Post European Game Syndrome

There is often an argument that after European games, teams tend to struggle to get the three points in their next game. Some argue that it’s due to the lack of preparation time, or the lack of quality in depth or even the lack of fitness. I myself have always thought that it was something along those lines too. 

Now, of course, there needs to be a degree of rationality and a consideration of the wider perspective.
Think about it, often teams can play poorly, yet still walk away with a win. So there is an argument that when people say a team isn’t as efficient or effective after a European game, they could mean in terms of performances, not the result. 

However, I wanted to see how each side that represented the Premier League in Europe this season faired in comparison to each other. 

However, before I point out my observations, we have to consider a few things. Firstly, we have to recognise some teams played more games after a European game, due to their progress in Europe. In order to combat this, I have added the points per game stat. 

Table: Premier League sides representing in Europe: Their record after European Games

Key Observations

·         Business as usual for Manchester United: After European games, Man United have been machine efficient. United won 7 of their 8 post European games which clearly demonstrates this. Perhaps Sir Alex Ferguson’s effective rotation and strength in depth played a key role in Man United’s consistency.

·         Arsenal unbeaten after European games: Both Arsenal and Man United are unbeaten after their European games. But considering this from Arsenal’s perspective, it shows how difficult they are to beat. Their experience and knowhow through many years of having to manage the Champions League and the Premier League is one of the reasons why they remained unbeaten.

·         Man City distinctly average after European games: Man City’s record is pretty average, to be fair. Although they only lost once and conceded the least out of the teams analysed (5), I think they should have done better. But Man City will argue, they had tough games after their Champions League duties, after all, they faced Liverpool away, then Arsenal at home and then Man United at home. But given the squad at Manicni’s disposal, you’d expect them to win one of those games.

·         Liverpool consistently inconsistent: Liverpool’s record after European games isn’t great. The key issue is the high number of draws, which is one of the differences from them being a top 6 side. However, what is interesting is that Liverpool kept 4 clean sheets, which is the highest (alongside Chelsea). In some respects, this shows progress is being made at Anfield, but clearly, more work needs to be done to sustain and build on it.

·         Newcastle shipping goals: Newcastle conceded 20 goals, which is an incredibly high number for a side playing in Europe and for me it symbolises their immense decline this season. Last season, Newcastle were far more solid and settled side defensively. Perhaps the club have missed Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini who have missed parts of the season for one reason or another.

·         Newcastle actually doing rather well…: Although Newcastle are conceding a hell of a lot of goals, they are actually winning fair number of games too. It’s intriguing; there was strong criticism that the lack of depth effected Newcastle’s campaign this season. Although this may well be a valid point, one may need to take it with a pinch of salt. As Newcastle won 5 games from 13, this shows the club has the ability to win games even when playing on a Thursday and then on a Sunday. But it is crucial to note, all 5 of Newcastle’s wins came at home.

Preview: Real Madrid - Dortmund

Chinmay Pandya gives The Football Front a preview of Dortmund's trip to Real Madrid.

Madrid take on the High flying Dortmund at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu tonight in a feisty affair between two extremely talented teams. Few would have doubted Dortmund's European potential this season, but even fewer people would have predicted them to be top of the table after 3 match days. Well, this match could mean the difference between the 1st and 2nd position in the group. While Borussia Dortmund head into their Champions League rematch against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu Tuesday on the heels of a dispiriting 0-0 draw at home to Stuttgart on Saturday, Madrid head into the game after a terrific all-round display trashing Zaragoza at home, 4-0. Jurgen Klopp told reporters that the draw felt more "like a defeat," leaving the two-time defending Bundesliga champions 11 points adrift of a sublime Bayern Munich side displaying absolutely dominant early season form.

TEAM NEWS

Real Madrid will be without injured France striker Karim Benzema when Borussia Dortmund visit as he has a thigh muscle problem. Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain, who has netted seven in the league but none in Europe so far, is the obvious replacement. Captain Sebastian Kehl was taken off with a broken nose during Saturday's 0-0 draw with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. Manager Jurgen Klopp said that he is training with a mask to protect his nose but remains a doubt.

ON THE TACTICAL FRONT:

After what we’ve seen from Dortmund this season, especially away at City and at home to Madrid, games against Dortmund usually turn out to be midfield battles, with a extremely disciplined Dortmund midfield consisting of Reus, Gotze, Großkreutz sitting in front of a solid Gundogan and Kehl (assuming he’s fit by then) should prove to be a jam-packed midfield, very difficult to break through. On the Other hand, a technically accomplished and an intelligent midfield that Madrid possess, Madrid have the tools to get past the midfield but the same can be said about City’s midfield against Dortmund at the Etihad last time out, but they weren’t able to expose Dortmund’s defence. Tight midfield, pressing higher up the field, forcing the opposition to make mistakes, and then counter attacking with menace pretty much sums up Dortmund as a force in the Bundesliga in the past seasons and in Europe this season. As Madrid push up to dominate the match, and create chances could that be their undoing? Or with the amazing talent they have at their disposal, and with some determination, could they get past the Dortmund midfield and expose their defence? We’re going to find out soon.

While the figure might seen congested, it is supposed to show the cohesiveness of Dortmund’s midfield. It shows Mardid while in position, with Alonso sitting in front of the 2 central defenders and Modric in a fairly advanced position this encounter might just be an epic encounter between two tactically astute and world class coaches in Mourinho and Klopp, a feast for the neutrals.

Dortmund have been off pace in the Bundesliga lately, You don't win a league of the Bundesliga's calibre two-times running without quality and mental toughness in equal measure, so I expect a show of resolve at the Bernabeu. Still, it seems that there is a sense of unease around Dortmund that could turn into panic if Real Madrid were to start fast.

This article was written by Chinmay Pandya, you can find his work at http://nimblefootwork.blog.com/ and you can follow him on Twitter: @_thesoccerist

Which league dominates the UEFA Champions League?

Themba Sweet analyses who has been dominating the Champions League.

Last season I noticed an increasing feeling on social media platforms and amongst the tv pundits, that La Liga is the best performing league playing in the UEFA Champions League. Now in the past few years with Barcelona dominating, it can be understood. Yet if you took a look at Real Madrid’s past few years in the UCL, you’d notice that they were rather disappointing. I decided to go back into the record books and see which league really does dominate the Champions League.

As a kid growing up in the early 90’s, Serie A was the dominant force in Europe. It was clear to see in this competition too, with a Serie A club involved in every final for 7 straight years: 1992-1998.

Although the Champions League was rebranded in 1992, it didn’t resemble the current tournament until the 1997-98 season. This was the first season where teams could enter the UCL without the need to win their league.  In my research I aim to see which league is consistently in the final KO rounds of the UCL and if 1 league has more than 1 team, they get more than 1 point. So to keep everything as fair as possible, here were my guidelines for this test:

• I’ve taken the date range from 1997/98 – 2011/12
• I consider teams in the QF stage and onwards only (final KO rounds)
• 1 point per team
• I’ve only taken into account the top leagues:
• EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Primeira Liga, Eredevisie

Quarter-final stage

So let’s see who really does dominate the Champions League as we know it. The consensus seems to be La Liga, but let’s see who’s dominated the past 15 years of the QF stage:Over the past 15 seasons, the English Premier League has been an ever-present in the quarter-final stage. Aside from that, they’ve made a total of 32 appearances at this stage. This is more important since it is a reflection of the strength of the league. An example is the 2007/08 & 2008/09 seasons which both had 4 EPL teams reach the QF stage. That’s 8 appearances in the QF over 2 years for the EPL. No other league has had 4 teams from their league in the QF at this stage, yet the EPL managed it in 2 consecutive seasons. La Liga trails in this regard with 27 appearances over 15 seasons.

Semi-final stage

It has to be said that the QF stage of the Champions League has been dominated by the EPL teams for nearly 2 decades, but if we think about the Semi-Finals over the past few years, one team springs to mind – Barcelona. An ever-present for half a decade in the semi’s, and possibly the main reason many believe La Liga to be stronger in Europe. It’s quite true though. The last time Barca failed to reach the SF stage was 6 seasons back. They are clearly the best team in Europe based on UEFA coefficients. But what about the rest of La Liga?

Even though the past 6 seasons saw 11 appearances by EPL teams in the semi’s against the 9 from La Liga, the Spanish league pips the Premier League since the EPL made most of their SF appearances in the past few years. 

One of the most striking facts one can take from this table is the gulf between the EPL/La Liga teams when compared against the rest of the European Leagues. None of the other leagues have made 10 appearances at this stage, yet the EPL & La Liga might make their 19^th & 20^th appearance this season if more than 1 team reaches the SF. It speaks volumes as to why many foreign players are choosing the EPL & La Liga over Bundesliga & especially Serie A. There seems to be more chance of glory in those 2 leagues.

Having said that, there has been a Bundesliga team in the semi’s for the past 3 seasons. Italy’s last appearance in the semi’s – 2009/10. In fact, out of the past 15 seasons, a Serie A team has only been present in 7 of those 15 tournaments at this stage. And what of the Eredivisie? 1 appearance in the semi’s in 15 seasons? It’s little wonder that the youth of Ajax choose to move to the giants of Europe.

Of all of these numbers & figures, the 3 year stretch by the EPL between 2006 & 2009, has to be the most impressive. 3 EPL teams reached the semi’s 3 years in a row. 9 appearances in 3 seasons.

La Liga takes the prize for the best semi-finalists, edging out the EPL for now at least.

Finals

It’s very easy to count who has won the most titles over 15 years, but dominance doesn’t always result in titles. Chelsea vs Barcelona/Bayern last season. The dominant team didn’t win. Simply reaching the finals is a massive achievement. Things can go wrong within the game, but reaching the final is no accident. Having said that, which league has had the most appearances in the Final since 1997/98?

The EPL slightly edges La Liga, having made 9 appearances in the finals over 15 years. The graph roughly states that there’s currently over a 50% chance that a team from the EPL will reach the finals. However, if you look at their run before 2004, you’ll notice the stark contrast. Simply 1 final before 2004 – the famous 1999 victory from Manchester United. It clearly shows how far the EPL has come over the past decade. Over the past 8 seasons, there have been 8 appearances in the finals by an EPL team. That is ridiculously good. In comparison, the past 8 seasons have seen 3 finals from La Liga teams (all 3 appearances from Barcelona). La Liga had more of a presence in the finals in the years building up to the 2002 Galacticos victory.

Winners

La Liga has taken more UCL titles than any other league in Europe. Currently sitting on a 75% chance of victory if a La Liga team reaches the final. All 6 of the La Liga titles have been won by either Real Madrid or Barcelona, whereas 3 of the 4 EPL titles have been won by different teams. A shock to the Bundesliga (recently rewarded with 4 UCL spots) is their success rate over the past 15 seasons. 1 title (Bayern Munich). Even more worrying for the rest of Europe is that there have been no winners over the past 8 years other than Serie A, La Liga & EPL. A total domination of titles shared amongst 3 leagues.

Bear in mind that all of these stats are taken from the 1997/98 season – 2011/12. The reason is that 1997/98 was the first season to invite other teams apart from the league winners. This means we can grade the league and not just 1 team from the league (as pre-1997/98 tournaments were structured). Since UEFA have invited more than just 1 EPL team into the UCL, I would venture to say that they have dominated. Using the tables above, we can take the following info:

 This is a table based on presence – basically, who was there in the final stages over a period of 15 years. There has been more of a presence in the final stages by EPL teams rather than La Liga. The difference is that the La Liga teams go on to win the trophy when reaching the final. Well 6 out of 8 times, that is. At the end of the season, the winners are always remembered & rightfully so. Hopefully this article shows that the EPL, in recent years, has been the league to go consistently further than others in this competition. It also shows the vast gap between EPL & La Liga teams when compared to the rest of Europe.

Cheers.

Author: Themba Sweet

Twitter: @thembasweet

Site: http://footiecall.blogspot.com/

You can find more of Themba's work here

Harry’s Gone

Brett Curtis reviews Harry Redknapp’s departure from Tottenham.

 

Despite finishing within the top four in the Premier League for the second time in his full three seasons in charge, Harry Redknapp has been sacked by Tottenham Hotspur.

When presented as the bare bones, the situation appears almost unbelievable; a chance for the anti-modern football brigade to deplore the managerial merry-go-round that England-based owners have undoubtedly contributed towards.

Yet, as surprising as it remains because of Tottenham’s increase in stature under him, there was also an air of relative inevitability about Redknapp’s departure. Two fatal collapses in successive seasons have cost the North London club a place in the Champions League -- and perhaps Harry his job. Some may point towards Chelsea’s unexpected Champions League triumph as making Redknapp and Tottenham joint victims of unfortunate circumstances. Moreover, it was, after all, Redknapp that delivered Champions League football to White Hart Lane for the first time, finally putting to bed the bitter memories of food poisoning-gate that cost them a top four spot in the 2005/06 season. The excuses were seemingly gone – success had replaced them.

He then led his side to famous victories over both Inter Milan and AC Milan before being defeated by Real Madrid in the Quarter Finals. Yet that was largely as good as it got under Redknapp, as in the same season they finished a distant 5^th; whilst this season talks of a title challenge in as late as February somehow resulted in another Europa League place. The excuses subsequently returned to White Hart Lane, as Redknapp’s embarrassing lowering of expectations as the season progressed angered fans: they were being made to feel stupid by the man they had previously respected.

You could argue he has now become yet another manager to be a victim of his own success. But, equally, once you deliver such success to owners and fans alike, you surely must maintain it at a club of Tottenham’s stature to avoid at least pressure. Redknapp narrowly failed to do so – but that is not to say the sacking comes close to being justified based on results alone.

This season’s collapse coincided with his ongoing tax evasion case, of which he was cleared, and the exit of Fabio Capello from the England’s manager job. Redknapp became the “People’s Choice” to replace him, and it shortly become no secret that he wanted the job. I joked on Twitter last night that, “Harry Redknapp must be the first manager in history to buckle under the pressure of the England job without actually having it.” Jokes aside, his entire managerial career was likely geared towards that opportunity – he would not be alone in that regard. However, the FA unexpectedly preferred Roy Hodgson: a man that will crucially carry with him lower expectations from the outset, rather than when results begin to go bad.

A large section of Spurs fans saw this situation as far from ideal, but certainly workable – he could leave Champions League football and a good foundation behind him after a happy four years; before achieving his own dream at the helm of his nation. It appeared as potentially harmonious as any managerial exit could be -- particularly as Redknapp never truly captured the fans’ adulation; made more evident than ever last night, when neutral journalists appeared far more angry than any Spurs fan about his exit. Ultimately, a combination of failure on the pitch, uncontrollable circumstances in Chelsea’s success and the FA’s decision, and a breakdown in relations between Redknapp and his chairman denied any realistic chance of mutual satisfaction.

Indeed, it is the latter that is almost definitely the chief factor in this surprise exit; managers have overcome far worse results or player/fan relations in the past. Redknapp and Daniel Levy’s relationship had reportedly always been lukewarm, with Redknapp joking in December 2011, “Anyone who’s working with Levy would make an odd couple.” He was, of course, alluding to the fact Levy is a notoriously shrewd businessman rather than the “football man” Redknapp portrays himself as. The contrast is obvious – but opposites attracted to form success. After Tottenham’s mostly unsuccessful transfer dealings prior to Redknapp’s arrival, with the likes of Darren Bent, David Bentley and Roman Pavlyuchenko signed for heavy fees in 2007 and 2008, Levy adopted a financial stance not dissimilar to their astute North London rivals.

Perhaps the sentimental signing of a deteriorating Robbie Keane for £15m in January 2009 was the final straw for Levy. Indeed, eighteen months later, it is believed he provided Redknapp with Rafael van der Vaart rather than Luis Fabiano, the number nine he craved to lead his Champions League charge, based on his sell-on fee transfer strategy. In January this year, with Tottenham looking credible dark horses for the title, Redknapp strangely signed Louis Saha and Ryan Nelsen on free transfers. The expectation levels dropped when they should have been rising; Levy would have noted this and feared a repeat next season of the situation that led to Redknapp’s appointment in the first place.

It is this division in ideas, philosophy, and perhaps personality between manager and chairman that ultimately turned from attracted to entrenched. Combined, for example, Saha and Nelsen’s age represents 67, older than Redknapp himself. And one would not be surprised to see a far younger man in Andre Villas-Boas or Roberto Martinez replace him – rather than the highly touted David Moyes, who would arrive with baggage and perhaps an eye on the Manchester United job once Sir Alex Ferguson chooses to retire. Tottenham must now look to become “a Manchester United” in their own right – and keeping players such as Luka Modric, who could feasibly represent a Xabi Alonso-esque hole should he leave, and Gareth Bale this summer will be important in this long-term process.

As for Redknapp, it is Ferguson he has looked towards today, noting, “He is in his seventies yet is still the best manager in the world.” Harry will, of course, never reach that standard, and may look towards the spring and summer of 2012 as the most disappointing time of his career; he entered it with the chance of a maiden Premier League title for himself and his club, and the favourite to assume the role of England manager. Yet he is now without a job, with no obvious vacancy to fulfil. It would be fitting if he could end his managerial career at West Ham United where his playing career first started.

This article was written by Brett Curtis. Check out his work on http://footballspeak.com/71.aspx and be sure to follow his Twitter: @bcurtis92.

Make sure you follow Pundit Watch too, a hilarious Twitter account run by Brett: @PunditWatch_

The Ever Changing Expectations of Harry Redknapp

This season, Harry Redknapp has got even more annoying. He has tipped his side for virtually everything and within a matter of weeks, his expectations have suddenly changed.

So I have gathered actual quotes from the man himself showing him changing his expectations week by week.

Please Click to Enlarge

Benfica vs Chelsea: A Tactical Preview

Chinmay Pandya gives The Football Front a tactical preview of Chelsea's trip to Benfica. crisis.

Chelsea head to Portugal for the first leg of the CL quarter finals as they take on Benfica at the Estadio da Luz, where they have been undefeated in 39 of their last 42 home games in the Liga Sagres. Benfica had a tremendous start to their CL campaign as they managed to top their group, a run of results which saw the tournament favourites Manchester United go crashing into the Europa league. The Portuguese side managed to earn a draw both home and away to United and that too, very impressively. Their last CL game at the Estadio da Luz ended in a convincing 2-0 win over a very strong Zenit and had also managed to score 2 crucial away goals in Russia which aided their victory over the two legs. While Chelsea, who have been quite poor on the road this season which reflected in their 3-1 defeat to Napoli at the San Paolo stadium in the first knock out round. Chelsea’s defence, especially under AVB looked very shaky although after his departure, things have looked somewhat solid again at the back, which has been evident in their impressive rum of 4 straight wins before defeat against Manchester City in the league. Their dramatic win over Napoli was seen as the turning point of their miserable season Yet once again, they failed to capitalize on this momentum and ended up with back-to-back poor performances against Manchester City and Tottenham. Two late goals conceded away from home after failing to hold on to a 1-0 lead and then failing to score at home aren’t the best signs heading into this fixture.

Benfica generally line up with a 4-2-3-1 formation which is quite fluid as it changes when in possession of the ball, normally to a 3-3-1-3 with the holding midfielder Javi Garcia dropping in between the two central defenders changing it into a back 3 with the wing backs pushing on and against in the knock out stages. However, it is quite different. Napoli’s back three weren’t very mobile, were very vulnerable to fast break situations and also defending crosses whipped into the box. Benfica’s back three has a lot of variety. The midfielder who drops between the central defenders is very quick across the turf, can tackle and make last ditch challenges and also provide a lot of energy in the midfield when not in possession. Luisao, the bedrock of the Benfica defence and Jardel is the weakest of the three - a weakness the Londoners should try to exploit, especially at set-pieces, as against Napoli.
When in possession, the back 4 changes into a back 3, the wing backs start acting as the wingers and the positioning of Gaitan, Cesar/Aimar, Rodrigo and Witsel are very fluid. Cardozo acts as the target – man who’d be up against Terry, also very good in the air. This system, however, isn’t flawless. During fast break situations, Witsel, the only remaining Midfielder stays rooted and creates a big hole in the midfield which might mean Chelsea, with the likes of Lampard and Essien might dominate the midfield. In another situation, when Chelsea’s full backs push up, which they normally do, the game can be won or lost on the wings itself because of the spaces these full backs might leave behind. Benfica’s right wing back, Pereira is known for his goal threat and his superb service to Cardozo but is susceptible to be caught napping.

A pressing game from the part of Chelsea, could prove very effective, given Benfica may lack in personnel in the centre of midfield.

However, the move would not make much sense, if Rodrigo does go on to pair up with Cardozo as the latter with his raw pace could cause terror in a high Chelsea back-line. To sum up, this match could me won or lost in the midfield or the wings, as Benfica’s complicated system might leave them with less numbers in the miefield and Rodrigo’s raw pace, Witsel’s passing ability and some trickery from Gaitan might give the Chelsea backline a nightmare.

Prediction: Benfica 1-1 Chelsea

This article was written by Chinmay Pandya, you can find his work at http://nimblefootwork.blog.com/ and you can follow him on Twitter: @_thesoccerist

The Europa League - Football's most loathed competition

Above is a photo of an inconsolable Ian Holloway – who a few hours earlier, saw his adventurous side being relegated from the Premier League. At the time of this photo, the Blackpool manager had just learnt his side could be playing in the Europa League. Holloway reacted by denying his team were eligible and then shrugged at the prospect of playing in the competition. From his emotions its abundantly clear that competing in the Europa League is not even a consolation from being relegated from the Premier League.

Ian Holloway was right.

It turned out that Blackpool were not eligible for a Europa League place spot through the fair play system, but the actions of Holloway surely symbolise just how unfashionable the Europa League is.

Think about it. One of the smallest clubs to ever play in the Premier League view the Europa League as an irritation rather than an opportunity to make the club grow.

To say the Europa League has a limited appeal is a huge understatement. Clubs in Italy, Spain and England loath the competition. Most players, managers and supporters sigh at the prospect of competing in the dour Europa League.

The Europa League can be described as doing a house hold chore, such as taking out the garbage or getting rid of the clutter. In other words, it’s a job which has to be done. While the Champions League can be metaphorically described as studying for you’re A-levels or degree. Although it’s a struggle and challenge, there is a sense that it’s a sign of strength, ambition, and desire to fulfil long term aspirations.

Coming back to Europe, there is almost a sense of arrogance from teams in Italy, Spain and England. Instead of seeing the competition as a privilege and a chance to gain respectable European success, they see the competition as a tortuous chore rather than an opportunity.

There is no denying, this attitude must change. Being in Europe, whether it’s the Champions League or the Europa League, it must be viewed as a symbol of ambition, rather than a symbol of misery.

But the harsh reality is that a lack of ambition in the Europa League is rife.

For instance, Tottenham’s media friendly manager, Harry Redknapp labelled his sides tie against POAK a ‘nuisance’ and made 10 changes to his side. Redknapp started 6 players who were 21 years old or even younger. His selection was probably unrecognisable to even the most ardent Spurs fans.

Indeed, Tottenham’s Redknapp isn’t the first to do this, many English clubs such as Aston Villa, Liverpool and big Italian sides have done the same too.

To most people, when a team field a virtual reserve side in a European Competition it’s somewhat irritating.

The whole point of participating in a competition, especially a European one, the ultimate aim should be to win it. Yet, playing a team full of reserve and fringe players demonstrates an attitude of content if the team goes out.

With teams selecting highly weakened sides for the Europa League, one cannot deny the competition has lost its prestigious nature and its allure.

But why has this become the case?

The answer is simple and logical.

The Europa League is too bureaucratic, too long winded and too tedious.

By the time the Europa League reaches the group stage it has around 48 teams participating, while it’s bigger brother, the Champions League has a mere 32 sides participating during its group stages. This just emphasises just how over crowded The Europa League is.

Furthermore, last season’s Europa League Champions (FC Porto) played 17 Europa League games in order to reach the final. That equates to nearly half a domestic season’s worth of games in order to win the competition.

So it’s understandable why teams are so reluctant to participate in the competition. The road to glory can have severe effects on a club’s domestic performances, especially as Europa games are being played on a Thursday. This means Europa clubs have around three days to recover, prepare and in some cases travel numerous air miles before facing their next opposition on a Sunday.

Does it really surprise many if a team comes back from a Europa League tie, fatigued and severely incoherent? The competition demands a hell of a lot, but in rewards, it gives a little.

Arguably, only teams with large squads can just about cope with the competition. Although, most of these teams with the larger squads find themselves competing in the Champions League. Or if they are in the Europa League, they view the competition as a hindrance to progression, rather than as a means to progress.

Perhaps a reason why some clubs view the Europa League as a hindrance to progression is due to the mediocre revenue which is created by participating in the Europa League.

It’s reasonable to say The Europa League doesn’t offer as much in terms of economic gains for teams participating in the competition. While in direct comparison, the Champions League offers an incredible amount of cash for clubs participating in the tournament.

Last season’s Champions League finalists, Manchester United earned themselves £46.1 million from Champions League revenue. While Europa League winners, FC Porto, approximately earned a mere £15million. As the figures prove, there is massive gulf in difference in the cash earned. So is it surprise that some teams find the Europa League a nuisance? It’s evidently transparent; the lack of financial gain is a dominating factor as to why some teams are unwilling to take the Europa League seriously.

In some respects, UEFA have themselves to blame for the lack of respect towards the Europa League. After all, if the financial gains were more balanced between the two competitions, teams would be more willing to participate in the Europa League.

While clubs in the Europa earn a handful of millions, teams in the Champions League earn pockets full of millions. No one can deny, once a team participates in the Champions League. They do not look back. They want to return and continuously compete in the Champions League. So when the drop outs of the Champions League appear in the Europa League, they enter the tournament unenthusiastically. They know the competition doesn’t possess the same status as its older brother, nor does it give anywhere near the same financial gains as the Champions League.

The harsh reality of the Euorpa League is that it has not adapted to the modern game and its mentality. The competition gives away very little in economic gains and the football is elongated with too many stages. Without a doubt, this has lead to the competition having little appeal, little glow and little respect.

The fact most Europa League participants see the competition as a punishment rather than an opportunity it just demonstrates the fatal flaws within the structure and mechanisms of the tournament.

There is no doubt the Europa League is in a state of redundancy, UEFA need to act quickly in order to revive their large historic competition.

For your information UEFA, changing its name again, will not do the trick.

Here at The Football Front, we have explored some ideas which could possibly improve UEFA's Europa League.

Four ways to improve the Europa League

1.) Get rid of the group stages - Since the introduction of the group stage the Euorpa League has become even more tedious and long winded. Abolishing this stage will make the competition more interesting as there would be a knockout stage which is consistent throughout the whole tournament.

2.) Playing one legged ties - Playing one legged ties will make the competition more enthralling as its virtually sudden death. This will make most of the games have a sense of excitement, anticipation and suspense towards them. At the moment the games are dour for long stages simply because teams are unwilling to concede or because they are playing for the second leg.

3.) Give the winners of the Europa League a right to play in the Champions League - Allowing the winners earn Champions League qualification it will give the Europa League something viable for its competitors to fight for.It will interest all the teams in the tournament, especially the bigger sides, as they want to play in the Champions League more than anything else.

4.) Play Europa League games on alternate Tuesdays and Wednesdays to the Champions League - This may be a fixture and logistical nightmare, but if the Europa League is played on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, when the Champions League is not being played, it may make the tournament worth competing for to some clubs. After all, it gives the teams time to recover and prepare for their next opposition on the weekend.

Do Manchester City have a genuine 'Group of Death' to navigate?

In his debut article for The Football Front, Brett Curtis takes a look at this season's Champions League group A teams.

Every time World Cup groups are drawn, one of the first things many observers enjoy, whilst scanning through the illustrious names, is selecting a ‘Group of Death’.

The name, while overly dramatic, generally speaks for itself: it is the group that every other side looks upon breaking a sigh of relief, with the sides within it cursing that they will have no easy match in attempting to reach the knock-out stage.

In the Champions League, however, this generally hasn’t been the case. The expansion from 24 to 32 teams in the group stages over a decade ago has clearly made Europe’s elite competition a bigger spectacle, but quality was slightly sacrificed for quantity as a result. The group stages, then, arguably became a lucrative ‘warm up’ -- listen closely and I’m sure you will hear Graeme Souness utter “this competition begins in the knock-out stages” at some point in the next few months – especially for the big clubs and UEFA alike. Moreover, Platini’s recent alterations to the qualifying format have allowed champions and/or runners-up from ‘lesser’ nations an easier route in qualifying, with those finishing 3rd or 4^th (depending on coefficients) in more competitive leagues suffering as a result, meaning the Champions League ‘proper’ has witnessed more debutants, in terms of clubs and nations, than before, with many limply exiting at the first major hurdle.

Two of these debutants this year are Manchester City and Napoli, who both finished 3^rd in the Premier League and Serie A respectively. Generally, that sort of form in a major league would cement a club as a favourite to finish at least second in a group. However, while the Champions League looks stronger in general (or on paper at least) this year, there is little doubt that the aforementioned two sides have been handed a genuine ‘Group of Death.’ Both sides will also face four-time European Cup winners Bayern Munich and the 2006 semi-finalists Villarreal. A group containing four sides from Europe’s top four leagues is quite incredible; but clearly it is as a result of Manchester City’s and Napoli’s lack of European success and experience in recent years. This is in stark contrast to their group rivals: Bayern Munich who were competing in the Champions League final a mere 16 months ago. While Villarreal reached the Europa League semi-final last season, beating a certain Napoli along the way.

The ‘Group of Death’ completed its first match day on Wednesday; though it is obviously early days in the group. There were some interesting points to take from the two matches’ patterns of play, and of course results. It is Bayern Munich that take the early initiative after a comfortable 2-0 win at Villarreal, prior to which the Spanish side hadn’t lost their last nine European home matches.

Tactically, a slight change from their standard 4-2-2-2 to a more defensive 4-3-1-2 system may well have been their downfall; though Bayern achieving 54% possession away from home, as well as attempting twice as many shots, would suggest this was well and truly an off-day for the El Submarino. Though I would not rule them out entirely, I do feel that they are currently the weakest side in this group; but I expect them to improve on this defeat nonetheless.

Manchester City and Napoli, meanwhile, gained a point each after an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium. After this impressive draw, those looking for a dark horse within this group should probably favour Napoli over Villarreal. Last season, despite finishing behind Inter, they were Milan’s closest title competitor throughout much of the season, before falling away towards the end of the season. Perhaps this was a result of the demands of their relatively unique 3-4-3 formation, which requires an intense pressing game and maximum effort from all of its components. However, it is certainly one that suits the majority of its players -- in stark contrast to their Serie A rivals Inter, who are currently implementing a very similar system, despite possessing an ageing back-line that, equally, isn’t blessed with the dynamism in forward areas that Napoli possess. Indeed, a front three of Hamsik, Lavezzi and Cavani is surely one of the more complete and threatening forward lines in Europe: in Marek Hamsik they have a player that, despite sometimes going missing in big games, has the potential to be the complete attacking midfielder. While Lavezzi and Cavani are two strikers that complement each other perfectly, with the Lavezzi’s ball-carrying skills and admirable work rate working off Cavani’s link-up play both provide a genuine goal-threat. On the counter-attack, the three of them, aided by wing-backs Zuniga and Maggio frightened Manchester City all match. Of course, every front-line needs a platform to succeed, and those defending the backdoor for Napoli certainly have that – Walter Gargano is the perfect example, he and Inler also illustrating the importance of holding midfielders as they stifled the likes of Silva, Nasri and Aguero between the lines; which is certainly no easy task, as shown by the trio wreaking havoc in the Premier League so far this season by their contemporary in-roads runs and devastating creativity.

Bayern Munich and Manchester City will remain favourites to reach the knock-out stages: the German side, though relatively youthful, should have enough European pedigree and nous to see them through, while Manchester City now have one of the best and biggest squads in Europe following their gigantic spending spree in recent seasons. It says a great deal about the strength of these two sides when a ‘Group of Death’ can have two evident favourites – but when they contain players such as Lahm, Kompany, Schweinsteiger, Silva, Robben and Aguero it’s perhaps a little surprise. Both teams should qualify, as expected, but both may well consider anything less than a semi-final appearance a disappointment.

However, they must first qualify from this undoubted ‘Group of Death’ – and with the likes of Nilmar, Cavani, Rossi and Lavezzi waiting to hurt them.

It would not be a major surprise to see one of them failing.

This article was written by Brett Curtis, you can follow him on Twitter here: @bcurtis92 .Brett is a regular contributor to Football Speak.

Six things Andre Villas-Boas must do at Chelsea – in roughly chronological order.

1. Break the association with Mourinho

Even The Special One, with all of his pomp and arrogance, was referred to as “The Translator” when things didn’t go to plan. Mourinho’s stint at Barcelona was variously described as anything from Bobby Robson’s translator, to assistant manager. The fact that Villas-Boas was Mourinho’s assistant at Porto, Chelsea and Inter. It will weigh heavy on people’s minds, and Villas-Boas will need to mark his boundaries quickly. Many of Mourinho’s signings remain at Stamford Bridge, and others that were favourites of his. Players such as Drogba, Terry, Lampard, and Kalou will remember him from Mourinho days, and he will either have to immediately command their respect, or else there will be a problem with player power. Mourinho combated player power by ensuring that no ego was bigger than his own. His “Special One” press conference is rightly legendary. Villas-Boas has already sought to distance himself and differentiate himself from Mourinho. He achieved this by opting for a far lower-key initial press statement of “don’t expect something from one man”. Unfortunately, that is exactly why Abramovich has paid £13.3 million to buy out his contract at Porto. Abramovic expects Villas-Boas to deliver. The national press is already full of comparison pieces about Villas-Boas and Mourinho. The comparisons even go down to the way that both managers foster close relationships with their players.

2. Find replacements for Terry, Lampard and Drogba

John Terry is only 30, but he is showing signs of creakiness already. He was never one to rely on pace, admittedly. But when the little pace he has goes, he needs to be moved on. Most central defenders would be hitting their peak at his age, but John Terry seems to be past his.

However, more to the point, he’s a disruptive influence in the dressing room. Having publically stated that he would welcome the appointment of Guus Hiddink, Terry has let it known that Villas-Boas was not his first choice.

Drogba is also one of the most outspoken players in the dressing room. His powers have waned over the last two seasons, he’s no longer the force he was on the pitch. At 33, he’s in the twilight of his career, and may want to return to the French League for a swansong of sorts. One player already linked with Chelsea is Columbian 25 year old Radamel Falcao, who has scored 73 goals in 85 appearances for Porto in the last two seasons – including a record 18 in 15 in the Europa League.

Lampard is another who’s powers are on the wane. Replacing Lampard is less of a political issue than it is in the case of Drogba and Terry. Frank Lampard undoubtedly has a huge influence on the dressing room, but is also known to be a highly intelligent professional. Lampard in his prime never missed a game, and could guarantee 20 goals a season. His replacement is more of a tactical renewal, with another of Villas-Boas’ Porto stars Moutinho touted as his successor. The Portuguese midfielder is more versatile than Lampard. He also shares with Frank Lampard an apparent imperviousness to injury.

Villas-Boas will no doubt wish to bring players in, and will be backed in the transfer market by Roman Abramovich. My guess is that he’ll look to replace the aging spine of the team, and with that he’ll ensure that the biggest voices in the dressing room are his men, not Mourinho’s. He needs to get his buys during the summer, so that they can gel with the existing players.

3. Hit the ground running

Managing a top side in the Premier League is not an easy thing to do. Managing Chelsea in particular is turning into somewhat of a poisoned chalice. Just ask World Cup winning manager Big Phil Scolari, he was ousted before completing a season. With a billionaire owner who appears to be becoming increasingly restless and ruthless, and has proven that he’s prepared to fork out the money required to get rid of people before their contract runs down.

4. Win over the media

Sorry to mention him again, but Mourinho is the man with whom the parallels are being drawn. The media’s obsession with Villas-Boas being a “Mini-Mourinho” will not satisfy itself until he proves otherwise, or implodes under pressure. Mourinho had the press pack hanging off his every word and Villas-Boas will do well to avoid trying to be him. And he seems to be doing this already. An interview with Chelsea TV quotes him as saying “Don’t expect something from one man”, and he comes across as very quietly self-confident. But, pressure in England is far higher than in Portugal. The scrutiny of the media has often proved too much for some managers of big clubs, some are merely perplexed by it all.

Villas- Boas is young, good looking, stylish and intelligent – I hope for his sake that he’s given some time to establish himself.

5. Entertain

Porto’s unbeaten league campaign of 2010/11 produced 73 goals from 30 games. They conceded only 16, giving them a goal difference 27 higher than second placed Benfica. This is where Villas-Boas can really show his form, and step out from Mourinho’s shadow. His favoured formation at Porto was an attacking 4-3-3, and the players are there at Chelsea to be able to play any formation the manager asks them to – they certainly get paid enough to anyway! Villas-Boas will want to play the game his way, and that should make for exciting times at Chelsea. Villas-boas is famed for his meticulous approach to the game. Nothing is left to chance, and he develops game plans to exploit the opposition’s weaknesses.

6. Win everything

That means everything.

With an aging squad, a club might be expected to go through a transitional period of a season and a half, before the manager brings in enough of his own players and staff to get things running the way he wants.

However, this is not the case with Chelsea.

Abramovich will want to see returns this season. Some of Villas-Boas predecessors have been fired for not winning silverware in a season. Avram Grant was sacked for almost delivering. A League Cup final defeat by Tottenham, a Champions League Final defeat in the most agonising of circumstances, and a second place in the league wasn’t good enough.

Abramovich has only given the Villas-Boas a three year contract, so I’d expect that he’d want to see the Premier League title back at Chelsea within the first two years, along with the Champions League that has so far evaded him.

There is absolutely no doubt, Roman Abramovich cares about reputations. He’s brought the most hotly tipped managerial talent to Chelsea. But as he’s proven time and time again, he’s got no qualms about destroying reputations if he doesn’t get what he wants – and that’s a success in Europe.

This piece was written by Thomas Nash, you can follow him on Twitter - @MrThomasNash

Things you may like to read

The Eternal Struggle - http://tiny.cc/1hl0v

The Quest for the Holy Grail taken to a new level - http://tiny.cc/0cxnu

Andre Villas - Boas Scouting report v Newcastle 2005 - http://tiny.cc/yktki