I AM flabbergasted by how poorly our top teams are performing in the Champions League.
There were signs of it even last year, even when Manchester United and Manchester City went into the Europa League, because they got blown away by teams who were supposedly inferior.
I have seen Ajax a couple of times and they are very pretty – but they are naive.
They are no powerhouse of Europe and are only fourth in the Dutch League, but they made City look very, very ordinary the other night in winning 3-1 after being behind.
People have been complaining about tactics and defensive set-ups, but the truth is City should be comfortably beating sides like Ajax.
Braga are a very average Portuguese side, no world-beaters in their own country, and yet they were 2-0 up at Old Trafford before United came back to win.
There is a school of thought that our Premier League is so marketable because it’s exciting, yet the quality isn’t there. There is no doubt our top league is exciting, but we do seem to have hit a lull in Europe – not even a lull really, because we seem to be going backwards in European competition.
People will probably point to the fact Chelsea are the current European Champions and think I’m talking rubbish, but they used up every bit of luck imaginable to win last year’s final.
It’s strange to look at Arsenal, too, humbled 2-0 by Schalke.
They have started the domestic season so well yet they’ve had the international break and dropped off in form.
Their result last weekend against Norwich saved bookmakers like me (Skybet) millions and millions because all the other favourites in the Premier League won.
For them to then be totally outplayed by Schalke leaves me scratching my head as to where we are with our teams in Europe, but I’m also rubbing my hands at the thought of everyone backing the English teams in the next phase, because they are certainly not value.
TOWN have made a wonderful start to the Championship season.
But the result at Peterborough should serve as a warning for the rest of the campaign.
The Championship is so tight that if you slack off at all, for any reason, you are going to get beaten.
Hopefully the lesson will be learned, but I don’t think any of us are complaining about the results so far. Excellent.
WHAT an emotional day at Ascot as racing said farewell to Frankel.
I really can’t remember anything like it in the Flat game and it was an honour to be there.
I particularly noticed the Queen’s reaction.
She seemed so unhappy through the opening ceremony of the Olympics, but as Frankel quickened in the final furlong to win, when everything was against him, Her Majesty’s face simply lit up.
