UEFA Champions League...
Borussia Dortmund will win. I wouldn't be surprised to see it be Juventus v. Dortmund. They play so quick and Shaktar had no idea what was happening. Next thing they knew they were down two goals in the first half. Then Dortmund cruised to 3-0 and had no qualms about doing so. Celtic have no chance. I'm sorry. The owner of the semi-pro team I play on is a HUGE Celtic fan and yes they were screwed by the refs the last game. But I blame the manager for playing an already tired player...and at that a defender! Juve is a quick team and you don't want a defender to be half asleep and have tired legs at the start of the game. He did stick with his choice and it cost him three goals. Three costly away goals that he needs to make up in Italy. Not an easy way to do things. But hey, Chelsea did the impossible last year. Can Celtic? I don't think so. They are going without one of their strikers and it doesn't look good. Bayern will walk past Arsenal. I see PSG, AC Milan and Schalke going on. Real beat Man Utd yesterday. Controversially. But check this: A penalty was not given when Rafael raised his arm to deflect a header from a corner that would have put Real on equal terms. Not long after the red card to an acting Nani was shown and Fergie exploded. To be fair to United, they didn't play as if they were a man down. Real just smelled blood. The red I thought initially was a bit harsh. But then replays show that Nani went in then kicked out at the end of the contact, THEN crumples in a heap as if he somehow was shot in the side. Acting and a dangerous play. Red was shown. But you won't hear the commentators talking about either the deliberate handling in the area or the acting by Nani. Just how harsh the red was and how United were handcuffed by the ref. Bollocks. United the same as Barcelona have always had help from the refs...from giving away penalties and refusing others(usually to the other team) to allowing some gruesome tackles *(Scholes)* to go unnoticed but for other legal challenges to be punished. Even the acting of certain players gets attention as if they can not go on, but then a card is shown and they are miraculously alive and well *(Serio Ramos)* or *(Dani Alves)* I will never understand how people can fully support a team which gets so much unfair help in a game as simple as football. You run and you kick a ball. No need for cheaters. It's a tough game, a physical game, and you are moving around for 90 minutes. Why be lazy and fall down for no reason or get another player sent off because you are good enough. You should have stayed in and trained harder.
I was taking a kid that I train to one of my games and we were talking about different teams and why we liked or respected them, then we got into players. I felt I needed to do my part and set him straight on a few different thoughts that he had. He likes Messi because everyone else does. He's 11. I guess I can understand that. But I explained to him that even Messi dives when it behooves him to fall. Ronaldo has done the same. Even Bale his favorite player. I don't think I could ever think of any player that has not, at some point, dived to get a call. So, the inevitable question arose, "Have you even dived?" To which I honestly replied, "No, I have never fallen down to get a call." I explained to him, as all teachers should, that if you want to dive then you don't deserve to play the game. This beautiful game is played on your feet. I train to play the game on my feet. I train to stay on my feet. I gain balance and strength to keep upright and keep playing even though challenges may come in. That is what can make you great. Being able to stay on your feet and keep playing even though everyone else around you is falling like dead flies. I also explained to him that slide tackling shouldn't be committed to so quickly during the run of play. As soon as you g to ground you have lost your positioning. So much of this game is about positioning. But that is a different topic. During the game he saw that I meant what I said. I stay up. A very legal shoulder to shoulder challenge came in and instead of just falling over I stood my ground and took on the challenge. I stayed up and the challenger almost rebounded down to the ground. I am a tall guy, 6'3", not especially thick. I'm slender and athletic from outward appearances. Little does anyone know that my legs are relative tree trunks that can squat 405lbs. I do indeed have a stable base on which to stand. I asked my trainee if he saw some of the challenges that I endured during the game and he said yes. He was surprised that I was able to actually put off the challenges and create space from shrugging off those challenges given how slight I look. I laughed and responded that you can't judge a book by its cover. What looks like nothing usually is quite formidable and vice versa. I hope my teachings will sink in.
Europa League...
Chelsea face Steaua Buchuresti on Thursday and we need a win and a clean sheet to keep up our spirits for our upcoming matches.
FA Cup...
Millwall v. Blackburn...I see Blackburn going on.
Manchester Utd. v. Chelsea...Oh god I want to win this so bad and put a huge blot on Fergie and his resume in his final years. I want to win this game so bad that I want Fergie to retire after this year and maybe only winning the EPL. I want his team to spiral downward losing and drawing every last game. I want Chelsea to win the FA Cup for the 5th year running.
Premier League...
Chelsea need to win every last game on our schedule to cement our spot for next year in the Champions League. I know our schedule is packed but I believe that we can do it.
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