In tonights champions league action, Nicklas Bendtner scored the winning goal for Arsenal in his Nike Mercurial IV Berry cleats. The win ensured Arsenal go through to the knockout stage with a game to spare.

Nike's new Mercurial Vapor IV Berry

So, here is a picture of the new Mercurial Vapor IV Berry. I have to say, pretty interesting! I am going to be very interesting in seeing these cleats being worn by professional players. Not sure how it is going to look with certain kits!! Andrei Arshavin, Frank Ribery and Milan Baros are reported to be debuting these cleats in their respective leagues this weekend. Leave us a comment teling us what you think of these cleats, we are interested to find out!!

New Zealand International Tony Lochhead

Name: Tony Lochhead

Current Chivas USA Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy in action

Name: Dan Kennedy
Position:GK
Team History:UCSB 2001-04
Puerto Rico Islanders 2005(USL)
Club Deportivo Municipal Iquique 2005-08(Chile)
Chivas USA 2008-

Cleat size: 10.5
Sneaker size:11

Preferred cleat? Predator firm grounds
In one sentence why? Very comfortable and I like the control I feel that I have with the ball.

What do you look for when choosing a cleat? Color- I usually wear black cleats, Comfort- I do not enjoy blisters, and weight- nothing too heavy

How much would you pay for the perfect pair?
$200 seems to be the standard for nice cleats these days, so I guess I wouldnt pay more than that.

What advice would you give to someone when choosing a new pair of cleats?
I usually have about 4 pairs of cleats, three firm grounds and one soft ground…I like the firm ground cleats to play in when the conditions permit, I also like to train in them. I always have a firm ground broken in and ready to go…for rainy and wet conditions…I usually rotate my cleats using them for games only in the begining, then once they start showing wear and tear I turn them into my training boots. I usually clean and leather food all my cleats the day before the game.

Danny Kennedy is currently one of the leading goalkeepers in MLS. His leadership qualities are well renowned, shown by his captaincy of the 2004 UCSB team that played in the schools first ever National Championship Final game. We thank Dan for sharing his knowledge on soccer cleats with us!

David McGill in action

Name: David McGill
Position: Center Midfield
Team History: UNC Charlotte 2000-01
UCSB 2001-03
Dublin City 2004-06
Shamrock Rovers 2006-07
Shelbourne 2007-
Cleat size: 9-91/2
Sneaker size: 10

Preferred cleat? Umbro
In one sentence why? Because I have broad feet and they are a broad fitting boot.

What do you look for when choosing a cleat?
A boots comfort is the priority, not its label. If the boot is not comfortable then you will not be able to play to your best. Second would be the leather of the boot, make sure it’s a good quality so it can last more than one tackle!

How much would you pay for the ‘perfect’ pair?
I wouldn’t really have a limit on a price. If I’m comfortable in the boot then I’d pay whatever the price is, be it $20 or $200.

What advice would you give to people when purchasing new cleats?
First and foremost is comfort. I would always have at least 2 pairs of boots, 1 pair of molded and 1 pair with studs, but usually I try to have 2 pairs of each. This is because of the weather conditions here in Ireland. The 4 pairs should do me for the season. To break in my boots I’d ask someone with a slightly bigger foot to wear them in training once or twice. If you can’t get someone that will do that then put on a couple of pairs of socks, soak the boots in water and wear them in training yourself.

Are there any tips you can give for maintaining cleats?
Always look after your cleats by washing them as soon as training or your game is over. A good polish or some leather balm on them when they have dried should also help increase lifespan.

David plays professionally in Ireland for Shelbourne FC. He had a very successful career in college, before turning down the chance to sign for LA Galaxy, opting to sign for Dublin City, who were at that time in the FAI First Division.
He is best known in Ireland for scoring the winning goal in the first division play-off in 2006, helping Dublin City FC win promotion to the Premier division for the first time.

Neil, thanks for joining us and letting our readers in on your tips!
First, What do you look for when choosing a cleat?
First and foremost, they must be made of leather. I am not a fan of the new plastic type cleats, they do not conform to my foot and are not comfortable in my opinion. I am also not a fan of colored cleats, I guess I am just old fashioned! I like black cleats. Also, I would rather have round molded cleats on the sole as opposed to blades. My perfect pair of cleats would be Adidas Adipure upper with Adidas Copa Mundial sole.

How much would you pay for the ‘perfect’ pair of cleats? $200

What advice would you give someone who is deciding what types of cleats to purchase?
Well, you have to have at last 2-3 pairs of cleats. One for hard ground, one for soft/wet surfaces and one for training. I like to keep my game cleats separate. A lot of games/trainings these days take place of artificial surfaces and on these surfaces I like to wear turf shoes. It does not feel natural to wear normal cleats on these surfaces sometimes. So, if a pair of turf shoes fits in your budget, I would recommend those too.

What tips do you have on ‘breaking’ cleats in?
I have always found the best way to break cleats in is in the shower or bath. Take a nice long shower/bath in hot water (as hot as you can handle it!) with your cleats on. The hot water helps to make the leather of your cleat more supple and conforms better to your foot. After you get out of he shower/bath, walk around the house in the cleats. This is the best way to break shoes in quickly.

Do you have any other tips on how to maintain cleats?
Clean your cleats after each practice/game. Cleats are expensive and they need care. A quick clean and a bit of leather food on the cleats goes a long way in not only extending the lifetime of your cleat but keeps the leather supple and prevents it from drying out.

Neil is currently assistant coach at UCSB, where he played for 4 years, captaining the team to the 2006 National Championship game. He had the honor of playing with his native New Zealand at international level, and marked Demarcus Beasley once in a game vs. USA.

Lotto Zhero Evolution

Well, these cleats are pretty easy to review as I have worn them throughout my college career! The Lotto Zhero Evolution in Metal White/Olympic Blue were the cleats that I wore in the National Championship game in 2004 and 2006. During that time, I also wore the Metal White/Olympic Blue version.

I found these cleats fitted very well and true to size. They also gave good durability. It only ever took one or two training sessions and a warm shower to break them in. They are blades, and are best for natural firm surfaces. I wore them on turf for practice, and on grass for games. They lasted a 6 month college season, so thats approx 100 practice sessions and 24 games. As a winger, I prefer to wear lighter, tight boots. And at a weight of 8.0 ounces, these are exactly that. Compared to the like of Adidas Predators, these cleats are a lot lighter, and close to being the same weight as Nike Mercurial Vapors.

More info on the cleats:

• Water repellent microfiber upper with EVA padding and asymmetrical lacing
• Puntoflex, external heel counter
• Removable anatomical insole with Shock Absorber in the heel area
• Nylon and fiberglass frame, stitched outsole
• Wt. 8.0 oz

Check out the full Lotto Zhero range at Soccer.com