The European Champions have just completed the signing of 22 year old Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez from Udinese for £33million. The Chilean, the first from the South American nation to play for the Catalans, is on his way to the Nou Camp to complete the formalities and sign on the doted line. Barcelona had wanted to include the likes of Bojan and Jeffren in the deal to lower the price but neither player wanted to join the Italian side and so in the end they had to stump up the cash.
The Chilean joins the most potent forward line in the World with Messi, Pedro and Villa in competing for places and providing Pep Guardiola with more options than he had at his disposal ever before. The fact that Afellay, who provided the assist for Messi's first goal in the Champions League semi-final, is still at the club's disposal really highlights how much talent the club now have.
One of the interesting questions however is how Sanchez fits into the club. At £33million, Guardiola is hardly going to leave him on the bench and use him as the 4th option when one of the other three are injured. Last season Messi played 50+, Villa 50 and Pedro 54 games each coming off the back of long campaigns during the Summer in South Africa. The likelihood is that he will use the four strikers interchangeably so as to provide each of them game time and the rest that they all need.
Sanchez would be most comfortable on either wing, ideally on the left wing as he has shown in the Copa America Championships. He is a player who runs at defenders immediately putting them on the back foot heading to goal. He can by the same token play on the right hand of the three but coming from the left, he can let fly with his favoured right foot. Playing on the left will mean that not only can Villa take games off and recover but it allows Villa to play through the middle and give Lio a much needed break during the season.
At 22 year olds Alexis Sanchez has talent which is rarely paralleled across the World. He is a hugely skillful and majestic footballer who has a strong team worth ethic, who joins one of the most feared forward lines in all of football to make it just that little bit more dangerous.
Thursday, 21 July 2011
What the Big Clubs are missing
With the majority of the top clubs across Europe well into their summer spending, it is interesting to have a look at where the holes still exist.
Manchester Utd
Summer Signings: David De Gea, Phil Jones & Ashley Young
Still to be filled: Central Midfield.
As soon as the season ended and Sir Alex's side were comprehensively defeated at Wembley Utd set to trying to build a side that could win the Champions League in Munich in 12 months time. Sir Alex has added to the squad with Young and Jones and bought in De Gea to replace the retired Edwin Van Der Saar. The one gaping hole however remains in the central midfield with the retirement of Paul Scholes. Talk initially surrounded Samir Nasri and Luka Modric but the two appear to be set for Manchester City and Chelsea respectively attention has turned to Wesley Sneijder of Inter Milan. Whilst I do not think he is quite the right player for that role, he would be a quality addition to the squad and potentially push the time over the top.
Arsenal
Summer Signings: Gervinho
Still to be filled: Centre Back, Midfield & Striker
The Gunners need for defensive cover remains as it ever has with at least one new centre half required at the Emirates. Much talk has been around the additions of Christopher Samba (Blackburn) and Gary Cahill (Bolton) but high transfer fees scuppering or at least slowing moves down. Midfield acquisitions will depend on what happens to Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas with a defensive midfielder in the mould of Scott Parker (West Ham United) seeming to be a good addition to Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere. As always the Gunners could use a 30 goal plus a season striker with Robin Van Persie's constant injuries and Maroane Chamack struggling in his first season.
Chelsea
Summer Signings: N/A
Still to be filled: Right Back, Central Midfield & Forwards
Chelsea's big summer signing this year was the addition of manager Andre Villas Boas from Porto for about £13million. However an ageing squad needs fresh legs to be added to be able to compete next season. A holding midfielder to cover for the injured Michael Essien especially with John Obi Mikel simply not being good enough. There has been talk of Scott Parker coming in on a season long loan but that would appear a long shot. Luka Modric will join the club eventually and take over the running of the midfield from an injury prone Frank Lampard. The eminent addition of Romelu Lukaku from Anderlecht will see Nicholas Anelka and probably Didier Drogba see the door at the Bridge.
Real Madrid
Summer Signings: Hamit Altintop, Jose Callejon, Fabio Coentrao & Nuri Sahin
Still to be filled: Striker
Mourinho has added to an already sizeable squad with the additions of some less known players to provide steel and aggression. Sahin provides another option in central midfield whilst Altintop and Callejon both providing cover on the cheap. Mourinho is still looking for his central target striker in the mould of Drogba and Milito that he had at Chelsea and Inter Milan respectively. Given that the central striker is not likely to feature in every game and start on the bench a permanent deal for Emmanuel Adebayour on the cheap could be likely.
Barcelona
Summer Signings: N/A
Still to be filled: Central Midfield & Forward
The reigning European Champions are looking to add quality to a squad which lacks depth if not quality. The on going Cesc Fabregas saga looks like it is likely to finally come to an end with the Arsenal captain joining the Catalans. A deal for Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez looks to be about to be finalised too. Thiago Alcantara (central midfield) and Andreu Fontas (centre back) have both been promoted from the B side to add depth. The Catalans might try and add defensive depth through the sales of Hleb, Bojan, Maxwell and others and look for a left back.
AC Milan
Summer Signings: Phillipe Mexes, Taye Taiwo & Stephan El Shaaraway
Still to be filled: Central Midfield
The reigning Serie A champions have added to their squad in order to compete in Europe. The additions of Mexes and Taiwo provide defensive cover and quality with the latter in particular covering the problems that the Milanese have had at left back. The strike force looks complete with Alexandre Pato, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho competing for game time. There was talk of Marek Hamsik coming in but Fiorentina captain and Italian international Ricardo Montolivio looks to be joining the squad as a box to box midfielder in the centre of the park. There is even talk of Javier Pastore (Palermo) joining the side playing in the hole behind the front two but he would be pricey.
Juventus
Summer Signings: Reto Ziegler, Stepehn Leichsteiner, Andrea Pirlo & Alessandro Matri.
Still to be filled: Midfield & Striker
No side has changed more than the Old Lady this summer with the side in need of a massive overhaul having failed to qualify for Europe. The Swiss pair of Ziegler and Leichsteriner have solved the full back problems with Pirlo providing control in the middle of the park. The club look to be on the verge of signing Arturo Vidal (Bayer Leverkusen) and Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal) to provide a box to box midfielder and a finisher of he highest order. A left sided midfielder would make a nice addition.
Inter Milan
Summer Signings: Jonathan, Ricky Alvarez & Yuto Nagamoto
Still to be filled: Centre Back, Centre Midfield & Forward
With new manager Gasperini adopting a 3-4-3 approach, it is all change at the San Siro. The addition of a centre back would relieve the pressure on Lucio, Walter Samuel and Christian Chivu who are all getting older. A midfield creator would take over from Wesley Sneijder who does not really fit into Gasperini's approach and Ever Banega has been thrown about as a possible addition. A third attacker to join Samuel Etoo and Gianpolo Pazzini is needed and Carlos Tevez might be most well suited to fit the need.
Bayern Munich
Summer Signings: Manuel Neuer, Rafinha & Jerone Boateng
Still to be filled: Central Midfield & Forward
The Germans needed desperately to add to their defence and have done so with Neuer, Rafinha and Boateng who alongside Holger Badstuber and club captain Philipp Lahm form a strong defensive line at the Allianz Arena. The club are still looking for a box to box midfielder to play alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger and having missed out on Vidal will have to look elsewhere. A new addition to the frontline to play ahead of the lines of Ribery, Robben and Muller would also be a welcomed addition.
Manchester Utd
Summer Signings: David De Gea, Phil Jones & Ashley Young
 |
| Utd's new shot stopper |
As soon as the season ended and Sir Alex's side were comprehensively defeated at Wembley Utd set to trying to build a side that could win the Champions League in Munich in 12 months time. Sir Alex has added to the squad with Young and Jones and bought in De Gea to replace the retired Edwin Van Der Saar. The one gaping hole however remains in the central midfield with the retirement of Paul Scholes. Talk initially surrounded Samir Nasri and Luka Modric but the two appear to be set for Manchester City and Chelsea respectively attention has turned to Wesley Sneijder of Inter Milan. Whilst I do not think he is quite the right player for that role, he would be a quality addition to the squad and potentially push the time over the top.
Arsenal
Summer Signings: Gervinho
Still to be filled: Centre Back, Midfield & Striker
The Gunners need for defensive cover remains as it ever has with at least one new centre half required at the Emirates. Much talk has been around the additions of Christopher Samba (Blackburn) and Gary Cahill (Bolton) but high transfer fees scuppering or at least slowing moves down. Midfield acquisitions will depend on what happens to Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas with a defensive midfielder in the mould of Scott Parker (West Ham United) seeming to be a good addition to Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere. As always the Gunners could use a 30 goal plus a season striker with Robin Van Persie's constant injuries and Maroane Chamack struggling in his first season.
Chelsea
Summer Signings: N/A
Still to be filled: Right Back, Central Midfield & Forwards
Chelsea's big summer signing this year was the addition of manager Andre Villas Boas from Porto for about £13million. However an ageing squad needs fresh legs to be added to be able to compete next season. A holding midfielder to cover for the injured Michael Essien especially with John Obi Mikel simply not being good enough. There has been talk of Scott Parker coming in on a season long loan but that would appear a long shot. Luka Modric will join the club eventually and take over the running of the midfield from an injury prone Frank Lampard. The eminent addition of Romelu Lukaku from Anderlecht will see Nicholas Anelka and probably Didier Drogba see the door at the Bridge.
Real Madrid
Summer Signings: Hamit Altintop, Jose Callejon, Fabio Coentrao & Nuri Sahin
Still to be filled: Striker
Mourinho has added to an already sizeable squad with the additions of some less known players to provide steel and aggression. Sahin provides another option in central midfield whilst Altintop and Callejon both providing cover on the cheap. Mourinho is still looking for his central target striker in the mould of Drogba and Milito that he had at Chelsea and Inter Milan respectively. Given that the central striker is not likely to feature in every game and start on the bench a permanent deal for Emmanuel Adebayour on the cheap could be likely.
 |
| Finally Barce bound |
Summer Signings: N/A
Still to be filled: Central Midfield & Forward
The reigning European Champions are looking to add quality to a squad which lacks depth if not quality. The on going Cesc Fabregas saga looks like it is likely to finally come to an end with the Arsenal captain joining the Catalans. A deal for Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez looks to be about to be finalised too. Thiago Alcantara (central midfield) and Andreu Fontas (centre back) have both been promoted from the B side to add depth. The Catalans might try and add defensive depth through the sales of Hleb, Bojan, Maxwell and others and look for a left back.
AC Milan
Summer Signings: Phillipe Mexes, Taye Taiwo & Stephan El Shaaraway
Still to be filled: Central Midfield
The reigning Serie A champions have added to their squad in order to compete in Europe. The additions of Mexes and Taiwo provide defensive cover and quality with the latter in particular covering the problems that the Milanese have had at left back. The strike force looks complete with Alexandre Pato, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho competing for game time. There was talk of Marek Hamsik coming in but Fiorentina captain and Italian international Ricardo Montolivio looks to be joining the squad as a box to box midfielder in the centre of the park. There is even talk of Javier Pastore (Palermo) joining the side playing in the hole behind the front two but he would be pricey.
 |
| Much sought after Rossi |
Summer Signings: Reto Ziegler, Stepehn Leichsteiner, Andrea Pirlo & Alessandro Matri.
Still to be filled: Midfield & Striker
No side has changed more than the Old Lady this summer with the side in need of a massive overhaul having failed to qualify for Europe. The Swiss pair of Ziegler and Leichsteriner have solved the full back problems with Pirlo providing control in the middle of the park. The club look to be on the verge of signing Arturo Vidal (Bayer Leverkusen) and Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal) to provide a box to box midfielder and a finisher of he highest order. A left sided midfielder would make a nice addition.
Inter Milan
Summer Signings: Jonathan, Ricky Alvarez & Yuto Nagamoto
Still to be filled: Centre Back, Centre Midfield & Forward
With new manager Gasperini adopting a 3-4-3 approach, it is all change at the San Siro. The addition of a centre back would relieve the pressure on Lucio, Walter Samuel and Christian Chivu who are all getting older. A midfield creator would take over from Wesley Sneijder who does not really fit into Gasperini's approach and Ever Banega has been thrown about as a possible addition. A third attacker to join Samuel Etoo and Gianpolo Pazzini is needed and Carlos Tevez might be most well suited to fit the need.
Bayern Munich
Summer Signings: Manuel Neuer, Rafinha & Jerone Boateng
Still to be filled: Central Midfield & Forward
The Germans needed desperately to add to their defence and have done so with Neuer, Rafinha and Boateng who alongside Holger Badstuber and club captain Philipp Lahm form a strong defensive line at the Allianz Arena. The club are still looking for a box to box midfielder to play alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger and having missed out on Vidal will have to look elsewhere. A new addition to the frontline to play ahead of the lines of Ribery, Robben and Muller would also be a welcomed addition.
Sunday, 17 July 2011
Women's World Cup Final Preview
The 6th Women's World Cup nears its conclusion as 2 time winners U.S.A. go up against first time finalists Japan in Frankfurt. Surprise finalists Japan finished 2nd in Group B with 2 wins and a loss scoring 6 and conceding 3 along the way. Wins against New Zealand and Mexico was followed up with a 2-0 loss to England and meant that Japan had to go up against Germany in the quarters in Wolfsburg. They shocked the holders and tournament favourites with a 108th minute goal from Maruyama in a game in which they were not lucky, deserving their victory. Japan then put away Sweden convincingly 3-1 with a brace for star forward Kawasumi. Playing a standard 4-4-2, the main threat is likely to come from forward Kawasumi and central midfielder Sawa, who scored a hattrick against Mexico.
The U.S., 2 time winners, 1991 and 1999, surprising finished 2nd in their Group behind Sweden despite being the top ranked side in the Group. Comfortable wins against North Korea and Colombia, 2-0 and 3-0, was followed up by a 2-1 loss to the Swedes that meant that they were paired up against fellow heavy weights Brazil in Dresden. The game was nothing short of amazing with the U.S. taking an early lead but then being begged back to a twice taken penalty (ridiculous decision from the ref) and then falling behind to an amazing finish from the 'Women's Pele', Marta, at the beginning of ET. In the 122 minute, the U.S. levelled the score through a header from forward Wambach which saw the game head to penalties. Fantastic goal keeping from U.S. keeper Solo and some brilliant penalties saw the U.S. head into the semis where they comfortably beat France 3-1.
The final is going to be an intriguing one with both teams pretty evenly matched in terms of the route that they have taken to get to the final as well as the nature of those games. Both had difficult quarter-final games, disposing of two of the favourites followed by relatively easy semi-finals match-ups. The U.S. will be favourites given their greater squad depth and fan support from the neutrals but Japan are still somewhat of an unknown which will be in their favour. Expect a tough and evenly match battle Frankfurt with the U.S. lifting the trophy just.
 |
| U.S. shot stopper Hope Solo |
The final is going to be an intriguing one with both teams pretty evenly matched in terms of the route that they have taken to get to the final as well as the nature of those games. Both had difficult quarter-final games, disposing of two of the favourites followed by relatively easy semi-finals match-ups. The U.S. will be favourites given their greater squad depth and fan support from the neutrals but Japan are still somewhat of an unknown which will be in their favour. Expect a tough and evenly match battle Frankfurt with the U.S. lifting the trophy just.
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Why Serie A might be the most competitive of the big leagues next season
Serie A has struggled for the past few seasons through a lack of any real competition for the title. Inter Milan's financial power, other sides financial woes and Juventus's relegation to Serie B all added up to the make the league a pretty eventful race to the finish. This season however has the potential to one of the most interesting in years with potential 7 clubs in contention.
A.C. Milan
The current title holders have added to their existing talent my addressing the needs of their squad from last season. The addition of Taye Taiwo from Marseille on a free in a fantastic addition and will tackle the problems that the club have had at left back for the past few seasons. Philippe Mexes from Roma again on a free adds depth to the centre back position allowing Alessandro Nesta to player fewer games as he winds down. Stephan El Shaarawy, from Genoa, adds blistering speed the likes of which the Milanese giants have not had for a few seasons. The only addition that needs to be made is that of a central midfielder to try and replace the departed Andrea Pirlo and with talks with Ricardo Montolivo in advanced stages, that whole will be filled up soon.
Inter Milan
The other Milanese club struggled last season as first Rafa Benitez and then Leonardo were unsuccessful in retaining the Serie A crown. New manager Gian Piero Gasperini will bring a new and fresh approach with a 3-4-3 that will require a refreshing of the squad. Yuto Nagamoto, Jonathan and Ricardo Alvarez all add a much needed injection to the squad which will surely be added to. The likes of Goran Pandev, Maicon and Christian Chivu will be shown the door to make way. The big deal will be Wesley Sneijder with the Dutchman looking to be on his way to Utd unable to fit into the new look formation. With new additions and a spine that contains Julio Cesar, Javier Zanetti, Lucio and Samuel Etoo, Inter will be challenging as always.
Napoli
The Naples side finished last season in 3rd position qualifying for the Champions League under Walter Mazzari. The side had a fresh, free flowing style of football that took Serie A by storm and but for running out of gas towards the end of the season, would have been challenging for the title at the end. Thus far they have been able to stave off bids for Edinson Cavani, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marek Hamsik and the ability to retain all three of these will be like signing three new players. The additions of Mario Santana and Gokhan Inler in particular will help the side in their effort to try and remain in the top 4 and push on. Inler will provide a genuine box to box midfielder that the side missed last season and stave off running out of steam as the season comes to its conclusion.
Udinese
Udiniese managed to finish 4th last year after a fantastic season for the closely knit side with few individual stars. The club have already lost captain Gokhan Inler to Napoli and look set to lose talisman Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona and therefore one might think that they are going to struggle to compete next season as they have in this previous one. The club have built themselves on being a selling club that scout the World for younger and undiscovered talent, bringing them in for little and then selling them when it is time to do so. the £15million received for Inler along with the estimated £30-£35million to be receive for Sanchez will go along way towards ensuring Udinese challenge next season.
Lazio
The club have already added Djibril Cisse and Frederico Marchetti and are looking to add further with Ibrahim Afellay of Barcelona and Frederico Marched of Utd being talked about as potential additions. As with the likes of Napoli and Udinese, if the club are able to hang on to their big players, in particualr Hernanes and Mauro Zarate they should compete. Further wiley additions like German international Miroslav Klose might just be enough to keep the capital side up there.
Roma
Roma are perhaps the side who are going to play the greatest part in shaping things up with the investment that has occurred at the Giallorossi. The club have hung on to the likes of David Pizarro and Daniele De Rossi and the additions of Erik Lamela and Marco D'Alessandro add real quality to the Romans. The investment put in by Thomas DiBenneto means that the signings have not stopped there. Martin Stekelenberg and Bokan Krkic look to be coming into achieve the vision of new manager Luis Enrique.
Juventus
Along with Roma, The Old Lady are investing heavily to get back into title contention, Antonio Conte brings in a new approach that adopts a more fluid style than that previously adopted at the club. The Swiss pair of Reto Ziegler and Stephen Lichtsteiner have been brought in from Sampdoria and Lazio respectively to tackle the problems that the club have had in the full back positions for the past few years. The search for fire power up front continues with both Giuseppe Rossi and Sergio Aguero being tackled about. The club is looking to shift the dead weight of Amauri, Luca Toni and Felipe Melo amongst others as it adopts a new approach and seeks to get itself back in contention for its first title in 9 years.
 |
| Milan target Montolivo |
The current title holders have added to their existing talent my addressing the needs of their squad from last season. The addition of Taye Taiwo from Marseille on a free in a fantastic addition and will tackle the problems that the club have had at left back for the past few seasons. Philippe Mexes from Roma again on a free adds depth to the centre back position allowing Alessandro Nesta to player fewer games as he winds down. Stephan El Shaarawy, from Genoa, adds blistering speed the likes of which the Milanese giants have not had for a few seasons. The only addition that needs to be made is that of a central midfielder to try and replace the departed Andrea Pirlo and with talks with Ricardo Montolivo in advanced stages, that whole will be filled up soon.
Inter Milan
The other Milanese club struggled last season as first Rafa Benitez and then Leonardo were unsuccessful in retaining the Serie A crown. New manager Gian Piero Gasperini will bring a new and fresh approach with a 3-4-3 that will require a refreshing of the squad. Yuto Nagamoto, Jonathan and Ricardo Alvarez all add a much needed injection to the squad which will surely be added to. The likes of Goran Pandev, Maicon and Christian Chivu will be shown the door to make way. The big deal will be Wesley Sneijder with the Dutchman looking to be on his way to Utd unable to fit into the new look formation. With new additions and a spine that contains Julio Cesar, Javier Zanetti, Lucio and Samuel Etoo, Inter will be challenging as always.
Napoli
 |
| Napoli captain Hamsik |
Udinese
Udiniese managed to finish 4th last year after a fantastic season for the closely knit side with few individual stars. The club have already lost captain Gokhan Inler to Napoli and look set to lose talisman Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona and therefore one might think that they are going to struggle to compete next season as they have in this previous one. The club have built themselves on being a selling club that scout the World for younger and undiscovered talent, bringing them in for little and then selling them when it is time to do so. the £15million received for Inler along with the estimated £30-£35million to be receive for Sanchez will go along way towards ensuring Udinese challenge next season.
Lazio
The club have already added Djibril Cisse and Frederico Marchetti and are looking to add further with Ibrahim Afellay of Barcelona and Frederico Marched of Utd being talked about as potential additions. As with the likes of Napoli and Udinese, if the club are able to hang on to their big players, in particualr Hernanes and Mauro Zarate they should compete. Further wiley additions like German international Miroslav Klose might just be enough to keep the capital side up there.
Roma
Roma are perhaps the side who are going to play the greatest part in shaping things up with the investment that has occurred at the Giallorossi. The club have hung on to the likes of David Pizarro and Daniele De Rossi and the additions of Erik Lamela and Marco D'Alessandro add real quality to the Romans. The investment put in by Thomas DiBenneto means that the signings have not stopped there. Martin Stekelenberg and Bokan Krkic look to be coming into achieve the vision of new manager Luis Enrique.
Juventus
 |
| Juventus bound Rossi |
Copa America 2011 - Quarter Final Preview
The 2011 Copa America has finally reached the knock out stages with the 8 best sides in the competition left. Let's have a look at the 4 quarter final match ups.
Colombia v Peru (16 July 2011, 20:00 BST)
The first quarter final clash sees Group A winners, Colombia, going up against a side who have thus far only scored to go in the tournament, Peru. Colombia's victory over Bolivia in their final group game 6 days ago saw then end up finishing ahead of Argentina, because of a brace from star striker Falcao. Colombia have at times looked impressive in particular the spine of their side has put them in good stead. Mario Yepes (CB, Milan) has marshalled the defence well in particular silencing the Argentine front line in Sante Fe. Freddy Guarin (CM, Porto) has been a true box to box midfielder protecting his defence and then swiftly joining the attack where Radamel Falcao (S, Porto) have been putting them away.
Peru have progressed from Group C as one of the two best third placed sides with 4 points and 2 goals scored and 2 conceded. A win in their opening game against Uruguay was an impressive result especially having taken the lead but a defeat to Chile brought the side back down to earth. The side depends heavily on front man Paolo Guerrero (Hamburg) with him having scored both of their goals and Juan Manual Vargas (M, Fiorentina) with Vargas being the main supply line for Guerrero.
One would expect Colombia to possess too much for their neighbours from the South and progress through to the semi-finals. The Peruvian defence will simply struggle to cope with Falcao and Guarin coming from deep and expect the former to add to his tally of goals in this Copa.
Argentina v Uruguay (16 July 2011 23:15 BST)
Undoubtedly the game of the quarters sees two of the big three in South America clash in Sante Fe. Argentina have struggled so far in the competition with a victory in their last group game against Costa Rica guaranteeing their progress into the knockout stages. Early attempts to try and replicate the Barcelona approach with Messi playing as the faux number 9 with Tevez and Levezzi either side of him failed. Both looked hugely out of form whilst the three in midfield simply lacked the creativity of Xavi and Iniesta. Coach Sergio Batista adopted a 4-2-3-1 approach with Messi, flanked by Aguero and Di Maria, playing behind Higuain andthe hosts coasted to 3-0 victory. Expect the same side against Uruguay.
Uruguay's campaign has mirrored that of Argentina's with the side requiring a victory against Mexico in their final Group C game to guarantee progress. The sluggish start saw them draw 1-1 with Peru, a saw in which they had to come from behind with a goal from Suarez. The loss of Cavani who has come off a fantastic season with Napoli in Italy has forced Oscar Tabarez to adopt a change in formation from 3 to 2 upfront; 4-3-3 to 4-2-2-. If Uruguay are to progress through to the semis much will depend on skipper and centre half Lugao to keep tabs on Higuain and Messi.
With both teams really struggling to find themselves, the match could go anyway. It would appear however whether by hook or by crook that Batista has stumbled upon an approach which works far better than his previous notion of a 4-3-3 and the lack of Cavani is a massive loss to the Uruguayans and therefore the hosts should progress....just.
Brazil v Paraguay (17 July 2011, 20:00 BST)
The nature of the Copa America is such that the side finishing 1st and 3rd Group B will go head to head in La Plata. When the sides clashed on the 9th July, Brazil had to come from behind with an 89th minute goal from Fred to snatch a point. The defending champions have looked poor with a 2 draws and a win and conceding 2 in the victory over Ecuador. The addition of Maicon at right back instead of Dani Alves made a massive change to the side posing a greater threat going forward supplying Neymar and Pato in particular. Thiago Silva looks set to miss out with an injury but with David Luiz to call on, Mano Menezes should not have too many concerns with the side.
Paraguay qualified for the quarters without a single win; 3 draws in their 3 games depending largely on an injury prone Santa Cruz and a returning Barrios (the striker was shot in the head in a nightclub before last years World Cup). Gerardo Martino lines up with a traditional formation of 4-4-2 with Santa Cruz and Barrios lining up front but the quality of service provided to the pair has been poor for the majority of the competition.
It is difficult to see anything but a Brazil win especially with Paraguay facing concerns as to the fitness of Santa Cruz. Maicon and Ganso linked up beautifully in the previous game to supply the front 3 of Neymar, Pato and Robinho and therefore Brazil should be comfortable winners in this clash.
Chile v Venezuela (17 July 2011, 23:15 BST)
The final quarter final clash sees Chile going up against Venezuela in San Juan. Chile qualified ahead of Uruguay in Group C with 2 wins and a draw, putting in a couple of impressive displays. Adopting a unique 3-3-1-3, the Chileans are particularly impressive going forward with the likes of Sanchez, Suazo and Jimenez. Vidal provides a genuinely top notch box to box midfielder who is also a real leader. The stand out player in the side is clearly Sanchez, a fantastic player with the ability to player anywhere in the front 3 contributing with assists and goals but it is the team ethic of the side which is most impressive.
Venezuela qualified second in Group B with the same number of points as Group winners Brazil (5) but a poorer goal difference. Adopting a traditional 4-4-2 the side do not possess any of the big names that the majority of other side in the Copa do but rather is made up of a collection of steady professionals from across Europe and South America. Captain Juan Arango will be providing the attacking threat down the left looking to supply the forwards and use all of his experience, 90+ caps, to his advantage.
Venezuela are certainly a better side than one would think just looking at them on paper. They possess a work ethic and team spirit which has treated them well this far. Chile however should prove to be a step too far with the quality that they possess going forward in Sanchez and Vidal in particular.
Colombia v Peru (16 July 2011, 20:00 BST)
 |
| Falcao |
Peru have progressed from Group C as one of the two best third placed sides with 4 points and 2 goals scored and 2 conceded. A win in their opening game against Uruguay was an impressive result especially having taken the lead but a defeat to Chile brought the side back down to earth. The side depends heavily on front man Paolo Guerrero (Hamburg) with him having scored both of their goals and Juan Manual Vargas (M, Fiorentina) with Vargas being the main supply line for Guerrero.
One would expect Colombia to possess too much for their neighbours from the South and progress through to the semi-finals. The Peruvian defence will simply struggle to cope with Falcao and Guarin coming from deep and expect the former to add to his tally of goals in this Copa.
Argentina v Uruguay (16 July 2011 23:15 BST)
Undoubtedly the game of the quarters sees two of the big three in South America clash in Sante Fe. Argentina have struggled so far in the competition with a victory in their last group game against Costa Rica guaranteeing their progress into the knockout stages. Early attempts to try and replicate the Barcelona approach with Messi playing as the faux number 9 with Tevez and Levezzi either side of him failed. Both looked hugely out of form whilst the three in midfield simply lacked the creativity of Xavi and Iniesta. Coach Sergio Batista adopted a 4-2-3-1 approach with Messi, flanked by Aguero and Di Maria, playing behind Higuain andthe hosts coasted to 3-0 victory. Expect the same side against Uruguay.
 |
| Kun Aguero |
With both teams really struggling to find themselves, the match could go anyway. It would appear however whether by hook or by crook that Batista has stumbled upon an approach which works far better than his previous notion of a 4-3-3 and the lack of Cavani is a massive loss to the Uruguayans and therefore the hosts should progress....just.
Brazil v Paraguay (17 July 2011, 20:00 BST)
 |
| Neymar |
Paraguay qualified for the quarters without a single win; 3 draws in their 3 games depending largely on an injury prone Santa Cruz and a returning Barrios (the striker was shot in the head in a nightclub before last years World Cup). Gerardo Martino lines up with a traditional formation of 4-4-2 with Santa Cruz and Barrios lining up front but the quality of service provided to the pair has been poor for the majority of the competition.
It is difficult to see anything but a Brazil win especially with Paraguay facing concerns as to the fitness of Santa Cruz. Maicon and Ganso linked up beautifully in the previous game to supply the front 3 of Neymar, Pato and Robinho and therefore Brazil should be comfortable winners in this clash.
Chile v Venezuela (17 July 2011, 23:15 BST)
The final quarter final clash sees Chile going up against Venezuela in San Juan. Chile qualified ahead of Uruguay in Group C with 2 wins and a draw, putting in a couple of impressive displays. Adopting a unique 3-3-1-3, the Chileans are particularly impressive going forward with the likes of Sanchez, Suazo and Jimenez. Vidal provides a genuinely top notch box to box midfielder who is also a real leader. The stand out player in the side is clearly Sanchez, a fantastic player with the ability to player anywhere in the front 3 contributing with assists and goals but it is the team ethic of the side which is most impressive.
 |
| Sanchez |
Venezuela are certainly a better side than one would think just looking at them on paper. They possess a work ethic and team spirit which has treated them well this far. Chile however should prove to be a step too far with the quality that they possess going forward in Sanchez and Vidal in particular.
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Why Wesley Sneijder isn't a good fit for Manchester United
Since spearheading Inter Milan's success in the 2009-2010 season, Wesley Sneijder is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the World. A product of the famous Ajax youth academy, Sneijder was hugely successful at Ajax before moving to Real Madrid where things did not go as well for him as he had hoped. The move to Inter was perfect; the opportunity to line up at the man behind the front the strikers with a couple behind him suited him perfectly but it now appears that the Dutch international is on the cusp of a big money move to Manchester Utd. I do not think however that the move is going to be the success that the majority think.
At the San Siro, Sneijder was allowed to play as the one creative force behind two or three forwards with two holding midfielders doing his defence work for him. The likes of Cambiasso, Zanetti and Motta mongst others did his defending for him. He did not have to come back and clear up and in the majority of instances he did. This was the case with the Dutch national side in the recent World Cup where De Jong and Van Bommel sat behind Sneijder as he looked for a front three that included; Van Persie, Kuyt, Robben, Elia and others. At Utd however this wont be the case. With the partnership that Rooney and Hernandez have formed, Fergie will play the pair together as a two as he did in the Champions League final. The acquisition of Young suggests that Fergie will stuck with a 4-4-2 seeing Valencia on the other flank. Sneijder will therefore have to play as one of two in central midfield a job which will require him to have to do a lot of work going backwards. This simply is not Sneijder's game and will leave Utd open in the middle.
Hernandez, Rooney, Young and Valencia pick themselves in the big games, the addition of Sneijder will simply leave Utd too open and something that Fergie surely wont do. It is unlikely that Fergie will go up front given the partnership that the Rooney and Hernandez have built but he is hardly going to sign a player in Sneijder for £30+million to not play him.
Many see Sneijder as a replacement for the retiring Scholes but they are very different players. Scholes evolved from a box to box 20 goals a season, Lampard, into a deep lying, control the game, Xavi. Sneijder however is not the latter. Modric is a far more natural Scholes replacement as Sneijder wont run the midfield but instead will look to play the killer, the last ball into the forwards.
We might see that Fergie changes approach in the big games with Hernandez upfront with Rooney and Young playing as faux wide strikers and Sneijder just in behind but this leaves the question of the other games whilst it would be a huge shift for a manager who has for so many years gone with the trusted 442.
There is no doubt that Wesley Sneijder is a truly world class midfielder; a midfielder of unparalleled vision and creativity. However, with his move to Old Trafford looking more and more immanent one cant help but think that he may struggle to fit into Fergie's approach but only time will tell.
At the San Siro, Sneijder was allowed to play as the one creative force behind two or three forwards with two holding midfielders doing his defence work for him. The likes of Cambiasso, Zanetti and Motta mongst others did his defending for him. He did not have to come back and clear up and in the majority of instances he did. This was the case with the Dutch national side in the recent World Cup where De Jong and Van Bommel sat behind Sneijder as he looked for a front three that included; Van Persie, Kuyt, Robben, Elia and others. At Utd however this wont be the case. With the partnership that Rooney and Hernandez have formed, Fergie will play the pair together as a two as he did in the Champions League final. The acquisition of Young suggests that Fergie will stuck with a 4-4-2 seeing Valencia on the other flank. Sneijder will therefore have to play as one of two in central midfield a job which will require him to have to do a lot of work going backwards. This simply is not Sneijder's game and will leave Utd open in the middle.
 |
| Manchester bound Sneijder |
Many see Sneijder as a replacement for the retiring Scholes but they are very different players. Scholes evolved from a box to box 20 goals a season, Lampard, into a deep lying, control the game, Xavi. Sneijder however is not the latter. Modric is a far more natural Scholes replacement as Sneijder wont run the midfield but instead will look to play the killer, the last ball into the forwards.
We might see that Fergie changes approach in the big games with Hernandez upfront with Rooney and Young playing as faux wide strikers and Sneijder just in behind but this leaves the question of the other games whilst it would be a huge shift for a manager who has for so many years gone with the trusted 442.
There is no doubt that Wesley Sneijder is a truly world class midfielder; a midfielder of unparalleled vision and creativity. However, with his move to Old Trafford looking more and more immanent one cant help but think that he may struggle to fit into Fergie's approach but only time will tell.
My Greatest XI
Every football fan has their opinion who they would regard as a true world great. No two however ever really agree with one another with arguments forming around particular players, formations approaches and mentalities to the game. This is what makes football as beautiful as it is; everyone has an opinion and differs from that of others. In this piece I present my Greatest X; a team that I believe would be simply unbeatable. I should make it clear at the outset that there will players that I have missed out that others would regard as jaw dropping and I have as much as is possible just tried to include players from this generation as opposed to players some of the older ones. So we are really talking about the game over the last 20+ years.
Right Back: Cafu (Brazil, Sao Paulo, Roma, Milan, 142 International Caps).
Midfielder: Patrick Vieira (France, Arsenal, Juventus, Inter Milan, 107 International Caps)
Midfielder: Zinedine Zidane (France, Bordeaux, Juventus, Real Madrid, 108 International Caps)
Left Forward: Ronaldo (Brazil, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, AC Milan, 98 International Caps)
At the outset I have chosen a 4-3-3 formation which plays a single holding midfielder and two strikers wide of one central figure.
Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Parma, Juventus, 105 International Caps).
In my opinion one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time alongside the likes of Schmeichel, Zoff and Banks and the clear stand out selection from all those that I have seen. A man mountain of a shot stopper standing 6'3'' and at the age of 33 still one of the best in the World who has one it all; Serie A titles, Coppa Italias, the World Cup as well as countless individuals awards. He began his career as a youth at Parma at the age of 13 in 91 and spent the next decade with the club making more 150 appearances for the club. Buffon was signed by Juventus in 2011 for a still world record for a goalkeeper fee of £32.6million and has remained with the Old Lady since making almost 300 appearances. He has changed the way in which goalkeepers are perceived being a hugely imposing figure and yet quick and agile with the leadership the likes of which we had not previously seen.
Right Back: Cafu (Brazil, Sao Paulo, Roma, Milan, 142 International Caps).Marcos Evangelista de Moraes, or better known to footballing fans as Cafu, is one of the greatest right backs of all time and not just the brief time I've been a student of the game. A man who combined phenomenal stamina with a genuine passion for playing the game. A man who has literally won every thing that a footballer could wish to win has revolutionised the way in which a right back is expected to play and blazed a trail for the likes of Dani Alves, Maicon and Sergio Ramos. Brazil's all time cap winner has lifted the World Cup twice, captain in 2002, and an obvious choice for the right side of the defence.
Centre Back: Jaap Stam (Netherlands, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester Utd, Lazio, AC Milan, 67 Caps)
A no nonsense footballer and one of the few mistakes that Sir Alex admits to making in his departure, Stam was a hugely underrated defender. It was hardly a coincidence that as soon as Utd signed him, the side went on to win the Champions League. He had a presence and power about him that led all those around him to feel a lot more comfortable with him in the side.A quality defender both on the pitch and in the air is the rock in my back four.
Centre Back: Gerard Pique (Spain, Manchester Utd, Barcelona, 33 International Caps and counting)
At the outset this choice might seem somewhat ridiculous. Pique is after all 24 and has only just reached 100 top flight appearances but for me he is the best ball playing centre back since the great Franz Beckenbeauer. A defender who is as comfortable playing the ball 5 yards as he is 50 yards has made a huge difference to both Barcelona and Spain which is evident from the trophies that both sides have won. Very few times since establishing himself in 2008 has the Spaniard looked uneasy being calm and poised with the ball at his feet or in the air. There is no doubt that he is a future Barcelona and Spanish national captain and will go from strength to strength.
Left Back: Paolo Maldini (Italy, AC Milan, 126 International Caps).
No one man in the modern game has embodied a single club more than Paolo Maldini who spent his entire career, almost 25 years at the Milanese giants playing an amazing 647 games for the Italian side. As a defender he possessed a phenomenal brain as to make up for his perceived lack of pace. A natural leader who was the first defender ever to win World Soccer's annual 'World Player of the Year Award'. 5 Champions Leagues, 7 Serie A titles highlight just how much of a rock he was for various Milan sides and the Maldini legacy looks set to continue with his two boys in the youth ranks.
Midfielder: Patrick Vieira (France, Arsenal, Juventus, Inter Milan, 107 International Caps)Arsene Wenger signed Patrick Vieira in 1996 for £3.5 million and it will go down as one of the biggest bargains of all tine. I tall, beanpole of a footballer who had a huge presence on the field with his storied rivalry with Roy Keane going down in Premiership history. He led the Gunners to the domestic Double in 1998 with whom he won 3 League titles and 4 FA Cups. He won countless titles with Juventus and Inter Milan in Italy as well as being a true national leader winning the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championships. I magnificent holding midfielder who would not be afraid to get his foot in and protect his back four.
Midfielder: Xavi Hernandez: (Spain, Barcelona, 101 International Caps and counting)
At the age of 31 and in his prime Xavi Hernandez has one everything and when he does finally decide to retire will go down as a true midfield maestro; a midfielder for any occasion. A product of La Masia he has already played almost for 400 times for the Catalans winning 6 La Liga titles and 3 Champions Leagues. A style that dictates every game, he has formed a partnerships alongside Andres Iniesta that will go down as one of the greatest midfield duos of all time. His legacy when he does retire is already written as the central cog of a side that has revolutionised football both at club and international levels.
Midfielder: Zinedine Zidane (France, Bordeaux, Juventus, Real Madrid, 108 International Caps)A phenomenally gifted footballer who always seemed to be a step or two ahead of everybody else on the football pitch. It was almost as thought it was unfair that the other 21 on the pitch did not have a ball to play with of themselves. He moved to Juventus for just over £3million in 1996 and led the Italian giants to Serie A and Champions League titles. He was then snapped up by Real Madrid for £45million and turned himself into a superstar with countless performances and goals including That one in the Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen. Internationally, he led France to World Cup and Euro winners medals and will go down as possibly the greatest footballer of his generation.
Right Forward: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona, 59 International Caps and counting)
If Lionel Messi were to retire today, at the age of 24 he would go down as one of the greatest players of all time joining the likes of Zidane, Maradona, Pele and Van Basten. At a time when sides were looking for big and physically imposing players, along came Messi, 5'6'' and proved that if you are good size does not matter. When running at players it is clear to see the fear and genuine terror that embodies them as they literally have no idea what to do; how to stop the freight train. Last three seasons of 38, 47 and 53 goals despite not being a traditional number 9 and sharing the front line with the likes of Etoo, Villa and Ibrahimovic highlights just how good a player he is. With a work ethic and humility that matches his skill and talent, he is simply one of the greatest and fit for any side.
Centre Forward: Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina, River Plate, Boca Juniors, Fiorentina, Roma, 78 International Caps)
A phenomenal finisher with a right foot like a gun. Whilst he does have the medals and trophies that others do, this was because he decided to stick with Fiorentina, a club that he loved, when big money and lucrative offers were coming in for him from across Europe. Argentina's all time top goal scorer with 56 goals in 78 games is in my opinion an often overlooked great and will for me always be remembered by the goal he scored for Fiorentina against Arsenal during their spell at Wembley Stadium which fizzed fast a despairing David Seaman at his near post. A single Serie A tite with Roma and two Copa America championships simply do not do justice to the man they call Batigoal.
Left Forward: Ronaldo (Brazil, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, AC Milan, 98 International Caps)Simply the most naturally gifted finisher I have ever seen. In his prime a player that struck fear into defenders hearts as he ran at them. An amazing season at the Nou Camp saw him move to Inter Milan where his career was hampered by injuries but he scored 49 goals in 68 appearances nonetheless. A big money move to Madrid saw him play alongside Figo, Zidane and Raul as one of the galacticos winning two La Liga titles along the way. 3 FIFA World Player of the Year and 2 Ballon D'ors as well as the fact that he is the leading World Cup finals goalscorer highlight just how clinical a finisher the real Ronaldo was.
There are certainly a few selections here that would raise more than an eyebrow but that after all is the beauty of football. Every fan has his own opinion and this is just mine.
Sunday, 10 July 2011
£22million for Nasri.....really?
Speculation has been rife about the Arsenal and France midfielder Samir Nasri swapping the Emirates most likely for one of the Manchester clubs (both Milan clubs were at one point said to be interested but appear to have turned their attention elsewhere). Nasri it seems is not interested in receiving a higher wage (makes a change for a Premiership footballer) but rather is more interested in silverware. The youngster has yet to win anything in his 3 years at Arsenal and in fact the only piece of club silverware that he has won was the UEFA Intertoto CUP in 2005 with Marseille, hardly much to shout home about.
The fact that the club appear to be on the verge of selling their best player, let's all hope the Fabregas to Barcelona annual nonsense finally comes to an end and as of yet the only 'big' name signing coming in appears to be the Ivorian forward Gervinho would understandably lead to Nasri feeling more than just a little disgruntled. The club have been linked with a whole host of top players Juan Mata (Valencia) and Gary Cahill (Bolton) to name two but as of yet nothing by the way of concrete signings.
With Nasri apparently happy to move on and the club ready to cash in if he wont sign an extension, a valuation of £22 million has been thrown around but is he worth it?
Comparing Nasri's stats to those of other midfielders from the Big 4 it is easy to see why he is so greatly coveted. His 10 goals this season are matched only by Frank Lampard (and he takes all the pens at the Bridge) as well as having a shot accuracy rate which is only better by Lampard again. However in other areas it is clear to see that he falls far behind. His 1 assist throughout the entire season is pretty shocking when compared to Nani's 14 and even Arshavin's 11 as well as total number of passes falling well below that of his Emirates colleague Jack Wilshere. There is no doubt that he is a fantastic player but may be not as valuable as we all think. After all is Manchester Utd's Nani worth more than £22 million bearing in mind that he is more versatile and the same age.
The fact that he has only got 1 year left on his contract should surely lower the price tag. Arturo Vidal at Bayer Leverkusen is one of the most talented players in Europe. A genuine box to box midfielder who already captains the Chilean national side at the age of 24 has got 1 year left too. Having had his most productive season yet with 10 goals and 11 assists, it is hardly a wonder that Serie A holders AC Milan and German giants Bayern Munch are fighting it out for the player who is expected to leave for around £15 million. That's right £7 million less for a player who is arguably a better all round footballer and certainly a leader than Nasri is not (yet).
So why is that such a premium is being placed on Nasri's head. Perhaps it is simply the fact that it is an english club selling to another English side. We have already seen Ashley Young go to Utd for £18 million again with 12 months left on his contract which should not have been any more than £15 million max and Aston Villa holding out for £19 million minimum for Stewart Downing which in light of the fact that Valencia are willing to selling Mata for £20 million seems like a ridiculous evaluation from the Midlands club but clearly someone is willing to comply.
Perhaps what this £22 million valuation speaks of is the over inflated prices that clubs domestically have to pay when buying from a rival; a premium that they do not when buying from overseas. Whatever the explanation might be there is little doubt that Samir Nasri is a fantastic player, possessing qualities that few others in England have and wherever he plays his football next season, the club for whom he is playing will be the richer for having him on the pitch,
The fact that the club appear to be on the verge of selling their best player, let's all hope the Fabregas to Barcelona annual nonsense finally comes to an end and as of yet the only 'big' name signing coming in appears to be the Ivorian forward Gervinho would understandably lead to Nasri feeling more than just a little disgruntled. The club have been linked with a whole host of top players Juan Mata (Valencia) and Gary Cahill (Bolton) to name two but as of yet nothing by the way of concrete signings.
 |
| Nasri |
Comparing Nasri's stats to those of other midfielders from the Big 4 it is easy to see why he is so greatly coveted. His 10 goals this season are matched only by Frank Lampard (and he takes all the pens at the Bridge) as well as having a shot accuracy rate which is only better by Lampard again. However in other areas it is clear to see that he falls far behind. His 1 assist throughout the entire season is pretty shocking when compared to Nani's 14 and even Arshavin's 11 as well as total number of passes falling well below that of his Emirates colleague Jack Wilshere. There is no doubt that he is a fantastic player but may be not as valuable as we all think. After all is Manchester Utd's Nani worth more than £22 million bearing in mind that he is more versatile and the same age.
 |
| Vidal |
So why is that such a premium is being placed on Nasri's head. Perhaps it is simply the fact that it is an english club selling to another English side. We have already seen Ashley Young go to Utd for £18 million again with 12 months left on his contract which should not have been any more than £15 million max and Aston Villa holding out for £19 million minimum for Stewart Downing which in light of the fact that Valencia are willing to selling Mata for £20 million seems like a ridiculous evaluation from the Midlands club but clearly someone is willing to comply.
Perhaps what this £22 million valuation speaks of is the over inflated prices that clubs domestically have to pay when buying from a rival; a premium that they do not when buying from overseas. Whatever the explanation might be there is little doubt that Samir Nasri is a fantastic player, possessing qualities that few others in England have and wherever he plays his football next season, the club for whom he is playing will be the richer for having him on the pitch,
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Roque Junior ... Footballing Hero.
Jose Vitor Roque Jr, or just Roque Junior, as he is known affectionately to football fans all over the world has been the talk of football fans for years. A man who has won every major European and South American honour and even the World Cup has been the ridicule of football for many a year...but why?
The defender has notched up almost 200 competitive appearances for Palmeiras and 3 years with European giants AC Milan. Through his storied career he has won the Brazilians State and League titles, the Copa Libertadores (the South American equivalent of the Champions League) as well as Serie A and the Champions League (the European equivalent of the Copa Libertadores). On top of these honours, internationally, he was a member of the successful Brazilian World Cup 2002 side, having notched up almost 50 appearances for the selecao.
So why is it that a man who has won so much and played for some of the World's biggest sides is ridiculed so heavily. Quite frankly, he was terrible. During his loan spell at Leeds United, the club conceded 24 goals in 7 games during which he was sent off in his first game away to Birmingham City. This short lived period at Ellend Road was very much indicative of the quality of player he truly was. At AC, the greats of the defence game Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta and Alessandro Costacurta hid a player who truly was terrible.
But despite being so poor and ridiculed across the World, he does hold a special place in the hearts of fans all across the World. He provides us with a sense that we too could win all those accolades and awards. Regardless of how bad one might actually be, how poor one tackling or heading or distribution, there is always hope for the average Sunday league player that he too could make it.
And for that Jose Vitor Roque Jr will always be a footballing hero.
The defender has notched up almost 200 competitive appearances for Palmeiras and 3 years with European giants AC Milan. Through his storied career he has won the Brazilians State and League titles, the Copa Libertadores (the South American equivalent of the Champions League) as well as Serie A and the Champions League (the European equivalent of the Copa Libertadores). On top of these honours, internationally, he was a member of the successful Brazilian World Cup 2002 side, having notched up almost 50 appearances for the selecao.
But despite being so poor and ridiculed across the World, he does hold a special place in the hearts of fans all across the World. He provides us with a sense that we too could win all those accolades and awards. Regardless of how bad one might actually be, how poor one tackling or heading or distribution, there is always hope for the average Sunday league player that he too could make it.
And for that Jose Vitor Roque Jr will always be a footballing hero.
2010-2011 Summer Transfers: A Reflection
At the beginning of last season, Goal.com produced a list of the Top 20 transfers heading into the new 2010-2011 season. I, as many other football fans, spent the summer trying to work out who was the best signing of the summer and who would be the flops. It is difficult though given that it is virtually impossible to remember who signed who and for how much. Looking back at the list it still makes interesting reading.
The stand out on the list for me is certainly Germany's Mesut Oezil, signed by Real Madrid from Werder Bremen for £12million. The young attacking midfielder has had an amazing season contributing a lot more than just the 10 goals and 25 assists in his 50 plus games this season. There is no doubt that Madrid's player of the season will go from strength to strength at Los Merengues. As well as Oezil, Krasic (Juventus), David Silva and Yaya Toure (Manchester City) have all been successes at their clubs. Ibrahimovic too has had a fantastic season spearheading AC Milan's resurgence to the Serie A title. The Swede contributed 21 goals along with 10 assists as he looked to make his loan move from the Nou Camp permanent ahead of the oncoming season.
The likes of David Villa and Mascherano (Barcelona), Kjaer (Wolfsburg) and Ramires (Chelsea) have all had good seasons but will all look to built on the starts that they have made at their respective clubs. Others, the likes of Chamakh (Arsenal), Diego (Wolfsburg) and Ireland (Aston Villa and now Newscastle) however have had poor seasons that might see them moving on again this summer. Diego in particular will find it difficult to find a new club having been fined the best part of £500,000 by the German side for a number of actions of ill discipline including taking a penalty away from the designated penalty taker and proceeding to miss it and refusing to be on the bench when not chosen for the 1st XI.
There have been other players who have had fantastic seasons after summer moves with Odemwingie (West Brom) and Hernandez (Manchester Utd) jumping to the front of that line. The former scored 15 goals in 30 appearances for the Midlands club and the latter scoring 20 goals after moving from Mexico and being such a success as to be awarded a Champions League Final starting berth ahead of Premier League top goalscorer Berbatov.
With us just having entered July and the official opening of the summer transfer window (which runs through until the end of August) it is too early to say who will be the big transfers of the 2011-2012 summer window. But with the likes of Cesc, Alexis Sanchez and Tevez all tipped to move and the big clubs in England, Spain and Italy likely to spend big, it'll be an interesting summer for sure.
Roma ... It's all change in the Italian Capital
The Giallorossi are one of the biggest names in Italian football with some of the World's greats like Guido Masseti, Giuseppe Gianni and Aldair having played at the hallowed turf at the Stadio Olimpico. The last few years however have been tough for Roma fans finishing 6th in Serie A. More importantly however this past year the club was overtaken by Napoli, Udinese and city rivals Lazio which called for change.
The club are now owned by Thomas DiBenedetto an American businessman who is presently a partner in the New England Sports Ventures, who own both the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C. The effects of the change can already be seen at the Stadio with the club bringing in Barcelona B coach Luis Enrique (whose tenure at the Nou Camp as B team coach was a little better than that of Pep). There are changes on the pitch too with the club on the verge of bringing in Dutch goal stopper Martin Stekelenburg, Bojan Krkic and River Plate's starlet Erik Lamela. As well as the new signings the club has been able to hold on crucial cogs in their existing wheel int he form of David Pizarro, Juan and most crucially skipper Daniele De Rossi.
With the wholesale changes that are occurring in the Italian capital it is no wonder that optimism is high amongst locals with a feeling that the influx of new, fresh talent alongside a new footballing philosophy under Enrique will lead to the club challenging for the Scudetto as they last did at the turn of the Millennium.
The club are now owned by Thomas DiBenedetto an American businessman who is presently a partner in the New England Sports Ventures, who own both the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C. The effects of the change can already be seen at the Stadio with the club bringing in Barcelona B coach Luis Enrique (whose tenure at the Nou Camp as B team coach was a little better than that of Pep). There are changes on the pitch too with the club on the verge of bringing in Dutch goal stopper Martin Stekelenburg, Bojan Krkic and River Plate's starlet Erik Lamela. As well as the new signings the club has been able to hold on crucial cogs in their existing wheel int he form of David Pizarro, Juan and most crucially skipper Daniele De Rossi.
With the wholesale changes that are occurring in the Italian capital it is no wonder that optimism is high amongst locals with a feeling that the influx of new, fresh talent alongside a new footballing philosophy under Enrique will lead to the club challenging for the Scudetto as they last did at the turn of the Millennium.
Zidane vs Mourinho
 |
| Zidane |
Zidane's influence can already be seen at the club with the club's signing of young French defender Raphael Varane last month. Varane himself noted that Zidane was a huge part in him joining the club ahead of Manchester Utd.
whilst things seem great at the moment, one wonders how Zidane will interact with Mourinho when the two butt heads (and they eventually will do!) How will a player who will forever be remembered as one of the greatest going forward and with a relatively care free attitude to football on the pitch interact with a manager who once played 0 strikers at home in the Champions League semi-final (leaving the likes of Higuian, Benzema, Adebayour and Kaka on the bench).
 |
| The 'Special One' |
It is easy to forget that Mouringo forced Jorge Valdano, the old Director of football out of the club with Perez nailing his colours to the Portuguese's mast ahead of the Argentinian.
As of yet, Mourinho has been able to get his way with signings like Altintop, Sahin and Callejon but when Zidane wants to sign and offensive player, maybe Neymar as he has already mentioned, will Mourinho accept his wishes or will the two come to loggerheads.
Copa America 2011 - Will the real Argentina please stand up
This summer's major football competition (with all due respect to the U21, U17 and Women's World Cups), the Copa America, kicked off in front of 50,000 plus on a warm La Plata evening. The hosts and tournament favourites Argentina kicked off with a nation of millions expecting the side to win their first major international competition since 1993. In the end a side boasting some of the World's best players and with the likes of Angel Di Maria and Sergio 'Kun' Aguero on the bench, could only manage to scrape a 1-1 with Bolivia.
Attentions turned to the Estadio Brigadier Gral E. Lopez in the City of Sante Fe yesterday evening for the hosts second game of Group A against Colombia. A side that boasted Lavezzi, Tevez and Messi upfront with Aguero and Higuain coming off the bench could not even muster up a goal against a Colombian back line possessing only Mario Yepes of AC Milan as a recognised household name. Such was the nature of the game that Argentine shot stopper Sergio Romero was in fact named Man of the Match.
In light of Batista's men thus far lackluster performances and the pressure of being hosts, the question then turns to why? Why is the side that possesses the World's stand out player struggling to such a huge extent?
Perhaps there is simply too much pressure on Lionel Messi. One man simply cannot carry the weight of an entire nation and the others (looking at you Mr Tevez) need to stand up and prove that the side really is more than just Messi + 10 others. Perhaps what we are actually seeing is that while Lionel Messi is no doubt fantastic, a true World great, Xavi Hernnandez and Andres Iniesta are in fact catalysts to his club success. As good as Ever Banega is (and will be in the future as he is on the cusp of a move to Inter Milan from Valencia), he simply cannot replicate the work of arguably two of the greatest midfielders ever (and in my opinion the greatest midfield partnership ever)!
Instead maybe the work that Dani Alves puts in week in and week out down the right flank in occupying the opposing side's left back cant be replicated by Pablo Zabaleta rendering teams able to double up on Lionel. Or may its is as simply as stating that the 'other' sides in South America sides the 'Big 2' are actually quite good and we should not expect the South American giants to simply roll over all others before them. After all, a 'new look and rejuvenated' Brazil side failed to break down a fairly poor Venezuelan defence with Robinho, Neymar, Ganso and Pato all wasting guilt edged chances.
Whatever the reason might be, Batista and Argentina are going to have to shape up quickly if they are going to get the 3 points that they will almost definitely need to qualify from Group A and progress to the knock out stages of their own Copa America. A failure to escape the Group would certainly see the end of Batista and leave the Argentine fans waiting another 3 years for a major international success.
 |
| The Prize |
In light of Batista's men thus far lackluster performances and the pressure of being hosts, the question then turns to why? Why is the side that possesses the World's stand out player struggling to such a huge extent?
 |
| Another poor Argentine performance |
Instead maybe the work that Dani Alves puts in week in and week out down the right flank in occupying the opposing side's left back cant be replicated by Pablo Zabaleta rendering teams able to double up on Lionel. Or may its is as simply as stating that the 'other' sides in South America sides the 'Big 2' are actually quite good and we should not expect the South American giants to simply roll over all others before them. After all, a 'new look and rejuvenated' Brazil side failed to break down a fairly poor Venezuelan defence with Robinho, Neymar, Ganso and Pato all wasting guilt edged chances.
Whatever the reason might be, Batista and Argentina are going to have to shape up quickly if they are going to get the 3 points that they will almost definitely need to qualify from Group A and progress to the knock out stages of their own Copa America. A failure to escape the Group would certainly see the end of Batista and leave the Argentine fans waiting another 3 years for a major international success.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)