EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

NATASHA WOODS

Will it be time up for Alex McLeish in Bratislava? Despite their domestic form, Rangers are capable of beating Artmedia, but there is a sense that even that won't save McLeish. The SPL title is disappearing into the distance and unless they produce something remarkable over the next month, a win in Bratislava may only delay the inevitable.

Would a win be enough anyway to see off Porto in qualifying? No, Group H is too tight for that and three points in Slovakia could yet be the last points Rangers pick up. Porto showed what they are capable of in beating Inter at home, although a win for Rangers would be a giant step towards guaranteeing European football after Christmas, even if it is in the Uefa Cup.

Individual Lille players are attracting growing attention from scouts at bigger clubs, but is that enough for Claude Puel's side to make a mark? Before the Old Trafford game Puel suggested he didn't have a single player fit to grace a top Premiership side, but that may have been managerial kidology. After a sloppy start to their domestic campaign, Lille are gaining confidence and will have to inferiority complex at home to United.

Liverpool and Chelsea are home and hosed. But as the Anfield side face their 10th match of the competition already, won't they run out of steam? Yes. Group G is proving a stroll for the English sides but Liverpool's domestic form highlights how far they are from being the finished article - Europeanchampions or not. It is impossible to envisage a similar scenario unfolding as the one which took them to the Champions League title last season.

Is this season's competition really capturing the imagination anywhere? The Champions League has become a victim of its own hype because everyone expects classic showdowns and the truth is the excitement only really starts to mount in the knock-out stages.

STEWART FISHER

Will it be time up for Alex McLeish in Bratislava? It would be typical of McLeish's reign if his players dug in, and emerged with at least a point. That would put the ball back into David Murray's court, and secure a stay of execution for at least another week.

Would a win be enough anyway to see off Porto in qualifying? A win in Bratislava would put the Ibrox club right back into the mix, but Group H is suddenly so tight that no-one will be out of the reckoning after this week. Rangers will still have to conjure something extraordinary against either Inter Milan at Ibrox, or away to Co Adriaanse's attack-minded Porto side.

Individual Lille players are attracting growing attention from scouts at bigger clubs, but is that enough for Claude Puel's side to make a mark? Can Claude Puel's side go a stage further? I don't think so. Lille are no easy touches, but have yet to score a single goal in this competition.

For Manchester United , the return of Wayne Rooney after suspension at least compensates for the missing Paul Scholes.

Liverpool and Chelsea are home and hosed. But as the Anfield side face their 10th match of the competition already, won't they run out of steam? No. Whether they can repeat last season's exploits in Istanbul is another matter, particularly given their lack of a reliable out-and-out striker, but they should be too good for Anderlecht.

Is this season's competition really capturing the imagination anywhere? The locals in Bratislava and Thun will certainly be quite excited by it, and the group containing AC Milan, PSV, Fenerbahce and Schalke has been a thriller, but the ability of negative teams to prosper has meant a certain weariness.

GABRIELE MARCOTTI

Will it be time up for Alex McLeish in Bratislava? Not necessarily, though it means Rangers need three points which is still eminently doable - despite some surprising results Artmedia are not a good side.

Would a win be enough anyway to see off Porto in qualifying? Ye s .

Porto will get nothing at the San Siro even though Roberto Mancini's side have suffered defeats to Juventus, Porto and Roma over the last few weeks.

Individual Lille players are attracting growing attention from scouts at bigger clubs, but is that enough for Claude Puel's side to make a mark? No, let's be realistic. Lille are very poor and at home they won't be able to sit back and defend in numbers.

Liverpool and Chelsea are home and hosed. But as the Anfield side face their 10th match of the competition already, won't they run out of steam? They can beat up on Anderlecht. But that does not change the facts: this is an ill-assorted side which is far from its potential. There is a lot of work for Benitez to do, and maybe it's true what some are saying: last season's dramatic European Cup win came too early and is turning into a curse.

Is this season's competition really capturing the imagination anywhere? Guess you haven't yet seen Barcelona play? Seriously, give it some more time. . .

Copyright 2005 SMG Sunday Newspapers Ltd.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.