Arsenal hold City, Chelsea slip up, and Liverpool batter Spurs

Here with the round up to the Premier League matches this game week. As per usual, there were its accustomed shocks...

Manchester United v Aston Villa

Both the Red Devils and the Villains were looking to bounce back after humbling defeats midweek to City and Stoke respectively. The match was marred by a plane flying over head trailing a distasteful banner saying "Wrong choice Moyes out." Ashley Westwood stunned the Old Trafford faithful after David de Gea was unable to keep his curling free kick from nestling in the back of the net. United's saviour, Wayne Rooney, equalised 7 minutes later after heading a Shinji Kagawa cross past the Villa keeper, Brad Guzan. A nice turn from Juan Mata invited Leandro Bacuna into a silly challenge which resulted in a penalty for Rooney to slot for his 17th goal of the season. Mata scored his first goal for the Red Devils and Javier Hernandez netted the fourth goal on 90 minutes to ruin my 3-1 prediction and send Villa back to Birmingham empty handed. A bigger task will be faced on Tuesday as United welcome treble winners Bayern Munich to the Theatre of Dreams.

Crystal Palace v Chelsea

A 1-0 result at home to Chelsea boosted Crystal Palace's chances of survival and hindered Chelsea's title aspirations. The first chance fell to Chelsea's Andre Schurrle who had an excellent opportunity to open the scoring but couldn't turn in a Eden Hazard cross. Yannick Bolasie couldn't control a powerful cross fired in from the left with a heavy touch and a rushed shot, he only managed to find the side netting. The goal came when John Terry turned a Joel Ward cross past his keeper in the second half to cap a miserable afternoon for the captain. Chelsea did have chances to get back into the game with chances from Hazard but each drew spectacular saves from Speroni. O'Keefe nearly gifted Chelsea an equaliser as a stray back pass was latched onto by Fernando Torres, but the Spaniard was unable to hit the target with an audacious lob. The jubilation around Selhurst Park was inevitable once the 4 minutes of injury time was up after a superb defensive effort and more will be required if they are to survive.

Southampton v Newcastle

A mid table derby took place at St. Mary's where Southampton gave the Toon Army a footballing lesson. This game saw equisite performances for The Saints' attacking trio and will give Hodgson a head ache for the World Cup. Southampton started brightly with excellent chances from Rodriguez, Lovren and English starlet Adam Lallana but failed to put the ball in the back of the net. The deadlock was finally broken in stoppage time of the first half when Rickie Lambert squared the ball for Jay Rodriguez to put the ball into the back of the net. The Saints deserved the 1-0 lead into the break. The Saints managed to pick up where they left off in the second half. Rickie Lambert managed to beat the offside trap and send an Adam Lallana cross into the roof of the net. Adam Lallana strengthened the his argument for going on the plane to Rio after a thunderous shot from outside the box to score the third.

Stoke City v Hull City

The victory for Stoke will only boost the confidence as they attempt to solidify a solid mid table finish, while Hull slip further down the table after 2 losses in since last weekend. The first chance of the game fell to Tom Huddlestone who unleashed a venomous shot but Asmir Begovic tipped it around the post. Hull appeared more threatening and this was confirmed with a shot that deflected off a Stoke defender which Asmir Begovic parried only for Nikica Jelavic to scuff wide. The deadlock was broken when Peter Odemwingie latched onto a poor pass from Elmohamedy before bearing down on goal and sliding it past Steve Harper. A nice flick by Odemwingie allowed Arnautovic to play through Stephen Ireland but he couldn't double the Potter's lead. Odemwingie has scored goals in his last 3 matches and Stoke are on course to achieve a top 10 finish. Hull are flirting with the drop zone, but couple of wins should see them stay in the Premier League for another season.

Swansea v Norwich

A comfortable 3-0 victory for the Swans appears to have secured Premier League football for next season. The game was a one sided affair in favour of Swansea while Norwich were extremely poor. The scoring opened when Jonathon de Guzmann fired a shot past John Ruddy after a knock down from Michu. The Dutchman netted his and Swansea's second after a perfect 1-2 with Wilfried Bony who poked it past the Norwich keeper. Once the Canaries managed to get possession off a dominant Swansea side, Ricky Van Wolfswinkel managed to fire a powerful shot past Michel Vorm only for Ashley Williams to block the shot. A disguised pass from Jonjo Shelvey allowed Wayne Routledge to drag the ball past a helpless John Ruddy completed the rout for the Swans in a superb performance. As for Norwich, Chris Hughton will go back to the drawing board to try and rectify what was a mistake ridden game if they want to stay up.

West Brom v Cardiff

What do you get when you add 2 world class goals, shoddy defending and last minute drama? A typical Barclays Premier League relegation dog fight of course! Goals came from the start as a moment of magic from Morgan Amalfitano managed to send the ball from 35 yards past Marshall in the Cardiff net, before Graham Dorrans doubled the league within 10 minutes. A beautiful pin point shot from Jordan Mutch managed to catch Ben Foster of his line to half the deficit going into half time. Captain, Steven Caulker, looped a header over the West Brom keeper after a teasing cross from Gary Medel to complete the comeback. West Brom thought they had won the match when Espanyol loanee Thievy scored on only his second appearance. A last gasp equaliser from Mats Daehli secured the point on 95 minutes. Solskjaer will be happy with the result after a poor start from the Welsh side while Pepe Mel will be most likely wondering how his side has not managed to win this match.

Arsenal v Manchester City

A game at the Emirates between 2 teams who are fighting for the title and hellbent on attacking football... Ended in a draw. Early action included a Tomas Rosicky penalty shout but was denied by Mike Dean. The scoring opened after a sparkling run from David Silva allowed Edin Dzeko to create space out on the left and his shot rattled the post but the little Spaniard was in the right place at the right time to nudge the ball in. Arsenal equalised after a Lukas Podolski cross allowed Mathieu Flamini to turn the ball past City keeper, Joe Hart. Arsenal dominated the majority of the second half through chances from Lukas Podolski but were unable to score the winner. While Arsenal may have dominated most of  the second half, Man City did get chances. Yaya Toure managed to round Szczesny, but couldn't fire his shot past the scrambling defence. This result will delight Liverpool with two of their title rivals dropping points.

Fulham v Everton

The 3-1 win for Everton enabled them to capitalise on the dropped points from Arsenal as they aim to steal that 4th spot from under the Gunners' noses. Fulham on the other hand, will be biting their nails, as it seems they need a minor miracle to evade the drop. At half-time, Fulham felt they were in with a shout in this game, however a Naismith shot ricocheted off David Stockdale and ended up in the back of the net. Hope for Fulham was renewed after a sublime solo effort from Ashdan Dejagah profited from a James McCartney slip to beat Tim Howard at his near post. The lead was restored for Everton 8 minutes later when a Aiden McGeady ball split the Cottagers' defence and Kevin Mirallas added the finishing touch. Steven Naismith hammered the final nail in the Cottagers' coffin after a rather fortuitous goal off a Leighton Baines cross. This result leaves Fulham rooted to the bottom and Everton 4 points off Arsenal.

Liverpool v Tottenham

The 4-0 drubbing over Spurs sends Steven Gerrard's Liverpool top of the Premier League the first time since Christmas. The rout started inside 2 minutes through an overlapping run from Glen Johnson for him to send a teasing ball into the box, which was met by the unfortunate Younas Kaboul. Top goal scorer Luis Suarez capitalised on a poor pass from Michael Dawson to slide it past Hugo Lloris. The third goal followed after a superb piece of skill allowed Jon Flanagan to beat Aaron Lennon before releasing Phillippe Coutinho who laced a shot into the bottom left corner. Jordan Henderson's free kick epitomised a shameful defensive effort when it managed to travel through a sea of players to find the net unscathed. In summary, 4-0 flattered Tottenham as they slip further from the prized 4th spot. As for Liverpool, they may be just believing that this could be the year.

Sunderland v West Ham

A pulsating match was on offer at the Stadium of Light tonight, with West Ham taking the spoils. The loss for Sunderland puts a massive splinter in their hopes to stay up. Andy Carroll has been putting his hand up for a plane ticket in the summer with another goal inside 10 minutes, through a close ranged header from a Mark Noble cross. Carroll turned provider as he rose highest to knock the ball down for Mohamed Diame to bury the ball in the left-hand corner from the centre of the spot. Adam Johnson gave Sunderland a life line after a through ball from Craig Gardner, in what proved to only be a consolation. Both teams gave 110% and provided excellent entertainment for the neutral, with exciting end to end football. With away trips to Chelsea and both Manchester clubs, as well as a game against Everton, not many people tip the Black Cats to be in the Premier League next year, while Big Sam silenced the grumblings from the home game against Hull City. 

Champions League Quarter Finals

We are now into the quarter-finals of the Champions League and yet again, the draw has thrown up some exciting spectacles. A difficult day in store for United, a pleased Mourinho and a crunch match at the Bernabeu sums up the draw.

Manchester United v Bayern Munich

Arguably the weakest team left in the competition, Manchester United scraped through a tie against Olympiakos to face a mighty Bayern side, a side that won the treble last year. Bayern will be expected to comfortably dispatch this ageing, under-performing United side. However, this may work to the favour of the Red Devils. The label of underdogs enables them to play without pressure and freedom. With the inadequacies in the defence, United will not be able to sit back and absorb pressure, so risky football may be in store for the encounter. By doing this, anything can happen and they may sneak a result. After all, Man United are at their most dangerous when they are written off. On the contrary, Bayern Munich have been unstoppable this season. Unbeaten in the league, they possess a formidable defence and a potent attacking force. For me, Bayern to progress.

PSG v Chelsea

The other English team in the competition find themselves drawn against Zlatan Ibrahimovic's PSG. It is certainly not the hardest draw, and it gives them a chance of progressing to the next round. Especially playing away first, Mourinho will be hoping to come away with a draw, and then finish the tie off at Stamford Bridge. On his day, Ibrahimovic can be a handful for any defence so Chelsea will need to pay particular attention to him, which may leave spaces for the other attackers. Paris Saint Germain have lost just once this Champions League campaign this year against Benfica, but have recorded high scoring victories against Anderlecht, Leverkusen and Olympiakos. Mourinho has been in many quarter finals throughout his long prestigious career so he will have all the experience to pass to his players, unlike David Moyes. This is a tough one to call, but I believe Chelsea will narrowly defeat the Parisians. 

Barcelona v Atletico Madrid

Barcelona against Atletico Madrid will be a tight affair. Flying high at the top of La Liga, Atletico pose a threat to a side who will definitely be looking to rectify the abrupt exit in last year's competition. Barca wont breeze through this tie, particularly as Diego Simeone has constructed an onerous side and which has surprised many so far. In the last 16, Atleti brushed aside a poor AC Milan side, while Barca had the more difficult task of beating Manchester City. Los Colchoneros own a renowned striker in the form of Diego Costa who has 30 goals this season. While the tie will be competitive, I don't think the experience of Barcelona can be matched by Atletico. On the other hand, if Atletico can get a decent result in the first leg at the Nou Camp, then they stand a very good chance of qualifying in front of their own fans. Unfortunately for the Madrid side, I believe Barcelona have the experience and quality to defeat them.

Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund

The final tie of the round is Borussia Dortmund versus Real Madrid, a replay of the semi final from last year. The previous result will spur Real onto get a positive result in which they were embarrassed in the first leg. It hasn't been an great season for Dortmund even though they are lying in 2nd position. Having lost 7 games in the league and 2 in the Champions League, Dortmund must be underdogs for the tie. I think that Madrid will overpower them. The combination of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale down the flanks and Luka Modric through the middle, has the potential to wreak havoc among this injury-stricken Dortmund side. The attacking prowess of Madrid in the previous round against Schalke emphasises the lightning pace of their counter attack, something which Dortmund must be aware of. Much like United, Dortmund scraped through their last 16 tie against Zenit which should have been a more comfortable affair.

All first leg matches will be played on 1/2 April with the second leg ties being played on 8/9 April.

Arsenal win the bragging rights, City march on and The Theatre of Horrors for Manchester United

Here is the round-up to a fairly negative game-week for Manchester United and Chelsea fans, but a joyful game for Liverpool and Arsenal. Several monumental games took place over the weekend, most notably Manchester United at home to Liverpool, Tottenham against Arsenal and a vital relegation clash between Sunderland and Crystal Palace.

Hull v City

The early game that featured on BT Sport took place between title contenders Manchester City and Hull City who are precariously close to the drop zone. An early professional foul from Vincent Kompany resulted in City going down to 10 men. This seemed to give the hosts a glimmer of hope, before this was dashed by a stunning strike from City's little maestro, David Silva. Edin Dzeko made the score look more comfortable with a goal in the dying minutes. If City can squeeze results such as these out, while others drop points, then they definitely will be up at the top come the end of the season. After all, the best teams grind out results even when they are a man down.

Everton v Cardiff

It took a late, late winner from Irishman, Seamus Coleman on this St Patricks Weekend to seal the points for the Toffees and heap more misery on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Cardiff manager. A skilful turn from Barcelona loanee, Gerard Deulofeu beat Gary Medel, before bearing down on goal and side footing it past the Cardiff keeper. Juan Cala equalised off a Peter Wittingham free kick to level the game once more. Cardiff thought they were leaving Merseyside with a point before Coleman scuffed a shot past Cardiff keeper, Marshall, from a cushioned header from Gareth Barry. Cardiff are lying perilously in 19th spot, 3 points of safety, while the win lifted Everton above United in the table.

Fulham v Newcastle

A win for Fulham ends a poor run of form for the Cottagers. Although they remain rooted to the bottom of the table, this victory against top half opposition will give them the confidence to escape the drop. A poor piece of goalkeeping from Tim Krul gifted Dejagah the winner for Fulham after superb build-up from Lewis Holtby. Fulham were pressured by an onslaught of attacks from the Toons and Howard Webb dismissed a penalty shout when the ball appeared to hit the hand of Johnny Heitinga. This loss will hinder Newcastle's attempts at securing a mid table finish after an indifferent season.

Southampton v Norwich

The Saints and The Canaries contested the highest scoring affair of the weekend. Morgan Schneiderlin scored the opener in the 5th minute before Ricky Lambert scored a very calm goal by slotting it passed John Ruddy. Lambert was also involved in their third goal as he assisted Jay Rodriguez for his 12th BPL goal of the season. Goals from Johan Elmander and Robert Snodgrass brought Norwich back into the game but a late Sam Gallagher winner eased the nerves for the fans and sealed the points for the Saints.

Stoke v West Ham

The tall figure of Andy Carroll rose highest to nod in Mark Noble's cross to give the Hammers the lead. 2 goals from Peter Odemwingie helped Stoke to overturn the deficit. Odemwingie found himself in the right place at the right time to deflect in an acrobatic shot from Peter Crouch for his first goal while a nutmeg from Arnautovic on Winston Reid allowed him to poke it passed Adrian. Referee, Craig Pawson, rebuked the protests of Andy Carroll over a suspected handball from Stoke centre-back Muniesa. Replays show that the Englishman may have had a case. Odemwingie netted his second and secured the points for the Potters after a swift counter attack to smash home in a better fashion than his first. Safety seems almost secure for both teams, but both will be aiming to make their finish a bit more respectable.

Sunderland v Crystal Palace

The Stadium of Light witnessed the only draw of the weekend between 2 teams were a victory would have gone a long way to secure their presence in the league next season. Liverpool loanee, Fabio Borini, rattled the Palace woodwork in the best opportunity to break the deadlock in the second half. A nudge from Cameron Jerome to Kagisho Dikgacoi opened up space for the Palace man to have a crack but sent the shot to the left of the upright. In a game that lacked any quality a dull nil-nil draw was probably deserved result for 2 teams battling relegation.

Swansea v West Brom

Pepe Mel was able to bring to an end a dismal opening record by recording his first victory as West Brom manager at the 8th time of asking. Roland Lamah put the Swans in front with a neat finish after latching onto a through ball from Wilfried Bony. Swansea will rue the chances they had to double the lead in the first half, before Mel regrouped a lacklustre West Brom side at the break. A higher pressure in the second half resulted a much better display from the Baggies. Stephane Sessegnon smashed West Brom an equaliser before Mulumbu sealed the points for the Baggies. Swansea are slowly slipping down the table while West Brom cannot risk being slow starters in the last 10 games. 

Aston Villa v Chelsea

A deft flick from Fabien Delph off a Marc Albrighton cross was enough to see off the might of Mourinho's Chelsea. Chelsea had an early Nemanja Matic goal disallowed for handball in the first half, before a risky challenge from Brazilian hotshot Willian resulted him in receiving his marching orders for a second bookable offence. Things went from bad to worse for the Londoners when Ramires was shown a straight red from Chris Foy for a reckless challenge on El Ahmedi. Rightly deserved in my opinion. To add salt into the wounds, Mourinho was sent to the stands after an altercation on the sidelines prior to the Ramires red card. The result was a blow to Chelsea's title ambitions but a warmly welcomed one for Villa as they win successive home games for the first time since August 2010 and distance themselves from the drop zone.

Man United v Liverpool

Possibly the headline result of the weekend saw Manchester United get humiliated at home to their North-West rivals, Liverpool. A game which saw 3 penalties, 2 of which were converted by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, while Suarez added the third to inflict pain on the United faithful. In addition to this Nemanja Vidic was sent off for what seemed a innocuous challenge where there was non-existant contact on Daniel Sturridge. The debated penalty was probably justice for the blatant foul in the box by Carrick. Liverpool march on and seem to be the dark horses for this year's title, while Moyes and United have to pick themselves up after another poor result and performance.

Arsenal v Tottenham

The North London derby. A game in which the time stops for fans in the city. Arsenal were looking to keep in the running for the title chase, while a win would be necessary if Spurs were to keep their top 4 aspirations flowing. In contrast to previous clashes, a solitary goal was the difference between the teams in this episode. A terrific shot with impeccable technique from Tomas Rosicky after a fortuitous touch from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sealed the points. For the majority of the game, particularly the second half, Tottenham were on top with excellent chances from former Gunner, Emmanuel Adebayor and Nacer Chadli, but were unable to level the game.

Next week fixtures:

22 Mar 12:45 Chelsea v Arsenal

22 Mar 15:00 Cardiff City v Liverpool

22 Mar 15:00 Everton v Swansea

22 Mar 15:00 Hull City v West Brom

22 Mar 15:00 Man City v Fulham

22 Mar 15:00 Newcastle v Crystal Palace

22 Mar 15:00 Norwich v Sunderland

22 Mar 17:30 West Ham v Man Utd

23 Mar 13:30 Tottenham v Southampton

23 Mar 16:00 Aston Villa v Stoke City

The Best League in the World?

The question of 'Which is the Best League in the World?' is often asked and even more frequently answered with the Barclays Premier League as it is the most competitive. In the light of Roy Keane's recent comments, I thought it would be beneficial to share my opinions.

La Liga

While the La Liga contains arguably 2 of the biggest teams in the world, I don't see this as the best league in the world. The league is constantly a 2 horse race as either Barcelona or Real Madrid have won it since the 2003-2004 season. The vast majority of the Spanish national side play their football in Spain for either Barcelona or Real Madrid. This has proved both teams, especially Barca to be a force in Europe in the past seasons, having won the Champions League 3 times since 2005. However, a new force in the shape of Atletico Madrid are going from strength to strength and will test rivals Madrid and Barca in the coming seasons.

Unfortunately for Madrid, they have been living in the Blaugrana's shadow for the last few years. Barca's European dominance has also helped the national side. Spain have dominated International football by winning 2 European Championships in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2010. For what the league lacks in competitive nature, it makes up for in sheer brilliance and skill from Barca and Real and is a must watch to see the best players in the world in action.

Serie A

The Italian League on the other hand, is an underrated league, in my opinion. Since the turn of the century, 5 different teams have won it while it is a constant scramble for 2nd and 3rd place. On the downside, the League has seen its rainy days. The 2006 match fixing scandal saw Juventus stripped of their title and booted out of Serie A to Serie C1 while Fiorentina and Lazio were demoted to Serie B. Other sanctions were also given to Milan and Reggina. A bad light portrayed of our Beautiful Game. 

The next season will prove profitable for rising stars Napoli as they invested their €60m wisely that they got from the sale of Edinson Cavani. AC Milan look strong as do Juventus but AC rivals Inter, is a different story. A disappointing 9th place finsh last season saw them finish behind arch rivals AC. A league which has been plagued with controversy in the past is competitive and will be sure to stay that way with the rise of new teams. Juventus appear to be in pole position to be crowned champions, while AS Roma surprised everyone with their explosive start to the season. On the other hand, Milan have had a disastrous season, which further emphasises the unpredictable nature of the Italian League.

Bundesliga

The Bundesliga now holds the European Champions in the shape of Bayern Munich for the 1st time in 12 years. The final was an all German affair between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern, but more interestingly, it was a final no one expected. Bayern ran 7 goals past Barcelona on aggregate in a vintage German performance while Dortmund's home leg against Madrid saw Robert Lewandowski net 4 goals. After these results, many said that this was the end of Spain's dominance in continental football and that 'Ze Germans' were heading for world domination... Where have we heard that before... 

The previous season witnessed records broken as Bayern walked away with the title after reclaiming it from rivals Dortmund. Bayern became the first team to do the 'treble' in Germany and this season will answer questions in terms of their seize of power over football. With exception to Bayern last season, teams were regularly beating each other such as relegation battlers Hoffenheim defeating Dortmund 4-1 away from home. The same trend has carried on into this season. 

Bayern have effectively won the league with 2 months to spare, and are favourites to win the Champions League again. Similar to La Liga, for what it lacks in competition, it makes up for in quality, particularly from Bayern and Dortmund. The best league in the world? Tough to say whether it beats the English league but its certainly up there with the quality and quantity of goals scored up to this date.

Is the Premier League all that it's hyped up to be?

Touted as the most competitive and exciting league in the world, this tag certainly lived up to expectations at the end of the 2011/2012 season, with City taking the title in the dying embers of the campaign. A magical moment whether a City fan, United fan or the neutral. We can never definitively say who will be relegated or clinch the title due to the unpredictability of the league. Although it was a two horse race for the majority of the previous season, this season, any team from Manchester to London can do it. 

I believe Chelsea will be win the league, now that their guardian angel, Jose Mourinho is at the helm. Mourinho has the know-how and experience to guide his team to an English title. However, what I find disappointing about the Premier League, is the failings in Europe over the past seasons. Although Chelsea won the Europa League, no British team got passed the last 16 stage of the Champions League and also that 3/4 English teams appear to be going out at the first hurdle. With the money involved in Chelsea and Manchester City, mixed with the superb form of Arsenal and Liverpool it will only be a matter of time until the British teams are back at the the top.

As for the comments made by Roy Keane, I agree with him that the Premier League is the best 'brand' however I disagree with his opinion that it's not the best league. If you are looking for quality football and a competitive season, then look no further than the Barclays Premier League.

In a close second, I think it's Serie A. I feel the 14 point gap at the top is down to the sheer quality of Juve, rather than the inability of the rest. However, it just lacks the quality in Europe - with the exception of stragglers, Milan. I can easily see the Serie A becoming more competitive if a club is bought over and money is pumped in like what has happened at City and PSG.

Will the World Cup be a Success?

It's less than 100 days until the eagerly awaited FIFA World Cup kicks off. Brazil is the venue this year and the excitement for the trophy is reaching its peak. Most managers will have a rough idea of the squad they want to take to the tournament while every player will be trying to receive the all important plane ticket to Brazil.

However, the Brazilian nation has not been without its controversy and various events over the past year has made an attempt to blemish the anticipated spectacle.

"It had the potential to threaten the lives of the players"

Most recently, the roof at Belo Horinzonte collapsed onto the pitch. This will add to the pre match jitters of the English fans as they face Costa Rica. The stadium is scheduled to hold 3 group stage games including the England match and also a semi final match. While no one was killed in this collapse, it had the potential to threaten the lives of the players, particularly as the roof toppled just hours before a regional championship match was due to be played.

The tropical city of Manaus also hosts an England match. Back in early February, a World Cup worker was killed as he dismantled a crane. In November, it was well documented about the killing of 2 workers after a crane collapsed in the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo. 

"Curitiba is in jeopardy of being removed as a host city"

As we grow closer to the World Cup, the capricious preparations for Brazil has cast some doubts over some FIFA Officials, particularly when the city of Curitiba is in jeopardy of being removed as a host city because of a delay in stadium construction. However, it just goes from bad to worse for Brazil as the poor infrastructure of some of the stadiums is the least they should be worrying about.

Fan trouble has hampered the preparations of the nation and this was evident throughout the Confederations Cup back in June. Brazilians were in uproar over the increased fares of buses and trees. The protests, turned to riots over the high levels of corruption throughout the Brazilian government and police. During the Confederations Cup last year, protests were rife, and the sounds of police weapons were audible throughout the Uruguay vs Nigeria match on June 20th. It is also worth noting that the heavy handed tactics of the police do not help the situation sparked even more riots and violence.

It couldn't possibly get any worse... Could it?

Yes, yes it could. Fans have been warned about a deadly holiday bug named, dengue fever. It has the capacity to kill by producing flu-like symptoms with the more serious leading to internal bleeding. It claims 20,000 lives every year and is expected to peak in at least 3 of the 12 host cities. 

With Brazil in the middle of some major sports projects, anxiety may be creeping into the the minds of the Brazilian population and also the rest of the world, about their ability to stage a major sporting event.

This makes bleak reading for a Brazilian or a World Cup enthusiast, however, personally, I believe that the World Cup will be a resounding success. I hope that the President has the situation in Brazil sorted out in time, but I also feel that the World Cup will galvanise a torn nation, after all, they worship football in that country. As for FIFA, I believe they have bigger worries... 

...Such as why Qatar are allowed to host the 2022 World Cup...