Champions League Star Peter Crouch?

The goal was really made by Aaron Lennon, and his run was so good that even he couldn't screw up the cross.  AC Milan really did not look a threat.  Zlatan Ibrahimovic created a few chances late, but for most of the match you would have thought Tottenham were the home team.

In my humble opinion, AC Milan are a spent force, and their current position perched atop Serie A only speaks further to the steep decline in the quality of that league.  It's hard to see anything but a fairly easy home win for Spurs in the second leg of this tie.

As for Tuesday's other match, Schalke have an away goal and Valencia are not known for traveling well, especially to Germany.  It's hard to see anything other than the German side advancing to the last 8.

Champions League Upsets

I could also call this entry "How the Mighty have Fallen."

AC Milan and Read Madrid are both at home against clubs one would normally expect them to beat.  But not this season.  AC Milan have been in decline for quite some time.  Italian football observers, myself included had been saying Milan were too old for a couple season's when they won the Champions League in 2007.  That triumph was a combination of smoke, mirrors, luck, guile, and the brilliance of Kaka.

Several of the players from that squad are still around, but they are well past their sell-by date.  The Italians have tried to prop themselves up by bringing in some younger players (young being relative), but none of them have really worked out, and financial considerations forced them to sell Kaka.  In a desperate attempt to appease their supporters (especially the ultras, who will throw their flaming Vespa at you if displeased), Milan have brought in some big name attackers, although none of them live up to their reputations very often.

Milan barely qualified for this competition last season in Serie A, and I think they are in danger of missing out once again this time around.  Their priority early in the season will be to advance past the group stages of the Champions League, and that will not be an easy feat in this group.

Champion's League a Distraction???

This coming Tuesday and Wednesday mark the triumphant return of the group stages of the UEFA Champion's League, always a glorious and wonderful thing.  At least until clubs like AC Milan and Liverpool decide that boring 0-0 draws are the best way to advance.  Wait, you mean they weren't doing that on purpose?  Ohhhhhhhhh.

Anyway, for some clubs, it seems that the World's biggest club competition may have led to subpar performances this weekend.  Barcelona lost to, and to be fair, were soundly beaten by, newly promoted Hercules.  AC Milan also lost to a new member of Serie A.  AS Roma drew on Saturday, and I think we all know (and took immense pleasure from) what happened to Manchester United.

Most of the clubs in European competition, at least this European competition, are pretty much guaranteed to be dwelling in the upper echelons of their domestic league table, so they often put an almost irrational emphasis on the Champion's League.  Given the prestige involved, as well as the financial benefits, it is hard to blame them.

AC Milan

We all know they are not what they used to be. It is also strange that they make so many silly mistakes, since "experience" is their biggest asset. Milan played well early on, and well at the end, but this is the problem. They have too many players who can only be effective in 15 or 20 minute spurts.

The bigger question has to be; Is Ronaldinho back? He drifted in and out of the match, and didn't contribute anything defensively, but that was true even when he was at his best. When he was on the ball, and able to get players around him, he certainly looked good. He was not dominant like in his Barcelona days, but those heights on not easily reached.

Dunga will certainly be watching this closely from Brazil, as will I. If Ronaldinho plays this well in the second leg at Old Trafford, close to what he did to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge several years ago, this question will become a lot more interesting.

Manchester United

Alex Ferguson put out a very defensive team, with little creativity on display beyond Wayne Rooney. Nani has had a few nice matches, but to depend on him for midfield creativity in the Champions League against AC Milan seems a bit much. And it was, as Nani was largely ineffective and Antonio Valencia came on for him in the 63rd minute.

All in all, I think Ferguson was playing for a draw. And I don't blame him. Because the fact is this team is just not very good. They win a lot of matches through a combination of own goals, dodgy refereeing, Rooney's brilliance, fluke goals, guile, and reputation, but they are just not very good. Both of Rooney's headers were down to shambolic defending by Milan. None of their defenders had any desire to try and win the balls in the air. United has been living off this sort of thing all season. But I have to think that eventually they will come up against a good team that is not afraid to challenge them. I'll be shocked if Manchester United manage to win a single trophy this season.