FOOTBALL: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL

My assignment is 99.5% done so I can spend some time to blog something. Hmmm, I am down with sore throat and cough probably as a result of working overtime for the past week. Tiring period. Exam coming this weekend so once I hand up my assignment tomorrow, I will really need to squeeze all the juice out of the book, or better still eat the whole thing down Doraemon style. Hehe!

I checked the live matches we are going to have on tv and it is bloody Premier League clubs again! Manchester United and Liverpool. Do they seriously think the whole world consist of only Premier League fans? I don't know what is wrong with the sponsors this season. It was not like that in the past, they will always show us the best clashes of the day. Nowadays, it is always the Premier League clubs. Can't they show us any matches involving Juventus, Milan, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Barcelona for a change? Are those clubs playing such bad football that they are not featured as often?

Oklah, enough complaints. Raul had a very bad injury. He is never the Raul in the past anymore. I don't know what is wrong with his form, as if it will never come back again. His injury I think won't impact the team so much since it is not that he is scoring so many goals like he used to do. What happens to the Raul in the past? Will he never return? Just like the old Ronaldo and Zidane as well? Real Madrid starts to look like a club for retirees. Sigh!

It is scarily so, just look at Zidane. I totally agree he is the only legend in this era and I really am glad to watch him play so brilliantly on tv but his prime had past him because of his age. Right now, I see him playing football as a semi-retired pro. The day Real Madrid can go back to her glory days is the day Perez is being fired. The whole economical system where players' starting lineup depends on the ability for them to sell by being on the pitch is killing the team drastically.

Until today, I am still cursing Perez and I will never end it. It is because of his stupid policy that the club sold off Eto'o and got Beckham instead of Ronaldinho. We saw how well Ronaldinho played in the World Cup before he was going into transfer talks while he was in PSG. I wished like shit we get him, instead we got David Beckham. From that day onwards, Real Madrid never win a thing.

Beckham, to all respect, is a good right hand winger. He has super accurate crosses and passes as well as used to score alot from his free kicks until he has back pain now. However, Ronaldinho is a legend in the making and is probably the best player to reach that status after Zidane showed us in the past few years. Eto'o when he was on loan to Leganes and Real Mallorca, he played brilliantly and always get to score against Real Madrid when he played against them. That is still not convincing for Madrid to take him back and instead sold him to their most bitter rivals. Football logic? Economic logic.

FOOTBALL: TOTAL ANNIHILATION & HUMILATION

Remember Total Annihiation, that PC strategy game in the late 90s? I used to enjoy playing it. Both Real Madrid and Newcastle United were totally annihilated and I am totally humilated.

REAL MADRID 0-3 BARCELONA

CHELSEA 3-0 NEWCASTLE UNITED

I managed to watch the Chelsea Vs. Newcastle United match but was too tired to watch the Real Madrid Vs. Barcelona match. Busy with assignments with little sleeping time, the El Classico came at a very wrong time for me. Still, it is probably the worst day for me as a football fan to see both supported clubs lost so miserably with the same score some more.

Chelsea are expected to win the match but what really caught my interest is this player called Charles N'Zogbia. He really looks like someone who will become great someday if he keeps on improving. Without Owen, Dyer and Shearer, there is no surpise that Newcastle United were pretty toothless in front.

All I have to say to Mr. Perez is this is what you get when you sell your own player, Eto'o to your fiercest rival eventhough he showcased again and again he was so dangerous in the past and to choose Beckham instead of Ronaldinho. I know Beckham has had some really good form but he is not the type of player who is consistent, reliable and most importantly, can single-handedly change the result of a match, especially giant and important ones. Zinedine Zidane used to be able to do that, but he is too old now so don't expect him to get that magical goal for the last Champions League medal against Bayer Leverkusen again.

I guess your club earns alot off the pitch economically and probably is the richest football club in the planet now. In exchange, I will think Real Madrid will live in the shadows of Barcelona for many years to come on the pitch. So what if you have Robinho, they have Messi and he is playing so much better. I will rate Real Madrid now to be behind in terms of quality to Barcelona, Juventus, Milan, Chelsea and Bayern Munich. I can say that with the quality they produce now, they can easily be beaten by any of the 5 of them easily.

I won't be surprised Real Madrid will end another season without titles yet again. All those hype will last even before mid season. The squad is just not big enough to sustain the injuries and suspensions and is still not good enough as a team. As a fan, all I can wish now is the club to play more better as a team after the January transfer is over. The season from there onwards is what really matters most.

FOOTBALL: FIRST VIEIRA, NOW KEANE?

We all know how shocking it was when Vieira made that sudden move to Juventus. Now, the shocker is Keane is leaving Manchester United? Why now? Why so sudden even before the middle of the season? I am lost of words. Could it be that infamous outburst of his that pissed off Sir Alex Ferguson? I really don't know but it seems that all the possibilities are pointed towards that single reason!

As Arsenal are searching high and low and still not really replaced their ex-captain, so will Manchester United be desperately looking for a replacement for him and it won't be easy. People said it could be Ballack, Duscher, Gravesen, Maniche, Gattuso, Diarra, Gerrard or Zokora. Ballack, Duscher and Gravesen seem like the most probable candidates to me.

I think for sure it is hard to find a true replacement for Vieira as it is the case of Keane. Although both players have the most 'bad-boy' attitudes in EPL history in the last decade, they are still the ones who truly are crowned the best and charismatic captains EPL has ever seen for the past decade (in my opinion). Their exit from the EPL will leave big holes to be filled. They surely made EPL very entertaining when they were around. I guess this is what you call the end of an era.

Manchester United and the rest of the world's football fans must be shocked. I am too!

FOOTBALL: FINALLY, SEE YOU IN DEUTSCHLAND!

The final list of 32 teams of next year's World Cup is done. I was surprised Australia went through but their citizens must be celebrating in the streets! Trinidad & Tobago also managed to book a place while Turkey almost got the ticket but was too late in the comeback against Switzerland. Spain just need to at least not lose badly with all the advantage in the world from the first leg and they managed a draw, which is more than enough. Czech Republic too won again to book the final 5 places of the playoffs.

Congratulations to them all! See you all in Germany 2006! Not literally since I don't have any tickets but I wish I have. Sigh!

It's only Thursday but all eyes are set on the weekend gigantic matches, especially the one in Spain.

Real Madrid Vs. Barcelona

Every season I will try not to miss at least one of the clashes so I hope my friendly neighbourhood coffeeshop will show this match! I for one am still very worried with Madrid's injury list so this is not the best preparations they have for the big clash.

Chelsea Vs. Newcastle United

I will like to watch this match as well if I can as an Alan Shearer fan but the captain will most probably be not playing. I hope Newcastle will play out a good match eventhough it is to be played in Stamford Bridge.

Roma Vs. Juventus

This match will be interesting ever since Totti get personal with Fabio Capello. I'm sure Totti wants to win it real bad but Juventus are not easy to be beaten.

Both Milan clubs will be playing opponents who were bankrupt and on the verge on bankruptcy. Fiorentina especially is interesting now that they are 3rd on the table. Inter need to win badly to get back to the top three of the table to chase Juventus and Milan.

Fiorentina VS. AC Milan

Inter Milan VS. Parma

Jose Mourinho

It is always nice to see what the person people hate and love- Mr. Mourinho has to say. They are playing Newcastle United so it is not surprising to hear something from him. He surprisingly praised Michael Owen.

"Michael Owen and Newcastle were major protagonists in the transfer window and the scenario was perfect for both of them," he said.

"A Real Madrid striker who was also an important player and automatic choice for the English national team. His previous club, Liverpool, in the picture and Newcastle in search of success."

The controversial Portuguese coach then went on to express his bewilderment at Liverpool's lack of enthusiasm in trying to woo Owen back to Anfield, as he continued: "Liverpool waited until the last available minute to conclude their summer deals."

Well, probably he is just jealous of Liverpool's success last season in Europe.

Ruud Gullit

Finally, some comments from Gullit to Henry.

"I'm from Holland. I went to Italy and then to England."

"The experiences are the most important experiences in my life."

"The fans would not be happy about it but it's also about you as a person."

"If you get opportunities to go abroad and see other championships, you can't blame him for that."

"I think Barcelona will fit him also."

Of course the Dutch has the tradition and history of love affair with Barcelona. For me, Henry deserves the Champions League medal so I personally feel that he should leave Arsenal to a potential Champions League winning team. I definitely don't want to upset all Arsenal fans and I know how precious Henry is to Arsenal but Arsenal have to seriously be able to win the Champions League to make him stay any longer. For me, it is for the same reason that convinced Steven Gerrard to stay in Liverpool. Arsenal must do the same what Liverpool can do or else risk losing him. He is not everything but he is surely the most prized Arsenal player at the moment.

FOOTBALL: CHELSEA'S LOSS IS PREMIER LEAGUE'S GAIN

I guess Arsenal fans must be celebrating but especially Manchester United fans and perhaps all the fans of the Premier League are celebrating, especially those at the top of the table closer to Chelsea. I bet this is a long, long time since any Arsenal fan is celebrating a Manchester United victory. Even if they don't want to admit it, perhaps they are enjoying it inside them. Hehe!

Suddenly, Chelsea is no longer invincible and looks like just any other club in the EPL. Probably Wenger's remarks did influence their confidence. Probably Manchester United's recent bad results made them take for granted for a confirmed victory. It is good for the competition no matter what is the cause of the defeat. Still, it is too early to say that Chelsea will fall slowly from grace. Time will tell.

I am now into the busiest phase of the semester so not much updates from me. I did watch Lazio and Inter Milan battling out a draw two days back. Inter really are always performing below expectations all the time. Every season they buy so many promising players but still they just don't make the cut. I wonder whether they are always cursed by the luck of AC Milan with all the disappointments after disappointments. I saw how hard they attacked but the finishing was just not there. Martins had alot of good chances though. Adriano? He is basically out of form and I could not sense his presence in the match. Figo is however the most hardworking and most dangerous player on the field.

El Classico is coming. Real Madrid are playing Barcelona on 20th November 2005 at home. It is the most anticipated match in the La Liga every season. I mean two matches home and away. Barcelona have been scoring goals like there is no tomorrow, getting 5 goals and the latest match with another 3. Real Madrid in contrast are in the most weakest phase of the season with injuries that force defenders to play as midfielders. Yes, they are that desperate and they barely win their matches. In the latest match, they required a defender to score from the penalty spot. Yeah, that is how weak Madrid are now. We have very minimum manpower compare to gigantic squads like Chelsea, Barcelona and Milan. Naturally, we will be the underdogs going into the match. Now, I can only pray the injury list will not be increased but decreased by then. It will be a difficult match for the understrengthed Madrid.

MC DONALD'S BERRYNICE YOGHURT



I was having a friend dropping by for visit during the weekend for the Department of Architecture exhibition and there is only McDonald's available for some food and drinks. Mind you I never been there for any desserts and stuff. We were there just after lunch so would like something light. Man, as I gone through the menu, they have not much of dessert choices but this Berrynice Yoghurt. I have never try this Yoghurt my life so might as well give it a shot.



For someone who tasted Yoplait, Meiji, Marigold, Nestle and own homemade yoghurts, I thought this one is worth the money based on the ingredients it is offering. Very solid cup indeed! The oats are abit too much though. Overpowering.



It is as always advertised as low-fat yoghurt with strawberries, blueberries and crunchy honey oats. The strawberries are at the bottom of the cup with the blueberries on top. The oats are just the finishing topping on top of the blueberries.



Yoghurts are always recommended for all the nutrients and the good bacterias they have inside there. Something like those cultured milk drinks like Vitagen and Yakult. Though nowadays there are also yoghurt drinks too which I still find very weird. Many people love them though.



This post just reminds me that I have not post anything about food for a very long time. :)