Every week I put these together and things occur to me. For instance:
One Way To Move Up The Charts: Playing well is one way, but that's boring. Another way is to be the beneficiary of a formula change. In an effort not to harm teams that have had games postponed or rescheduled (which became a big deal this week), some tinkering has been done. The primary beneficiaries were Liverpool and Roma.
One Way To Move Down The Charts: Have your butt handed to you by an inferior team. Barcelona, Sporting CP, Bayern Munich . . . I'm looking at you.
Speaking of Sporting: Call me Dr. Empshel because I've named a syndrome. I call it the Sporting syndrome. A few Portuguese teams entered my charts because Sporting dropped to fifth in the league. They wouldn't have entered had they not passed Sporting, but it still feels a little wrong that they benefit from others troubles rather than their own efforts.
What About Next Week: Since there are only minimal games in the next week because of international play, next weeks countdown will be a little special. I'm thinking about posting for the 1960 season. More info next week.
Anyway, on to the countdown:
World Club Rankings - November 12, 2007
1. Internazionale (Ita) (1) - Sunday's game would have been fun had it taken place. Have to be satisfied with watching them come back to beat CSKA 4-2.
2. Arsenal (Eng) (2) - So-so performance in Prague. Looked much better this afternoon against Reading.
3. Real Madrid (Esp) (3) - Thought they were going down to Mallorca this week. Following tie against Olympiakos, they could probably use a little break.
4. Porto (Por) (4) - Every year, my computer seems to fall in love with some random European nation. Last year, it was Holland. This year, it's Portugal. Can't wait to see who it is next year.
5. Manchester United (Eng) (6) - Held back still because they are a second-place team (and my computer doesn't like second-place teams), but were probably the most impressive team in the world this week.
6. Roma (Ita) (11) - Tied twice and moved up five spots. If they keep drawing, maybe they'll be numver one soon. (Actually benefitted from Fiorentina's loss.)
7. Benfica (Por) (13) - See what I said about my fickle computer? Actually moves up because of a 6-1 victory over Boavista. I don't believe this, though. Hopefully, it's just temporary.
8. Sao Paulo (Bra) (8) - Staying steady. Did this team really lose to Millonarios? Really?
9. Fiorentina (Ita) (5) - When they hit my Top 5, people said "Too High." After watching them against Udinese, my computer agrees. I wish my computer would stop watching television.
10. Liverpool (Eng) (NR) - Looked great this week, for a healthy change. It's a shame they are going to lose badly to Newcastle United. (Wake up!!!) Sorry about that.11. Lyon (Fra) (10)
12. Bayern Munchen (Ger) (9)
13. Ajax (Ned) (12)
14. Barcelona (Esp) (7)
15. Villarreal (Esp) (18)
16. Juventus (Ita) (14)
17. Nancy Lorraine (Fra) (16)
18. Boca Juniors (Arg) (22)
19. Celtic (Sco) (21)
20. PSV Eindhoven (Ned) (20)
21. Chelsea (Eng) (17)
22. Werder Bremen (Ger) (NR)
23. Vitoria Setubal (Por) (NR)
24. Lanus (Arg) (NR)
25. Vitoria Guimaraes (Por) (NR)
Bubbling Under (alphabetically): Atletico Nacional (Col), Feyenoord (Ned), Manchester City (Eng), Santos (Bra), Santos Laguna (Mex)
Games between Top 25 Teams in the next Two Weeks:
11/25 (23) Vitoria Setubal at (4) Porto
Yes, that's it. Seriously.
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