Weekend Recap: The Good, The Bad, and the Fuggly.

Another footballing weeekend concluded with some highlights, lowlights, and WTFs. Just watching what I watched, here's a quick rundown of it all.

THE GOOD

Manchester
Not just United for their win, but for City in their effort to rescue a point, three times. And if you would have put another 5 minutes on the clock, it wouldn't have come as a shock if the blue side of Manchester got a 4th. Nonetheless, the two hooked up for an all-timer of a Derby.

For Manchester United, it was a confirmation of their supremacy as the best team in the city. It was the seemingly ageless Ryan Giggs leading his team. It was Wayne Rooney setting the tone with the early goal. It was confirmation that Darren Fletcher deserves to be in the discussion of most valued United players just like Rooney and Nemanja Vidic. And lastly, it was pure theater that Michael Owen would win the game for the Red Devils.

For Manchester City, it was validation. This in defeat, with their win over Arsenal last week, signalled their arrival as a legitimate threat to win silverware. Whether you like the "break the bank to build a team" approach or not, you have to acknowledge that City are a title contender this season. There are still some issues in defense, but they have the attacking power to hang with anybody. How many teams do you know can say they scored 7 goals playing Arsenal and Manchester United back to back?

Chelsea
Carlo Ancelotti's men needed a statement win. 3-0 against a Tottenham side that was desparate for redemtion after last week's loss to United is just what the doctor ordered. The new boss has pushed all the right buttons to date. 6 for 6 in Premier League play now. They did this under Jose Mourinho in the '05-'06 season and went on to win the title.

Barcelona
Maybe the most jaw-dropping 42 minutes they have produced yet. 4 goals in that span against an Atletico Madrid side that is no pushover. They could have easily hung 10 Saturday if they didn't go into neutral. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is proving my theory from a previous blog correct. And Andres Iniesta has hardly played much.

*if you want to keep score from that blog, here you go: Ibrahimovic 3, Eto'o 2. Strictly league play and not Europe or Cup play. Ibra also has a game in hand.

Juventus
Continuing to take care of business. 12 out of 12 in Serie A so far, and only one goal conceded in those four games.

Bayern Munich
Three wins on the trot now in Bundesliga and four straight overall.

Bordeaux, Lyon, and Marseille
The three French representatives in the Champions League are all unbeaten in their first six matches in Ligue 1. The French top flight could go down to the wire this season.

THE BAD

Stuttgart
Exactly 2 out of possible 12 points in their last four matches. For a team that boasts players like Pogrebnyak, Khedira, and Hleb, they are struggling for goals at the moment. A 2-0 home loss this weekend to at the time cellar dwellers Koln will not inspire confidence.

Tottenham
Recent pantsings to Manchester United and Chelsea show just how far they have to go to contend with the big boys in England.

Atletico Madrid
Only one point from their first three La Liga matches, a disappointing 0-0 draw with APOEL Nicosia in the Champions League, and the 5-2 blast they took from Barcelona has manager Abel Rosina on the hot seat (if he hasn't been sacked already).

THE FUGGLY

Craig Bellamy
Potentially the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of football. Proves his quality and that he deserves a regular place in the Manchester City first 11 with 2 of the better goals of the weekend, and follows it up with striking a fan who invaded the pitch, while the fan was restrained by police.

Portsmouth, Xerez, Grenoble, and Atalanta
At the foot of the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Serie A respectively. They have played a combined 19 matches in league play, and have a combined zero points. Also, they have been outscored 39-6 combined.