Believing the Hype????

Ok ok ok maniacs.  Its come to my attention that many of you in soccer land want to crown a champion in the first month of the season.  Thats right, many of you, whether or not you care to admit it, have already crowned Barcelona FC as your team to win the Champion's League, La Liga, and any other hardware available to them.  While they are clearly one of the best teams in Europe this season (again), I wont necessarily call them title holders yet.  I ask all soccer fanatics out there to answer one question:  WHY DO WE PLAY THE GAME!?!?!?   Consider that anything can happen over the course of a season.  There are whole lot of ifs that we can ask ourselves about many things that happened last season regarding Barcelona's march to the Champions League Final.  Consider these my maniacs (and please check the links):

They are only last year's champions...There's a lot of soccer to be played!

• Barcelona advanced to the Champion's League Finals last season on two controversial red cards at the Camp Nou that effectively eleminated Arsenal and Real Madrid. 
• It was suspect at best that Robin Van Persie received red after taking a shot on goal in a stadium that was packed with 95,000 fans for delaying the game in the 56th minute.  This after Arsenal came back from a goal down to triumpantly win 2-1 in London.  Thank your lucky stars and connected friends (referees) that gave you a semi-final birth last season Barca fans. 
• Now then on to the semi-finals against Real Madrid when another cleverly placed red card (Pepe had no yellow) took los Blancos down to ten men and inevitably gave Barcelona a birth into the finals last season where they dominated posession in a  2-0 victory over ManU in the finals.  And the Oscar for best flop in Champion's League play goes to:  Danny Alvez.  Great job.  Didnt convince me, but again Barca fans have friends in high places....

One thing is for certain about Barcelona last year:  They were undefeated against a 10-man squad.   

Seriously.  Lets look at the footage here folks and not forget that even our invincible teams get a little help from the powers that be.  As for me, I say leave it on the pitch.  I realize that there is a lot going on in soccer land, but with all the hype going towards a 6-0 win in the La Liga opener against Villarreal, a win over Real Madrid in Spanish Super Cup, and a win over FC Porto in the UEFA Super Cup, forgive me if I'm not convinced that Barcelona have earned another crown for the season.  There are a lot of teams out there with chips on their shoulders, and dare I say, if Barcelona happen to get into a two leg match with Manchester United this season, I doubt that they take the glory from Old Trafford.  Then there are a few teams that I feel would put up a true fight against Barcelona this season and possibly take the glory of victory.  These picks include:

French Champion Lille

Italian Champion AC Milan

Bayern Munich

Manchester City

English Champion Manchester United

Marsille

German Champion Borussia Dortmund

Liverpool

There you have it.  Don't like it, prove it!  All Barca fans know that they're going to at least split this season with MY La Liga team: Sevilla (possibly, we'll see).  But needless to say, Barcelona is a team to be respected, and NEVER feared.  No fear.  Solid football, clever tactics, good defense, no senseless errors, and the excellence of execution is all it takes to beat this team.  Talent doesn't hurt, but am I willing to lay down hardware to a team that has a couple of victories in the first month of the season????  NO WAY.  I'm not a hater.  I'm not taking anything away from Barcelona, but this is one soccer maniac who doesnt believe the early season hype.  I've got three words to say about Barcelona's championship aspirations this season:

  EARN IT AGAIN. 

Congratulations to Barcelona on your early season victories, but there is a whole lot of football to be played!!  Can your team stay healthy?  Can your team overcome midseason let downs?  Can your team endure until the end?  Although they've proven it before, we play the game to answer those questions again and again, season after season.  They look on form, but they haven't earned any tittles yet.  Soccer is fickle in that the media will stomp on you or praise you week to week, or match to match.  Coaches are fired, players are dealt away based on specific games.  Owners sit next to each other and put together teams specifically to win ONE match.  The rivalries are that intense.  Its just that serious.  So my advice:  Dont believe the hype!!! 

Opinions?  I welcome them and look forward to hearing what the Soccer Maniacs are thinking out there.  Hopefully there are some that still have confidence in their squads to overcome the early hype.... 

Side note:

Dont count Arsenal out yet.  You cant crown a champion in August just like you cant eleminate a squad in August.  People, understand:  ITS STILL AUGUST.  Arsenal have qualified for the group stages of the Champions League (thankfully), and have faced two of the toughest teams in the EPL riddled with injury and suspensions from red cards.  It can only get better from here.  Sometimes a team needs its teeth kicked in to wake up.  Stand by your squad!!! I hated getting beat by ManU like that, but imagine that Arsenal's former team capn Fabregas has three goals in three games for Barcelona!! That's the real punch in the gut for me!!!  But the gunners will rise to prominence again.... mark me words.....

Till then maniacs, see you on the pitch....

-Phantom the Faithful