Kashiwa Reysol secured the J-League title and a place in the FIFA Club World Cup as the host nation's representatives following a climatic finish to the season in Japan this weekend. The title triumph was all the more remarkable given that the team had only won promotion from the Japanese second division last season.

To coin a well-known footballing phrase, it's squeaky bum time in two of Asia's biggest leagues.

In Japan the title will go down to a last day showdown with any one from Kashiwa Reysol, Nagoya Grampus Eight and Gamba Osaka all capable of winning the championship. Kashiwa currently hold the advantage of topping the table with 69 points from 33 games whilst Nagoya and Osaka trail the leaders by just one and two points respectively with one round of matches to be played next weekend.

The past few months have been a roller-coaster for Arsenal fans. After only seven games of the current campaign they had notched a mere two wins and had been on the back of some truly embarrassing results. When you look at the league table and see Arsenal lurking outside the relegation places it is obvious something is wrong and of course the fans look for someone to blame.

And then there were three. Two familiar contenders, one plucky outsider and four league games are all that stand between Kashiwa Reysol, Gamba Osaka, Nagoya Grampus and the J. League title.
Autumn is especially beautiful across the Kantō Plain, when the deciduous leaves fall and a mellow sunlight light frames the back streets and alleys of one of the world's most populous regions.

Since there is an international break in club action this weekend, we are going to take advantage of the break to bring the next entry in our series of Annual Club Rankings.
For the second time in three years, Juventus headed the top of the Annual Rankings despite finishing as runner-up in the European Champions Cup.

With twelve rounds of matches to play in the Japanese J-League there is an intriguing four way battle for title honours. Last season's champions Nagoya Grampus Eight are, along with Yokohama Marinos, just one point behind the top two of Gamba Osaka and Kashiwa Reysol (22 games, 43 points).

Gamba Osaka were involved in the tie of the weekend getting the better of Kawasaki Frontale by six goals to three with Brazilian Rafinha scoring a hat-trick and helping stretch Gamba's unbeaten run to seven matches.

Jason Cowley, author of that memorable book about Arsenal and the end of the old First Division, 'The Last Game', has penned a pertinent take on the current dilemma for manager Arsene Wenger.

Starved of funds for reinforcements and with his best players Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri wanting to leave, the Frenchman's dream of an Ajax on the Thames looks to have stalled perhaps for good.

The Round of 16 in the 2011 AFC Champions League was completed over the last two days.

South Korea remains the strongest nation in the competition with three clubs representing the K-League in the quarter-final stages. K-League title holders FC Seoul defeated record Japanese champions Kashima Antlers by three goals to nil with goals from Hwan, Dejan Damjanović and Ko sealing their passage through to the last eight.

The group stages in the two major Asian club competitions have concluded on Wednesday and there was plenty of tension in the air. The remaining places in the Round of 16 stages of each competition were up for grabs and ensured some dramatic action on Matchday 6.

In the AFC Champions League there was virtually nothing left to play for in the east of the continent as all of the qualifiers from Groups E-H were known before kick-off.

Sport.co.uk understands that CSKA Moscow striker Keisuke Honda will not be leaving the club in the summer despite rumoured interest from Liverpool, Arsenal and AC Milan.
On the back of the Japanese international's superb performances at the World Cup finals last summer, the 24-year-old was lauded as the player of the tournament by Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, who alongside Kenny Dalglish and Serie A giants AC Milan, have been perpetually credited as admirers of the precocious youngster.

The qualifying play-offs for the 2011 AFC Champions League have been completed this weekend and for Qatar's Al-Sadd and Al Ain from the United Arab Emirates it has been a great weekend as they secured the final two berths in this year's tournament.

In the West section Al-Sadd, who easily disposed of Syrian side Al-Ittihad with a 5-1 scoreline in the first play-off round, had to overcome the challenge of Indian champions Dempo SC in order to reach the group stages.

Kashima Antlers have won the 2010 Emperor's Cup with a 2-1 win in the final against Shimuzu S-Pulse. The win means that the Antlers have won this competition for the second time in four years and fourth time overall.

Fellype Gabriel gave Kashima the lead after 26 minutes in the National Stadium, Tokyo, but Frode Johnsen, a two-goal hero in Shimuzu's semi-final win over Gamba Osaka, restored parity in the 59th minute.