Away at Benfica!

Benfica 0-2 Basel
UEFA Champions League Group Stage
Tuesday 5th December 2017

Anyone who knows me relatively well will probably be aware that I believe Lisbon is the finest city on the planet.

With it's pastel coloured buildings, chilled atmosphere, brilliant all-year round weather and numerous sights; so many in fact that even I was unable to visit them all during a five-day stay, it's a destination everybody should visit at least one just to enrich their life.

Nevertheless, when it comes to football, Benfica - Portugal's most well-known club, just aren't what they once were and Europe's Elite have long since left them lagging behind.

A dominant force in the 1960s, the Águias haven't had much cause for celebration since as occasional appearances in European finals; the last of which was in May 2014, have been intertwined with years of mediocrity, below par performances and disappointment on the continental stage.

The gulf between Benfica and the very top of European football was never more apparent than in this disappointing 2017/18 campaign.

In a UEFA Champions League group which also contained Manchester United, Basel and CSKA Moscow, the Portuguese outfit crashed to defeat in all of their group games - thus meaning that by the time Basel rocked up to Estadio Da Luz on matchday six, the hosts were already consigned to bottom spot and had nothing to play for other than pride.

Tickets were very straightforward, simple and easy to buy - as is usually the case for 99.9% of games in Portugal, and I'd got mine several weeks beforehand when it wasn't so obvious that Benfica would utterly capitulate.

By the game itself, the attendance was shocking as thousands of Benfica supporters chose, probably quite sensibly, to stay at home and give the game a miss!

Officially, 22,470 spectators were there, but I can only assume this figure must have been based on tickets sold rather than 'bums on seats' as there were vast swathes of empty seats. It's also the only time where I've ever heard a water-sprinkler system make more noise than actual home fans - such was the diluted, very polite and almost 'pre-season friendly' type atmosphere.

UEFA's corporate mafia, keen to focus on themselves as usual, had clearly also requested that the club cover up signage/literature in and around the stadium promoting Benfica's own sponsors such as Sagres and Fly Emirates.

As a result, flags were strategically positioned over seats spelling out the name of a sponsor, but the person I really felt sorry for was whoever had been charged with the task of going around the large-scale posters in the club shop and on the concourses, etc, with a roll of duct tape and sticking a bit over any shirts which had the 'Fly Emirates' name on it.

I know that UEFA only care about themselves - the 30,000+ tickets they snaffle under the 'sponsors and hospitality' guise for the Champions League Final every year is proof, but this was taking their corporate guidelines to the extreme and it looked pretty damn ridiculous.

On the pitch, Basel knew a victory would secure a place in the Last 16 and they made easy work of the challenge before them with Mohamed Elyounoussi firing them into an early lead.

As if watching a game in a near-empty stadium wasn't weird enough, the 2,000 or so visiting fans from Switzerland, came to life just before half-time and began to showed some vocal support - despite having spent well over half-an-hour pretty much silent.

Dimitri Oberlin doubled Basel's lead in the second period, despite the hosts having shown snippets of promise in parts, and their passage to the knockout phase from hereon was quite comfortable.

Reaching the Estadio Da Luz from Lisbon city centre is very straightforward. Colégio Militar/Luz metro station is located between a major shopping centre and the stadium and is easily reached from most parts of the city.

If anyone is still reading and has got this far, then congratulations. Here's my guide to Lisbon. Get a trip booked - you won't regret it!

Empty seats for the Champions League.

Official Partner: White sticky tape!

Underway at Estadio Da Luz. 

Seats covered up by the UEFA mafia.

Outside the ground.

One of the many murals in the underpass that connects the metro station to the stadium.

During the pre-match warm-up.

Palm trees with the stadium hidden in the background.

When Eagles dare... to lose all six group games!

More seats than spectators.

Another mural in the underpass.

This could be the Emirates Stadium on a European night... 

...and so could this!

Visiting Monaco on the cheap!

Where did the summer go, I found it in Monaco...

There's a huge myth that surrounds Monte Carlo/Monaco; that it's an expensive place to visit, that you need to save for ages beforehand and it's full of glitz, glamour and a 'James Bond' lifestyle because Roger Moore lived here for a number of years.

Whilst it is a tax haven for the rich and the cost of just a basic studio apartment can be over a million euros (despite relatively similar accommodation being around 1/3 of that price just a few miles down the road), a trip to the principality doesn't have to be that expensive.

Given my Yorkshire roots, being 'tight' (or, as I like to think, very shrewd where money is concerned) and searching for a good bargain is second nature - and, as a result, I managed to have the Monaco experience on a shoe-string budget.

Every January, travel prices are ALWAYS at their cheapest with a reason/theory being that 'nobody travels in the New Year because everyone is skint after Christmas'.

Therefore, there are some great bargains to be had and my flights for this particular trip was £10 each way (London Stansted to Nice) with Ryanair - leaving Friday, returning Monday.

Whilst Ryanair might not be a favourable airline for many, I've enjoyed numerous ventures across Europe and only once have I endured problems and, even then, it was due to circumstances totally beyond their control.

Ryanair is as 'budget basic' as you get, but do you really need in-flight entertainment like on offer with other airlines, a three-course meal at 30,000 feet or to pack a weeks worth of clothes for a three-day trip and subsequently have to pay more for your luggage?

If travelling alone, priority boarding and reserved seating is utterly pointless too; if you don't get the seat you want in the 'random' allocation (i.e. a window seat), let the masses board first, ensure you're the last passenger to board and, voila, you now have the pick of any remaining seats - usually there's always some and I've never been asked to move when I've done this trick!

Assuming you bag a window seat on the right-hand side of the aircraft, you'll also get some stunning views of the French Riviera as you come to land as well.

Anyway, that's £20 spent on flights to get from A to B.

If you want to save a few quid once you've arrived, an idea is to take a stroll from the airport to the promenade where buses to the city are significantly cheaper. Or, if you're feeling fit and have an hour or two to spare, you can stroll all the way into the centre.

For the next challenge - accommodation, the cheapest solution is to stay in Nice, which is absolutely beautiful and in my opinion actually more picturesque and pleasant than Monaco/Monte Carlo.

I stayed in a hostel in the 'old town' part of the city which was fine enough (aside from some guy who looked like Mr Motivator swinging his python about at three o'clock one morning - which was a little bit of an, erm, 'What the f**k?' moment) and it cost about €15 per night.

Hostels definitely aren't for everyone - especially when lookalikes of GMTV's former fitness freak turn up, but there are numerous other accommodation providers that offer reasonable prices and can be easily found via a quick Google Search.

With Monaco not playing at Stade Louis II until the Sunday, I spent the Saturday exploring Nice, soaking up the sun (which is surprisingly very nice in Southern France at this time of year) and relaxing.

On the Sunday, a quick look at the SNCF train timetables showed several trains between Nice and Monaco, taking around half-an-hour, with a return ticket costing under €10.

I'd purposely booked my trip to tie in with the Ligue I game, but also to allow a good few hours beforehand to explore the principality and see the sights such as the Marina, Casino, Grimaldi Forum and the race-track (which every F1 fan will know is actually the streets of Monaco).

Mistakenly, I left the station via the wrong, high-level, exit and unfortunately wasted around half-an-hour battling my way back down to sea level - though it did surprise me just how many cranes there were and how people already seemed to live on top of each other.

Once at sea-level, I indulged in the aforementioned glitz and glamour of what Monaco has to offer. Given the fact this principality spans just a few square miles and is tiny, everything is within walking distance, well-signposted and very easy to find. It also costs nothing to view marvellous buildings or take photos of the various expensive cars that are here, there and bloody everywhere.

There were tourist traps, none more so than some restaurants down by the marina - though in fairness the prices being charged weren't as bad as I've seen in other towns/cities around Europe, but a small mini-supermarket provided me with what I needed at a more than reasonable cost.

With regards to the football, Monaco hosted Metz (frustratingly arranged for the same time Nice were playing, otherwise I could have done two games in a weekend) and tickets were priced at €20.

Stade Louis II has an 18,000 capacity, which is half of the principality itself, and, surprisingly to some, attendances are often around the 5,000 mark. The complex is multi-purpose with an athletics track around the perimeter of the pitch and a swimming pool and car park underneath the playing surface as well.

Even when the 'big boys' of French football come to town or the team advances to the latter stages of the Champions League, attendances don't improve that greatly, so you're always likely to get tickets here regardless of who the opposition are.

The atmosphere is poor, however, and only a very small bunch of die-hard fans made the trip from Metz which probably had as much to do with distance as it did with them being adrift at the bottom of the Ligue I table.

Wherever you're seated inside the stadium, you'll get some fantastic 'picture perfect' views of the Côte d'Azur landscape, which, along with the unmistakable arches behind one of the goals, make for superb photographs. It's no surprise really that UEFA used to play the much-maligned 'Super Cup' here for several years before deciding on a rotation-process in the mid-2010s.

On the pitch in this game, Monaco eased to a relatively straightforward three points - taking the lead just before the interval through Jorge. Rachid Ghezzal and Rony Lopes added further goals, which were punctuated by a strike from Metz's Ibrahima Niane.

Near the world-famous Monte Carlo casino. 

Inside Stade Louis II at kick-off.

Stade Louis II after sunset, Monaco vs Metz.

At the habour in Monte Carlo.

The famous arches of Stade Louis II.

Inside the ground where there is hardly ever a decent atmosphere.

At a beauty spot near the Grimaldi Forum.

Entering the tunnel which features in the Monte Carlo Grand Prix.

Outside the Monte Carlo casino.

At the main marina - there is another, just around the corner in Fontvieille.

Ready for kick-off. Metz fans are in the corner block near the arches.

Exiting the tunnel, close to the Grimaldi Forum.

The view from the high level exit of Monte Carlo railway station.

The mountains which overlook Stade Louis II.

At the casino. Didn't go inside. Probably a good idea!

Monaco's game of 'My car is better than your car'.

I'd rather have a Land Rover!

Doncaster Rovers 3-2 Fleetwood Town

Doncaster Rovers 3-2 Fleetwood Town
Sky Bet League One
Saturday 17th August 2019

As open and entertaining football matches go, this one is up there with any that I've seen in recent years as momentum shifted back and forth until some last-gasp drama gave Doncaster Rovers three points and condemned a decent Fleetwood Town side to defeat.

Excitement was aplenty throughout and with a referee who gave the impression he wasn't quite a full shilling with his decision-making at times, you never knew quite what to expect next.

Defences definitely weren't on top and there were several nerve-jangling moments where players from both sides gave the ball away, or in some cases very nearly relinquished possession, in stupidly dangerous areas.

There was also Ben Whiteman's comedy shot from just inside the visitors' half which subsequently went out for a throw-in - definitely worthy of either a forfeit or fine towards the much-anticipated Christmas Party in any good dressing room!

In the end though it was a combination of 'small margins' and not taking chances during spells on top which contributed most to the Cod Army's downfall.

Had they doubled their lead after such a positive start, it would have left Darren Moore's Rovers team with a huge mountain to climb and one which, quite probably, they wouldn't have been able to.

Instead, the visitors turned an early one-goal advantage into a one-goal deficit by half-time.

Then, after forcing a deserved equaliser, Joey Barton's troops almost re-established a lead in the closing stages when a header ricocheted off the post and would have crossed the line had Ian Lawlor not somehow intervened.

Again, this came during a spell in which Fleetwood were well on top - but one during which, again, they didn't take complete advantage.

So it was sods law for them that in injury-time, Wes Burns sliced an attempted clearance from a set-play straight into his own net and ensured that it would be a miserable trip back to the Fylde Coast for the team and their 197 travelling fans.

From a Rovers perspective, had it gone 3-2 the other way late on, there would have no doubt been a negative reaction with pessimists producing their poison. The inquest would have been intense and the most vocal critics would have wanted new signings, changes and probably more.

Instead, the optimists are out, there's positivity and a winless start (had Fleetwood scored) is now an unbeaten start in the league.

Three points are always worth celebrating at any level, but in reality, as entertaining as the game was to someone such as myself who doesn't care too much about the result, it was a good three points against a decent side - yet with both positives and negatives to the performance.

Defensively, as touched on, things have to improve!

Fleetwood dominated aerially, got their two goals from headers and won plenty of other stuff in the air. On another day, they'd have bagged more goals. Brad Halliday, whilst alright when attacking, seems to lack positional awareness at times which has been noticeable at different points in every home game (including pre-season) so far this term.

Together, these are things which cannot be repeated again at any time during the season, irrespective of today's result.

The unfortunate injury to Alex Baptiste during the past fortnight also means that a new, experienced body is probably now required again with the ex-Blackpool player expected to be out for a significant period of time.

But, on the flip side, there are rich positives to take.

James Coppinger rolled back the years with a deserved 'Man iof the Match' display - pinging passes around to a very high standard, testing the 'keeper with a long snap-shot and curling in a sumptuous attempt proves, even at his ripe old age, he's still as effective as anyone at this level.

Then, as my old friend, Len South, put it after the final whistle: 'There's a hell of a lot of raw talent on that pitch'. He's right.

Cameron John, one of the two lads on loan from Wolves, was impressive and his powerful, instinctive equaliser in the first half - hammering the ball emphatically into the net, via the underside of the woodwork, highlighted his potential.

The other loan lads, too, are young, raw, learning and it'll take time for them to adapt to League One level, their new surroundings and everything else. It won't be instant, it may well be frustrating at times, but if it gels then only positivity can stem from that.

After the opening day draw with Gillingham, I said that 2-3 more players were needed for the long haul, ideally down the spine of the team.

On the whole - accepting the arrivals of Jon Taylor and Kazaiah Sterling, that's still the case though an extra centre-back to replace Baptiste is a necessity now (possibly more so than the much-discussed John Marquis replacement) and proof of that is Fleetwood's aerial superiority today.

Even though it's early in the season, this Doncaster Rovers side - in spite of the significant upheaval during the summer months, looks more than capable of holding its own this term.

Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 2-2 Rotherham United (U18s)

Doncaster Rovers (U18s) 2-2 Rotherham United (U18s)
Football League Youth Alliance
Saturday 17th August 2019

Jack Watson's smashing injury-time spot-kick meant Rovers' youngsters maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign in a game where, on reflection, a point apiece was a fair result.

Rotherham probably felt as aggrieved with themselves at being unable to hold on for a victory, as much as the officials - who some folk from the other part of South Yorkshire vented their frustrations towards at the final whistle.

But the truth is that neither team played well enough to deserve three points.

The Millers were certainly bigger, stronger and more aggressive, and adopted a direct style due to their height advantage which caused the Rovers defence several problems. They comfortably won more second balls, used their frontmen and wide players exceptionally well at times, and posed a threat in many areas.

Rovers, on the other hand, played much the better football of the two teams - keeping it on the deck, trying to keep possession and using 'balls to feet' to try and cause problems. However, the performance over 90 minutes just simply wasn't consistent enough and too often attacking moves were either rushed or they fizzled out somewhat disappointingly.

On occasions, there were glimpses and snippets of promise - good moves, passes, bits of play, etc, but things were quite scrappy, bitty and frustrating for larger periods and that without doubt suited Rotherham's style and enabled them to get on top and better dictate proceedings.

There were positives which can be drawn as the Rovers lads battled hard to twice come from behind with Will McGowan heading home an equaliser around the hour mark, prior to Watson's spot-kick conversion deep into injury-time.

If it had been a worse team chasing the game against well-drilled and challenging opponents, they may have crumbled and end up slumping to defeat by a bigger margin, but these Rovers boys don't give up that easily; something which bodes well for the future!

Despite a few showers during the pre-match warm-up, it was bright and sunny by the time the game did get underway with Paul Stancliffe naming an unchanged line-up for the second successive weekend.

Rovers began okay in the very early exchanges and created the first opportunity as Watson initiated a move with a quick turn-and-pass-out-wide from the centre circle which then culminated with Liam Ravenhill drawing a low save from the visiting 'keeper.

Rotherham's game-plan; spray direct balls to wide and front players and use their height advantage to good effect - very soon became apparent and they posed a significant threat.

They took the lead after 10 minutes in a move where their player got behind Lewis Cunningham, cut inside slightly, and drilled a low ball towards the centre of the box. Neither skipper Ben Blythe or defensive partner Nathan Dimou could intercept and a striker subsequently cushioned a low shot past Kian Johnson.

It was disappointing for the boys to have gone behind, though things could have got a whole lot worse on the quarter-hour mark when a very similar move ended with a visiting striker being unable to convert.

The need to tighten up defensively to better deal with Rotherham's threat was evident and there were other moves - particularly in the first half-hour, where Johnson was called into action with relatively routine saves and work, whilst Dimou and Blythe had to make timely interceptions, too.

On the whole though, it was largely scrappy and bitty by this stage, yet Rovers did have spells of pressure where they kept possession well, pushed Rotherham back and asked questions.

Lirak Hasani went close with a speculative 20-yard shot, fellow midfielder Ethan Bojang also had an attempt and approaching the break, the boys were beginning to get to grips with their challenging opponents and pose more questions but without fully stamping their blueprint on things.

Generally speaking, barring the individual lapses in concentration which littered the game, that momentum continued early in the second half up to the point where Rovers equalised around the hour mark.

In a brilliant move, Elliott Walker, always a threat in an attacking-sense, burst down the right-flank and linked up with Ravenhill, then floated a teasing cross towards the back-post where McGowan glanced a header beyond the 'keeper.

At 1-1, there was a hope that Rotherham would tire in the last half-hour and the lads would go on to properly get on the front-foot and win the game, but that didn't prove to be the case whatsoever.

Instead, the Millers reacted to conceding in the best possible manner and quickly imposed their game-plan to better effect again and within 10 minutes, they re-established a lead with a low shot eluding Johnson.

It was very much a case of 'back to square one' and given they were chasing the game again, Rovers had no option but to press forward more.

Slowly but surely, it worked.

In one move, Ravenhill should have done better when he was played through by Watson but his touch allowed the covering defender to get back and make a vital interception.

Rovers began to go long themselves in a desperate bid for an equaliser and were offered an additional height advantage at set-plays in the closing minutes as Max Jemson came on for his first appearance of the campaign, replacing Cunningham, with Blythe shifting to left-back.

The referee allowed seven minutes of injury-time; during which Blythe firstly went close to an equaliser with a far-post header following a corner.

Rotherham really needed to see the game out in a professional manner and keep possession as opposed to aimlessly clearing their lines (thus subsequently giving the ball away again), and whether it was nerves or naivety, they didn't do it and it proved costly!

In the fourth minute of injury-time, Watson used his pace to run at a defender before eventually being brought to ground.

The referee immediately blew for a foul then had a long, hard think before deciding the offence had took place inside the box - much to the fury of some folk from Rotherham on the sidelines.

Watson, scorer in last weeks win at Notts County, dusted himself down, stepped up and was cool, calm and composed under pressure to send the 'keeper the wrong way and salvage a point.

However, clearly buzzing at having equalised, the lads seemingly forgot there were still a few minutes remaining of injury-time and nearly threw their hard work away again. Following a lapse in concentration, only some last-ditch defending and a goalbound block prevented the Millers from immediately re-taking the lead.

Incredibly, there was still time for a Rovers chance at the other end, before the referee finally blew his whistle and brought an end to this topsy-turvy contest.

On the whole, there is definitely room for improvement in the Rovers ranks but positives, already mentioned, which can be drawn too.

I'm not going to signal players out for criticism because, by and large, if a player has endured a difficult game, they don't need telling about it. They're capable of working things out for themselves, analysing their own display, acknowledging things, then seeking to improve.

For the majority of the team, both on a collective and individual level, some parts were good, some parts were not so good and need to be worked on.

The challenges which get thrown up against potentially tricky opponents such as Rotherham's side, will undoubtedly help the lads become the best possible versions of themselves in years to come and certainly aid their development.

Between now and next week's game; coincidentally it's against Rotherham at Cantley Park again - this time in the Football League Youth Alliance Cup, I'm also sure the coaching staff and analysts will dissect things to help the lads deliver a more consistent display over 90 minutes.

Team: Kian Johnson, Elliott Walker, Nathan Dimou, Ben Blythe (C), Lewis Cunningham (Max Jemson), Ethan Bojang (Charlie Bell), Lirak Hasani, Will McGowan, Junior Smith, Liam Ravenhill, Jack Watson. Unused Subs: Ben Bottomley, Alek Wolny, Gage Parton.

MOTM: Jack Watson. This was difficult to choose as nobody was absolutely outstanding today, unlike the past couple of weeks, but he wins it for his composure under pressure with the penalty in injury-time and some good work which led to chances.