Another week, another Top 25. As always, there are a few little quirks in the rankings. Manchester United solidified its spot at the top with an impressive victory over Liverpool. Moving in the other direction is Arsenal, as it dropped yet another spot in the Premiership and a few in the rankings after losing to Chelsea. The moves by these teams are logical. What isn’t logical is when a team like Inter Milan moves up four notches despite having a rather horrible week. Logical, no. Explainable, we’ll see. (If all else fails, I’m falling back and just blaming math. Stupid math.) The primary reason that Inter is ranked so high is because the rankings are based on the entire season, not the past week or the past month. The reason they move up this week instead of down is that nothing happens in a vacuum and the Moderate Bonus Points don’t only affect the teams that receive them but also every other team. Because only one team in the top four (according to the math) get MBPs, a vacuum (if you know another word with two u’s in a row let me know and I’ll overuse that one too) opens up for the second spot and Inter was there to fill it. What am I talking about? Doesn’t matter. I’m boring myself. It’s the math’s fault. Stupid math.
The Moderate Bonus Points continue to fluctuate with great regularity in South America due to the ever-changing group lead in the Copa Libertadores. That’s why I don’t generally don’t start giving away bonus points until the end of the season, but it’s a weekly chart and the Europeans got theirs, so the South Americans must get theirs, even if it’s premature. Stupid math.
Enough of my justifications, rationalizations and other assorted bullshit. It’s just a stupid ranking of football teams, after all, isn’t it? Anyway, before the countdown (countup, actually, since I start at number one), I want to give an appreciative shout out to The Offside for linking to my site’s World Club Ranking – 1967 post this weekend and providing me with many more hits than this modest list site is used to. Now on to the countdown. I mean countup.
World Club Rankings – March 24, 2007
1. Manchester United (Eng) (1) – There can be no dispute about this choice. They not only chased down Arsenal, they kicked a little English butt this week beating Bolton at midweek and Liverpool over the weekend. This weekend, we’ll get to see if they handle success better than Arsenal and Inter Milan when they host Aston Villa.
The Moderate Bonus Points continue to fluctuate with great regularity in South America due to the ever-changing group lead in the Copa Libertadores. That’s why I don’t generally don’t start giving away bonus points until the end of the season, but it’s a weekly chart and the Europeans got theirs, so the South Americans must get theirs, even if it’s premature. Stupid math.
Enough of my justifications, rationalizations and other assorted bullshit. It’s just a stupid ranking of football teams, after all, isn’t it? Anyway, before the countdown (countup, actually, since I start at number one), I want to give an appreciative shout out to The Offside for linking to my site’s World Club Ranking – 1967 post this weekend and providing me with many more hits than this modest list site is used to. Now on to the countdown. I mean countup.
World Club Rankings – March 24, 2007
1. Manchester United (Eng) (1) – There can be no dispute about this choice. They not only chased down Arsenal, they kicked a little English butt this week beating Bolton at midweek and Liverpool over the weekend. This weekend, we’ll get to see if they handle success better than Arsenal and Inter Milan when they host Aston Villa.
2. Internazionale (Ita) (6) – Yes, they only managed a draw against Genoa and lost to Juventus. Still they move up four notches. Why? Stupid math. DIdn’t you read what I typed above? Am I just wasting my time here people? Still, they are in first place in Serie A and the math loves first place teams. It doesn’t get much easier for Inter this weekend as they travel to Rome to face Lazio in an ever-increasingly interesting Serie A competition.
3. Chelsea (Eng) (5) – Took over second place in the Premiership with its impressive (and predictable) victory over Arsenal this weekend. Host Middlesbrough this weekend as they attempt to chase down Manchester United for the lead. It won’t be easy, but Manchester United wouldn’t be the first team to deal poorly with prosperity.
4. Roma (Ita) (3) – Despite losing to Lazio in the Rome derby at midweek, Roma was still able to gain ground on Inter in Serie A by defeating Empoli over the weekend. Play a road match against Cagliari, which they should win, this weekend as it continues to chase down Inter.
5. Arsenal (Eng) (2) – Couldn’t beat Chelsea. Shouldn’t beat Chelsea. Why? They’re not as good. Sorry Gunner fans. They did knock out Milan in the Champions League, but Milan is just a fifth-place Serie A team. Sorry Milan fans. Travel to Bolton this week in an attempt to catch back up to Chelsea or fall back further to Liverpool.
6. Barcelona (Esp) (4) – Really don’t deserve to fall after beating Valladolid 4-1 this weekend, despite being knocked out of the Copa del Rey to Valencia. Stupid math. They did, however, move closer to Real Madrid in the Primera Division as they try to hold off Villarreal. Play Real Betis this weekend as they try to move closer.
7. Sao Paulo (Bra) (10) – Despite trouble in the Paulista League, they did manage to defeat Guarani this weekend and moved to the top of their league in the Copa Libertadores. Only Paulista League action this week for Sao Paulo as they face (and please correct me if I’m wrong if I’m spelling these names incorrectly) Sertaozhino and Bragantino.
8. Liverpool (Eng) (8) – Say what you want about the referee, they got absolutely manhandled this weekend by Manchester United. They are fortunate to remain in fourth place. Whether they can maintain that fortunate position will be determined this weekend as they host fifth-place Everton.
9. Estudiantes (Arg) (NR) – Great week for Estudiantes as they move towards the top of the Argentine Clausura and the top of their Copa Libertadores group. As with the European teams, they have no game at midweek, but should have a great match over the weekend as they host recently-ranked Velez Sarsfield.
10. Porto (Por) (9) – Porto is the top team after Inter Milan that received no Moderate Bonus Points. They are in good shape in the bwin Superliga and will attempt to extend their league against Os Belenenses this weekend.
11. Real Madrid (Esp) (7) – Real continues to fall as they are out of the Champions League, Copa del Rey and continue to lose ground in the Primera Division as they lost to Valencia 3-2. Attempt to rebound this weekend, in a potentially difficult matchup, hosting Sevilla on Sunday.
12. Lyon (Fra) (11) – Cemented their lead in Ligue Un by defeating PSG 4-2. Attempt to continue their good fortune against Valenciennes this weekend.
13. Fenerbahce (Tur) (22) – Huge jump up for Fener as they defeat Kasimpasa 3-0 on Friday to take over the lead in the Turkish Ligi. The MBPs don’t hurt either. As they get ready for Chelsea in the Champions League, they face a tough opponent this weekend in Besiktas in Ligi action.
14. Benfica (Por) (12) – Had the past weekend off, which they really need. Host Pacos Ferreira this weekend as they return to bwin Liga action.
15. Juventus (Ita) (13) – Win a road game against Inter this weekend and still lose ground. Stupid math. Serves them right, the cheating bastards. Perhaps they should have beat Empoli at midweek instead of drawing 1-1. In any event, they host Parma this weekend.
16. Bayern Munchen (Ger) (14) – Defeated Wolfsburg to advance to the finals of the DFB Pokal before defeating a good Bayern Leverkusen team 2-1 over the weekend. This weekend, they travel to Nurnberg as they attempt to continue to impose their dominance on the Bundesliga.
17. PSV Einhoven (Ned) (17) – Tread water with Ajax with a midweek draw before extending its Eredivisie lead by defeating Groningen 3-0 over the weekend. Face Nijmegen this weekend as they continue to impose their dominance on the Eredivisie. (Damn, that sounds familiar for some reason.)
18. Fluminense (Bra) (NR) – Not really continuing to impose their dominance over anybody but their group in the Copa Libertadores, defeating Libertad (a “bubbling under” team). This week, Fluminense is off in the Copa, but continue to play in the Carioca League against Mesquita and Botafogo.
19. Everton (Eng) (20) – Had a golden opportunity to move into a Champions League spot by managing nothing more than a draw against West Ham United. Receive a chance at redemption as they travel all the way across town to play Liverpool in Premiership action this weekend.
20. Villarreal (Esp) (25) – Defeated Levante 2-1 this weekend to stay within spitting distance of Barcelona for second place in the Primera Division. Spitting is a nasty habit, though. They are also within smoking distance, not that’s any better a habit than spitting. Don’t get me started on farting. Anyway, they play in one of the most anticipated games of the weekend this weekend when they host Atletico de Madrid.
21. Deportivo Saprissa (Crc) (24) – Saprissa moves back up as they advance to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, defeating Mexican Apertura winner Atlante. Play a road game against Puntarenas this weekend in another game that I doubt I’ll be able to find a story about. (If you find an article about the game to me, please send it to me so I can link to it next week.)
22. Ajax (Ned) (19) – After treading water with a draw against PSV at midweek, Ajax lost to Twente 2-1 this weekend. Having very little hope to catch PSV in the Eredivisie, Ajax faces Michael Bradley (we’re so proud of him) and ten other members of Heerenveen this weekend.
23. Fiorentina (Ita) (22) – Defeated Lazio this weekend 1-0 to maintain its Champions League position over AC Milan. Play a good Udinese team on the road this weekend as try to keep their position.
24. Bordeaux (Fra) (23) – Virtually handed Ligue Un to Lyon this weekend by falling 3-1 to Valenciennes this weekend. Nevertheless, the season goes on and Bordeaux faces third place Nancy Lorraine this weekend in what should be a great game.
25. Cruzeiro (Bra) (NR) – Drew with Caracas 1-1 in Copa Libertadores action this weekend, but it was enough to keep its top spot in its Copa Libertadores group. They take the week off and enjoy the nice Brazilian fall weather as they anticipate future endeavors.
Bubbling Under (as always, alphabetically): Atletico de Madrid (Esp), Libertad (Por), Milan (Ita), River Plate (Uru, not Arg), Schalke 04 (Ger)
Numbers 96 – 100: NAC Breda (Ned), Le Man (Fra), Real Mallorca (Esp), Napoli (Ita), Al Ahly (Egy)
Matchups Between Top 25 Teams This Week:
(19) Everton at (8) Liverpool
Posts
