Another home game, another win, another game with over three goals. Nearly three months into the season and we have not scored less than three goals in a home game in any competition, it shows just how strong we have been at home this season and any team visiting the Grove will be aware of this record and aware of how strong the squad we have is.

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Liverpool had to defeat Olympique Lyon away after losing 1-2 at home in the previous round. But last night the English team only managed a 1-1 draw, and with 4 points it is now almost impossible that Liverpool progresses to the next round: Livepool must win their remaining two matches and Fiorentina must not win any of their remaining two matches (of which the last one is between Liverpool and Click to continue reading...

4-1, 4-1. Not only Walter Smith's most likely formation for tonight but also the defeats Rangers have suffered in their last two European games. The perceived wisdom is that it's a formation that works better away from home. As it's the formation that will be in use against Unirea Urziceni you've really got to hope that's the case. Click to continue reading...

I didn't get to see much of the game last night and I have hardly had a chance to sit down today and watch the full highlights so this blog may again be fairly short.

We drew 1-1 away at AZ Alkmaar of Holland but should really have won the game and closed it out, as it happens we conceded from yet another set piece and had to settle for a share of the spoils.

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21 games. Each with its own background, its own unique circumstances. The cumulative effect is a European nightmare for Scottish football. Since July we've appeared about as comfortable on the continent as Norman Tebbit at a Eurovision convention.21 games. In blogs, phone ins, forums and newspapers fans scream for change. Click to continue reading...

Although you'd never find a UEFA marketing man who'd admit it, the Champion's League is not always about glamour and glitz.Sometimes it's dull and dismal. Ibrox might well be sprinkled with some of that old magic dust tonight but at first glance the meeting of Rangers and Romanian champions Unirea Urziceni has all the allure of a wet weekend in Cowdenbeath. Click to continue reading...

Yesterday I asked for the team to show how good they can be, and they did. The 2-0 scoreline does Olympiakos a favour, they were under the cosh for 99% of the game and the movement, speed and creativity you get from Arsenal at their very best lit up Ashburton Grove last night. The 60 odd thousand people in the stadium got a real glimpse of football at its most beautiful.

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Anyone who may read this blog may know that I don't often have anything nice to say about Italian teams. However, as strange as it may sound, now I do: in the Champions League I watched Fiorentina play Liverpool last night, and was very impressed by the Italians, who in the first half of the match in particular were far superior to the great English side. Click to continue reading...

Apologies for my absence over the past few days, my server has been somewhat temperamental.

It is a bit late to tell you about the game on Saturday night but you can see my summary here on my Sunday column:

Yesterdays win was fantastic in my book, we were made to show a few characteristics that have been beyond the side in the last few seasons.

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Afternoon all, its another manic one today.

Last night was all rather stressful wasn't it? I couldn't quite believe it when within 5 minutes we were two goals down, the row z allergy continued to spread and it cost us the first goal, Eduardo trying a suicidal backheel to Cesc, it failed, they scored.

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Its hectic at TGB HQ this week so its another late update.

Tonight the Champions League group stages kick off with our first game away at Standard Liege and it looks like we may be kicking off with a weakened side. Robin van Persie is missing, as is Almunia, Nasri, Walcott and Denilson not making the trip.

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When Michel Platini's plan for clubs to spend only what they earn take effect, then prize money is going to get extra important. So now's the time for clubs to start thinking about income, and what better cash cow is there than the the UEFA Champions League? Jan beat me to this on Bundesliga Offside yesterday, [. Click to continue reading...

. Chelsea won their Champions League opener against FC Porto through a lone goal scored by Nicolas Anelka. The game began in emphatic fashion as the Blues began in front of their fans, while the Portuguese side managed to bring the physical side of their game to the fore. It took some time for the west London [. Click to continue reading...

I'm back ladies and gentlefolk. There have been some cock-ups over the past few days with Aamir's posts and I have been unable to correct anything because I've had no access. Apologies for that.

By the way, thanks Aamir for filling in over the past few days.

Now, onto the main story this week; we scored another three goals to secure our passage through to the Champions League group stages Eduardo has become somewhat of a hate figure in the press (see the headline) for diving to win a penalty.

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Good Morning Everyone,

The draw for this seasons Champions League qualifying round has been made. The Gunners have drawn Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar, Greek champions Olympiacos and Champions League newcomers Standard Liege in Group H.

This isn't the most difficult of group stages to be very honest but we musn't also count our chickens before they hatch either.

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After the last qualifiers have been played, UEFA today made the draw for this season's 2009-10 Champions League. These are as follows:Group A:Bayern MunichJuventusBordeauxMaccabi HaifaGroup B:Manchester UnitedCSKA MoscowBesiktasWolfsburgGroup C:AC MilanReal MadridOlympique MarseilleFC ZurichGroupd D:ChelseaFC PortoAtlético MadridApoel NicosiaGroup E:LiverpoolOlympique LyonFiorentinaDebrecenGroup Click to continue reading...

In Denmark there has been a lot of talk today of the match between FC Copenhagen and Apoel Nicosia, where the team from Cyprus won 3-1 and qualified for the Champions League, while the (too) ambitious Danish champions were out. This seemed to be a big surprise for FC Copenhagen, who nevertheless have a strong tradition of underestimating opponents when these come from apparently smaller countries Click to continue reading...

Panathinaikos and Atlético Madrid played a marvelous 1st leg qualifying match for the Champions League, which was a great preview for the CL. In Athens, Atlético Madrid showed its attacking force and with goals by Maxi Rodriguez, Diego Forlán and Sergio "Kun"Agüero, won a very useful 3-2 against a Panathinaikos side that will surely be a qualitative asset in the Europa League (or of course, in Click to continue reading...

If the old myth rang true that Arsenal could be harried, bullied, kicked and picked on like little kids in the playground, they proved last night it was a load of old codswallop.

GOALSCORERS: GALLAS, CALDWELL (OG)

It was not a vintage performance by any stretch of the imagination, well, from what I could gather through a stream that felt like I was watching through frosted glass.

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So tonight we play Celtic in the first leg of our Champions League qualifier at Celtic Park, in essence a 40 million quid game. No pressure then.

The team news is that Fabregas, Sagna and Denilson are doubts and will have to undergo fitness tests before the game. I can't see all three of them starting if they are not 100% so maybe Diaby will step in for Denilson which is a shame considering his performance against Everton.

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The Puerto Rico Islanders will play their first match of the year in the 2009 CFU Club Champions' Cup this Friday May 15th, when they face Tempête FC from Haiti, in a single-game semifinal at Marvin Lee Stadium, in Trinidad.

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Last night the Islanders' sister team in the CFU (Caribbean Football Union) Club Champions Cup, Sevilla Puerto Rico settled for a painful 3-3 draw against the Greenbay Hoppers from Antigua & Barbuda.

Sevilla PR dominated most of the game, but the few mitakes they made were enough for the Hoppers to come back and tie the game (3 Hopper goals out of 4 shots). Click to continue reading...