Things are still crazy in the WCR Top 25 since it’s the early season and there is not a ton of data on which to work the numbers. That being said, although there are still many untraditional clubs in the Top Ten, things are beginning to normalize as many of the big money clubs made huge jumps within the Top 25 this week, including Inter Milan (up from 21st to 12th), Barcelona (up from 23rd to 15th), Sevilla (22nd to 9th) and Arsenal (13th to 11th). Also, returning to the WCR Top 25 are additional traditional powerhouses Celtic and Sao Paulo. Manchester United hasn’t quite returned, yet, but it is bubbling just below the Top 25 and it’s just a matter of time before they make up for their shaky start and move up the rankings.
Lots of international club action took place this week, with some surprises, but nothing earth-shattering. I doubt many people expected CFR Cluj to hold the best club in the world to a scoreless draw, but in the group stages, such results are not of great consequence in isolation. Some of the most interesting matches of the weekend saw Arsenal almost suffer a second consecutive humiliating defeat and Barcelona thoroughly crushed Atletico de Madrid, 6-1.
Club action is about to go on to another hiatus, so the WCR Top 25 will go on hiatus next week, though we’ll be back with something, most likely the next in our series of Annual Rankings. I believe next up is 1984.
Once action returns, some of the top matches will include Ajax/Groningen, Inter Milan/Internazionale, Sao Paulo/Palmeiras and Arsenal/Everton. In addition, there will be one match involving two WCR Top 25 clubs when NAC Breda hosts PSV Eindhoven. Until then, enjoy the WCR Top 25 and we’ll see you back here in two weeks when we return.
WCR Top 25 Clubs in the World – October 6, 2008
1. Chelsea (Eng) (1) – As predicted, Chelsea defeated Aston Villa 2-0 to maintain its lead in the Premiership. This was a nice way for the Blues to bounce back from its surprising goalless draw against CFR Cluj in the Champions League. When the Premiership season returns, Chelsea faces Middlesbrough.
2. Lazio (Ita) (2) – Lazio was just a late goal from losing its Serie A lead, and thus its spot near the top of the Top 25, but managed to draw Lecce 1-1 on Sunday. Lazio also defeated Atalanta 2-0 to advance in the Coppa Italia. On October 19th, Lazio will return to Serie A action against Bologna.
3. Valencia (Esp) (3) – Valecnia’s roll continued this week with a 2-1 victory over Maritimo in the UEFA Cup and a 1-0 victory over Real Valladolid in the Primera Division. Coming up for Valencia will be Numancia a couple of weeks.
4. Liverpool (Eng) (4) – Liverpool had a good week in the Champions League, defeating PSV Eindhoven 3-1. It had to come from two goals down to defeat Manchester City 3-2 and remain in second place behind Chelsea. Liverpool will host Wigan Athletic after the international competition break.
5. Udinese (Ita) (10) – Udinese fell at home to Borussia Dortmund by a 0-2 score, but still managed to advance on penalty kicks. In Serie A, Udinese defeated Torino 2-0 to remain tied with Lazio at the top of the table. Udinese will try to do better against Lecce on October 19 than Lazio managed to do this past weekend.
6. Groningen (Ned) (NR) – This week hit the Eredivisie like last week hit the Premiership, Serie A and the Bundesliga. More specifically, the Dutch league had last season’s data purged, which is good news for Groningen, who defeated ADO Den Haag 3-0 this week and sits atop the domestic table. A good test for the newly-ranked club will take place in two weeks when Groningen takes on Ajax.
7. Villarreal (Esp) (5) – Nothing tremendous, but Villarreal had back-to-back good results this week, beating Celtic 1-0 in the Champions League and Real Betis 2-1 in the Primera Division. Upon its return to the tremendously unimaginative Primera Division schedule, Villarreal will head to Barcelona and take on Espanyol.
8. Gremio (Bra) (15) – Gremio finally got back to its former winning ways this week, defeating Botafogo 2-1. The Brasileiro Serie A will play midweek matches this week, when Gremio will host Santos. After the international competitions, Gremio will take on Portuguesa.
9. Sevilla (Esp) (21) – Sevilla has looked good this week with victories over FC Salzburg 2-0 in UEFA Cup play and Athletic de Bilbao 4-0, domestically. In two weeks, Sevilla returns to Primera Division action, taking on Almeria.
10. Porto (Por) (11) –The Liga Sagres is the last important domestic league in which last season’s data has yet to be purged. It shouldn’t matter too much, however, since Porto has already worked its way to the top of the League with a 2-1 victory over Sporting CP. This was a good result for Porto, especially following its 0-4 drubbing at the hands of Arsenal in the Champions League. Porto does not have a match scheduled for the weekend of October 19th.
11. Arsenal (Eng) (13) – Perhaps Arsenal should have moved up higher after destroying Porto 4-0, but it needed a late goal to score a 1-1 draw with Sunderland and avoid consecutive humiliating Premier League upsets. Arsenal will host struggling Everton when Premiership action returns in a few weeks.
12. Inter Milan (Ita) (21) – Internazionale walked away from its match with Werder Bremen with a disappointing 1-1 draw in the Champions League. Inter defeated Bologna 2-1 to move into a tie with Lazio and Udinese in Serie A. After the break, one of the better matches of the weekend will take place in Rome where Inter will face Roma.
13. Lyon (Fra) (7) – Perhaps Lyon shouldn’t count on its 435th consecutive Ligue Un title this season. After starting off the season red-hot, Lyon slowed down in a big way, losing 0-3 to Stade Rennais. Earlier in the week, Lyon fought Bayern Munich to a 1-1 draw. After the international break, Lyon will host Lille.
14. PSV Eindhoven (Ned) (14) – PSV looked like the weaker club that it is against Liverpool this week, falling 1-3. PSV bounced back in the Eredivisie, defeating De Graafschaap 3-0 on Saturday. The only battle between Top 25 clubs next week takes place in the Netherlands when PSV takes on NAC Breda on the 18th.
15. Barcelona (Esp) (23) – Barcelona takes an eight-place jump in the WCR Top 25 after defeating Atletico de Madrid 6-1. Earlier in the week, Barcelona grabbed three points in the Champions League, defeating Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1. Upon its return to Primera Division play, Barcelona will face Athletic de Bilbao.
16. TSG Hoffenheim (Ger) (NR) – I really don’t know much about this club, but they have performed surprisingly well in the Bundesliga, where it defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 this weekend. In two weeks, Hoffenheim will play Hannover 96.
17. Hamburger SV (Ger) (19) – Hamburger remains on to p of the Bundesliga by virtue of its defeat of Erergie Cottbus 2-1. One of the top matches of the return weekend will take place in Hamburg when Schalke 04 comes to visit.
18. San Lorenzo (Arg) (18) – San Lorenzo has managed to extend its lead to five points in the Argentine Apertura after defeating Velez Sarsfield 1-0. ON the 19th, San Lorenzo will host San Martin
19. Celtic (Sco) (NR) – Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premier League, as well as the WCR Top 25, bouncing back from a 0-1 loss to Villarreal to defeat Hamilton Academy 4-0. Coming up in a few weeks, Celtic will face Inverness.
20. VfB Stuttgart (Ger) (NR) – Stuttgart drew 2-2 with Cherno Morets, but still managed to advance in the UEFA Cup and followed that up with a 4-1 upset of Werder Bremen in Bundesliga action. After the international break, Stuttgart will play Hertha Berlin.
21. Real Madrid (Esp) (8) – Real defeated Zenit St. Petersburg to pick up three points in the Champions League, but could manage only a 2-2 draw with Espanyol, dropping it down to fifth in the Primera Division. The Madrid Derby is coming up in a few weeks, since it wasn’t enough for Atletico to take on Sevilla and Barcelona in consecutive weeks.
22. Bayer Leverkusen (Ger)(6) – Leverkusen appeared to be over-ranked last week and it proved that it was against Hertha Berlin, falling 0-1. In order to stay in the Top 25, Leverkusen will have to bounce back in two weeks against Eintracht Frankfurt.
23. Sao Paulo (Bra) (NR) – After playing mediocre ball from half a season, Sao Paulo has been coming on strong recently, defeating Ipatinga 3-1 this week to move into third place in the Brasileiro Serie A. Sao Paulo will host Nautico at midweek and will face second-place Palmeiras upon its return to domestic action.
24. NAC Breda (Ned) (NR) – NAC has had a great start to the new Eredivisie season, defeating Volendam 4-2 this week. Coming up after the international break will be NAC’s biggest test thus far in this new season when it hosts defending champion PSV Eindhoven.
25. Marseille (Fra) (25) – Unlike what seems like the entire Spanish Primera Division, Marseille actually managed to lose to Atletico de Madrid 1-2, but it did manage to score a much-needed 2-1 victory over Caen. In two weeks, Marseille will return to domestic action against Valenciennes.
Bubbling Under (alphabetically): Aston Villa (Eng), Manchester United (Eng), Palermo (Ita), Palmeiras (Bra), Rangers (Sco).
CONCACAF Top Five: (54) San Luis (Mex), (58) Atlante (Mex), (75) Pumas UNAM (Mex), (80) Tecos (Mex), (99) Brujas (Crc).
Matches Among Top 25 Clubs in Next Two Weeks:
18 October – (14) PSV Eindhoven at (24) NAC Breda
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2 comments:
I never trust this rankings actually. Few years ago my team Spartak was loosing game by game but according to UeFA rank they were № 4 in the world. How so?
Sorry for not responding earlier, but I've been busy. Rankings usually aren't but so trustworthy. They are meant to be a starting point for discussion as opposed to an ending point. If it works well, it'll make you think without telling you what to think.
I can't comment on your Spartak question. I've only been doing this for about a year and Spartak has never been in my published rankings, so you must be confusing mine with another list.
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