On Tottenham Hotspur: Evaluating their 3-2 defeat in the Champions League against Young Boys.

First, some background: Tottenham Hotspur have never made it to the Champions League in their club's history. Harry Redknapp accomplished this for the first time for the club this season. But, there's a catch, they had to play one qualifier to get into the group stage. Shouldn't be a problem, right? They just have to get by Swiss club Young Boys. Wrong.

Today: In the 28th minute, Spurs find themselves down 3 goals in Bern. Let's look at why this happened:

1. No Ledley King. Ledley King is the usual captain of Spurs and the central defender who starts alongside countryman Michael Dawson. However, King has a bad knee, and the Young Boys' stadium is Astroturf. So manager Harry Redknapp decided to play it safe and not play him. A great move, I think. But, King is usually the one on the team after they get scored on to calm everyone down and get back to business as usual. With him not there, Dawson was the captain. And he took it upon himself to yell at Benoit Assou-Ekoto and King fill-in Sebastien Bassong. Which they may have deserved, but the effect was spooked defenders and more goals for Young Boys.

But let's talk about the defenders for a moment. Benoit Assou-Ekoto, I guess, used all of his "good" in the match against Manchester City. He got straight up beat in one breakaway that led to a Young Boys' goal, and really couldn't even complete a pass. Bassong saved himself with that goal, because the other two goals were completely his fault. Sub-par marking and a complete ineptness with the ball at his feet were his big fallouts. Dawson looked just as bad in the first half, but he really pulled it together in the second half and looked like his old self. Vedran Corluka actually got forward pretty well in attack and didn't have a half bad game. Other than though, a poor defensive effort from Spurs.

All this to say, Spurs will be happy to get King back on the field at White Heart Lane next week.

2. No Huddlestone in starting line-up. I'm convinced that Spurs are frozen stiff without Tom Huddlestone. The 6'3'' hulk dominates play when he's on the field, and they clearly struggled without him in the starting line-up. I know why he wasn't there though, he plays so damn hard that asking him to come back after playing on Saturday is just too much. However, he did come in for Assou-Ekoto in the 35th minute, and things went better for Spurs from there.

3. Poor performance from Modric. I don't know what Croatian Luka Modric is doing before games these days, but he looks less like the "maestro" he's reported to be and more like a stoner. He really doesn't do anything and gave the ball away multiple times. The testiment to how bad he was was that Redknapp replaced him for Niko Kranjar at the break, who had a great game. I think that Modric at his best is a definite need for this team, but when he's off, he's really off.

Also in midfield, Wilson Palacios didn't look like he had a clue all game. He was giving the ball away left and right, and just didn't seem to know where to position himself on the field. Maybe Redknapp will consider using Jermaine Jenas next match.

4. Astroturf. English boys like grass better. Nuff said.

5. Strikers. Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavyluchenko (before his 83' goal) were struggling, big time. Defoe couldn't get on the end of anything and looked like he had bricks attached to his cleets his touch was so poor. Pavy just kept diving for fouls and was basically worthless. It wasn't until Robbie Keane came on that things really started clicking. He's so good at linking play between the midfield and attack and he did that so effectively late on in this match. It was his pass that put Roman on his way to his thunderous goal. Crouch needed to be rested in this match, and probably wouldn't have done well in this match anyway because of the Astro and the lack of Aaron Lennon. Which brings me to my next point.

6. No Lennon. Aaron Lennon is a speedy little bastard, and he's got pretty great service too. Any side would miss his pace, and this was a team that was constantly struggling to find a final ball. When they found one, such as Gareth Bale's service from the left, things seemd to be going well. But on the other side, Corluka and Dos Santos just couldn't quite get it right. Lennon will be a welcomed return next week at White Heart Lane.

This is what I think went wrong in Berne today, hopefully things will go better next week for Spurs. The good news is, they got two away goals. So really all they have to do is win by at least one next week at White Heart Lane to win in the aggregate score and advance to their club's first Champions League tournament.

On Jose Mourinho: What his arrival at Real Madrid means for the club and himself

No manager in football today is as hated, loved, feared, acclaimed, or successful as Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese two-time Champions League winner was ushered into Real Madrid yesterday, and he already has high hopes for the club. Mourinho has said publicly that he wants to become the first manager to win three different league titles in three different countries, and to become the first manager to win the Champions League three times with three different clubs.

Most people would think that's pretty damn cocky, but let's look at what it is about Mourinho that makes these claims legitimate, especially in the context of Real Madrid. There are three aspects of Mourinho's coaching style to examine in this respect:

1. Discipline. This is the first and foremost priority of the teams of Jose Mourinho. Everyone on the team knows their place, and everyone works together as a team. This goes double for Real Madrid, who have a star-studded roster.

It's brightest star is, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo. Mourinho is going to be able to "reign in" Ronaldo quite effectively, for a number of reasons. One of them being the reason listed above, that Mourinho is a manager that won't put up with Ronaldo's antics on and off the field. The other reason that this won't be a difficult task for Mourinho is the intense relationship that the two men already have before he has even arrived. Ronaldo made statements three months ago that he would love to be coached by Mourinho, and that was actually when the buzz started about Mourinho's move there. In addition to that, both men are from Portugal, and have seemingly similar personalities.

2. Personality. This is true of both Mourinho and Mourinho's teams. A large part of Mourinho's goal when coming to a club is to establish one distinct identity about that team. When he was at Chelsea, it was blazing pace and unforgiving score lines. At Inter, it was all about defense and then a razor sharp counter attack led by Wesley Sneijder and Diego Milito. It will be important for Mourinho to establish this identity at Real too, as it is a club full of a lot of great players from a lot of different places.

This is also true of the man himself. Mourinho is a different kind of manager because he's always on the sidelines. He can be extremely animated during matches, screaming at players, refs, or anyone who will listen to him. This is sort of a welcomed sight for me, because usually when they show the manager they are just sitting up in a press box, and it really doesn't even look like they are watching the match.

During one match I was watching, Milito was called offsides. Mourinho immediately walked over to one of the assistants on the sidelines and leaned on the table, trying to get a peek at the camera on instant replay to see if the call was legitimate. The assistant slowly turned the monitor away from Mourinho, and Mourinho frowned and walked away. I have to admit, I laughed. He's definitely a character.

3. Merciless signing of new players. Mourinho likes to have the players he wants, particularly those that are in their early 30s so that he can get two or three more great years out of them. This will especially be true at Real, who are known as, as one of my friends told me: "The Yankees of soccer."

Mourinho already has a wish-list, which he announced two days ago. He wants Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and Ashley Cole. Wow, wow, and wow. I know that when you first read that list, it seems impossible that any of those players would leave, but it's actually just the opposite. Ashley Cole has just undergone an extremely messy divorce from his wife in England, and Mourinho is convinced that he'll want to leave the island. Furthermore, Mourinho was the one who first signed Cole at Chelsea, and they had a great relationship there. As for Lampard, he was basically Mourinho's go-to guy at Chelsea for three years. Even Gerrard almost joined Chelsea in 2004 but at the last moment decided to stay at Liverpool. What this proves is that Mourinho can basically get anyone he wants, especially now that he's at Real. Can you blame any player who joins his side though? It's basically a golden ticket to the Champions League, as history as shown.

Now, this is what we know we can expect from Mourinho. But what does he need to do to get Real Madrid to win the Champions League? Here's what I think:

1. Benzema has to not suck. Karim Benzema last year was the big signing of the year. United, Real, Barca, you name the club, they wanted this young Frenchman to play for them. When Real got him, it was a really big deal. But then Benzema couldn't really deliver, and never got better throughout the season. In fact, his campaign was so disappointing that he wasn't capped for the World Cup this year. Mourinho needs to give this kid some confidence, he needs to devise a game plan that will suit his needs. Benzema could be the best striker of the next decade, and Mourinho has him sitting on his bench right now.

2. He needs to get Casillas on his side. Iker Casillas is Real Madrid. He's been at the club since he was 7 years old, in fact, he's been basically the only constant at Real for the past decade. He's the revered best goalkeeper in the world. He has signed a contract for life with the club, with the buyout clause saying it all: 182 million dollars. He's the captain, he's the fan favorite, and he's Mourinho's key to getting this team to the Champions League. Mourinho needs to have a strong following amongst these star players, and they're going to be looking at Casillas to judge him.

3. Solidify the defense. Real's back four, other than Sergio Ramos, has been a cavalcade of players with no real connection to the fans or to the club itself. Mourinho needs to get a solid back four going, as that is the key to success in any major tournament. He's already making strides there though, as apparently Maicon wants to come with Mourinho from Inter. We've already seen how good Mourinho can make clubs defensively at Inter, but he's got work to do at Real.

This is my profile of what Jose Mourinho means to Real and what it means to him. Like this/have questions/think I'm wrong? Comment!

On Manchester City: How Peter Crouch's forehead ruined the hopes and dreams of a franchise

Late in the second half of the Manchester City vs. Tottenham game, Peter Crouch bumbled into a cross and headed it into the net of City, 1-0. City was unable to respond, and secured their fifth place spot in the Premier League. Tottenham's three points from the victory secured fourth place for them and a berth into the Champions League next season. But there are two big implications for City losing this game other than not making the Champions League. Let's take a look:

1. Keeping foreign players here. Coming into this season, City were criticized as a team of stars with no real team element. Their front three clearly shows this. Carlos Tevez (pictured above), Robinho, and Emmanuel Adebayour. These guys all came to City with promises of a couple of things: a Premiership within two years, a Champions League berth this season, and a lot of playing time. It seems that those first two are going to be a little out of reach. That has made these guys pretty antsy. Particularly Robinho. The Brazilian on loan came out yesterday pleading to return to Brazil to play for a club like Sao Paulo, so he's probably gone. Manchester United and even Real Madrid have also shown a vested interest in Tevez, and he knows if he goes there he'll get what he wants. But Tevez is a great guy, he scored 23 goals in League play this year and by all accounts is extremely happy at City. But will he be able to resist the temptation? Only time will tell. But as the World Cup gets closer and closer, it seems that a lot of clubs are waiting to see how the Argentinian will perform. Adebayour is talent that will be particularly hard to hold on to. His ball skills are already turning heads, despite an underwhelming goal tally. The loss of these players, particularly Tevez, is a major threat to City's chances next season.

2. Getting new players. City is among Chelsea as one of the first clubs to make an offer to Fernando Torres. They are offering the same amount (perhaps even more) and another laundry list of players for Liverpool to choose from. But Torres probably won't go there. The Spanish phenom wants to go to the Champions League, and Crouch's forehead ruled that out for City. They also made a big offer to Aston Villa attacking midfielder Milner yesterday, but he hasn't made a statement about that yet. One can't help but wonder if Milner would want to leave a club where he is the established star to go to a team with no chemistry and have to prove himself all over again, without even having a crack at the Champions League. Oh how the dominoes fall.

But things aren't all bad for City. They've got some experience under their belt, and this means that they'll only work harder next season. They also made the Europa League with fifth place, which isn't bad at all. At least they have something to take how to their fans, and they'll certainly be one of the strongest clubs in the tournament next year.

So perhaps my title was a little harsh, there maybe hope yet for City.

On Fernando Torres: Why Liverpool will be better off without him

It's been a rough year at Anfield. The Red faithful have seen their golden boy Steven Gerrard's form dipping dramatically, an extremely disappointing seventh place finish putting them out of the Champions League for next season, and, finally, the debilitation of their star Fernando Torres. Torres scored 18 goals in League play this year. Which isn't bad at all. But it wasn't enough to keep the Reds, who had trouble defending most matches, in their usual top 3 spot. And it's a total with a big asterisk, *injuries. Torres was on and off the pitch this season, whether it was for mere exhaustion or ligament problems. Injuries are never fun, and it's probable that had Torres been able to stay healthy, Liverpool may have had more of a shot in the Premier League and probably would have won the Europa Cup too.

Don't get me wrong, Torres is a marvelous player. You are looking at basically the best player on the ball since Maradona. He's got the perfect balance of finesse, work ethic, ball control, passing ability, and raw talent that is currently making every major club drool.

So what's with the title? What would ever make Liverpool want to lose this guy? The answer lies in exactly who is looking at him. Right now, Manchester City and Chelsea are both offering record breaking (mind boggling) transfer fees for Torres. Chelsea looks to be the more likely to acquire Torres at this point, as the Spanish striker wants a shot at the Champions League, and City just missed the qualifier this year. More on that later.

So let's look at two big reasons why Liverpool benefits from losing Torres to Chelsea.

1. A laundry list of great players. Chelsea has offered the following players to smooth things over for Liverpool's transition without Torres: Jose Bosingwa, Nicolas Anelka, Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, Salomon Kalou and Paulo Ferreira.

Liverpool has their pick of any three of those. They don't really need Bosingwa because they have Glen Johnson, but obviously the skilled French striker Anelka would help fill Torres' shoes. The Portuguese Deco is an established legend and would be a welcomed sight at center field, where he would likely replace Italian teenager Aquillani. Kalou would be a great attacking midfielder to sub in for Gerrard, because god knows that kid gets tired sprinting his ass off to every ball that comes his way. He would also come in across from newly acquisitioned Maxi Rodriguez and fan favorite Dirk Kuyt, creating possibly a perfect storm of crosses raining in on the 18 yard box. But probably the best bet for Liverpool would be either of the center defenders offered, Carvalho and Ferreira. The full-back position at Liverpool this year has been a merry-go-round of players, none of which seemed to be able to keep the pressure off of goalkeeper Pepe Reina, which ended up not being so bad for him, as he was able to prove his worth to the Spanish national team.

2. Transfer fee. What do you do with 80 million pounds? A better question: what don't you do with 80 million pounds? This is an earth-shattering amount, and easily eclipses last year's record 42 million Man U was paid for Ronaldo to move to Real. The possibilities are endless. Maybe make a move for a high profile guy like Robin Van Persie, or, if Bayern loses the Champions League final on Saturday, a guy like Arjen Robben. Maybe go for a better defender, like Squillici, who's riding the bench at Real Madrid. Maybe try to sneak David Silva away from Real Madrid (though they'd have to move fast for that). Maybe you go for a really great midfielder, like Sneijder if Inter loses the Champions League final. The point is, you can do pretty much anything with kind of money.

If Torres goes to the Bridge next year, all hope will definitely not be lost for the Reds.