Player plays for big club but doesn’t quite cut it.
So player moves to other big club.
Again, doesn’t quite cut it.
So player moves to another big club, albeit a lesser one.
The destination for Daniel Sturridge.
And now the destination for Mario Balotelli.
It’s remarkable how the careers of these two strikers both transpired to see them end up at Liverpool for their last chance saloon.
Both twenty three at the time.
Both with a lot to prove.
Both having failed to live up to expectations before.
Daniel will argue he wasn’t really given his chance at the Etihad.
In reality, he failed to make the grade at a top club who had a lot of talent at their disposal.
His time at the club will ultimately be looked upon as a failure.
Daniel will argue his wasn’t played in the right position at Stamford Bridge.
In reality, he failed to make the grade at a top club who despite having a lot of talent in the squad, actually struggled up front during his time there.
Again, his time at the club will ultimately be looked upon as a failure.
It was only when he took a step back to join Liverpool did he finally start to fulfill his potential.
He took his chance to light up a club that had finished mid-table three seasons in a row and helped catapult them up closer to where they belong.
Since joining Liverpool, Daniel has scored a quite remarkable 36 goals in 54 games.
He had only 38 goals before he signed and that was from 140 games.
Liverpool went from 8th to 2nd in just under two seasons.
Having only earned 1 cap in 6 and a half seasons at Manchester City and Chelsea, he then earned 15 caps and scored 5 goals in the past 18 months.
Played and scored in a World Cup.
Was selected in the PFA team of the season.
All signs that Daniel is finally ready to fulfill his potential.
All because he took his chance.
Had he not gone this way of course and gone the way he had of his days in blue, his next move would not have been a step forward.
A step back again.
Having already gone backward to a team finishing mid table, a step backward again would see Daniel well and truly out of the top drawer.
A long way back to the top from there.
Even a Champions League club is a long way from there in the Premier League.
And this is exactly the same situation that now faces Mario.
He came through the ranks at Internazionale.
The season they conquered all under Jose Mourinho, his chances were limited as he was continuously dropped from the squad for altercations.
Sold to Manchester City after a largely unsuccessful period in Italian football despite his team’s success.
A team on the up.
Soon to be Champions.
Soon to be too good for Mario to play a starring role.
Another step backward came as he returned to Milan.
This was his time to settle.
His big chance.
He was home.
A sleeping giant in need of waking up.
A giant who ended up happiest with Mario on the day he was sold.
From a £24 million player.
To a £20 million player.
To a £16 million player.
Mario has been missing his chances.
His next chance is to join forces with Daniel at Anfield.
To join Daniel on the same path he was on.
Join Daniel in the last chance saloon.
Mario now faces the same abyss that Daniel once faced.
His next move will be up to the level his new striking partner is hitting and a shot at fulfilling his potential.
Or a further step back to a team more suited to a good cup run and a shot at qualification for the Europa League if the season goes well.
Not much chance of him reaching his potential from there.
Not the same chance he has at Liverpool where after ten Premier League games he has yet to register a goal.
Not the start he would have wanted.
But far too early to make a call.
He hopes.
Brendan Rodgers needs him to start hitting the target.
And Mario needs to start hitting his targets.
His potential goal is being missed.
The same goal Daniel finally found at Anfield.
The same goal Mario must find soon...
Showing posts with label Manchester City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manchester City. Show all posts
Tuesday, 4 November 2014
Monday, 6 October 2014
The Class of Danny Welbeck
Danny Welbeck.
Galatasary.
6 chances.
3 goals.
Man of the match.
Danny Welbeck.
Chelsea.
0 chances.
0 goals.
Non existent in the match.
The two sides of Danny Welbeck beautifully illustrated in the space of 4 days.
From the moment Danny joined Arsenal we have seen his career perform like a heart monitor.
Shot up after his two goal salvo for England against Switzerland.
Straight back down for his debut miss at Manchester City.
A hat trick in the Champions League.
Then absolutely nothing during the game with Chelsea.
Never more beautifully did he illustrate how he is such a class player - just not a world class player.
Danny can produce brilliantly like against Galatasary on Wednesday when he became only the sixth Englishman to score a Champions League hat-trick.
Then get completely nullified four days later on Sunday when he played against a top quality side.
Just like last month when he scored against last season’s fifteenth placed Aston Villa.
And was then completely shut-out when he played the champions Manchester City.
A lot has been said of one of the most surprising deals of transfer deadline day in recent weeks.
Mainly from Arsenal fans.
Who reacted on twitter with many feelings - bewilderment included.
Their team had just spent £16m on a player who often attracted derision from fans outside of the Old Trafford.
Derision from fans inside at times too.
They needed a striker, badly.
With Arsene Wenger off refereeing a charity match in Rome, the Gunners faithful feared the worse with just hours to go before the window closed.
No mention of a striker for weeks until suddenly Danny Welbeck’s name cropped up.
He was a striker alright.
Just not a very good one.
Or at least that’s what they had thought.
His record suggested he wasn’t what their team needed.
Games for Manchester United - 142.
Goals for Manchester United - 29.
Hardly figures to set even the most optimistic of supporter’s imagination alight.
The reaction of Manchester United’s fans suggested otherwise.
Respected pundits such as Gary Neville questioned the sale.
Paul Scholes, Dwight Yorke, David Beckham too.
Even Mike Phelan, Sir Alex Ferguson’s right hand man came out against the decision of Louis Van Gaal.
A decision make entirely by Louis Van Gaal.
For Louis Van Gaal.
And for Manchester United.
Louis has come in to this massive club and now needs to stamp his authority.
He will have looked at the reactions of said former players and known every one of them came from the Sir Alex Ferguson school of thought.
And under the great Scotsman, Danny would not have been sold.
At least not yet.
But life is different now and Louis is not cut from the same cloth.
He has no sentimentality towards players who came through the ranks at the club having been there since the age of 10.
He is a lot more black and white than that.
He will have seen the stat of 29 goals in 142 games.
The problem for Danny is he will have looked at the stat of 155 goals in 200 games as well.
Radamel Falcao’s return since he came to Europe is astonishing.
He hasn’t stopped scoring since he arrived on the continent.
Lighting up the teams of Porto, Atletico Madrid and Monaco.
Costing the French side £51m last summer.
A return of 35 goals in his 41 games in European competition.
His two seasons in Europe’s best league saw a return of 24 and 28 league goals.
36 and 34 overall.
In every season he played in Europe bar the one season not finished due to his cruciate ligament injury, he has scored more goals than Danny has scored in his 6 years at Manchester United in total.
Every season.
34, 38, 36, 34.
Compared to an overall of 29.
Danny is just not in the same league.
Not even close.
Excuses can be made of how Danny has been forced to play out wide in far too many games before.
He has craved this central role that he will get at Arsenal.
But Falcao wasn’t played out wide to accommodate Diego Costa at Atletico Madrid.
The same Diego Costa who would go on to score 36 goals the following season.
That’s not what managers do with world class players.
They do that with players like Danny Welbeck.
They even sell players like Danny for sums as paltry as £16m.
A great price for Arsenal to pay.
A price that got them a great striker.
Just not one as good as Falcao...
Monday, 22 September 2014
Forget Manchester City and Chelsea - Manchester United are back.
Manchester United are back.
And back big time.
Not that they were really ever gone mind.
It’s just now the fears of them actually going away have been extinguished.
For anyone who ever had any doubt - Louis Van Gaal gave them one hundred and fifty four million reasons this summer.
Each single reason a pound.
A single currency that appears to be Manchester United’s new way of thinking.
Although very much their old one when you give it a moment’s thought.
A lot has been said about how United have become the new Manchester City.
Or the new Chelsea.
Even the new Real Madrid with the phrase ‘The Galáticos’ being replaced with ‘The Gaaláticos’.
Truth is, they were always that.
They just hadn’t flexed this muscle as often in the previous few seasons.
There were clubs who spent more than United during Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure, sure.
But United were invariably coming from a healthy position of talent.
When they had to spend big to address any discrepancies they may have had - they did.
Sir Alex Ferguson broke the British transfer record five times alone.
Five times.
The only reason it’s not six is because Robinho signed the same night as Dimitar Berbatov.
The Brazilian forward becoming the first major signing to symbolise Manchester City’s ‘buying success’ period.
He cost a mere £1.75 million more than what their city rivals had just paid.
The following summers saw an increase in City’s spending but only because they were starting from a distance back.
They needed to play catch-up first to obtain success before they could try sustain it.
A much more expensive game.
A game of heavy spending that inflation has a habit of distorting.
But just as Chelsea or Manchester City needed to do so of late - United needed to play catch up on Arsenal in the summer of 1998.
It was a huge summer.
A £27 million size summer.
Dwight Yorke, Jaap Stam, Jasper Blomqvist all bought in.
Almost triple the amount spent by their nearest rivals.
An historic treble followed.
A treble funded by the largest outlay any English club had green lighted before.
Manchester City have been the most recent club accused of buying success.
But it’s been a long time since a team hasn’t.
The last of the non ‘big’ teams to win the league was Blackburn Rovers.
Bankrolled by the treasure chest of Jack Walker, they paid huge sums for various players at the time.
The British transfer record was broke to bring Alan Shearer to Ewood Park before they won the title.
Job done.
There’s even teams in the Premier League who have spent massive amounts to ‘buy success’ yet just haven’t achieved the desired results that go with this expression of intended derision.
Liverpool have spent more than Manchester United in the Premier League era.
Tottenham Hotspur have spent more than Arsenal.
The only difference between what they did and Manchester City or Chelsea did is the amount spent in the first few seasons of this ‘new’ money.
Playing catch-up meant they had to spend big to jump up to a level playing field with the established clubs.
But just as this season sees Manchester City spending only £50 million compared to their previous larger amounts - a plateau invariably occurs.
Resulting in spending now that equates little difference to the regular spends of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal or Tottenham of certain periods in the last 22 years.
£154 million was a huge outlay.
And one suspects there will be more money spent come January and next summer.
But it’s no different to breaking the British transfer record to bring Juan Sebastien Veron to the club for £28.1 million in 2001.
Nor is it any different to breaking the world transfer record for a defender when they brought in Rio Ferdinand for £29.1 million in 2002.
Roy Keane, Andy Cole, Ruud Van Nistelrooy the same.
All 5 times Sir Alex Ferguson broke the British transfer record was an example of a big club buying success.
It’s been that way for a long, long time.
Manchester United haven’t become the new Chelsea.
Haven’t become the new Manchester City either.
And they certainly haven’t sold their soul.
They’re just back to their traditional Manchester United selves.
The original big spenders of the Premier League.
Intent on buying success again...
Monday, 1 September 2014
Does England Have The Premier League?
The hyperbole machine is in full flow this month.
We’ve been told the best league in the world has returned.
We’ve been told the most entertaining league in the world has returned.
We’ve been told the most competitive league in the world has returned.
Problem is - We’re just not sure if it’s returned to England.
The Premier League hyperbole machine will tell us it has of course.
They’ll tell us just about anything about how eminent the league is.
But it continuously fails to mention the most pertinent description it can offer - the best branded league in the world.
The Premier League has an awful lot going for it.
Most fans.
Most watched.
Most money.
Off the pitch it’s unbeatable.
It’s on the pitch the problems lie.
Season after season the best the Premier League has to offer seems to be off to La Liga.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first major talent to leave in recent seasons.
Manchester United’s main man.
He was followed by Cesc Fabrages.
Arsenal’s main man.
Gareth Bale then picked up both player of the year awards.
Then promptly picked up and left.
The trend continued this summer when multiple player of the year award winner Luis Suarez landed in Barcelona.
Yet when we look at the reverse transfer dealings, it’s not the top players or star men of Spanish clubs that head for the shores of England.
As usual, Diego Costa aside, it was another summer of England’s finest picking off what Spain’s finest decided to cast off.
Barcelona decided Cesc Fabregas was surplus to requirements after they signed Suarez.
Alexis Sanchez too.
Much like when Bale arrived last summer and Mesut Ozil was allowed to leave, this year it was the turn of Angel DiMaria who was free to go.
Available for transfer only after Real Madrid had sufficiently bolstered their squad with the best there was to offer.
When it comes to individual awards, the English league’s top players rarely feature either.
Since 2010, only Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic have made the FIFPro team of the year.
Not that the Germans or Italians have featured prominently either.
It’s the Spanish who have dominated completely.
Of the 44 players chosen since the turn of the decade, 34 have come from the Spanish league.
32 players more than the ‘best league in the world’.
Of course, It’s not just the players who make the league.
The teams are primary.
And right now it’s hard to look past the elite of the Spanish and German leagues.
An all Spanish affair in the final of the Champions League last season.
An all German affair the season before.
In fact, if it wasn’t for Chelsea flying the flag for the Premier League, it would be pretty poor reading in the Champions League over the past three seasons.
Manchester City have gone out in the group stages twice and the last 16 once.
Manchester United have gone out in the group stages, the last 16 and the quarter finals.
While Arsenal have not made it past the last 16 any of the seasons.
Even Chelsea, with their triumph 3 seasons ago have exited the competition at the group stage too.
Hardly statistics to back up the title of best league in the world.
Hyperbole will argue that the Premier League is more competitive of course.
It’s only the big two in Spain and the big one in Germany.
A quick look back over the last 10 years reveal otherwise.
All three countries have had a dominant club in the league - Manchester United (5 times winners), Barcelona (6), Bayern Munich (6).
Followed by a secondary team - Chelsea (3), Real Madrid (3), Borussia Dortmund (2).
And some less successful clubs - Manchester City (2), Atletico Madrid (1), Wolfsburg (1) and Schalke (1).
Tough to argue it’s more competitive when only 3 teams have won the league in the last 1o years - the same as it’s La Liga counterparts and 1 less then the Bundesliga.
The battle for the Champions League places, or top four, is even less compelling reading.
Only 7 teams have qualified from England in the last 10 years.
The supposedly less competitive nation of Germany has had 9 qualifiers.
The supposedly even less competitive Spanish league has had 12.
Examining the top 4 of each league last season pours further cold water on the argument of competitiveness.
The top 4 in the Premier League dropped a combined total of 125 points last season.
Only 3 points more than the combined total of the top 4 in both Spain and Germany - equal on 122.
Hardly convincing evidence that the other leagues are dominated by just the elite.
A look further down the league tables suggests the strength lies in the other two leagues as well.
In the last 3 seasons 5 teams from Spain have made the semi-finals of the Europa League, winning it twice.
Just the 1 English representative here - Chelsea again.
In the week that Hull City crashed out before the group stages even begun, it was another reminder of what little success English clubs have had of late compared to their Spanish counterparts.
It’s not all grim reading of course.
The likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal are still up there with the best in the world.
Likewise players such as Angel DiMaria, Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez.
Even the clubs that have competed in the Europa League from England are good clubs who have had success in the past.
All pointing to England’s elite competition being one of the best in the world.
But that’s not being questioned.
The English League is no doubt up there with the best in the world.
It may be that it’s just not the premier league...
We’ve been told the best league in the world has returned.
We’ve been told the most entertaining league in the world has returned.
We’ve been told the most competitive league in the world has returned.
Problem is - We’re just not sure if it’s returned to England.
The Premier League hyperbole machine will tell us it has of course.
They’ll tell us just about anything about how eminent the league is.
But it continuously fails to mention the most pertinent description it can offer - the best branded league in the world.
The Premier League has an awful lot going for it.
Most fans.
Most watched.
Most money.
Off the pitch it’s unbeatable.
It’s on the pitch the problems lie.
Season after season the best the Premier League has to offer seems to be off to La Liga.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first major talent to leave in recent seasons.
Manchester United’s main man.
He was followed by Cesc Fabrages.
Arsenal’s main man.
Gareth Bale then picked up both player of the year awards.
Then promptly picked up and left.
The trend continued this summer when multiple player of the year award winner Luis Suarez landed in Barcelona.
Yet when we look at the reverse transfer dealings, it’s not the top players or star men of Spanish clubs that head for the shores of England.
As usual, Diego Costa aside, it was another summer of England’s finest picking off what Spain’s finest decided to cast off.
Barcelona decided Cesc Fabregas was surplus to requirements after they signed Suarez.
Alexis Sanchez too.
Much like when Bale arrived last summer and Mesut Ozil was allowed to leave, this year it was the turn of Angel DiMaria who was free to go.
Available for transfer only after Real Madrid had sufficiently bolstered their squad with the best there was to offer.
When it comes to individual awards, the English league’s top players rarely feature either.
Since 2010, only Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic have made the FIFPro team of the year.
Not that the Germans or Italians have featured prominently either.
It’s the Spanish who have dominated completely.
Of the 44 players chosen since the turn of the decade, 34 have come from the Spanish league.
32 players more than the ‘best league in the world’.
Of course, It’s not just the players who make the league.
The teams are primary.
And right now it’s hard to look past the elite of the Spanish and German leagues.
An all Spanish affair in the final of the Champions League last season.
An all German affair the season before.
In fact, if it wasn’t for Chelsea flying the flag for the Premier League, it would be pretty poor reading in the Champions League over the past three seasons.
Manchester City have gone out in the group stages twice and the last 16 once.
Manchester United have gone out in the group stages, the last 16 and the quarter finals.
While Arsenal have not made it past the last 16 any of the seasons.
Even Chelsea, with their triumph 3 seasons ago have exited the competition at the group stage too.
Hardly statistics to back up the title of best league in the world.
Hyperbole will argue that the Premier League is more competitive of course.
It’s only the big two in Spain and the big one in Germany.
A quick look back over the last 10 years reveal otherwise.
All three countries have had a dominant club in the league - Manchester United (5 times winners), Barcelona (6), Bayern Munich (6).
Followed by a secondary team - Chelsea (3), Real Madrid (3), Borussia Dortmund (2).
And some less successful clubs - Manchester City (2), Atletico Madrid (1), Wolfsburg (1) and Schalke (1).
Tough to argue it’s more competitive when only 3 teams have won the league in the last 1o years - the same as it’s La Liga counterparts and 1 less then the Bundesliga.
The battle for the Champions League places, or top four, is even less compelling reading.
Only 7 teams have qualified from England in the last 10 years.
The supposedly less competitive nation of Germany has had 9 qualifiers.
The supposedly even less competitive Spanish league has had 12.
Examining the top 4 of each league last season pours further cold water on the argument of competitiveness.
The top 4 in the Premier League dropped a combined total of 125 points last season.
Only 3 points more than the combined total of the top 4 in both Spain and Germany - equal on 122.
Hardly convincing evidence that the other leagues are dominated by just the elite.
A look further down the league tables suggests the strength lies in the other two leagues as well.
In the last 3 seasons 5 teams from Spain have made the semi-finals of the Europa League, winning it twice.
Just the 1 English representative here - Chelsea again.
In the week that Hull City crashed out before the group stages even begun, it was another reminder of what little success English clubs have had of late compared to their Spanish counterparts.
It’s not all grim reading of course.
The likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal are still up there with the best in the world.
Likewise players such as Angel DiMaria, Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez.
Even the clubs that have competed in the Europa League from England are good clubs who have had success in the past.
All pointing to England’s elite competition being one of the best in the world.
But that’s not being questioned.
The English League is no doubt up there with the best in the world.
It may be that it’s just not the premier league...
Monday, 21 May 2012
The Marginal Victory that is Winning The Champions League
Roman took over Chelsea in the summer of 2003.
Transforming a modest team into one of the top sides in the world.
Traditionalists will cite that what took place over the course of the next nine years was a club buying their success.
Realists will know that this is how football works these days.
Chelsea are no different to Blackburn, Liverpool, Manchester City or Manchester United.
Arsenal would have seen the same success but spent their money on a stadium instead of players.
Barcelona and Real Madrid are funded by Spanish banks and the Government.
And money has dictated the Italian championship a lot longer than it’s European counterparts.
Yet even those who have spent big have still only managed limited success in Europe’s top competition.
No team has ever retained the competition.
No team has ever dominated it.
Sir Alex Ferguson has had 17 attempts at winning the competition yet has only yielded 2 titles.
By his own accord that has not been good enough - but he is still the most successful manager in the competitions history.
Arsene Wenger has had 14 attempts with just 1 runner-ups spot.
Roman has tried and failed with the likes of Carlo Ancelotti, Luis Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink, Avram Grant, even Jose Mourinho.
Nothing.
We have witnessed one of the greatest sides to ever come out of England continuously miss out on Champions League glory.
And by the smallest of margins.
John’s slip in the final.
Luis’ goal that never crossed the line.
Eidur’s miss in the last minute.
The penalties at Anfield.
Barcelona-gate.
This squad, more than most, have proved what little margins there are between coming first - or coming last.
For to win the Champions League - everything must go your way.
Everything over the course of the season.
Liverpool were 4 minutes away from elimination in the group stage in 2005.
Not to mention what happened in Istanbul.
Manchester United were losing 1-0 in injury time in 1999.
The same club of course, who benefitted from John’s slip.
And then we had Chelsea in 2012.
How many times had they looked dead and buried in this seasons competition?
Napoli defeating them 3-1 in the first leg.
Then scoring an away goal at the Bridge.
Losing both centre backs in Camp Nou.
Barcelona going 2-0 up.
Lionel stepping up to take a penalty to give Barcelona the lead.
Their opponents in the final playing with home advantage.
Bayern scoring in the 84th minute of the final.
Arjen looked to seal it from 12 yards in extra time.
Juan missing his kick.
Before finally Bastian tipped the competition in Chelsea’s favour.
They were down and out on so many occasions yet they would not die.
Neutrals may not like some of these Chelsea players but they have to have been impressed with their mentality.
They have earned the respect of everyone who really knows about this sport.
Their ‘not knowing when to quit’ attitude was exceptional.
Desire unquestionable.
Every time they looked out, they somehow found something extra special to keep them in the fight.
This is what makes great teams great.
What made Chelsea great.
And Chelsea have been exactly that this century.
It’s just now, they’ve finally got what they deserve - a marginal victory...
Transforming a modest team into one of the top sides in the world.
Traditionalists will cite that what took place over the course of the next nine years was a club buying their success.
Realists will know that this is how football works these days.
Chelsea are no different to Blackburn, Liverpool, Manchester City or Manchester United.
Arsenal would have seen the same success but spent their money on a stadium instead of players.
Barcelona and Real Madrid are funded by Spanish banks and the Government.
And money has dictated the Italian championship a lot longer than it’s European counterparts.
Yet even those who have spent big have still only managed limited success in Europe’s top competition.
No team has ever retained the competition.
No team has ever dominated it.
Sir Alex Ferguson has had 17 attempts at winning the competition yet has only yielded 2 titles.
By his own accord that has not been good enough - but he is still the most successful manager in the competitions history.
Arsene Wenger has had 14 attempts with just 1 runner-ups spot.
Roman has tried and failed with the likes of Carlo Ancelotti, Luis Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink, Avram Grant, even Jose Mourinho.
Nothing.
We have witnessed one of the greatest sides to ever come out of England continuously miss out on Champions League glory.
And by the smallest of margins.
John’s slip in the final.
Luis’ goal that never crossed the line.
Eidur’s miss in the last minute.
The penalties at Anfield.
Barcelona-gate.
This squad, more than most, have proved what little margins there are between coming first - or coming last.
For to win the Champions League - everything must go your way.
Everything over the course of the season.
Liverpool were 4 minutes away from elimination in the group stage in 2005.
Not to mention what happened in Istanbul.
Manchester United were losing 1-0 in injury time in 1999.
The same club of course, who benefitted from John’s slip.
And then we had Chelsea in 2012.
How many times had they looked dead and buried in this seasons competition?
Napoli defeating them 3-1 in the first leg.
Then scoring an away goal at the Bridge.
Losing both centre backs in Camp Nou.
Barcelona going 2-0 up.
Lionel stepping up to take a penalty to give Barcelona the lead.
Their opponents in the final playing with home advantage.
Bayern scoring in the 84th minute of the final.
Arjen looked to seal it from 12 yards in extra time.
Juan missing his kick.
Before finally Bastian tipped the competition in Chelsea’s favour.
They were down and out on so many occasions yet they would not die.
Neutrals may not like some of these Chelsea players but they have to have been impressed with their mentality.
They have earned the respect of everyone who really knows about this sport.
Their ‘not knowing when to quit’ attitude was exceptional.
Desire unquestionable.
Every time they looked out, they somehow found something extra special to keep them in the fight.
This is what makes great teams great.
What made Chelsea great.
And Chelsea have been exactly that this century.
It’s just now, they’ve finally got what they deserve - a marginal victory...
Monday, 26 March 2012
Mind the Games
So Patrick Vieira has chosen this week as the week to kick off the end of season mind games.
Every season come ‘squeaky bum’ time, the clubs going for the title all look for any little advantage they can get over each other.
What a surprise then that Patrick should open his mouth this week without the care to actually think about what he was saying.
Especially considering the fact that he is a student of a former master of the art - Arsene Wenger.
He should know better.
Arsene usually did.
So used to doing his talking on the pitch, Patrick has opened his mouth to the press and played straight into the hands of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Kevin had ‘Love it’.
Rafa had ‘Facts’.
And if Manchester City capitulate over the coming weeks, don’t be surprised to find numerous mentions of Patrick and ‘Tevez’.
Manchester United were going about their business in their own way and keeping shut - knowing full well that they had the Carlos Tevez card to play at any stage if needed.
Roberto Mancini knew this.
David Platt knew this.
Yet somehow, inexplicably, Patrick judged the situation entirely different to everyone else at the club.
If you are going to fire the first shot of the mind game season - then make sure you have a good defence.
Patrick attacks Sir Alex’s decision to bring back ‘the greatest British midfielder of the last 20 years’ on a free.
A complete legend at the club.
One of the nicest guys in football.
And 9 league games later, having amalgamated 25 points from a possible 27 in the games Paul played, Patrick decides to call it a sign of weakness on United’s part.
In the same period, Manchester City also brought back a player of their own.
A player who refused to go on to the pitch during a key game this season.
A player we were told would never play for the club again.
He goes on a five month holiday in his homeland and is pretty much been condemned from every corner of the footballing world for being the kind of player who personifies everything that is wrong with the beautiful game today.
His return coincides with his team dropping a lead at the top of the table that at one stage was 8 points.
Yet Patrick believes bringing back Paul was the sign a weakness?
A disgusting situation that wouldn’t go away in January despite City’s best attempts to off load their Argentinian has once again reared it’s ugly head thanks in no small part to Patrick’s attempt at mind games.
The last thing Roberto would have wanted is any more press surrounding Carlos Tevez.
He knows himself that by bringing back the player he said would never play for him again - he has invited scrutiny upon his title charge.
Carlos has become a spotlight for weakness.
A spotlight for desperation.
A spotlight that could potentially derail his clubs title challenge.
And it was his own clubs ‘football development executive’ who turned it on.
Patrick has once again demonstrated just how effective a talker he is.
It’s just a pity that Patrick can no longer do his talking on the pitch...
Every season come ‘squeaky bum’ time, the clubs going for the title all look for any little advantage they can get over each other.
What a surprise then that Patrick should open his mouth this week without the care to actually think about what he was saying.
Especially considering the fact that he is a student of a former master of the art - Arsene Wenger.
He should know better.
Arsene usually did.
So used to doing his talking on the pitch, Patrick has opened his mouth to the press and played straight into the hands of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Kevin had ‘Love it’.
Rafa had ‘Facts’.
And if Manchester City capitulate over the coming weeks, don’t be surprised to find numerous mentions of Patrick and ‘Tevez’.
Manchester United were going about their business in their own way and keeping shut - knowing full well that they had the Carlos Tevez card to play at any stage if needed.
Roberto Mancini knew this.
David Platt knew this.
Yet somehow, inexplicably, Patrick judged the situation entirely different to everyone else at the club.
If you are going to fire the first shot of the mind game season - then make sure you have a good defence.
Patrick attacks Sir Alex’s decision to bring back ‘the greatest British midfielder of the last 20 years’ on a free.
A complete legend at the club.
One of the nicest guys in football.
And 9 league games later, having amalgamated 25 points from a possible 27 in the games Paul played, Patrick decides to call it a sign of weakness on United’s part.
In the same period, Manchester City also brought back a player of their own.
A player who refused to go on to the pitch during a key game this season.
A player we were told would never play for the club again.
He goes on a five month holiday in his homeland and is pretty much been condemned from every corner of the footballing world for being the kind of player who personifies everything that is wrong with the beautiful game today.
His return coincides with his team dropping a lead at the top of the table that at one stage was 8 points.
Yet Patrick believes bringing back Paul was the sign a weakness?
A disgusting situation that wouldn’t go away in January despite City’s best attempts to off load their Argentinian has once again reared it’s ugly head thanks in no small part to Patrick’s attempt at mind games.
The last thing Roberto would have wanted is any more press surrounding Carlos Tevez.
He knows himself that by bringing back the player he said would never play for him again - he has invited scrutiny upon his title charge.
Carlos has become a spotlight for weakness.
A spotlight for desperation.
A spotlight that could potentially derail his clubs title challenge.
And it was his own clubs ‘football development executive’ who turned it on.
Patrick has once again demonstrated just how effective a talker he is.
It’s just a pity that Patrick can no longer do his talking on the pitch...
Thursday, 22 March 2012
Spain are not yet leagues ahead of England
A lot has been said about Athletic Bilbao’s extremely impressive win over Manchester United last week.
Defeating the current English champions both home and away led to a comprehensive score line and a place in the quarter finals.
A lesson in football and incontrovertible proof that the Spanish league is superior to the English Premier - I’m afraid not.
Firstly, it was one tie.
Not 5 seasons of dominance.
Secondly, you have to question the motives of Sir Alex Ferguson and look at the benefits of getting knocked out.
The Europa League is a great competition for the likes of Shamrock Rovers, Stoke City and Athletic Bilbao.
But it quite simply isn’t entertained by clubs the size of Manchester United, Manchester City or Tottenham Hotspur.
Especially when they are going for the league.
They all want to be sitting at the top table with Europe’s finest and if they fail to do so, see very little point in taking part in European competition.
So while Athletic did so comprehensively defeat United, you can’t help but think that Sir Alex was more concerned with his weekend trip to face Wolves.
This season has been a strange one for English clubs.
So dominant for much of the previous 5 years, they now find themselves with only 1 team remaining in the Champions League quarter finals.
Chelsea are the only side performing to a similar level that we have come to expect.
Manchester United took a calculated risk in trying to qualify from a relatively easy group.
Unfortunately for them, they got their calculations wrong.
It doesn’t make them a bad team overnight.
They took a risk and it backfired.
Had they scraped through against Basle however, they would surely be vying for what would have been their 4th final in 5 years.
Manchester City had the misfortune of being drawn in the group of death.
Roberto Mancini’s expensively assembled side is still on a building process and will no doubt be serious contenders for next seasons crown having tasted some Champions League action for the first time.
It’s worth noting however that it was Spanish side Villarreal who finished bottom of that group with 0 points.
Arsenal’s campaign finished with a thumping at the hands of AC Milan in the last 16.
They however, similar to another one of England’s Champions League stalwarts Liverpool, are undergoing a rebuilding process.
A process that the English league seems to be going through too.
This seasons results have not seen the shift in power to Spain.
But rather England’s dominance suffering a blip.
Next season should see the return of Tottenham Hotspur - a team on the up.
The two Manchester clubs will see themselves as major contenders.
And one of either Chelsea or Arsenal, who have both come through a tough season looking that bit stronger will no doubt be looking to reach the quarters at least.
Which league is stronger will not be answered by one victory by Athletic Bilbao.
But it did raise some interesting questions.
English teams, so dominant for 5 seasons now - have had a major blip.
Repeating this next season will cause much concern.
Maybe then the Spanish league will be able to stake their claim as the best in the world.
But for now - they must make do with the best side in the world.
Leagues ahead of everybody else in Europe.
Just not in the best league...
Defeating the current English champions both home and away led to a comprehensive score line and a place in the quarter finals.
A lesson in football and incontrovertible proof that the Spanish league is superior to the English Premier - I’m afraid not.
Firstly, it was one tie.
Not 5 seasons of dominance.
Secondly, you have to question the motives of Sir Alex Ferguson and look at the benefits of getting knocked out.
The Europa League is a great competition for the likes of Shamrock Rovers, Stoke City and Athletic Bilbao.
But it quite simply isn’t entertained by clubs the size of Manchester United, Manchester City or Tottenham Hotspur.
Especially when they are going for the league.
They all want to be sitting at the top table with Europe’s finest and if they fail to do so, see very little point in taking part in European competition.
So while Athletic did so comprehensively defeat United, you can’t help but think that Sir Alex was more concerned with his weekend trip to face Wolves.
This season has been a strange one for English clubs.
So dominant for much of the previous 5 years, they now find themselves with only 1 team remaining in the Champions League quarter finals.
Chelsea are the only side performing to a similar level that we have come to expect.
Manchester United took a calculated risk in trying to qualify from a relatively easy group.
Unfortunately for them, they got their calculations wrong.
It doesn’t make them a bad team overnight.
They took a risk and it backfired.
Had they scraped through against Basle however, they would surely be vying for what would have been their 4th final in 5 years.
Manchester City had the misfortune of being drawn in the group of death.
Roberto Mancini’s expensively assembled side is still on a building process and will no doubt be serious contenders for next seasons crown having tasted some Champions League action for the first time.
It’s worth noting however that it was Spanish side Villarreal who finished bottom of that group with 0 points.
Arsenal’s campaign finished with a thumping at the hands of AC Milan in the last 16.
They however, similar to another one of England’s Champions League stalwarts Liverpool, are undergoing a rebuilding process.
A process that the English league seems to be going through too.
This seasons results have not seen the shift in power to Spain.
But rather England’s dominance suffering a blip.
Next season should see the return of Tottenham Hotspur - a team on the up.
The two Manchester clubs will see themselves as major contenders.
And one of either Chelsea or Arsenal, who have both come through a tough season looking that bit stronger will no doubt be looking to reach the quarters at least.
Which league is stronger will not be answered by one victory by Athletic Bilbao.
But it did raise some interesting questions.
English teams, so dominant for 5 seasons now - have had a major blip.
Repeating this next season will cause much concern.
Maybe then the Spanish league will be able to stake their claim as the best in the world.
But for now - they must make do with the best side in the world.
Leagues ahead of everybody else in Europe.
Just not in the best league...
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Manchester United - Not bad at all for the worst team under Sir Alex Ferguson
I don’t think Manchester United fans should be too worried right now.
Sir Alex Ferguson saw his Champions League gamble backfire, but talk of his team being the worst he has had in his 25 years is well wide of the mark.
Manchester United have come in for a lot of criticism this week.
Rightly so, after their exit from the group stages of the Champions League.
However, talk of the demise of this team, because of the lack of a genuine world class creative midfielder is a tad premature.
Sure, they haven’t found a replacement for Paul Scholes yet.
Nor did they ever find one for Roy Keane.
And Ryan Giggs will not be replaced too easily either.
Because these players are genuine world class superstars of the game.
They don’t get replaced.
There just aren’t enough of them to go round.
This made it a tough summer for Sir Alex Ferguson.
The loss of key senior figures such as Edwin Van Der Sar, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville to retirement was coupled with the sale of John O’Shea and Wes Brown.
Four of those players had come through the ranks at Old Trafford and between them had amassed 68 seasons under Sir Alex.
A rebuilding process was under way even if it was Father Time who had dictated it.
So Sir Alex went out and spent big.
He had also timed the emergence of another crop of youngsters to coincide with the departure of such a senior element of his squad.
Assembling a squad of some of the best young players around.
David DeGea is widely regarded to have the potential to become the goalkeeper of his generation.
Numerous managers have predicted Phil Jones to be the England Captain for many years to come.
Add to that Chris Smalling, Tom Cleverly and Danny Welbeck - you’ve got three stars of the England U21 Championship side.
Then Javier Hernández, Nani, the Brazilian twins are all still quite young.
Mix in the established stars such as Rooney, Vidic and Evra and this team could be around for years to come.
But these young players will take time to adapt.
Some of them need time to adjust to the Premier League.
All of them need time to adjust to the pressures of playing for Manchester United.
Like the pressure they would have experienced against Basel.
There’s no doubting Sir Alex took a gamble on the Champions League group this season.
He felt he could have progressed without having to use his first team in every game.
But when he realised he would need his strongest team going into the last game, most of them were in the treatment room.
Going into a game of the significance of Basel with so many injuries would have handicapped any team.
Hernández, Berbatov, Owen missing from the front line along with a half fit Welbeck.
Carrick suspended, Fletcher, Cleverly, Anderson out and Valencia not yet match fit.
Then Vidic limped off in the first half.
To lose the game with that many players out did not scream of a team in demise but rather a team unable to cope with so many injuries.
Wesley Sneijder would not have made that much of a difference to this team.
A team, who should be judged when they aren’t decimated through injury.
The Champions League campaign can be judged as a disaster alright.
But their defence of the title has just gained a lot more focus.
Sir Alex has always approached the first half of the season as the time to get your injuries sorted.
If you need an operation to get rid of a niggle, you sort it our before Christmas.
His team always start sluggish but comes strong the second half.
All he’ll want is to be within touching distance of Man City when his team hits top gear.
The bad news for City is that United have had their second best start to the season in the Premier League.
Ever.
This without a world class creative midfieler.
From a team in demise.
For all their supposed troubles and loss of form - coupled with City lighting up the Premier League, there is only 2 points between the Manchester rivals after 15 games.
Not bad for a team who starts slowly.
Who’ve played a lot of their tougher fixtures already and have done this through quite a bad spate of injuries.
For supposedly the weakest team under Sir Alex’s reign as manager - making their second best ever start is not bad at all.
The only reason they’re not top is because City have the best start of ‘any’ team to a season.
As for finishing top come the end of this campaign, Sir Alex will be feeling quietly confident right about now - whether he finds another midfielder or not.
Sir Alex Ferguson saw his Champions League gamble backfire, but talk of his team being the worst he has had in his 25 years is well wide of the mark.
Manchester United have come in for a lot of criticism this week.
Rightly so, after their exit from the group stages of the Champions League.
However, talk of the demise of this team, because of the lack of a genuine world class creative midfielder is a tad premature.
Sure, they haven’t found a replacement for Paul Scholes yet.
Nor did they ever find one for Roy Keane.
And Ryan Giggs will not be replaced too easily either.
Because these players are genuine world class superstars of the game.
They don’t get replaced.
There just aren’t enough of them to go round.
This made it a tough summer for Sir Alex Ferguson.
The loss of key senior figures such as Edwin Van Der Sar, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville to retirement was coupled with the sale of John O’Shea and Wes Brown.
Four of those players had come through the ranks at Old Trafford and between them had amassed 68 seasons under Sir Alex.
A rebuilding process was under way even if it was Father Time who had dictated it.
So Sir Alex went out and spent big.
He had also timed the emergence of another crop of youngsters to coincide with the departure of such a senior element of his squad.
Assembling a squad of some of the best young players around.
David DeGea is widely regarded to have the potential to become the goalkeeper of his generation.
Numerous managers have predicted Phil Jones to be the England Captain for many years to come.
Add to that Chris Smalling, Tom Cleverly and Danny Welbeck - you’ve got three stars of the England U21 Championship side.
Then Javier Hernández, Nani, the Brazilian twins are all still quite young.
Mix in the established stars such as Rooney, Vidic and Evra and this team could be around for years to come.
But these young players will take time to adapt.
Some of them need time to adjust to the Premier League.
All of them need time to adjust to the pressures of playing for Manchester United.
Like the pressure they would have experienced against Basel.
There’s no doubting Sir Alex took a gamble on the Champions League group this season.
He felt he could have progressed without having to use his first team in every game.
But when he realised he would need his strongest team going into the last game, most of them were in the treatment room.
Going into a game of the significance of Basel with so many injuries would have handicapped any team.
Hernández, Berbatov, Owen missing from the front line along with a half fit Welbeck.
Carrick suspended, Fletcher, Cleverly, Anderson out and Valencia not yet match fit.
Then Vidic limped off in the first half.
To lose the game with that many players out did not scream of a team in demise but rather a team unable to cope with so many injuries.
Wesley Sneijder would not have made that much of a difference to this team.
A team, who should be judged when they aren’t decimated through injury.
The Champions League campaign can be judged as a disaster alright.
But their defence of the title has just gained a lot more focus.
Sir Alex has always approached the first half of the season as the time to get your injuries sorted.
If you need an operation to get rid of a niggle, you sort it our before Christmas.
His team always start sluggish but comes strong the second half.
All he’ll want is to be within touching distance of Man City when his team hits top gear.
The bad news for City is that United have had their second best start to the season in the Premier League.
Ever.
This without a world class creative midfieler.
From a team in demise.
For all their supposed troubles and loss of form - coupled with City lighting up the Premier League, there is only 2 points between the Manchester rivals after 15 games.
Not bad for a team who starts slowly.
Who’ve played a lot of their tougher fixtures already and have done this through quite a bad spate of injuries.
For supposedly the weakest team under Sir Alex’s reign as manager - making their second best ever start is not bad at all.
The only reason they’re not top is because City have the best start of ‘any’ team to a season.
As for finishing top come the end of this campaign, Sir Alex will be feeling quietly confident right about now - whether he finds another midfielder or not.
Even if it is perceived as the worst team he has ever had...
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Watch out Barcelona. Manchester City are coming...
For exactly 100 games now, Manchester City have been going about things the right way.
The constant criticisms of negative defensive football are steadily dissipating.
For the last season and a half, Roberto Mancini has spent his time building from the back, focusing on defensive duties first.
Teaching his ‘team’ how to play as a team.
Slowly but surely he has started to let his team off their leash.
And on Sunday - they exploded.
Against the second best team in the world - Manchester United.
Who’ve reached 3 of the last 4 Champions League finals.
Won 4 of the last 5 Premier League titles.
Yet Manchester City managed to beat them 6-1 in their own backyard.
The 6 goals were not actually the impressive part.
In reality, they were 3-1 up against ten men in the 90th minute.
It was the fact that United had dropped only 2 points at home in the whole of last season.
And suddenly City had taken 3 points off them.
By starting to produce some of the best football seen in the Premier League since it began.
City are on course to overtake Arsenal as the critics favourite footballing side.
For years now Critics have labelled the talented North London side as the best in England.
But while Arsenal were thrilling us with their attacking flair, United and Chelsea were busy lifting trophies.
Beautiful on the eye yet ultimately no substance.
However, Man City are not trying to emulate Arsenal.
They’re aiming much higher than that.
Roberto is building a team full of style and substance.
A team that has just managed to topple the Champions in their own back yard after all.
And when you beat the second best team in the world - there’s only one team you can go after.
Barcelona.
A team they are fast becoming like, but - whisper it - more attacking.
The City formation may well go on to become as synonymous as the Ajax formation the way things are building.
The Barcelona way is to have 4 defensive players, 3 link players and 3 attackers.
City have gone with 4 attackers.
The 4 defenders defend, get the ball to the 2 link players in midfield and in turn they just look for an attacker.
Any attacker.
They all play the same.
Silva, Balotelli, Aguero, Tevez, Dzeko, Nasri, Milner, Johnson.
All can play anywhere across the front four.
All do.
Barcelona use 3 attackers that can play anywhere - Messi, Pedro and Villa.
Roberto has gone with 1 more.
Neutrals should be licking their lips all over the world.
Here is a team, with ambitions of being the best in the world, going about this ambition in the right way.
Humility at management level.
Great handling of a parasite like Tevez.
Even the fans - so long telling us they are the real fans in Manchester - have invented their own unique celebration.
They’re loving every minute of it.
So should we.
And now they are going after Barcelona.
With 1 more attacker in hand.
So good luck City.
We’re all behind you.
Except for Barcelona...
The constant criticisms of negative defensive football are steadily dissipating.
For the last season and a half, Roberto Mancini has spent his time building from the back, focusing on defensive duties first.
Teaching his ‘team’ how to play as a team.
Slowly but surely he has started to let his team off their leash.
And on Sunday - they exploded.
Against the second best team in the world - Manchester United.
Who’ve reached 3 of the last 4 Champions League finals.
Won 4 of the last 5 Premier League titles.
Yet Manchester City managed to beat them 6-1 in their own backyard.
The 6 goals were not actually the impressive part.
In reality, they were 3-1 up against ten men in the 90th minute.
It was the fact that United had dropped only 2 points at home in the whole of last season.
And suddenly City had taken 3 points off them.
By starting to produce some of the best football seen in the Premier League since it began.
City are on course to overtake Arsenal as the critics favourite footballing side.
For years now Critics have labelled the talented North London side as the best in England.
But while Arsenal were thrilling us with their attacking flair, United and Chelsea were busy lifting trophies.
Beautiful on the eye yet ultimately no substance.
However, Man City are not trying to emulate Arsenal.
They’re aiming much higher than that.
Roberto is building a team full of style and substance.
A team that has just managed to topple the Champions in their own back yard after all.
And when you beat the second best team in the world - there’s only one team you can go after.
Barcelona.
A team they are fast becoming like, but - whisper it - more attacking.
The City formation may well go on to become as synonymous as the Ajax formation the way things are building.
The Barcelona way is to have 4 defensive players, 3 link players and 3 attackers.
City have gone with 4 attackers.
The 4 defenders defend, get the ball to the 2 link players in midfield and in turn they just look for an attacker.
Any attacker.
They all play the same.
Silva, Balotelli, Aguero, Tevez, Dzeko, Nasri, Milner, Johnson.
All can play anywhere across the front four.
All do.
Barcelona use 3 attackers that can play anywhere - Messi, Pedro and Villa.
Roberto has gone with 1 more.
Neutrals should be licking their lips all over the world.
Here is a team, with ambitions of being the best in the world, going about this ambition in the right way.
Humility at management level.
Great handling of a parasite like Tevez.
Even the fans - so long telling us they are the real fans in Manchester - have invented their own unique celebration.
They’re loving every minute of it.
So should we.
And now they are going after Barcelona.
With 1 more attacker in hand.
So good luck City.
We’re all behind you.
Except for Barcelona...
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