representing me or my nation, he would be nowhere near a team that can only be influenced and torn apart by his actions. Like football, he is amoral as there is no glory or money in that direction……………….. Just decency and honour and integrity………….

Why am, I not surprised that these are traits it appears John Terry does not possess?? More surprising is that John Terry remains captain and now is defended by our own Red-Nev. We really are f#*ked!!!

Written by Jony Ball, who contributes on the Manchester United blog RedRants.com, and can also be followed on Twitter.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The supporters of Wigan, Blackburn or West Bromwich Albion understand the searing pangs of incompetency that they face at least 10 times a year, when their sides are drawn against the remodelled top 5. Away at Man City for a team like Wolves can give serious impetus for such a fan to abandon their halfway tickets and choose the theatre with the missus. Away at Old Trafford is an unspeakable; too appalling to comprehend.

So what does an away trip to The Library, or Emirates as it’s more affectionately referred to, mean to a club battling for its television revenue in 2012?

The diversity of revenues and spending predicates the most nauseating of images for those fans that follow the proverbial beggars of English Premier League football. And it is this diversity that can lead to a trip to United becoming an envy-filled 90 minute ogle at the rich merchants of our town; where diatribes will bemoan Nani, Rooney, Vidic sitting on their racing-car-seat viewpoints. But, undoubtedly, the most dissatisfying feature of this whole painstaking ordeal is the petulant arrogance of the opposition fans who belittle, as if their choice of stock gives them privilege over you (you = Neanderthal preferring self-deprivation and perennial unfulfillment them = accustomed to victory and other unimaginable glories).

When your side is worth around 0.84% (West Brom vs Man City) of the opposing squad’s historical book values, it is certainly difficult to feel anything but abject despair, but nevertheless, the human psyche seems to demand a certain optimism. This cruel disposition is the result of the transient nature of the sport itself; for football is surely the one sport in which an upset is more commonplace than most (the rarity of goals ensures this fact). And indeed, this unfledgling positivity, or should I saw fantastical musings, is to some degree warranted by historical performances. It was points against the supposed top 5 that invariably kept a number of clubs afloat last season – most notably Wolves who beat City, Liverpool, Chelsea and United in a simply unbelievable turn of events. Under this milieu, the dream of Grant Holt’s thunderbolt from closer to the circle develops; nay flourishes.

While a match up such as Gareth McAuley vs Sergio Aguero is simply terrifying for any self-respecting Baggie, it surely would be a thing of great savour for the Irishman. For him, and his playing mates, the pressure is largely off. It is one of the few occasions all year where a 3-0 loss could be met with shrugs and despondency from supporters, rather than rage or ridicule on any other Saturday afternoon. Further, with weights of expectations amounting to a paltry feather, what better chance to upstage the young Argentinian with a grumbling studs up boot crusher, or a neat flick of the elbow when rising for a clearance. The risks really are skewed to the upside.

For the gaffer, the prospects are slightly less perfect. Looming camera, radio and print media interviews must be at the forefront of his balding head. Placid dismissal of the result as unimportant, or good experience, could be met with the perpetual lambasting from supporters that the side is unambitious, while an honest appraisal (“they were simply better”) is never a welcome soother for those same fans. For him, the downside is not as negligible, but even the Neil Warnocks or Brendan Rodgers of our universe can appreciate that the scales of expectation are well in their favour.

For the less perceptive of you, playing the biggest teams on the biggest stage is simply the best – for everyone. A cathartic experience for some, a chance to let your wildest fantasies develop, a chance to herald an arrival, or simply a chance to prove to your girlfriend in Sydney that your team actually exists. There really is nothing like an underdog grasping to a 1-0 lead in the 89th minute with all 11 players flooding back to thwart F Lampard et al. A sort of ironic admittance of inferiority that makes the whole sugar-coated predicament all the more delectable. And devouring this satisfying meal is more than enough fuel to last at least a season of drubbings from the burgeoning class of foreign-owned English beneficiaries.

These are the days that fans relish most. Where a loss won’t ruin their evening plans or squander their job performance throughout the “days off football” each week. (Sunday to Friday). While a loss against Bolton midweek could conspire to make living itself a task of extreme difficulty until the next match day. Watching your team defend a lead against Liverpool, where you would have snatched at a point 2 hours ago, is simply incomparable to defending a lead against Blackburn when Formica has space down the right…(even this example is making me uncomfortably shift in my chair).

There is only one scenario where Arsenal (A) breathes a sort of terror into any fan’s perusal of the fixture list. For everyone knows that the last game of the season, where invariably you’ll need points to survive as a newly promoted nobody, is not a time for a team in the big four, top 5, super 6 or even fantastic 15. Give me 20th on the final day every year; please and thank you. But otherwise, give me top of the league each week!

PS: If you don’t believe me and need further proof, see Wolves fans’ reactions when they lost to West Brom.

PPS: Any Spurs fan that thinks it’s a top 6 – fuck off and come back when you’ve won something.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Real Madrid kept up their 100% record in the champions league this season with an impressive 4-0 victory over Lyon. The hosts took the lead on the 18th minute mark when Mesut Ozil’s dangerous corner found Karim Benzema at the back post for an easy tap-in. The hosts looked in control from the outset and after a series of one-twos between Ronaldo and Marcelo the Brazilian flashed a right-footed effort just wide of Lloris’ goal.

Lyon however hit back with a goal of their own, but Gomis’ smart finish was adjudged to have been offside. Mesut Ozil’s shot come cross then deceived the Lyon defence however Lloris reacted just in time push the ball wide of his left hand post. Nevertheless Madrid were not to be denied a second after a slip from Lyon centre back Bakary Kone, Benzema turned provider squaring to Sami Khedira who gratefully obliged sending Lloris the wrong way.

The keeper’s night then went from bad to worse as Lyon failed to clear the ball fell to Ozil who’s cross intended for Benzema was intercepted by the Lyon stopper only to see it deflect off his arm and into his own net. Kaka almost provided the fourth after a neat give and go between himself and Ronaldo the Brazilian drifted into the Lyon penalty area but fired his shot agonisingly wide. The Bernabeu crowd anticipated a fourth after some delightful passing between Ronaldo, Benzema and Marcelo, the Portuguese talisman curled a shot past Lloris, however the goal was chopped off after Kaka who was in an offside position made slight contact with the ball.

Nevertheless the fourth did eventually arrive as Kaka’s corner fell kindly to Sergio Ramos who at the second attempt rifled a left footed shot past Lloris to compound the French side’s misery. And it was almost five when another mover between Higuin and Kaka left the Brazilian bearing down on goal, but Lloris just did enough to knock the ball against the Brazilian and out of play.

The win leaves Real top of their group on nine points, five ahead of Ajax and Lyon with qualification for the knock out rounds proving inevitable. They along with Marseille (who host Arsenal tonight) remain the only two teams with and immaculate record in this season’s Champions League to date with neither team conceding and both with maximum points so far. Madrid who fell at the semi final hurdle to the eventual winners Barcelona, they will be hoping to go one better and win their first Champions League since 2002, and with the way they are going about their business, who would bet against them?

The author of this article, Che Julienne-Chamers, is a student of Sports Journalism at the University of West of Scotland and a massive football fan.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

When Tottenham stepped off the pitch at Tynecastle, having subjected a Hearts team who finished in 3rd place in the SPL last season – and briefly looked to challenge the Old Firm duopoly – the laments for the state of Scottish football were loud and numerous.

It’s not hard to see how this position came about, and as usual, it’s all about money. The club finishing top of the SPL can expect to gain around £2million from TV rights and prize money, whereas the club finishing bottom of the English Premier League will gain around £40million. And it’s as bad in all small nations: Ajax’s European record in recent years is worse than Celtic’s, and the Dutch league receives just 100m Euros a season, a twelfth of the Premier League. Rangers and Celtic are among Europe’s top twenty clubs for matchday income – these are clubs that have done nothing wrong besides being based in their own countries. So what can be done

There’s been much talking about the new Financial Fair Play laws about to be introduced to football. The idea, a direct response to the actions of Chelsea and Manchester City, has been ushered in with the purpose of preventing billionaires from artifically boosting clubs with unsustainable levels of spending. It’s not as cynical as the reigning powers burning the ladder that they ascended to the top – preventing clubs from racking up dangerous levels of debt is a noble goal. But when they come into power, the 518 million or so people who live in European countries outside the ‘big five’ of Spain, England, France, Italy and Germany will feel short-changed, for It will do nothing to address the slow decline that their clubs have suffered.

These clubs still compete in Europe, though only nominally. Since Porto’s triumph in 2004 – a feat for which the club was rewarded by seeing their team instantly dismantled by Europe’s giants – no team from outside the big five leagues has come close to winning the Champions League. Instead, they are often relegated to the dreaded Europa League ,where European has-beens scrap around for a competition that most see as a distraction. The rewards on offer barely register compared to the Champions League – a game between Ajax and Juventus in the group stages of the Champions League is worth many times more than if the two clubs met in a Europa League Semi-Final.

And it’s not just the big clubs that have felt this. Rangers and Celtic have visibly declined over the years, but the gap between the Old Firm and the rest of the league has not diminished. The ‘trickle-down effect’ of money being poured in at the top may be as dubious as it’s supposed social equivalent, but there’s no doubting the impact in prestige. If up-and-coming players don’t want to go to Celtic, they certainly don’t want to go to Kilmarnock.

If there is some hope to be had, it’s that things cannot continue this way forever. Even with the vast TV deals of the big nations, the levels of spending being seen by some clubs are unsustainable. Wages are increasing at a phenomenal rate, and basic economics will tell you that the bubble will burst at some point. Whether it’ll be a slow shuffling decline or a cataclysmic financial apocalypse, we don’t know. But it will happen.

Anyone investing in a football club now is like a property investor of a few years back – making the mistake of assuming that prices will continue to go up and up. Yet football, like all markets, fluctuates. This has been masked by new income sources, but it cannot keep going forever. The limit appears to already have been reached with ticket prices, and when the decline does begin, European football will have to reorder itself on more sustainable terms. But until then, clubs from smaller nations will find themselves like their fans – priced out of the game. We cannot know the future, but when the present is bleak certainty, change can’t come soon enough.

Written by Callum Hamilton from Surreal Football.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News