I am not part of the ludicrous group of fools calling for Wayne Rooney to be left out of England's squad for Euro 2012. Whether he receives a one, two or three game ban is irrelevant - he is simply too talented and too important to be left at home, whatever mangled state of mind or innate lack of temperament he possesses.
It is currently only a one game ban hanging over the Manchester United forward's head following his red card in Montenegro last night. However, there is a fair chance this may be increased to two or even three matches if you consider the nature of the offence, as four years ago a precedent was set.
In a similar scenario to Rooney, Andrei Arshavin was banned for two matches after being needlessly sent off in Russia's final Euro 2008 qualifying match in Andorra. However, in a bizarre twist of fate, this suspension appeared, actually, to provide the then Zenit St Petersburg star with the hunger and the platform to perform quite brilliantly in the final group game of the tournament (versus Sweden) and enabled him to build up some fantastic momentum in the knock out stages while other players and teams tired.
In the end, in face, the little Russians' performances in Austria and Switzerland meant he was one of the stars of the tournament and dramatically elevated his status on the world stage (just a shame he doesn't show the same commitment and desire to the cause at the Emirates these days).
There are other examples that support such a hypothesis. Zinadine Zidane sat out three matches for stamping on an opponent in the 1998 World Cup, but ended up being the French hero come the final in Paris. Ronaldinho was sent off in the World Cup quarter final against England for 'doing' Danny Mills (who can blame him really?) in 2002, but was a vital player come the final.
More recently, there was also Italy's Daniele De Rossi and his brutal assault on the USA's Brian McBride during the 2006 World Cup. The Roma star was banned for four matches for violent conduct following the group match - only to come on and score a crucial shoot out penalty in the final.
These are all truly symbolic examples of people going from hero to zero in the space of days, but the common theme... All three of these players eventually helped their countries' end victorious, so it is certainly not the end of the world for 'our Wayne'.
I am not predicting that the former Everton star will have the same impact next summer in Eastern Europe. But he is one player in a squad of 23, and with the talent he possesses, he is well worth the risk. In addition, his form this season appears to suggest he is back to his best, and he may even be (say it quietly) approaching his peak.
But there are other issues that now need addressing within the England camp. Does Rooney feature in England's warm up matches and is there any point? This could well depend on the severity of the punishment, but should Fabio Capello go with say - Darren Bent and Andy Carroll as a pair?
Can the Italian experiment with Danny Wellbeck and Jermaine Defoe, or perhaps go with a Bent and Wellbeck partnership? Such a pairing will certainly have pace, but is there enough guile? Could Capello even be so bold and attempt to implement fringe players such as a revitalised Peter Crouch and an in-form Daniel Sturridge into the starting line up?
These kind of tough, reputation defining decisions are what the former Real Madrid boss is paid six millions pounds at year to do. Hopefully now, we can finally observe the Italian fully demonstrate his worth without the services of his most prized asset.
To some extent, Rooney's suspension may even be a blessing in disguise. Capello has often been accused of having no plan B - but now it is imperative he does have. 'What is the next best option if Rooney is not firing' now becomes 'what is the next best option?' If Rooney doesn't feature in two or perhaps even all three of the group matches in Poland and Ukraine, can the fit again Steven Gerrard play the "Rooney' role behind the striker? Does it mean that England can now have Jack Wilshere and Gerrard (providing they are both fit) in the same side?
In addition, the loss of Rooney removes a headache that Capello would probably have had to treat. Crucially, the manager can now play a defensive midfielder alongside the two playmakers instead of having to try and juggle the old 'Gerrard-Lampard' chestnut of accomodating two wonderfully gifted players in central midfield without any protection behind. In this formation, without Rooney, Gerrard can play further forward, while Scott Parker or Gareth Barry (who appear to be Capello's first choices as the defensive midfielders) can screen in front of the back four. This is especially significant as Frank Lampard now appears to be nothing more than a squad player at best. The Chelsea star will be 34 come the finals, and England really do now need to look to the future generation.
Ashley Young, Wilshere, Stewart Downing and Theo Walcott are all options that should be nurtured and cherished, but what of Gerrard you may ask? Well, the 31 year old is two years younger than Lampard and is still good enough and young enough to figure come June. However, whether or not the Liverpool skipper should still be considered for Brazil in 2014 depends on the state of his body and his hunger. But surely that has to be a discussion for after the finals and for the new manager to decide on. For now, the Liverpool talisman simply has to be in the side.
There are some critics who will argue that Rooney's record at major tournaments makes his loss less of a negative than many pundits may claim. But let's not forget his brilliant Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal as a teenager, where he scored four goals in three games. At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, meanwhile, he was not fully fit - through no fault of his own, it must be said. But he was only 20 at the time and desperate to play, so you can't question his commitment to the England cause, despite what the press and some fans may claim today.
In South Africa last year, Rooney was very poor, but we all know the reasons why - and while there is not much of a defence for what Rooney did yesterday, it was perhaps understandable considering the stress he was under. Perhaps he should have been more honest about his frame of mind before the game, but you certainly can't blame Capello for this, and Rooney is certainly not the first high profile player to act foolishly in a big game on more than one occasion.
Some of the world's greatest players lose their heads at the most inappropriate moments - but it's this unpredictability which makes these individuals so stunningly brilliant. Rooney, who is 26 this month, still has time on his side to prove he is up their with the very best of all time.
Memories can hark back to Spain 1982, when a certain Diego Maradona was dismissed in the group stages for an appalling challenge on Batista against Brazil. Zindane Zidane - such a timid figure off the pitch, is one of the few players to be sent off in two World Cup's, and both times for violent conduct. We all know what happened in the 2006 final, and who can possibly claim that he didn't let France down? But do most of us care? No. He was a supreme player and as close to a football artist as I have seen.
As Englishman, we just have to hope that Rooney learns from this. In 2006, he didn't have to suffer the misery of sitting out the semi final as England were knocked out on penalties against Portugal anyway, following his sending off. This time, perhaps, having to suffer the indignity of watching his nation begin their European Championships campaign without him will hopefully increase his desire and enable him to harness his anger as to make sure he does not do something similar again.
In addition, the absence of Rooney during the opening stages may also dampen down expectations back home, and may be just the fillet that England need to prove the critics wrong and have a decent tournament. Capello will surely have learnt from the mistakes he made in South Africa, and he must now fully realise that English men are not Italians.
Although we can do without mimicking the Rugby lads' behaviour down under this autumn, we can at least hope that the players are in the right frame of mind to give as good as they've got. And with the quality England have at their disposal, and with the luck of suspensions and injuries going in their favour, you never know what could happen.
However, one thing is for sure. England have no chance of going all the way, without a certain 25 year old LIverpudlian in their ranks.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
FERNANDO JOSE TORRES SANZ - THE PAINFUL DEMISE OF A FALLEN IDOL. BUT IS THERE ANY WAY BACK FOR THE FORMER GREAT?
The exclusion of Fernando Torres this week from Spain's match squad was a shock to many of his ardent fans around the globe. But really, on the face of it, why?
The Chelsea striker has played 21 competitive games since his record £50 million move from Liverpool in January, and has, without mincing my words, been a total disaster. In fact , with his shocking return of one goal, he is well on course to be the biggest flop there has ever been in English football. He is even currently managing to out-fox Steve Daley's fateful stint at Manchester City following his record transfer from Wolves in the late 1970s (although in fairness to Daley, he wasn't supposed to be a goalscorer).
The omission of the 87 times capped striker from Vincente del Bosque's 18 man crew had been coming. If match squads were selected on name only, Torres would be the first name on the team sheet. But they are not, and the 27 year old has not scored in nearly a year for his country. On form, it's clearly the right decision, and, in the long term, might even be the best thing that could happen. The Spanish are hardly short on options are they?
This is not a sudden occurrence, however. Torres' lack of form is not confined soely to his spell at Stamford Bridge. He has not been the same player since he limped out of Liverpool's Europa League quarter final against Benfica nearly 18 months ago. Four days previously, the much maligned Rafael Benitez had withdrawn him after an hour during a 'must win' Premier League match at St Andrews against Birmingham. The iconic image of Steven Gerrard's shaking head as Torres departed may well have been the beginning of the end of the Benitez era at Anfield. But in hindsight, was Torres' fellow Spaniard actually justified and only trying to protect his fellow countryman? Was the then manager acutely aware of the severity of Torres' injury problems and the issues they were causing?
Torres was subsequently ruled out of Liverpool's last five league games that campaign following knee surgery and the club missed out on a Champions League place. However, the striker faced a race to be fit in time for the start of the World Cup seven weeks later. The Spanish star won that race, but has the pressure he put on himself to make that squad destroyed his career? Has it left him worn out and a shadow of his former-self? It certainly appears to be the case. He failed to score in seven matches in South Africa and has never looked the same since.
Before that injury, Torres - always somewhat of an injury prone player in his time at Anfield - still boasted an incredible goalscoring record during his time in England. He hit the net 18 times in 22 league games during the 2009-10 season, and up to that point, his injuries, however regular, never seemed to particularly affect his comebacks. 72 goals in 116 games at Anfield during a prolific - often brilliant, but fragmented period at Liverpool are statistics second to none in the club's history. In fact, earlier that season, Torres had become the fastest ever player to score 50 league goals - faster than Rush, Owen or even the wonderfully gifted and precocious Robbie Fowler.
Between 2007 and 2009, it would be hard to argue that Torres wasn't the best frontman in world football. In addition, his partnership with Gerrard was as potent as any attacking force in Europe during those years. The dynamic and almost telepathic on-field relationship they had is probably the best combo there has been at Anfield since the days of Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush in the early 1980s. Yes, it was that good at times.
But despite his lack of domestic silverware, we shouldn't forget that Torres has won both the European Championships (where he scored the winning goal in 2008) and the World Cup with Spain. Has he simply, just lost his desire? The striker - despite ''proudly' displaying a Liverpool scarf during Spain's post match celebrations following their World Cup triumph, reportedly desired a move to Chelsea during the summer of 2010. He was persuaded to stay in the north-west, but, under Roy Hodgson, his form continued to dip dramatically.
There were moments of brilliance under the former Fulham boss - the double strike versus Chelsea being the stand out performance, as well as the brilliant volleyed winner at home to West Brom. But you could sense that this was a player who had lost the passion to play for his club. It was a club where he was idolised and worshipped, under the affectionate nick-name of 'El Nino'.
Although Torres' performances were well below par at Anfield during this period, he wasn't alone. The whole team struggled under Hodgson's stewardship and were 13th in the table by the time he was dismissed in early January. Ironically, following Kenny Dalglish's arrival, Torres immediately started to perform the 'Torres of old'. Three goals and two assists in four games under the guidance of the Liverpool legend appeared to have turned the corner and, once again, Torres was smiling. But was this step up in form due to Dalglish's influence and renowned man management skills, or, in fact, was it the player's desire to force through a move during the January transfer window? It appeared to be the latter - so you would have thought....
After requesting a transfer, 'Nando' finally grabbed the move he had been looking for. However, a lacklustre debut in a 1-0 home defeat to his former club only rubbed further salt into the wounds. The Spaniard - who had now been out of form for nearly the whole of the previous nine months, was now at his lowest ebb. Game after game he failed to score for his new club.
Eventually, in his 12th game for the Blues, he scored (all be it with the aid of torrential ran) against West Ham. Surely the flood gates would now open, but no.. He failed to score during the last four games of the season as Chelsea's title challenge faltered. His confidence was low once again, but so too, and most worryingly, appeared to be his effort and desire. Maybe it was indeed Dalglish who had got the best out of him in his final days at Liverpool - because despite now being at the club he reportedly so wanted to join, he now (in a new season) looks even more sub-standard than he did under Hodgson at Anfield. In fact, the opening day defeat at Stoke aside, Torres' touch has been akin to a schoolboy, while his movement, at times, would make Jan Molby feel embarrassed.
Perhaps all of these issues can be put down to one thing - burn-out. Torres made his debut for Athletico Madrid shortly after his 17th birthday and was captain at 19. But he has also (as we have gathered earlier in the passage) had his fair share of injuries, so he has not been shorn of career breaks. Many football analysts suggest that his lack of a summer break from 2008 through to 2010 are reasons for his lack of form - not to mention his lack of a pre-season at Liverpool during the summer of 2010. But surely, that's a contradiction in terms. Players such as David Villa and Xavi Hernandez - both older than Torres, have hardly suffered from so much summertime football in recent years have they?
Several pundits and media have pinpointed Chelsea's lack of a 'Steven Gerrard' or 'Xavi Alonso' in the Chelsea side. But to many outsiders looking in, this claim doesn't really cut the mustard. Torres' form is not fundamentally down to a lack of chances being created. He has had, and indeed missed, several 'simple' chances at Chelsea - four or five a game at times. While in his pomp at Liverpool, he would have had the confidence and pace to beat the last man, at Chelsea, he regularly gets tackled or loses control of the ball.
In truth, Chelsea probably create more chances than Liverpool did under Benitez - where his teams were often counter attacking outfits. Maybe this is part of the problem, as Torres is now just one of many fish in a large pond, whereas at Anfield he was, at that time, one of the two main men and the focal point of the side.
I heard Chris Sutton on Talk Sport this week, stating that Torres was 'still a great player and will come good'. He also rolled out that marvellous old cliche that 'you don't become a bad player overnight'. Coming from the mouth of Sutton (another big money failure), that's interesting, as he never managed to come good at the Bridge, despite endless opportunities given to him by Gianluca Vialli. There must also be a grave concern at Chelsea this time around too, despite the transparent media facade they appear to be creating.
Many Torres believers (and there is plenty of them) have all been saying for nigh on eight months now that Torres will come good, but people tend to forget (as I suggested earlier) that for nine months previously, his form was 'patchy' to say the least. Sure, he hasn't become a bad player overnight, but appears to have become a bad player since he motored down the M6 and the M40 to London on that cold winter's night last January (I know - perhaps he came by helicopter, but you get my point).
Torres' body language suggests, that even at a new club, he lacks desire and he is clearly, well past his best. This scenario does, quite interestingly, mirror the careers of two other of Anfield's former greats - Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen. Both of these players were also pretty much 'washed up' by 27, after a succession of serious injuries. Such a regular frequency of injuries will un-doubtebly take their toll and Liverpool, despite the fans much publicised displeasure when Torres left the club, must be turning cartwheels now.
Whether or not Dalglish could have continued his rehabilitation of Torres had he stayed, we will never know. But Luis Suarez, Craig Bellamy and Andy Carrol l(who despite the criticism, has at least scored three goals in 12 games and is far from the finished article) for Torres along with a handy £7 million appears, on the face if it, to be good business.
The recent arrival of Juan Mata at may help Torres somewhat, and he may improve marginally. But anyone who expects him to repeat the goalscoring feats of his Anfield days are living in a dreamworld. The Spaniard scored 56 goals in 78 league games during his first three seasons at Anfield, and I, like many Torres sceptics am 99.9% sure that those days are long gone.
Chelsea fans and Roman Abramovich will hope that their partial funding of Dalglish's second 'revolution' at Anfield will yet be re-paid and justified. But there is something worth noting. The three times Premier League winners could have picked up two and a quarter Luis Suarez's (three years younger remember...) for what they paid for Fernando Torres.
So the jury is still out in West London on the man who was voted the third best player in the world less than three years ago. But, let's be fair, they should have gone home along time ago with the verdict 'guilty as charged' ringing in their ears.
The Chelsea striker has played 21 competitive games since his record £50 million move from Liverpool in January, and has, without mincing my words, been a total disaster. In fact , with his shocking return of one goal, he is well on course to be the biggest flop there has ever been in English football. He is even currently managing to out-fox Steve Daley's fateful stint at Manchester City following his record transfer from Wolves in the late 1970s (although in fairness to Daley, he wasn't supposed to be a goalscorer).
The omission of the 87 times capped striker from Vincente del Bosque's 18 man crew had been coming. If match squads were selected on name only, Torres would be the first name on the team sheet. But they are not, and the 27 year old has not scored in nearly a year for his country. On form, it's clearly the right decision, and, in the long term, might even be the best thing that could happen. The Spanish are hardly short on options are they?
This is not a sudden occurrence, however. Torres' lack of form is not confined soely to his spell at Stamford Bridge. He has not been the same player since he limped out of Liverpool's Europa League quarter final against Benfica nearly 18 months ago. Four days previously, the much maligned Rafael Benitez had withdrawn him after an hour during a 'must win' Premier League match at St Andrews against Birmingham. The iconic image of Steven Gerrard's shaking head as Torres departed may well have been the beginning of the end of the Benitez era at Anfield. But in hindsight, was Torres' fellow Spaniard actually justified and only trying to protect his fellow countryman? Was the then manager acutely aware of the severity of Torres' injury problems and the issues they were causing?
Torres was subsequently ruled out of Liverpool's last five league games that campaign following knee surgery and the club missed out on a Champions League place. However, the striker faced a race to be fit in time for the start of the World Cup seven weeks later. The Spanish star won that race, but has the pressure he put on himself to make that squad destroyed his career? Has it left him worn out and a shadow of his former-self? It certainly appears to be the case. He failed to score in seven matches in South Africa and has never looked the same since.
Before that injury, Torres - always somewhat of an injury prone player in his time at Anfield - still boasted an incredible goalscoring record during his time in England. He hit the net 18 times in 22 league games during the 2009-10 season, and up to that point, his injuries, however regular, never seemed to particularly affect his comebacks. 72 goals in 116 games at Anfield during a prolific - often brilliant, but fragmented period at Liverpool are statistics second to none in the club's history. In fact, earlier that season, Torres had become the fastest ever player to score 50 league goals - faster than Rush, Owen or even the wonderfully gifted and precocious Robbie Fowler.
Between 2007 and 2009, it would be hard to argue that Torres wasn't the best frontman in world football. In addition, his partnership with Gerrard was as potent as any attacking force in Europe during those years. The dynamic and almost telepathic on-field relationship they had is probably the best combo there has been at Anfield since the days of Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush in the early 1980s. Yes, it was that good at times.
But despite his lack of domestic silverware, we shouldn't forget that Torres has won both the European Championships (where he scored the winning goal in 2008) and the World Cup with Spain. Has he simply, just lost his desire? The striker - despite ''proudly' displaying a Liverpool scarf during Spain's post match celebrations following their World Cup triumph, reportedly desired a move to Chelsea during the summer of 2010. He was persuaded to stay in the north-west, but, under Roy Hodgson, his form continued to dip dramatically.
There were moments of brilliance under the former Fulham boss - the double strike versus Chelsea being the stand out performance, as well as the brilliant volleyed winner at home to West Brom. But you could sense that this was a player who had lost the passion to play for his club. It was a club where he was idolised and worshipped, under the affectionate nick-name of 'El Nino'.
Although Torres' performances were well below par at Anfield during this period, he wasn't alone. The whole team struggled under Hodgson's stewardship and were 13th in the table by the time he was dismissed in early January. Ironically, following Kenny Dalglish's arrival, Torres immediately started to perform the 'Torres of old'. Three goals and two assists in four games under the guidance of the Liverpool legend appeared to have turned the corner and, once again, Torres was smiling. But was this step up in form due to Dalglish's influence and renowned man management skills, or, in fact, was it the player's desire to force through a move during the January transfer window? It appeared to be the latter - so you would have thought....
After requesting a transfer, 'Nando' finally grabbed the move he had been looking for. However, a lacklustre debut in a 1-0 home defeat to his former club only rubbed further salt into the wounds. The Spaniard - who had now been out of form for nearly the whole of the previous nine months, was now at his lowest ebb. Game after game he failed to score for his new club.
Eventually, in his 12th game for the Blues, he scored (all be it with the aid of torrential ran) against West Ham. Surely the flood gates would now open, but no.. He failed to score during the last four games of the season as Chelsea's title challenge faltered. His confidence was low once again, but so too, and most worryingly, appeared to be his effort and desire. Maybe it was indeed Dalglish who had got the best out of him in his final days at Liverpool - because despite now being at the club he reportedly so wanted to join, he now (in a new season) looks even more sub-standard than he did under Hodgson at Anfield. In fact, the opening day defeat at Stoke aside, Torres' touch has been akin to a schoolboy, while his movement, at times, would make Jan Molby feel embarrassed.
Perhaps all of these issues can be put down to one thing - burn-out. Torres made his debut for Athletico Madrid shortly after his 17th birthday and was captain at 19. But he has also (as we have gathered earlier in the passage) had his fair share of injuries, so he has not been shorn of career breaks. Many football analysts suggest that his lack of a summer break from 2008 through to 2010 are reasons for his lack of form - not to mention his lack of a pre-season at Liverpool during the summer of 2010. But surely, that's a contradiction in terms. Players such as David Villa and Xavi Hernandez - both older than Torres, have hardly suffered from so much summertime football in recent years have they?
Several pundits and media have pinpointed Chelsea's lack of a 'Steven Gerrard' or 'Xavi Alonso' in the Chelsea side. But to many outsiders looking in, this claim doesn't really cut the mustard. Torres' form is not fundamentally down to a lack of chances being created. He has had, and indeed missed, several 'simple' chances at Chelsea - four or five a game at times. While in his pomp at Liverpool, he would have had the confidence and pace to beat the last man, at Chelsea, he regularly gets tackled or loses control of the ball.
In truth, Chelsea probably create more chances than Liverpool did under Benitez - where his teams were often counter attacking outfits. Maybe this is part of the problem, as Torres is now just one of many fish in a large pond, whereas at Anfield he was, at that time, one of the two main men and the focal point of the side.
I heard Chris Sutton on Talk Sport this week, stating that Torres was 'still a great player and will come good'. He also rolled out that marvellous old cliche that 'you don't become a bad player overnight'. Coming from the mouth of Sutton (another big money failure), that's interesting, as he never managed to come good at the Bridge, despite endless opportunities given to him by Gianluca Vialli. There must also be a grave concern at Chelsea this time around too, despite the transparent media facade they appear to be creating.
Many Torres believers (and there is plenty of them) have all been saying for nigh on eight months now that Torres will come good, but people tend to forget (as I suggested earlier) that for nine months previously, his form was 'patchy' to say the least. Sure, he hasn't become a bad player overnight, but appears to have become a bad player since he motored down the M6 and the M40 to London on that cold winter's night last January (I know - perhaps he came by helicopter, but you get my point).
Torres' body language suggests, that even at a new club, he lacks desire and he is clearly, well past his best. This scenario does, quite interestingly, mirror the careers of two other of Anfield's former greats - Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen. Both of these players were also pretty much 'washed up' by 27, after a succession of serious injuries. Such a regular frequency of injuries will un-doubtebly take their toll and Liverpool, despite the fans much publicised displeasure when Torres left the club, must be turning cartwheels now.
Whether or not Dalglish could have continued his rehabilitation of Torres had he stayed, we will never know. But Luis Suarez, Craig Bellamy and Andy Carrol l(who despite the criticism, has at least scored three goals in 12 games and is far from the finished article) for Torres along with a handy £7 million appears, on the face if it, to be good business.
The recent arrival of Juan Mata at may help Torres somewhat, and he may improve marginally. But anyone who expects him to repeat the goalscoring feats of his Anfield days are living in a dreamworld. The Spaniard scored 56 goals in 78 league games during his first three seasons at Anfield, and I, like many Torres sceptics am 99.9% sure that those days are long gone.
Chelsea fans and Roman Abramovich will hope that their partial funding of Dalglish's second 'revolution' at Anfield will yet be re-paid and justified. But there is something worth noting. The three times Premier League winners could have picked up two and a quarter Luis Suarez's (three years younger remember...) for what they paid for Fernando Torres.
So the jury is still out in West London on the man who was voted the third best player in the world less than three years ago. But, let's be fair, they should have gone home along time ago with the verdict 'guilty as charged' ringing in their ears.
Friday, August 26, 2011
SCOTTISH FOOTBALL - IN LONG TERM DECLINE OR IS IT JUST A BLIP?
The exit of three Scottish clubs from the Europa League on Thursday night was disappointing to say the least. However, I personally don't believe Scottish football is at that lower ebb.
While the Scottish domestic scene is undoubtedly encountering a rough period, both on and off the pitch, in truth what do the Scots really expect? They are a small nation and have punched above their weight for many years.
As recently as 2007, Celtic took AC Milan (the eventual winners) all the way to extra time in their second round knock out match at the San Siro. Earlier that same season, the Hoops defeated Manchester United at Celtic Park. A year later, Walter Smith guided Rangers to the UEFA Cup final in dramatic style, overseeing several away performances as good as any one could hope for in European competition. So why the sudden demise?
As recently as last season, Rangers were still involved in European competition up to March. So why should this be deemed a failure? It is true that both Glasgow sides are massively supported around the globe, but they are involved in a league without the finance, competition or infrastructure to really expect any more than that.
It should also be noted that during the late 1960s, 70s and 80s, when Scottish football experienced it's so called 'golden period', things were very different, both politically and within the sporting world. Football was not the prolifically global game it is now, and there were far less teams and indeed countries to compete against.
Remember, back then, the Soviet Union was just one country, and one league - as was Yugoslavia. Scotland were far more likely to qualify for major tournaments in those days - and they frequently did. In fact, between 1974 and 1990, the Scots qualified for five World Cups in a row - an astonishing feat for such a small footballing country. They even managed to make it to Euro 92 (in the days when only eight teams qualified). However, it has been pretty much all downhill from there.
The Scottish national side have needed to re-group, and the emergence of the previously exiled countries, such as Ukraine, Croatia, Serbia, the Baltic States and the other Balkan states have made Scotland's hope of qualifying for major tournaments even harder. In the qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup, for instance, the Scots were eliminated by the Croats. While in recent years, they have suffered several disappointing defeats in in Eastern Europe - to opponents they would not have had to have faced back in the 'glory days'.
If you assess the qualifying campaign the national team undertook for the last European Championships in 2008, for example - Scotland very nearly made it! They twice beat France (under Walter Smith, and then under Alex McLeish), but lost in Georgia and and Ukraine. Scotland have a habit of raising their game against the 'bigger' sides, which, to some extent, illustrates the passion and ability they possess. But they also have an unfortunately poor record against 'minnows' when it really matters. Costa Rica and Peru, for instance, are just two of the names Scottish fans probably like to blank out of the minds altogether.
As with the English, football is undoubtedly in the Scot's 'blood'. They haven't only produced players of top quality - good enough to play in the world's top teams and top league's in the past, they have, in fact, produced some of the very best.
Kenny Dalglish would perhaps, alongside George Best, be most people's choice as the finest ever player to emerge from the UK. During the late 1970s and early 80's, there were few players in the world who could compete with Dalglish on both a domestic and European scale for guile and technique. If he had been Dutch, German, French, or even English, he may well be ranked in many's people's top ten greatest ever players. But, although, he pulled on the shirt of the less 'glamorous' Scotland on 101 occasions, his country never progressed beyond the group stages of a major tournament - despite his own gut-busting efforts.
Other players, such as Denis Law - a European Footballer of the year in the 1960s, Alan Hansen - a winner of three European Cup winners medal's at Anfield and Graeme Souness, the captain and lynchpin of the all conquering Liverpool teams of the early 1980s, were players, who were at the very top of their profession, domestically and on the European club stage. They were the equivalent of a David Villa, a Gerard Pique or a Xavi by today's standards. While perhaps most potently there was the legendary Celtic "Lisbon Lions' - the glorious 1967 European Cup winning side consisting of eleven home grown players - all born within a 50 mile radius of Glasgow. This will surely never be done again, as, let's be honest, football just isn't like that anymore.
However, what can be done again is bringing through the quality of players there once was. Granted, Glasgow has changed a lot over the years, and, following it's elevation as the European City of Culture in 1990, has grown into a far more prosperous place - almost un-recognisable in parts.
Maybe you don't find as many kids learning their trade on the streets of Britain's third biggest city any more - having a 'kick about' with their mates, and perhaps this is fundamentally the problem. Of course, Glasgow still has it's social problems, but perhaps the industry based mentality that graced some of the those ex-players (many are now top managers) needs to be re-instated into the minds of the young Scottish kids. They certainly possess the right DNA to make it to the top.
The fact that there are so many great Scottish managers is an illustration of how the Scots appear to have the 'right DNA'. But maybe this is also part of the problem. During the early 1980s, for instance, when Aberdeen were a power-house of European football, their manager was a certain Alex Ferguson. Perhaps the fact that most of the best coaches are snapped up by English teams now is restricting the Scottish youngster's development in their own nation, while the Scottish sides are left with the 'best of the rest', who are not quite up to scratch.
The so called 'Glasgow Mafia' of the Premier League are prudent to this argument. Two of the very best - Sir Alex Ferguson and Kenny Dalglish are from the rough and tumble of Glasgow's gritty past. David Moyes, Owen Coyle and Steve Kean also hail from that part of the world. In addition, there is Paul Lambert, a former European Cup winner and boss at Norwich, while Alex McLeish (a former Scotland boss is) now managing another huge club, Aston Villa, and was a League Cup winner last year at Birmingham City.
Perhaps if these managers didn't have to fly the nest and head to England, then Scotland may have more of a chance to be a footballing heavyweight once more. But with the lack of finance available to the Scottish League, there is little hope of these top managers staying and it appears for now to be like 'pie in the sky'.
There, is however, some hope on the horizon. Scotland - now under the stewardship of Craig Levein, have made a solid start in their qualifying campaign for Euro 2012. In fact, for the first time since the mid 1990s, they can now boast players who are playing top English sides.
Darren Fletcher is a regular starter at Old Trafford, and when fit, is probably their first choice central midfielder. There is also the much improved Charlie Adam, who is settling into his new role as the midfield playmaker under Dalglish at Liverpool. In addition, Barry Bannan is a very talented young player coming though the ranks at Aston Villa and Gary Caldwell is a regular starter at centre back for Wigan Athletic. While, adding even more to the Scottish kudos south of the border, Phil Bardsley is a regular full back at Sunderland, Alan Hutton, likewise, at Tottenham, and James Morrison has developed into an excellent attacking midfielder in Roy Hodgson's fledgling West Bromwich Albion side.
As well as those fore-mentioned top flight stars, Craig Mackail-Smith, a rather late developer, lower down the leagues, is a goalscoring machine at Brighton, and appears to be set for the top too.
Things certainly look rosier, and hopefully the grim days of George Burley having to pick players from the English championship to compete with the Xavi's and Iniesta's of this world look, at this current time to be a thing of the past. In fact, to be perfectly blunt, a fully firing midfield pairing of Charlie Adam and Darren Fletcher alongside each other at Hampden is quite a daunting prospect for any opposing teams to face. These two names alone, suggest it's not all doom and gloom north of the border.
Perhaps a smidgen of success for the national team (such as qualifying for a major tournament for the first time since the World Cup of 1998), can help bring about and inspire a new crop of Scottish footballer's to rival the greats of yesteryear. This is turn will not only aid the plight of the Scotland team, but also, hopefully, bring a little ray of light to the domestic game.
While the Scottish domestic scene is undoubtedly encountering a rough period, both on and off the pitch, in truth what do the Scots really expect? They are a small nation and have punched above their weight for many years.
As recently as 2007, Celtic took AC Milan (the eventual winners) all the way to extra time in their second round knock out match at the San Siro. Earlier that same season, the Hoops defeated Manchester United at Celtic Park. A year later, Walter Smith guided Rangers to the UEFA Cup final in dramatic style, overseeing several away performances as good as any one could hope for in European competition. So why the sudden demise?
As recently as last season, Rangers were still involved in European competition up to March. So why should this be deemed a failure? It is true that both Glasgow sides are massively supported around the globe, but they are involved in a league without the finance, competition or infrastructure to really expect any more than that.
It should also be noted that during the late 1960s, 70s and 80s, when Scottish football experienced it's so called 'golden period', things were very different, both politically and within the sporting world. Football was not the prolifically global game it is now, and there were far less teams and indeed countries to compete against.
Remember, back then, the Soviet Union was just one country, and one league - as was Yugoslavia. Scotland were far more likely to qualify for major tournaments in those days - and they frequently did. In fact, between 1974 and 1990, the Scots qualified for five World Cups in a row - an astonishing feat for such a small footballing country. They even managed to make it to Euro 92 (in the days when only eight teams qualified). However, it has been pretty much all downhill from there.
The Scottish national side have needed to re-group, and the emergence of the previously exiled countries, such as Ukraine, Croatia, Serbia, the Baltic States and the other Balkan states have made Scotland's hope of qualifying for major tournaments even harder. In the qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup, for instance, the Scots were eliminated by the Croats. While in recent years, they have suffered several disappointing defeats in in Eastern Europe - to opponents they would not have had to have faced back in the 'glory days'.
If you assess the qualifying campaign the national team undertook for the last European Championships in 2008, for example - Scotland very nearly made it! They twice beat France (under Walter Smith, and then under Alex McLeish), but lost in Georgia and and Ukraine. Scotland have a habit of raising their game against the 'bigger' sides, which, to some extent, illustrates the passion and ability they possess. But they also have an unfortunately poor record against 'minnows' when it really matters. Costa Rica and Peru, for instance, are just two of the names Scottish fans probably like to blank out of the minds altogether.
As with the English, football is undoubtedly in the Scot's 'blood'. They haven't only produced players of top quality - good enough to play in the world's top teams and top league's in the past, they have, in fact, produced some of the very best.
Kenny Dalglish would perhaps, alongside George Best, be most people's choice as the finest ever player to emerge from the UK. During the late 1970s and early 80's, there were few players in the world who could compete with Dalglish on both a domestic and European scale for guile and technique. If he had been Dutch, German, French, or even English, he may well be ranked in many's people's top ten greatest ever players. But, although, he pulled on the shirt of the less 'glamorous' Scotland on 101 occasions, his country never progressed beyond the group stages of a major tournament - despite his own gut-busting efforts.
Other players, such as Denis Law - a European Footballer of the year in the 1960s, Alan Hansen - a winner of three European Cup winners medal's at Anfield and Graeme Souness, the captain and lynchpin of the all conquering Liverpool teams of the early 1980s, were players, who were at the very top of their profession, domestically and on the European club stage. They were the equivalent of a David Villa, a Gerard Pique or a Xavi by today's standards. While perhaps most potently there was the legendary Celtic "Lisbon Lions' - the glorious 1967 European Cup winning side consisting of eleven home grown players - all born within a 50 mile radius of Glasgow. This will surely never be done again, as, let's be honest, football just isn't like that anymore.
However, what can be done again is bringing through the quality of players there once was. Granted, Glasgow has changed a lot over the years, and, following it's elevation as the European City of Culture in 1990, has grown into a far more prosperous place - almost un-recognisable in parts.
Maybe you don't find as many kids learning their trade on the streets of Britain's third biggest city any more - having a 'kick about' with their mates, and perhaps this is fundamentally the problem. Of course, Glasgow still has it's social problems, but perhaps the industry based mentality that graced some of the those ex-players (many are now top managers) needs to be re-instated into the minds of the young Scottish kids. They certainly possess the right DNA to make it to the top.
The fact that there are so many great Scottish managers is an illustration of how the Scots appear to have the 'right DNA'. But maybe this is also part of the problem. During the early 1980s, for instance, when Aberdeen were a power-house of European football, their manager was a certain Alex Ferguson. Perhaps the fact that most of the best coaches are snapped up by English teams now is restricting the Scottish youngster's development in their own nation, while the Scottish sides are left with the 'best of the rest', who are not quite up to scratch.
The so called 'Glasgow Mafia' of the Premier League are prudent to this argument. Two of the very best - Sir Alex Ferguson and Kenny Dalglish are from the rough and tumble of Glasgow's gritty past. David Moyes, Owen Coyle and Steve Kean also hail from that part of the world. In addition, there is Paul Lambert, a former European Cup winner and boss at Norwich, while Alex McLeish (a former Scotland boss is) now managing another huge club, Aston Villa, and was a League Cup winner last year at Birmingham City.
Perhaps if these managers didn't have to fly the nest and head to England, then Scotland may have more of a chance to be a footballing heavyweight once more. But with the lack of finance available to the Scottish League, there is little hope of these top managers staying and it appears for now to be like 'pie in the sky'.
There, is however, some hope on the horizon. Scotland - now under the stewardship of Craig Levein, have made a solid start in their qualifying campaign for Euro 2012. In fact, for the first time since the mid 1990s, they can now boast players who are playing top English sides.
Darren Fletcher is a regular starter at Old Trafford, and when fit, is probably their first choice central midfielder. There is also the much improved Charlie Adam, who is settling into his new role as the midfield playmaker under Dalglish at Liverpool. In addition, Barry Bannan is a very talented young player coming though the ranks at Aston Villa and Gary Caldwell is a regular starter at centre back for Wigan Athletic. While, adding even more to the Scottish kudos south of the border, Phil Bardsley is a regular full back at Sunderland, Alan Hutton, likewise, at Tottenham, and James Morrison has developed into an excellent attacking midfielder in Roy Hodgson's fledgling West Bromwich Albion side.
As well as those fore-mentioned top flight stars, Craig Mackail-Smith, a rather late developer, lower down the leagues, is a goalscoring machine at Brighton, and appears to be set for the top too.
Things certainly look rosier, and hopefully the grim days of George Burley having to pick players from the English championship to compete with the Xavi's and Iniesta's of this world look, at this current time to be a thing of the past. In fact, to be perfectly blunt, a fully firing midfield pairing of Charlie Adam and Darren Fletcher alongside each other at Hampden is quite a daunting prospect for any opposing teams to face. These two names alone, suggest it's not all doom and gloom north of the border.
Perhaps a smidgen of success for the national team (such as qualifying for a major tournament for the first time since the World Cup of 1998), can help bring about and inspire a new crop of Scottish footballer's to rival the greats of yesteryear. This is turn will not only aid the plight of the Scotland team, but also, hopefully, bring a little ray of light to the domestic game.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON PREVIEW 2011-2012
The upcoming Premier League campaign promises to be another classic campaign. If the relegation battle is anywhere near as good as it was last year then we are in for a treat. Last season, we ended up with five teams attempting to avoid the two remaining relegation places on the final day. The thrilling drama even entered the last three minutes, when Stephen Hunt's late goal for Wolves eventually sent Birmingham City (who only a few weeks earlier had appeared safe) down. It was as dramatic a any final day as any in the last decade. At one point, Blackpool even led at Old Trafford, before eventually succumbing to relegation after a wonderfully brave fight. Let's hope for more of the same drama at the bottom of the table over the next nine months.
Talking of Old Trafford, and focusing firstly on the top of the league - Manchester United are clear favourites to claim their 20th league title. They have lost several key players, but appear to have replaced them as well as they could have hoped.
David de Gea is probably the newcomer under the most pressure. He is the second most expensive goalkeeper in history and at the age of 20 is vastly inexperienced. In addition, acquiring goalkeepers has not always been Sir Alex Ferguson's greatest asset, so it will be interesting to see how quickly the young Spaniard settles in. His talent is not in doubt, but he is prone to the odd glaring error, especially when it comes to long range shooting. His performance in the Charity Shield will offer other teams some hope, but it is very early days. de Gea is at the right club, but there is no doubt that Edwin Van de Sar will be incredibly hard to replace. It is virtually impossible to re-create that presence and respect overnight.
The retirement of Paul Scholes is the highest profile of all the departures. But Scholes had not been a regular starter for a couple of years now. If the club signs Wesley Sneijder they have a ready made replacement and a world class player. However, if the Dutchman's wage demands prevent a move to Old Trafford occurring, the midfield will continue to fall short of challenging the supremacy of Barcelona on the European stage. And this is what Sir Alex really craves.
I would also suggest Ashley Young is rather a strange acquisition. Is he really needed? The club already have Park Ji Sung (who has reportedly just signed a new contract), Ryan Giggs, Nani and Antonio Valencia on the flanks. You would expect the club to play Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez up front, so where does Young fit in? Will Rooney drop back into midfield? Of course Young's presence strengthens the depth of the squad, but Nani, Valencia and Young are are very good players who will not want to be sat on the bench regularly. They are all too talented for that, so something is going to have to give.
United's defence is particularly strong. The two youngsters, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are excellent back up to Vidic and Ferdinand and can also play anywhere across the back four. John O'Shea and Wes Brown have departed to Sunderland, but shouldn't be missed too much, despite their versatility.
I do think Manchester United will retain the league title, but not at a canter. They are probably looking at gaining around 80 points again, but I doubt they will finish nine points clear this season. I expect a sterner challenge from their rivals and in particular a challenge from a side much closer to home than in previous years.
I can envisage Manchester City finishing runners up and I expect them to at least reach the knockout stages of the Champions League in their first season. In fact, the pool of players that Roberto Mancini has at his disposal are possibly better suited better to Europe and that should make them major contenders. Players such as Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli, David Silva and Yaya Toure are class acts, and are as good as most players in their positions in the world.
To win the league however, Mancini probably needs to execute a more positive approach away from home. And, now they have achieved their initial aim of winning a trophy and ensuring Champions League qualification, the board will probably expect a step up in playing style and league position. The amount of investment they have pumped into the club demands a more expansive playing style, surely.
A top two finish and a good Champions League run is the least they should expect at the newly named Etihad Stadium, and I think it will happen. They should run their neighbours very close.
I can picture Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal battling it out for third and fourth place. Chelsea will be excellent defensively, but they are lacking in midfield. Michael Essien is set to be out for a while with a nasty injury and will be a huge loss, while Frank Lampard is 33 and cannot go on forever. The England midfielder has also started to pick up more injuries - something that never happened earlier in his career. Lampard's goals are so crucial to Chelsea's success. Florent Malouda is inconsistent, as is Salomon Kalou, while the Brazilian star - Ramieres, still has a much to prove if he is to succeed in the Premier League.
Under Andre Villas-Boas, the Blues will be well organised and hard to beat, but ultimately, I think they will fall short. Nicolas Anelka is ageing, as is Didier Drogba. Fernando Torres is a shadow of his former self and they will need a vast improvement from him and from the rest of the team if they are to challenge for the title once again.
The trump card at Stamford Bridge, however, could turn out to be Daniel Sturridge. He is still relatively raw and will need to improve his general play if he wants to step up to the plate, but expect a more appearances from the former Manchester City player under Chelsea's new coach - he seems to like him.
Saying that, I predict no higher than a third place finish with perhaps another decent run in Europe for the West London giants.
Liverpool should snatch the final Champions League place. A lot has been made of their overcrowded midfield, but at least they now have several variable options going forward- something they have severely lacked in recent years.
Critics have also discussed at length - their weaknesses in defence. However, since Kenny Dalglish took over at the turn of the year, their defensive performances has been up their with the best in the league. Clearly aided by Steve Clarke's expert tutor-ledge, the Reds conceded only 12 goals in their last 16 league games last season - this is as good a record as anyone. The defensive problems are perhaps a myth created by Roy Hodgson's catastrophic reign at the club, although much does depend on the fitness of Daniel Agger - a class act.
The impending signing of Jose Enrique though, certainly strengthens that back four, and in addition to that - the creativity of Charlie Adam and the width and energy of Stewart Downing are clearly improvements on last season. There are also an enviable array of striking options available to Dalglish. Andy Carroll, Dirk Kuyt and the brilliant Luis Suarez all bring something different to the table. I think the Liverpool fans can look forward to a pretty good season at Anfield resulting in a Champions League place at the end of it.
The Reds could well claim fourth spot at the expense of Arsenal. Although unlike many pundits, I don't believe Arsenal will give up their top four place without a fight. However, no one can dispute the fact that they are losing two of their three best players (along with Robin Van Persie). Cesc Fabregas will depart to Barcelona and Samir Nasri is all but certain to move to Manchester City before the end of the transfer window. The Gunners' new summer signing, Gervinho, is a terrific talent, but the Gunners will need Van Persie to stay fit for the majority of the season to challenge. However, history suggests this is unlikely.
Much will be expected of Jack Wilshere, once again - and he is a supremely talented player. But at 19, he is no 'Fabregas' yet, and he is carrying an awful lot on those young shoulders, for both club and country. Can he deal with it? We shall certainly discover over the coming season.
Scott Dann has been linked with a move to the Emirates today, but he is really the missing piece of the jigsaw. When you compare Arsenal's goalkeeper, the defence, the midfield and their set of strikers with the other teams in the top five, even the top six (including Tottenham), the Gunners appear to be weaker in most positions.
Arsene Wenger has proved critics wrong many times down the years, but this is a massive season for him. He has never finished outside the top four in his time at Arsenal, but it will take something very special to prevent them from slipping out of it this year. My prediction: A 5th place finish and an early knockout stage exit from the Champions League. Difficult times at the Emirates...
The relegation battle should be another cracker. I can't see Wigan surviving this year. Losing Charles N'Zogbia is a huge loss, and they have also lost Tom Cleverley, who has returned to Old Trafford. Roberto Martinez is a shrewd manager, but the club lack the pulling power of other clubs. In addition, if they lose James McCarthy (many clubs are pursuing the young Irishman) they can surely kiss goodbye to their seven year stay in the top flight. I can actually picture the Latics propping up the rest of the league come May - which would be a shame, as they play decent football.
At QPR, the future is impossible to predict. The Loftus Road club are like a soap opera. If they have a bad start, I can see Neil Warnock (perhaps fairly or unfairly) being quickly dismissed as manager, immediately causing instability and unrest. But in contrast to that , if Warnock does see out the season (very unlikely) I can see Rangers surviving.
However, merely 'surviving' will probably not be enough for the QPR board, despite their frugality in the transfer market. And, because of that, I doubt whether Warnock will last the season. This likely scenario may also hasten the exit of Adel Taarabt too, and with that, any hopes of survival will surely go up in smoke.
I, like most pundits, can also see Swansea struggling, but I don't think they will be stranded at the bottom like some suggest. Unlike QPR for instance, the South Wales just don't have the resources to buy top quality players, so much will depend on the methods of their progressive and dogmatic manager - Brendan Rodgers. In addition to that, the Swans will be attractive on the eye and will have passionate support. Their defence is probably the strongest of the three promoted sides, and I can see Scott Sinclair and Danny Graham causing many defences problems in attack. I expect the club from the Gower to be battling it out with QPR and Blackburn to stay up, and they might just do it!
The reason I think the Welsh side may just stay up is partly due to the mess that has been created at Blackburn Rovers. Phil Jones has departed and I would be surprised if Chris Samba saw the season out in Lancashire. I am also yet to be convinced that Steve Kean can really cut it at this level, and this combination may be enough to send them down.
Again it's a pity, as they have some excellent young players at Ewood Park and it would be good to see them survive. But behind the scenes they appear to be in totally disarray and have barely spent a penny. Remember, they only survived last year by the skin of their teeth, after appearing to be relatively safe around March.
I predict that the third of the promoted sides - Norwich City, will survive. Paul Lambert appears to have the magic touch and has signed some hungry young players. I also think Grant Holt and Steve Morrison will prove to be hits in the Premier League. How long the club can keep hold of Lambert though, remains a concern for the Carrow Road faithful, especially if he keeps them up this year.
Finally, I, like many critics, can see Stoke City as the surprise package. They may have Europe to distract them, but Tony Pullis has built his team into a formidable outfit. Their pool of centre halves - Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth, Jonathan Woodgate (if he stays fit, and it's a big 'if') and Matthew Upson - are as good as pretty much any other squad in the league. It is a clear sign of the their newly formed strength in depth. Just imagine if Arsenal had had this set of defenders at their disposal over recent seasons? They would probably have one league at least once. A top half finish for Stoke and a good run in Europe are not beyond the realms of possibility for the club from the Potteries.
It should be another compelling year in the top echelon of English football.
So here we go... Last season, I predicted the top four exactly right. Let's see how I do this year..
MY PREDICTED FINAL PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE (COME MAY):
1. Manchester United
2. Manchester City
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Arsenal
6. Tottenham
7. Everton
8. Stoke City (surprise package)
9. Sunderland
10.Bolton
11.Aston Villa
12.Fulham
13.West Brom
14.Newcastle
15.Wolves
16.Norwich City
17.Blackburn
18.Swansea
19.QPR (unless Warnock stays for the whole campaign)
20.Wigan
Talking of Old Trafford, and focusing firstly on the top of the league - Manchester United are clear favourites to claim their 20th league title. They have lost several key players, but appear to have replaced them as well as they could have hoped.
David de Gea is probably the newcomer under the most pressure. He is the second most expensive goalkeeper in history and at the age of 20 is vastly inexperienced. In addition, acquiring goalkeepers has not always been Sir Alex Ferguson's greatest asset, so it will be interesting to see how quickly the young Spaniard settles in. His talent is not in doubt, but he is prone to the odd glaring error, especially when it comes to long range shooting. His performance in the Charity Shield will offer other teams some hope, but it is very early days. de Gea is at the right club, but there is no doubt that Edwin Van de Sar will be incredibly hard to replace. It is virtually impossible to re-create that presence and respect overnight.
The retirement of Paul Scholes is the highest profile of all the departures. But Scholes had not been a regular starter for a couple of years now. If the club signs Wesley Sneijder they have a ready made replacement and a world class player. However, if the Dutchman's wage demands prevent a move to Old Trafford occurring, the midfield will continue to fall short of challenging the supremacy of Barcelona on the European stage. And this is what Sir Alex really craves.
I would also suggest Ashley Young is rather a strange acquisition. Is he really needed? The club already have Park Ji Sung (who has reportedly just signed a new contract), Ryan Giggs, Nani and Antonio Valencia on the flanks. You would expect the club to play Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez up front, so where does Young fit in? Will Rooney drop back into midfield? Of course Young's presence strengthens the depth of the squad, but Nani, Valencia and Young are are very good players who will not want to be sat on the bench regularly. They are all too talented for that, so something is going to have to give.
United's defence is particularly strong. The two youngsters, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are excellent back up to Vidic and Ferdinand and can also play anywhere across the back four. John O'Shea and Wes Brown have departed to Sunderland, but shouldn't be missed too much, despite their versatility.
I do think Manchester United will retain the league title, but not at a canter. They are probably looking at gaining around 80 points again, but I doubt they will finish nine points clear this season. I expect a sterner challenge from their rivals and in particular a challenge from a side much closer to home than in previous years.
I can envisage Manchester City finishing runners up and I expect them to at least reach the knockout stages of the Champions League in their first season. In fact, the pool of players that Roberto Mancini has at his disposal are possibly better suited better to Europe and that should make them major contenders. Players such as Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli, David Silva and Yaya Toure are class acts, and are as good as most players in their positions in the world.
To win the league however, Mancini probably needs to execute a more positive approach away from home. And, now they have achieved their initial aim of winning a trophy and ensuring Champions League qualification, the board will probably expect a step up in playing style and league position. The amount of investment they have pumped into the club demands a more expansive playing style, surely.
A top two finish and a good Champions League run is the least they should expect at the newly named Etihad Stadium, and I think it will happen. They should run their neighbours very close.
I can picture Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal battling it out for third and fourth place. Chelsea will be excellent defensively, but they are lacking in midfield. Michael Essien is set to be out for a while with a nasty injury and will be a huge loss, while Frank Lampard is 33 and cannot go on forever. The England midfielder has also started to pick up more injuries - something that never happened earlier in his career. Lampard's goals are so crucial to Chelsea's success. Florent Malouda is inconsistent, as is Salomon Kalou, while the Brazilian star - Ramieres, still has a much to prove if he is to succeed in the Premier League.
Under Andre Villas-Boas, the Blues will be well organised and hard to beat, but ultimately, I think they will fall short. Nicolas Anelka is ageing, as is Didier Drogba. Fernando Torres is a shadow of his former self and they will need a vast improvement from him and from the rest of the team if they are to challenge for the title once again.
The trump card at Stamford Bridge, however, could turn out to be Daniel Sturridge. He is still relatively raw and will need to improve his general play if he wants to step up to the plate, but expect a more appearances from the former Manchester City player under Chelsea's new coach - he seems to like him.
Saying that, I predict no higher than a third place finish with perhaps another decent run in Europe for the West London giants.
Liverpool should snatch the final Champions League place. A lot has been made of their overcrowded midfield, but at least they now have several variable options going forward- something they have severely lacked in recent years.
Critics have also discussed at length - their weaknesses in defence. However, since Kenny Dalglish took over at the turn of the year, their defensive performances has been up their with the best in the league. Clearly aided by Steve Clarke's expert tutor-ledge, the Reds conceded only 12 goals in their last 16 league games last season - this is as good a record as anyone. The defensive problems are perhaps a myth created by Roy Hodgson's catastrophic reign at the club, although much does depend on the fitness of Daniel Agger - a class act.
The impending signing of Jose Enrique though, certainly strengthens that back four, and in addition to that - the creativity of Charlie Adam and the width and energy of Stewart Downing are clearly improvements on last season. There are also an enviable array of striking options available to Dalglish. Andy Carroll, Dirk Kuyt and the brilliant Luis Suarez all bring something different to the table. I think the Liverpool fans can look forward to a pretty good season at Anfield resulting in a Champions League place at the end of it.
The Reds could well claim fourth spot at the expense of Arsenal. Although unlike many pundits, I don't believe Arsenal will give up their top four place without a fight. However, no one can dispute the fact that they are losing two of their three best players (along with Robin Van Persie). Cesc Fabregas will depart to Barcelona and Samir Nasri is all but certain to move to Manchester City before the end of the transfer window. The Gunners' new summer signing, Gervinho, is a terrific talent, but the Gunners will need Van Persie to stay fit for the majority of the season to challenge. However, history suggests this is unlikely.
Much will be expected of Jack Wilshere, once again - and he is a supremely talented player. But at 19, he is no 'Fabregas' yet, and he is carrying an awful lot on those young shoulders, for both club and country. Can he deal with it? We shall certainly discover over the coming season.
Scott Dann has been linked with a move to the Emirates today, but he is really the missing piece of the jigsaw. When you compare Arsenal's goalkeeper, the defence, the midfield and their set of strikers with the other teams in the top five, even the top six (including Tottenham), the Gunners appear to be weaker in most positions.
Arsene Wenger has proved critics wrong many times down the years, but this is a massive season for him. He has never finished outside the top four in his time at Arsenal, but it will take something very special to prevent them from slipping out of it this year. My prediction: A 5th place finish and an early knockout stage exit from the Champions League. Difficult times at the Emirates...
The relegation battle should be another cracker. I can't see Wigan surviving this year. Losing Charles N'Zogbia is a huge loss, and they have also lost Tom Cleverley, who has returned to Old Trafford. Roberto Martinez is a shrewd manager, but the club lack the pulling power of other clubs. In addition, if they lose James McCarthy (many clubs are pursuing the young Irishman) they can surely kiss goodbye to their seven year stay in the top flight. I can actually picture the Latics propping up the rest of the league come May - which would be a shame, as they play decent football.
At QPR, the future is impossible to predict. The Loftus Road club are like a soap opera. If they have a bad start, I can see Neil Warnock (perhaps fairly or unfairly) being quickly dismissed as manager, immediately causing instability and unrest. But in contrast to that , if Warnock does see out the season (very unlikely) I can see Rangers surviving.
However, merely 'surviving' will probably not be enough for the QPR board, despite their frugality in the transfer market. And, because of that, I doubt whether Warnock will last the season. This likely scenario may also hasten the exit of Adel Taarabt too, and with that, any hopes of survival will surely go up in smoke.
I, like most pundits, can also see Swansea struggling, but I don't think they will be stranded at the bottom like some suggest. Unlike QPR for instance, the South Wales just don't have the resources to buy top quality players, so much will depend on the methods of their progressive and dogmatic manager - Brendan Rodgers. In addition to that, the Swans will be attractive on the eye and will have passionate support. Their defence is probably the strongest of the three promoted sides, and I can see Scott Sinclair and Danny Graham causing many defences problems in attack. I expect the club from the Gower to be battling it out with QPR and Blackburn to stay up, and they might just do it!
The reason I think the Welsh side may just stay up is partly due to the mess that has been created at Blackburn Rovers. Phil Jones has departed and I would be surprised if Chris Samba saw the season out in Lancashire. I am also yet to be convinced that Steve Kean can really cut it at this level, and this combination may be enough to send them down.
Again it's a pity, as they have some excellent young players at Ewood Park and it would be good to see them survive. But behind the scenes they appear to be in totally disarray and have barely spent a penny. Remember, they only survived last year by the skin of their teeth, after appearing to be relatively safe around March.
I predict that the third of the promoted sides - Norwich City, will survive. Paul Lambert appears to have the magic touch and has signed some hungry young players. I also think Grant Holt and Steve Morrison will prove to be hits in the Premier League. How long the club can keep hold of Lambert though, remains a concern for the Carrow Road faithful, especially if he keeps them up this year.
Finally, I, like many critics, can see Stoke City as the surprise package. They may have Europe to distract them, but Tony Pullis has built his team into a formidable outfit. Their pool of centre halves - Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth, Jonathan Woodgate (if he stays fit, and it's a big 'if') and Matthew Upson - are as good as pretty much any other squad in the league. It is a clear sign of the their newly formed strength in depth. Just imagine if Arsenal had had this set of defenders at their disposal over recent seasons? They would probably have one league at least once. A top half finish for Stoke and a good run in Europe are not beyond the realms of possibility for the club from the Potteries.
It should be another compelling year in the top echelon of English football.
So here we go... Last season, I predicted the top four exactly right. Let's see how I do this year..
MY PREDICTED FINAL PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE (COME MAY):
1. Manchester United
2. Manchester City
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Arsenal
6. Tottenham
7. Everton
8. Stoke City (surprise package)
9. Sunderland
10.Bolton
11.Aston Villa
12.Fulham
13.West Brom
14.Newcastle
15.Wolves
16.Norwich City
17.Blackburn
18.Swansea
19.QPR (unless Warnock stays for the whole campaign)
20.Wigan
Friday, June 3, 2011
MY SEASON ENDING THOUGHTS AND AWARDS...
The season came to an exhilarating end last Saturday as Barcelona produced a magical performance to defeat Manchester United and claim their fourth European Cup win. It's almost unimaginable to think that as little ago as 2005, the Catalans had only won half as many European Cup's at Nottingham Forest. Now, the current side at the Nou Camp is arguably the best club side since the early 1970s, when Johan Cruyff's Ajax side swept all before them, and a Bayern Munich side containing Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller were the cream of Europe. Has anyone ever seen Manchester United chase shadows as much as they did at Wembley? Sir Alex Ferguson certainly appeared shell-shocked, but I have to day many of us did predict it.
A wonderful side Barca certainly are, but is Lionel Messi the best ever? Two World Cup's still suggest otherwise, but he is still young enough to put that right.
Domestically, it has been a fascinating, if not vintage season in the Premier League. There is much debate about who has been the best player. Some say Scott Parker - but in the end he was part of a team which finished bottom of the league. Some may say Carlos Tevez. But for me, there is a touch of the 'Steven Gerrard's' about the Argentine. A fantastic player yes, but perhaps he dominates the side too much. In the closing stages of the season, when Manchester City needed to step it up to claim a top three finish and win a trophy, he was not available for the large part. In my view, City were a more coherent side without him and their second half performance in the FA Cup semi final win over their city rivals was terrific. Yaya Toure was the real star of City's wonderful end to the season, and he would also be in my team of the year.
For what it's worth, there are two players who really stood out for me. Firstly, there is Javier Hernandez. Without doubt, the bargain of the season. He mirrors a young Michael Owen which his pace, directness and awesome finishing prowess. And, with the former England striker as his mentor at Old Trafford, the Mexican will surely only get better. He is an awesome predator and deserves all the praise he gets. In addition, the Mexican's work rate is also phenomenal, and without him, there is no question, United would not be Champions. Who would have predicted he would bring such importance to the three times European Champions?
My second choice is a player who won nothing and missed half the season. But, in the second half of the campaign, Robin Van Persie illustrated his 'world class' abilities. He became the first player to score in eight consecutive away games in the Premier League, and at times, carried Arsenal's hopes. He scored 17 league goals from January onwards and did this in a side lacking confidence and running out of steam. The Dutchman may just be starting to wonder whether or not his future lies at the Emirates. Watch this space...
On my list, there are two contenders for manager of the year. One replaced the other, but Roy Hodgson's desperately disappointing tenure at Anfield should not overshadow the incredible job he did at West Bromwich Albion. When he joined the club in February, the Midlanders were in dire relegation trouble. But within a matter of weeks they were in the top half of the table and playing, exciting, attacking and un-inhabited football. They eventually finished in 11th place, and for this, Hodgson deserves great credit. It demonstrates the mental strength he has.
Nobody, but himself and the players can know just why it went so horribly wrong at Liverpool, and he certainly had to go in January. But he has re-invigorated his standing in English football and deserves to be a contender for the next England manager's position once again. However, is a return to Craven Cottage more likely?
'King Kenny' as he is affectionally known at Anfield, was dismissed my many as a 'has been' when he returned to the hot seat in January after a 20 year hiatus. But people tend to forget just how good a manager Kenny Dalglish was, and probably still is. His abilities as a man manager are probably over-looked by many and immersed under the facade drenched sheets of the God like status under which he is held at Liverpool. He won the title at Blackburn Rovers and was runner up at Newcastle in both the league and FA Cup. He also built one of the finest teams ever to grace English football. The 1987-88 Liverpool team was his own, and was not inherited. The star players, John Barnes and Peter Beardsley, were Dalglish signings. He was a special player (which attracts other players to the club) and he is a special manager. He also oozes personality and passion for the club, as well as demanding respect. In Steve Clark, he has an assistant full of experience and one who has worked with and learnt from the very best (Jose Mourinho). Expect a couple of stellar signings this summer at Anfield. And in addition, don't be surprised if there is an unexpected title challenge from Merseyside next season.
In a Premier League season which has arguably been the most competitive since it's inception in 1992, there are endless matches to choose from as 'match of the year'. But I have plumbed for a match, which at the time, appeared to be a minor blip in Arsenal's pursuit of glory. They were still gunning for victory in four competitions. And although many critics point to their defeat by Birmingham in the League Cup final as where it 'all started to go wrong' for Arsene Wenger's side. I believe the match at St James' Park destroyed their confidence, to a point of no return.
In the first half of the match, Arsenal were irresistible. Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Robin Van Persie were in imperious form. The Gunners were 3-0 up in the first 10 minutes and 4-0 up half way through the first half. But five minutes into the second half, Abu Diaby was needlessly dismissed at it went from being a 4-0 drubbing with 25 minutes left to an enthralling, dramatic 4-4 draw at the final whistle. A wonderful volleyed equaliser from Cheik Diote salvaged an unlikely point for Newcastle, and both teams could even have won it at the death.
It displayed Arsenal's defensive frailties and inability to close out matches. It was also the first time in Premier League history, that a team had come back from a four goal deficit. An absolutely incredible match and one few will ever forget. It was also an outstanding advert for English football and a perfect example of the unique never say die attributes that it's teams possess.
Domestically, there are two individual performances that stands out in my view. Firstly, there was Luiz Suarez's unbelievable performance against Manchester United at Anfield. Dirk Kuyt took the match ball through a '7 yard' hat-trick, but Suarez (only a month into his Premier League career)'s un-inhabited willingness to run at defenders and virtually single handedly destroy the league leaders was 'Gascoigne -esque' in it's execution. The Uruguayan is a special talent, but also a feisty character who, under the stewardship of another great Liverpool number seven (the greatest of all)should prove to be one of the outstanding players in the Premier League over the coming seasons. He is a prolific poacher, a dribbler, a team player and has strength and power to burn. Liverpool are fortunate to have him and, in the long run, he could be an even better capture than Fernando Torres proved to be.
The other performance that caught my eye was Wayne Rooney's second half performance against West Ham United. The Red Devils trailed 2-0 at the break and looked to heading to an unexpected defeat. But the much maligned Rooney, who was having a poor season by his own very high standards, stepped up to the plate. A blistering second half hat-trick blew the Hammers away, and set United well on the way to claiming their 19th title. It was a turning point in the campaign and was something we have come to expect from United. But Rooney delivered when it mattered most and illustrated that his desire and performances are still at the pinnacle of the game. In addition, his relief was prudently there for all to see as well, as his four letter outburst into a Sky camera demonstrated. He was banned for the next two matches, but this shouldn't distort what was a fantastic individual performance from a man under pressure, when it was most needed. Both his free kick and 'drilled in' third strike were right out of the top draw.
The biggest surprise of the season, has to be the sacking of 'Big Sam' Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers in December. Rovers were sitting pretty in mid table. And after a 10th place finish last season, were looking to improve once more. As with all Allardyce's teams, the football was not always pretty, but it was effective and several exciting young players, such as Phil Jones and David Hoilett were enabling Blackburn to become a more attractive outfit.
Scot, Brian Kean took over the reigns, and after a promising start, the team fell deep into relegation trouble during the spring. They only survived following a last day victory at Wolves and whether or not Keane will stay on is open to debate. But one thing is for sure, with Allardyce at the helm, Rovers would certainly have been safe well before the last day, and would probably even have finished in the top half.
The question is, will Alladyce's methods succeed at West Ham. He will probably get them promoted, but will the style of football be satisfactory for the demanding Upton Park faithful? Between 2006 to 2008, Alan Curbishley took the team from a relegation outfit to a 10th place in 18 months. At the start of the following season, he led them to six points in their first three games. But the supporters did not appreciate the rigid, pragmatic style of football on offer and the former Charlton manager was quickly dismissed and never to be seen again.
Now in his defence, I have seen Allardyce's sides play exciting, attacking football. The team he built at Bolton, which included Jay Jay Okacha was a team, which, at times, was quite pleasing on the eye. But this was only really demonstrated in patches, and usually only at home. Such in-frequency at the Boleyn may not sit particularly well with the fickle fans from the East London academy.
Finally in this segment, there is is the 'biggest flop' award..I don't think may people can look beyond Fernando Torres. But has the whole episode really been that surprising? I personally don't believe Torres has been the same player since his operation last April (2010). Many critics talked about his lack of service at Liverpool being a problem. But he thrived on being the lone striker.
At the World Cup with Spain, he didn't score throughout the whole tournament, despite playing every game, and starting four of them. He was a peripheral figure in the celebrations and despite having three of the world's most creative midfielders supplying him from midfield, in Xavi, Iniesta and Xabi Alonso, he could still not muster a goal, even against the likes of Honduras.
In addition, Torres' first touch is currently as poor as any player I have seen in the top flight over the season, and his concentration levels seem to be far more 'off' than they are 'switched on'. He is pale shadow of his former self, and in my view, Liverpool have obtained a fantastic deal. Andy Carroll and especially Luiz Suarez, are young, hungry players, willing to give their all. Torres, meanwhile, has become a sulking, self involved bench warmer at Chelsea.
Week after week, you heard commentators saying that the Spaniard would come good. But one goal in 17 games is quite frankly, pathetic!
With an extended rest and a full pre season behind him, not to mention some confidence boosting words from a new manager (Guus Hiddink perhaps?), Torres' form may well improve. But few can possibly believe he can hit the heights of his first season at Liverpool, where in my view, he was the world's greatest striker. Now he would do well to be mentioned among the most elite 20 forwards in the Premier League.
I may be proved wrong, but it appears 'El Nino' is a victim of a teenage prodigy, who is beginning to suffer from burn out. It happened to Robbie Fowler, it happened to Ronaldo (the bigger one), it happened to Alessandro Del Piero (although he maintained a very good level, but not the levels we had come to expect), and it happened to Michael Owen. Can Torres recover? At 27 there is still time, but does he need a Steven Gerrard in his team? It it the way Chelsea play? Or is it just that Torres is just not good enough? Only time will tell, but it is important to remember that Torres has not been injured more than a year now. Surely that is a long enough period to rediscover your best form. Next year, I predict an average season at best, for the Madrid born striker. It appears to be another, yet even more expensive flop at Stanford Bridge. But at least Andrei Shevchenko had the excuse that he was in his thirties to fall back on. Torres, at 27 should be approaching his peak. But, let's face it, he peaked about three years ago.
So a unique, and fascinating season has drawn to a close. Roll on Season 2011-12 and a European Championship at the end of it, to cap it all off. Can't wait…!
A wonderful side Barca certainly are, but is Lionel Messi the best ever? Two World Cup's still suggest otherwise, but he is still young enough to put that right.
Domestically, it has been a fascinating, if not vintage season in the Premier League. There is much debate about who has been the best player. Some say Scott Parker - but in the end he was part of a team which finished bottom of the league. Some may say Carlos Tevez. But for me, there is a touch of the 'Steven Gerrard's' about the Argentine. A fantastic player yes, but perhaps he dominates the side too much. In the closing stages of the season, when Manchester City needed to step it up to claim a top three finish and win a trophy, he was not available for the large part. In my view, City were a more coherent side without him and their second half performance in the FA Cup semi final win over their city rivals was terrific. Yaya Toure was the real star of City's wonderful end to the season, and he would also be in my team of the year.
For what it's worth, there are two players who really stood out for me. Firstly, there is Javier Hernandez. Without doubt, the bargain of the season. He mirrors a young Michael Owen which his pace, directness and awesome finishing prowess. And, with the former England striker as his mentor at Old Trafford, the Mexican will surely only get better. He is an awesome predator and deserves all the praise he gets. In addition, the Mexican's work rate is also phenomenal, and without him, there is no question, United would not be Champions. Who would have predicted he would bring such importance to the three times European Champions?
My second choice is a player who won nothing and missed half the season. But, in the second half of the campaign, Robin Van Persie illustrated his 'world class' abilities. He became the first player to score in eight consecutive away games in the Premier League, and at times, carried Arsenal's hopes. He scored 17 league goals from January onwards and did this in a side lacking confidence and running out of steam. The Dutchman may just be starting to wonder whether or not his future lies at the Emirates. Watch this space...
On my list, there are two contenders for manager of the year. One replaced the other, but Roy Hodgson's desperately disappointing tenure at Anfield should not overshadow the incredible job he did at West Bromwich Albion. When he joined the club in February, the Midlanders were in dire relegation trouble. But within a matter of weeks they were in the top half of the table and playing, exciting, attacking and un-inhabited football. They eventually finished in 11th place, and for this, Hodgson deserves great credit. It demonstrates the mental strength he has.
Nobody, but himself and the players can know just why it went so horribly wrong at Liverpool, and he certainly had to go in January. But he has re-invigorated his standing in English football and deserves to be a contender for the next England manager's position once again. However, is a return to Craven Cottage more likely?
'King Kenny' as he is affectionally known at Anfield, was dismissed my many as a 'has been' when he returned to the hot seat in January after a 20 year hiatus. But people tend to forget just how good a manager Kenny Dalglish was, and probably still is. His abilities as a man manager are probably over-looked by many and immersed under the facade drenched sheets of the God like status under which he is held at Liverpool. He won the title at Blackburn Rovers and was runner up at Newcastle in both the league and FA Cup. He also built one of the finest teams ever to grace English football. The 1987-88 Liverpool team was his own, and was not inherited. The star players, John Barnes and Peter Beardsley, were Dalglish signings. He was a special player (which attracts other players to the club) and he is a special manager. He also oozes personality and passion for the club, as well as demanding respect. In Steve Clark, he has an assistant full of experience and one who has worked with and learnt from the very best (Jose Mourinho). Expect a couple of stellar signings this summer at Anfield. And in addition, don't be surprised if there is an unexpected title challenge from Merseyside next season.
In a Premier League season which has arguably been the most competitive since it's inception in 1992, there are endless matches to choose from as 'match of the year'. But I have plumbed for a match, which at the time, appeared to be a minor blip in Arsenal's pursuit of glory. They were still gunning for victory in four competitions. And although many critics point to their defeat by Birmingham in the League Cup final as where it 'all started to go wrong' for Arsene Wenger's side. I believe the match at St James' Park destroyed their confidence, to a point of no return.
In the first half of the match, Arsenal were irresistible. Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Robin Van Persie were in imperious form. The Gunners were 3-0 up in the first 10 minutes and 4-0 up half way through the first half. But five minutes into the second half, Abu Diaby was needlessly dismissed at it went from being a 4-0 drubbing with 25 minutes left to an enthralling, dramatic 4-4 draw at the final whistle. A wonderful volleyed equaliser from Cheik Diote salvaged an unlikely point for Newcastle, and both teams could even have won it at the death.
It displayed Arsenal's defensive frailties and inability to close out matches. It was also the first time in Premier League history, that a team had come back from a four goal deficit. An absolutely incredible match and one few will ever forget. It was also an outstanding advert for English football and a perfect example of the unique never say die attributes that it's teams possess.
Domestically, there are two individual performances that stands out in my view. Firstly, there was Luiz Suarez's unbelievable performance against Manchester United at Anfield. Dirk Kuyt took the match ball through a '7 yard' hat-trick, but Suarez (only a month into his Premier League career)'s un-inhabited willingness to run at defenders and virtually single handedly destroy the league leaders was 'Gascoigne -esque' in it's execution. The Uruguayan is a special talent, but also a feisty character who, under the stewardship of another great Liverpool number seven (the greatest of all)should prove to be one of the outstanding players in the Premier League over the coming seasons. He is a prolific poacher, a dribbler, a team player and has strength and power to burn. Liverpool are fortunate to have him and, in the long run, he could be an even better capture than Fernando Torres proved to be.
The other performance that caught my eye was Wayne Rooney's second half performance against West Ham United. The Red Devils trailed 2-0 at the break and looked to heading to an unexpected defeat. But the much maligned Rooney, who was having a poor season by his own very high standards, stepped up to the plate. A blistering second half hat-trick blew the Hammers away, and set United well on the way to claiming their 19th title. It was a turning point in the campaign and was something we have come to expect from United. But Rooney delivered when it mattered most and illustrated that his desire and performances are still at the pinnacle of the game. In addition, his relief was prudently there for all to see as well, as his four letter outburst into a Sky camera demonstrated. He was banned for the next two matches, but this shouldn't distort what was a fantastic individual performance from a man under pressure, when it was most needed. Both his free kick and 'drilled in' third strike were right out of the top draw.
The biggest surprise of the season, has to be the sacking of 'Big Sam' Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers in December. Rovers were sitting pretty in mid table. And after a 10th place finish last season, were looking to improve once more. As with all Allardyce's teams, the football was not always pretty, but it was effective and several exciting young players, such as Phil Jones and David Hoilett were enabling Blackburn to become a more attractive outfit.
Scot, Brian Kean took over the reigns, and after a promising start, the team fell deep into relegation trouble during the spring. They only survived following a last day victory at Wolves and whether or not Keane will stay on is open to debate. But one thing is for sure, with Allardyce at the helm, Rovers would certainly have been safe well before the last day, and would probably even have finished in the top half.
The question is, will Alladyce's methods succeed at West Ham. He will probably get them promoted, but will the style of football be satisfactory for the demanding Upton Park faithful? Between 2006 to 2008, Alan Curbishley took the team from a relegation outfit to a 10th place in 18 months. At the start of the following season, he led them to six points in their first three games. But the supporters did not appreciate the rigid, pragmatic style of football on offer and the former Charlton manager was quickly dismissed and never to be seen again.
Now in his defence, I have seen Allardyce's sides play exciting, attacking football. The team he built at Bolton, which included Jay Jay Okacha was a team, which, at times, was quite pleasing on the eye. But this was only really demonstrated in patches, and usually only at home. Such in-frequency at the Boleyn may not sit particularly well with the fickle fans from the East London academy.
Finally in this segment, there is is the 'biggest flop' award..I don't think may people can look beyond Fernando Torres. But has the whole episode really been that surprising? I personally don't believe Torres has been the same player since his operation last April (2010). Many critics talked about his lack of service at Liverpool being a problem. But he thrived on being the lone striker.
At the World Cup with Spain, he didn't score throughout the whole tournament, despite playing every game, and starting four of them. He was a peripheral figure in the celebrations and despite having three of the world's most creative midfielders supplying him from midfield, in Xavi, Iniesta and Xabi Alonso, he could still not muster a goal, even against the likes of Honduras.
In addition, Torres' first touch is currently as poor as any player I have seen in the top flight over the season, and his concentration levels seem to be far more 'off' than they are 'switched on'. He is pale shadow of his former self, and in my view, Liverpool have obtained a fantastic deal. Andy Carroll and especially Luiz Suarez, are young, hungry players, willing to give their all. Torres, meanwhile, has become a sulking, self involved bench warmer at Chelsea.
Week after week, you heard commentators saying that the Spaniard would come good. But one goal in 17 games is quite frankly, pathetic!
With an extended rest and a full pre season behind him, not to mention some confidence boosting words from a new manager (Guus Hiddink perhaps?), Torres' form may well improve. But few can possibly believe he can hit the heights of his first season at Liverpool, where in my view, he was the world's greatest striker. Now he would do well to be mentioned among the most elite 20 forwards in the Premier League.
I may be proved wrong, but it appears 'El Nino' is a victim of a teenage prodigy, who is beginning to suffer from burn out. It happened to Robbie Fowler, it happened to Ronaldo (the bigger one), it happened to Alessandro Del Piero (although he maintained a very good level, but not the levels we had come to expect), and it happened to Michael Owen. Can Torres recover? At 27 there is still time, but does he need a Steven Gerrard in his team? It it the way Chelsea play? Or is it just that Torres is just not good enough? Only time will tell, but it is important to remember that Torres has not been injured more than a year now. Surely that is a long enough period to rediscover your best form. Next year, I predict an average season at best, for the Madrid born striker. It appears to be another, yet even more expensive flop at Stanford Bridge. But at least Andrei Shevchenko had the excuse that he was in his thirties to fall back on. Torres, at 27 should be approaching his peak. But, let's face it, he peaked about three years ago.
So a unique, and fascinating season has drawn to a close. Roll on Season 2011-12 and a European Championship at the end of it, to cap it all off. Can't wait…!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
MANCHESTER CITY CAN WIN THE TITLE... BUT IS IT REALLY FAIR THAT THEY CAN?
At the start of the season, most pundits stated that Manchester City would probably be happy with a top four finish and a place in next season's Champions League. But now, as we enter the final third of the season, there is no doubt in my mind that City can actually win the title.
The squad at Eastlands contains an unbelievable amount of quality and experience, and Roberto Mancini is definately a manager capable of winning titles, as he demonstrated in Italy. The 46 year old claimed three Serie A titles in his time at Inter Milan.
I have over-heard some analysts make several ill advised comments in relation to their squad. These so- called experts (I constantly gripe at ex-players who make outrageous statements just for affect without backing them up with any real evidence) have suggested on numerous occasions that the players lack the winning mentality of those at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge. But this is absolute nonsense.
Granted, the players at City have not yet won any silverware together, but the squad is littered with players who have won trophies at the very highest level at other clubs.
There is Kolo Toure, a member of the Arsenal 'invincibles' of 2003-2004, and a player who was twice an FA Cup winner while in North London. His younger brother - Yaya Toure - has twice been a Champions League winner at Barcelona and three times a La Liga winner with the Catalans.
There are other players with experience of winning silverware on these shores. Patrick Viera won three titles at Arsenal (including two doubles), and was skipper of the superb 2004 Gunners side. In addition, the Frenchman has won international honours with his country and appeared in two World Cup finals. You can't get much more experienced than that! As well as Viera, Carlos Tevez has picked up two league titles at Manchester United and has a Champions League winners medal to his name.
The newly acquired Edin Dzeko, has a Bundesliga title under his belt from his time at unfashionable Wolfsburg, while David Silva has won two major titles with Spain and the Copa de Ray with Valencia.
Nigel de Jong has won the championship in Holland with Ajax, while even the temperamental Mario Balotelli has experience of being involved in the pressure cooker of a title race. The Italian international has won three titles in his homeland (one of which was under the tutorledge of Mancini) and the Champions League (all be it as a substitute). This is made more remarkable by the fact he is still only 20 years old.
No club in the league has better attacking options than City. Their four first choice strikers have a combined transfer value of over £120 million and Silva has really began to adapt to the pace of the Premier League in the last couple of months. The Spaniard has been in sparkling form and this has coincided with a terrific run of the results for the team.
I actually thought Silva (along with Marcus Senna) was Spain's best player at Euro 2008, and he is starting to demonstrate that talent at Eastlands, especially away from home. His ability to keep the ball in tight situations and his tremendous passing and speed of thought on the counter attack are a vital weapon in the team's armour.
In addition to City's attacking threat, the central midfield shields the defence superbly. They need to, because the back four, although solid, contains no great superstars. There are few better holding midfielders about than Nigel De Jong and Gareth Barry, who compliment each other superbly.
Yaya Toure, meanwhile, in my view, is one of the best midfielders in the world. Very few players are able to fill the role of defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder to equal effect, but the Ivory Coast international offers this unique versatility. He is a wonderful player, and the sort of player any team would like to have in their side. Even Barcelona may live to regret letting him go (although on second thoughts, probably not).
Mancini also has valuable options within his rotation system, where he has has two hungry English players in James Milner and Adam Johnson at his disposal. They are both match winners on their day and vital to City's hopes. It is always important to have English players within a squad and the Italian coach recognises this. These players offer an authentic element crucial in certain matches throughout the campaign, ie the proverbial 'wet Wednesday night at Stoke' fixture. Every side needs them.
While much of the burden in the first half of the season has fallen on Carlos Tevez's shoulders, the arrival of the Bosnian internation, Dzeko, means that the Argentine can be rested occasionally if needs be. Although whether the Argentine wants to be rested at all is open to debate. I have personally never seen a work get through so much work during a match, but also be such a match winner at the same time. For me, Tevez is the player of the season so far, although Luka Modric, Rafael Van de Vaart and Sami Nasri are not far behind.
But.. and this is an important question. Is the power of City's spending really fair?
Of course market forces dictate football (especially in England) but six strikers all acquired for over £19 million is ridiculous, un-precedented and excessive. Surely there should be some type of law imposed concerning the amount of games played by these individuals every season or a maximum amount spent on players per position. There could even be a law implemented which puts a quota on the maximum amount of players per position within the squad (ie a maximum of five strikers).
Players of the calibre of Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz have barely pulled on a City shirt this campaign. But how can two players worth over £40 million combined be allowed to rot in the reserves, while other clubs could be reaping the rewards of their services. It is not anywhere near approaching a level playing field and it will destroy the competitiveness of the league in the years to come.
I have also noticed how City have clearly laid out money on players to deny their rivals the opportunity of buying them. Chelsea did this with Shaun Wright Phillips several years ago, but Manchester City seem to do this even more frequently now. After all the Abu Dhabi group have an endless pot of riches and are able to execute such methods.
In addition, the club, it seems, refuse to sell or loan any players to anyone within the top six clubs. Poor Shay Given, Shaun Wright Phillips, Joleon Lescott and Adam Johnson will probably have to take a step down the league ladder or risk rotting on the bench, as Wayne Bridge has just done, moving to West Ham (the league's bottom club). I also suspect that Craig Bellamy's surprise move to Cardiff at the start of the season was not singularly down to the Welshman wanting a move back to South Wales. He was probably not given the option of joining any other of the major clubs.
It does all seem a little unfair, but until the rules are altered, City have the power to do as they please. They are not breaking any EU rules and have plenty of English players to fill their UEFA quota of home-grown talent. It could be said... good luck to them, but in American sports this would not be allowed to happen.
Now I am not a big fan of American sports aesthetically, but I do like the way in which they attempt to keep the leagues competitive by implementing strict laws on spending and wage boundaries. It is not always the same teams competing for titles every year and this is a good thing, in my view. And although the franchise system (teams changing location etc) would not be welcome in English football, surely we could replicate some of the financial ideologies into our game. It is certainly something that should at least be considered.
On the playing side, in recent games City have even become quite an entertaining team, something that would have been un-heard of at the start of the season. While some people criticise their defensive performance at Arsenal (the Gunners actually dominated play and missed plenty of chances in reality) few seem to say anything remotely negative about a number of Manchester United away performances this season.
At both Old Trafford and Eastlands, United were superb defensively but offered very little going forward. The majority of the press hailed the defensive brilliance of Vidic and Ferdinand on those occasions (especially at White Hart Lane), but at the Emirates, Mancini's outfit were branded negative. This is just another example of the 'pro-Fergie - pro Manchester United' press that exists in this country.
This is an argument for another day… But Manchester City could well topple their much loved Manchester rivals come May. And, on the flip side of their excessive spending power, it can, this season anyway, surely only be good for football.
The squad at Eastlands contains an unbelievable amount of quality and experience, and Roberto Mancini is definately a manager capable of winning titles, as he demonstrated in Italy. The 46 year old claimed three Serie A titles in his time at Inter Milan.
I have over-heard some analysts make several ill advised comments in relation to their squad. These so- called experts (I constantly gripe at ex-players who make outrageous statements just for affect without backing them up with any real evidence) have suggested on numerous occasions that the players lack the winning mentality of those at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge. But this is absolute nonsense.
Granted, the players at City have not yet won any silverware together, but the squad is littered with players who have won trophies at the very highest level at other clubs.
There is Kolo Toure, a member of the Arsenal 'invincibles' of 2003-2004, and a player who was twice an FA Cup winner while in North London. His younger brother - Yaya Toure - has twice been a Champions League winner at Barcelona and three times a La Liga winner with the Catalans.
There are other players with experience of winning silverware on these shores. Patrick Viera won three titles at Arsenal (including two doubles), and was skipper of the superb 2004 Gunners side. In addition, the Frenchman has won international honours with his country and appeared in two World Cup finals. You can't get much more experienced than that! As well as Viera, Carlos Tevez has picked up two league titles at Manchester United and has a Champions League winners medal to his name.
The newly acquired Edin Dzeko, has a Bundesliga title under his belt from his time at unfashionable Wolfsburg, while David Silva has won two major titles with Spain and the Copa de Ray with Valencia.
Nigel de Jong has won the championship in Holland with Ajax, while even the temperamental Mario Balotelli has experience of being involved in the pressure cooker of a title race. The Italian international has won three titles in his homeland (one of which was under the tutorledge of Mancini) and the Champions League (all be it as a substitute). This is made more remarkable by the fact he is still only 20 years old.
No club in the league has better attacking options than City. Their four first choice strikers have a combined transfer value of over £120 million and Silva has really began to adapt to the pace of the Premier League in the last couple of months. The Spaniard has been in sparkling form and this has coincided with a terrific run of the results for the team.
I actually thought Silva (along with Marcus Senna) was Spain's best player at Euro 2008, and he is starting to demonstrate that talent at Eastlands, especially away from home. His ability to keep the ball in tight situations and his tremendous passing and speed of thought on the counter attack are a vital weapon in the team's armour.
In addition to City's attacking threat, the central midfield shields the defence superbly. They need to, because the back four, although solid, contains no great superstars. There are few better holding midfielders about than Nigel De Jong and Gareth Barry, who compliment each other superbly.
Yaya Toure, meanwhile, in my view, is one of the best midfielders in the world. Very few players are able to fill the role of defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder to equal effect, but the Ivory Coast international offers this unique versatility. He is a wonderful player, and the sort of player any team would like to have in their side. Even Barcelona may live to regret letting him go (although on second thoughts, probably not).
Mancini also has valuable options within his rotation system, where he has has two hungry English players in James Milner and Adam Johnson at his disposal. They are both match winners on their day and vital to City's hopes. It is always important to have English players within a squad and the Italian coach recognises this. These players offer an authentic element crucial in certain matches throughout the campaign, ie the proverbial 'wet Wednesday night at Stoke' fixture. Every side needs them.
While much of the burden in the first half of the season has fallen on Carlos Tevez's shoulders, the arrival of the Bosnian internation, Dzeko, means that the Argentine can be rested occasionally if needs be. Although whether the Argentine wants to be rested at all is open to debate. I have personally never seen a work get through so much work during a match, but also be such a match winner at the same time. For me, Tevez is the player of the season so far, although Luka Modric, Rafael Van de Vaart and Sami Nasri are not far behind.
But.. and this is an important question. Is the power of City's spending really fair?
Of course market forces dictate football (especially in England) but six strikers all acquired for over £19 million is ridiculous, un-precedented and excessive. Surely there should be some type of law imposed concerning the amount of games played by these individuals every season or a maximum amount spent on players per position. There could even be a law implemented which puts a quota on the maximum amount of players per position within the squad (ie a maximum of five strikers).
Players of the calibre of Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz have barely pulled on a City shirt this campaign. But how can two players worth over £40 million combined be allowed to rot in the reserves, while other clubs could be reaping the rewards of their services. It is not anywhere near approaching a level playing field and it will destroy the competitiveness of the league in the years to come.
I have also noticed how City have clearly laid out money on players to deny their rivals the opportunity of buying them. Chelsea did this with Shaun Wright Phillips several years ago, but Manchester City seem to do this even more frequently now. After all the Abu Dhabi group have an endless pot of riches and are able to execute such methods.
In addition, the club, it seems, refuse to sell or loan any players to anyone within the top six clubs. Poor Shay Given, Shaun Wright Phillips, Joleon Lescott and Adam Johnson will probably have to take a step down the league ladder or risk rotting on the bench, as Wayne Bridge has just done, moving to West Ham (the league's bottom club). I also suspect that Craig Bellamy's surprise move to Cardiff at the start of the season was not singularly down to the Welshman wanting a move back to South Wales. He was probably not given the option of joining any other of the major clubs.
It does all seem a little unfair, but until the rules are altered, City have the power to do as they please. They are not breaking any EU rules and have plenty of English players to fill their UEFA quota of home-grown talent. It could be said... good luck to them, but in American sports this would not be allowed to happen.
Now I am not a big fan of American sports aesthetically, but I do like the way in which they attempt to keep the leagues competitive by implementing strict laws on spending and wage boundaries. It is not always the same teams competing for titles every year and this is a good thing, in my view. And although the franchise system (teams changing location etc) would not be welcome in English football, surely we could replicate some of the financial ideologies into our game. It is certainly something that should at least be considered.
On the playing side, in recent games City have even become quite an entertaining team, something that would have been un-heard of at the start of the season. While some people criticise their defensive performance at Arsenal (the Gunners actually dominated play and missed plenty of chances in reality) few seem to say anything remotely negative about a number of Manchester United away performances this season.
At both Old Trafford and Eastlands, United were superb defensively but offered very little going forward. The majority of the press hailed the defensive brilliance of Vidic and Ferdinand on those occasions (especially at White Hart Lane), but at the Emirates, Mancini's outfit were branded negative. This is just another example of the 'pro-Fergie - pro Manchester United' press that exists in this country.
This is an argument for another day… But Manchester City could well topple their much loved Manchester rivals come May. And, on the flip side of their excessive spending power, it can, this season anyway, surely only be good for football.
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