They lit up the world for an all too brief period but they proved it was better to burn out than fade away. The Denmark side of 1986 was a joy to watch. The likes of Preben Elkjær, Jesper Olsen, Jan Molby and Michael Laudrup led their group rivals Scotland, Uruguay, and most impressively West Germany, a merry dance. Total football was back on the footballing menu and the world was their oyster… but then the got a little too cocky and after taking the lead against Spain in the second round of the competition they well and truly hit the self destruct button…repeatedly and got stuffed 5-1. We chose however to remember them more fondly with the video below showing the Danes frankly taking the piss and making Uruguay very angry indeed.
Chelsea returned to the top of the Premier League table with this relatively comfortable win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
Two Didier Drogba goals in the opening 23 minutes put the Gunners to the sword as Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea side put a massive dent in their north London rivals title hopes. John Terry helped on a corner that the Ivorian pounced to flick home.
Drogba then added a second when good work from Frank Lampard set the striker up for yet another goal against the visitors. Arsenal were unable to battle back from two goals down and appeared shell shocked by Chelsea’s opening salvo but did manage twice as many shots on goal as their opponents but couldn’t find a way past Petr Cech.
Didier Drogba came achingly close to a hat-trick when his 30 yard free kick cannoned off the crossbar. Arsene Wenger is left to wonder how after an excellent ten game unbeaten run counts for nought after successive defeats against their biggest rivals.
A match of many talking points as Anfield played host to a blood and thunder Merseyside derby. As predicted the referee was busy all afternoon taking names but he appeared to have made an error in sending off Greek international Sotirios Kyrgiakos was given a red card for his part in a horror tackle that should probably have seen Marouane Fellaini sent off too.
Despite their numerical disadvantage Liverpool had two great chances to take the lead in the first half and Dirk Kuyt put the home side ahead early in the second half after Steven Gerrard puts in a top quality corner into the box which the in form Dutchman heads in for his 50th Liverpool goal.
The Reds held on to clinch another vital three points in their race to regain their place in the top four after a determined performance at Anfield after playing most of the match with ten men. To add insult to injury Steven Pienaar saw red, possibly a lot later than he should have done, in the dying seconds for a pointless tackle on Lucas.
Euro 2012 qualifying draw has been made, and as usual it took ages for the men at UEFA to stop playing with their balls! (forgive obligatory playing with balls remark).