Tough Times

The start of this blog finds my two favorite clubs each hitting a bit of a rough spot. Liverpool had their best ever start to a Premier League season but now look to have squandered the chance at another title race. Milan, after a derby setback to Inter, have simply continued to slide.

Liverpool has frustrated me the most since they topped the table for a large part of the season but Manchester United has simply overcome them. That game in hand they seemed to have forever loomed and loomed and once Sir Alex's squad took over they haven't looked back. Liverpool has wasted key points including their shock 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough this weekend. It was a typical Liverpool late season performance as they dominated long stretches but simply didn't take the most of their chances. I fear it looks like that will also be a microcosm of their campaign. They need to get their act together to stay in at least 3rd place in the EPL for a crucial automatic Champions League place. Aston Villa is nipping at their heels and it took a scrappy 2-2 effort from Stoke City this weekend to keep them 3 points below Liverpool.

Milan enjoyed a brief spell a bit surprisingly (at least to me) coinciding with the addition of David Beckham and (not surprisingly) the return of Kaka, but since their derby loss against Inter, which put them 11 points back, hopes are slim. Losing at a game but still, 14th in the table, Sampdoria squad this weekend certainly didn't help. They were also knocked out of the UEFA Cup, a competition they really could have, and in my mind should have won, losing on the away goals rule in the first knockout stage to Werder Bremen.

So things look dire for my favorite teams. Liverpool still has the Champions League where they hold the advantage after a good win at Real Madrid. They have had a great deal of success in this competition under Rafa Benitez (whom I will express my opinion on tomorrow) so there's still some hardware to play for. Neither team is mathematically eliminated from either of their domestic leagues but it'll take quite a bit of good fortune.

Fingers crossed.