Down to Ten Men

This may be an opinion piece, but these are facts: Lionel Messi is the best player in the world. I know this because he has the FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or trophies resting on his mantelpiece. Rooney and Ronaldo are world class. Messi is out-of-this-world class.

At 22 years old he’s already scored 114 goals in 199 games for Barcelona. At the weekend he scored his second hat-trick in as many matches in La Liga, taking his recent tally to eight goals in three games in all competitions.

John Terry has received as much criticism for his personal life over the last few weeks as he has received praise for his professional life over the last decade.

He was Captain Perfect, Captain Courageous and even the next World Cup-winning Captain if you share that eternal optimism so beloved of your average St George’s flag-waving fan.

As I write this in the dying embers of the Manchester United v Liverpool clash I can’t help but notice the growing numbers of green and gold scarves being twirled above the heads of the jubilant Manchester United fans. These scarves are a protest against the American ownership of the Glazer family who have plummeted United in to astronomical debt. Although it is business as usual on the field, on the terraces there has been a growing hatred towards the Glazer’s tenure which is now starting to rear its head in public.

Not many people will want to admit this, but the Europa League is rather entertaining.

Long derided as the Champions League’s younger, slightly odd brother wearing it’s elder sibling’s hand-me-downs and scuffed shoes, this year it’s hitting puberty, staying out late and trying illegal substances.