Is this getting boring yet? Inter has been number one the entire season and it doesn't look like there are any serious threats any time soon. It looked for a while like Arsenal might be a threat but, all of a sudden, but now Arsenal's supremacy in England is under serious scrutiny.
And now a brief discussion of this week's anomalies. Arsenal looked very bad, but didn't move down. The same can be said for Lyon, Fiorentina (much) and Werder Bremen. The reason for this is that this list is not intended as a snapshot of how did teams in the past week (otherwise, Borussia Dortmund could be number one) or how I expect them to do this week. Rather, its based upon on how each team has done since the beginning of the current season. Therefore, as the season matures, changes become less frequent because each game means less with respect to its importance to the whole season. That being said, if you are jumping up and down your domestic league's standings, you will jump around my charts. I'm looking at you Liverpool . . .
World Club Rankings - December 10, 2007
1. Internazionale (Ita) (1) - I still rank Serie A as one of the best leagues in the world. Am I wrong? I have to ask because Inter recently has looked like men playing against children. Outscored Lazio and Torino by an aggregate score of 7-0. Sure, it's not like they're playing Chelsea and Arsenal, but it's also not like they're playing Derby County and Birmingham City, either.
2. Arsenal (Eng) (2) - Yes, I saw the games against Newcastle United (GO NUFC!!!) and 'Boro. No, they did not move down as a result. Yes, Arsenal is surviving near the top based upon points they picked up earlier in the year. No, that point surplus will not keep them up here much longer if they keep up this current stretch.
3. Real Madrid (Esp) (3) - There is little doubt that they belong to be ranked this high, yet there is a possibility that they can be eliminated from the Champions League this week. (I believe that's true. I'm doing this from memory.)
4. Porto (Por) (4) - A pair of interesting games this week. Playing Besiktas for their Champions League lives and then Victoria Guimaraes, who just missed this week's charts. Both games are at home, where Porto has been downright scary all year.
5. Manchester United (Eng) (5) - Beat up on Derby County this week, but who hasn't. I'm just glad they scored the three-goal victory because that's what I had playing I Know The Score. Playing on the road at Roma and at Liverpool this week. Guess that's what they get for getting a week semi-off this past week.
6. Roma (Ita) (6) - Picked up another four points this week and remain a solid second in Serie A. Too bad the Manchester United game this week is meaningless.
7. Juventus (Ita) (7) - Wouldn't it be cool if we could have replaced Lazio in the Champions League with Juventus? Too bad the team is run by cheating bastards.
8. Barcelona (Esp) (8) - Could be an interesting match at Valencia this weekend even though Valencia doesn't look nearly as good this year as they did last year. Already gearing up for the Real Madrid game on the 23rd.
9. Lyon (Fra) (9) - Yes, they lost this week, but I am sure they don't care. The important game for Lyon comes this week at Rangers. Lyon should be favored, but it's never easy to win in Scotland and I wouldn't be shocked in bad things happened.
10. Benfica (Por) (11) - FINALLY!!! Something changed from last week. Benfica won a Portugal Cup game this week, but the reason they moved up had more to do with Reading's good play than Benfica's.
11. Sao Paulo (Bra) (12)
12. Chelsea (Eng) (16)
13. Bayern Munchen (Ger) (14)
14. Ajax (Ned) (17)
15. Liverpool (Eng) (10)
16. Atletico de Madrid (Esp) (19)
17. Nancy Lorraine (Fra) (15)
18. Lanus (Arg) (18)
19. PSV Eindhoven (Ned) (13)
20. Portsmouth (Eng) (NR)
21. Udinese (Ita) (24)
22. Celtic (Sco) (21)
23. Werder Bremen (Ger) (22)
24. Fiorentina (Ita) (23)
25. Sporting CP (Por) (NR)
Next Five (alphabetically) : Atletico Nacional (Col), Feyenoord (Ned), Fluminense (Bra), Santos Laguna (Mex), Vitoria Guimaraes (Por)
Numbers 51 to 55 (just for fun): Giordins Bordeaux (Fra), Maritimo (Por), Argentinos Juniors (Arg), Danubio (Uru), Valenciennes (Fra)
Games Between Top 25 Teams This Week:
12/12 - (1) Internazionale at (19) PSV Eindhoven
12/12 - (5) Manchester United at (6) Roma
12/16 - (12) Chelsea at (2) Arsenal
12/16 - (5) Manchester United at (15) Liverpool
12/16 - (19) PSV Eindhoven at (14) Ajax
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