Matchday four served up some scintillating football and as per usual, there were some things we loved and some things we hated…
For only the third time in Champions League history, none of the English sides managed to win a match on a single matchday in Europe’s elite competition. Brendan Rodgers’ team selection hampered Liverpool in their brave 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid, while Arsenal shot themselves in both feet and the head after squandering a 3-0 lead against Anderlecht.
Manchester City may have all the money in the world but they still look hopelessly lost when it comes to European competition after CSKA Moscow left with Manchester with three points, while Chelsea missed the opportunity to secure their passage to the last 16 after drawing with Maribor in Slovenia.
LOVE – The art of the free-kick
JOE loves seeing any goal being scored but there is no denying the sheer buzz of excitement after witnessing a supremely well-planned and well-executed free-kick. Bayer Leverkusen have been one of the breakout teams of the Champions League group stages so far and their resurgence was visible with a valuable 2-1 win against Andre Villas Boas’ Zenit St Petersburg.
Son Heung-Min scored a brace for the German side but his opener was the pick of the bunch. The planning and execution in this passage of play is stunning.
If that wasn’t enough, then Andrea Pirlo reminded us of what makes him so good with a free-kick that was simply Pirlo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql8V4qHSrLE
LOVE – The 24 hours of Basle’s 17-year old striker Breel Embolo
Liverpool fans will be wary of the threat that the Swiss side pose when they visit Anfield in a few weeks’ time but this story about their under-21 international striker Breel Embolo made us laugh.
The young striker opened the scoring at St. Jakob Park with a well-taken finish before setting up their third goal of the evening. The teenager didn’t have time to celebrate, however, because he had to be in school the next morning at 7am.
We wonder if he needs a note to miss matches?
HATE – Man City’s ill-discipline and Samir Nasri’s cynical foul
Man City absolutely fell apart against CSKA Moscow as Seydou Doumbia’s brace condemned the English champions to their second defeat of the campaign. City haven’t won in this season’s Champions League and Pellegrini’s men completely lost their discipline following red cards for Fernandinho and Yaya Toure.
This hatchet job from Samir Nasri was absolutely woeful though.
HATE – Arsenal’s collapse against Anderlecht
The 2014/15 Champions League season looks like it could be another frustrating one for Gunners fans as Arsenal once again did their best to blow any chance of taking top spot in their group.
Defeat against Dortmund already reduced their margin for error but Wenger’s side were very poor in their two matches against the Belgian side and their spectacular collapse at the Emirates highlighted their defensive frailties.
Drawing a game having led 3-0 is simply unacceptable for a team of Arsenal’s quality and aspirations.
The Gunners will still qualify from the group, but once again they face the prospect of facing one of Europe’s big guns in the last 16.
