England Clubs Domestic Woes

I'm writing this right after Chelsea trail Napoli 3-1 after the first leg in Naples, and to be honest, emotions are running high. I've never been so ashamed in English domestic football in my life - Chelsea's performance underlining the incompetence of English football. I remember a time where England used to dominate Europe, contesting every game and pitting their wits against even the world’s best clubs; and prevailing. This time was merely a few years ago, but sadly, after the evidence of English clubs in Europe this year, it impossible to say that The English league is the best league in the world.

Cavani scoring the second goal for Napoli against Chelsea,
leaving Chelsea keeper, Petr Cech, hapless

England are the creators of football, responsible for the beautiful game that seems to dominate everyday modern life. A great history surrounds the countries top clubs, with Liverpool and Manchester United just two of the clubs who have enjoyed past time success in Europe. But this season has been indifferent for English sides. With both Manchester clubs crashing out of the Champions League shamefully at the group stages, as well as London Clubs Chelsea and Arsenal staring down the barrel of defeat after unforgivable losses in Italy, these appalling results spell dark times for English football.

The way that English clubs have conducted themselves in Champions League football is purely embarrassing. At this rate, no English club will feature in the Champions League quarter finals - the first time this would've happened since 1996. A shocking statistic which heavily underlines the serious problems that English clubs have found themselves in this calendar year. Since 2005, an English club has represented England in the Champions League final on 7 occasions, an incredible fact which glorifies English football as a whole. But this season English clubs are very unlikely to even make the quarter finals. Usually so successful in Europe, England clubs have failed to live up to expectations and have underperformed massively.

So where did it all go wrong? I'm going to review the 4 English Champions league representatives and outline my disappointment at their performances:

Sir Alex Ferguson displays his dissapointment

Manchester United may be having a good domestic season, but being beaten by Basle and subsequently getting knocked out of the Champions League has to make them the biggest disappointment of the 4 English representatives. On paper, they had a easy looking group and were expected to cruise through, but United seemed to crack under the pressure and the club who have been in 3 Champions League finals since 2008, crashed out infamously, to the sheer disappointment of all the clubs fans and neutrals around the country.

Manchester City are 1st in the Barclays Premier League this year, winning 13/13 home league games - but failing to replicate this sort of form in the Champions League. Undoubtedly there were some first season fears against the world's elite, but their domestic success proved that they should've been more than able to stand up to the task. Although they had a hard group with the likes of Napoli, Bayern and Villarreal proving to be touch opponents, City left the Champions league alongside city rivals United.

Chelsea's result today prompted me to write this blog. Not so long ago they were crowned English champions, representing the best English club to compete in Europe. But their decline has been frightening, and they currently lie 5th in the BPL, a massive 17 points behind leaders Manchester City. To lose to a Napoli side who like they, have had their troubles in their own domestic league, and to lose in the manner they did is truly unacceptable. AVB has come under severe criticism and rightly so. He has inherited an old Chelsea side, but nevertheless, he has failed to motivate them and his inexperience as a manager accompanied by some strange decisions has seriously harmed their league position. Although they can still progress, AVB needs to install the same confidence and natural maturity that he displayed as Porto manager - and finally inject that into a clearly disillusional and troubled Chelsea side.

Andre Villas Boas is under pressure after having a torrid
time in his first season at Chelsea

What can we say about Arsenal. They've had their ups and downs this year, their performances have come under scrutiny and Arsene Wenger has come under heavy fire from both club supporters and domestic media. Although comprehensively progressing through their group, they unluckily were drawn against AC Milan, and under their form - were up against it. The Gunners were quickly rolled up and tossed aside, Milan making a mockery of a poor Arsenal side. The looks of disarray that the arsenal players displayed as the goals flew in, looking hapless to the humiliation they were suffering. That's what makes it more embarrassing - they knew they were getting a hiding, but no one responded. Their performances reflect their season so far, weak and tentative.

So something has to be done, and fast. People still regard the BPL as the best league in the world, but with English clubs competing in Europe and performing as badly as they are, this will soon change. Whether this year is just a blip or it is a sign for things to come, I am very worried about the state of English football. Either the top English clubs bounce back next year and perform according to how their reputation says, or, they can perform in the same manner and suffer the same embarrassment as they have done this year. Nevertheless, regardless of what happens, England as a whole should be embarrassed by the countries top clubs displays against Europe’s elite this year, and if either Arsenal or Chelsea would be in the draw for the last 16, it would be a miracle.