The juggernauts of English football clashed at the Emirates, where previously this was the game every single fan in England looked forward to as it was a game where there was bad blood, clashes between fans, managers, players, throwing of pizzas? Well you get the general idea. It was really a tale of two halves, whereby the first was just a dour one, not much 'pezzaz' but the second half was absolutely momentous, a really funtastic 45 minutes where it had almost everything. Even the atmosphere generated by both sets of fans was astounding. I won't really waste time going in depth into the match report, so let's looks at the aftermath.
1. United are better at handling injuries, in short, Squad Depth is better
Most of the players of the United team who were out would walk in to most, if not all teams in the Premier League. Fletcher, Hernandez, Ferdinand, Vidic, and not to mention the lack of a proper playmaker in the team. Ah ha, I hear someone saying that 'Eh Phil Jones aso injured lah, he damn good'. Alright, I admit, he is a very good player, but Ferguson has got to put him in his proper position, be it in the centre of defense or in midfield. The old man has to decide, and fast but now that the boy is injured, he will have time to decide but decide he MUST. On the issue of squad depth, yes United are not that bad, but City are the Kings when it comes to having reserves in the tank. The whole of the league can just stand back and watch.
2. Arsenal have been hit with injuries which even City or United would've failed to handle.
Sagna, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Santos all out with Chamakh and Gervinho at the Nations Cup. Well other teams have also been hit with players representing their respective countries at the ACN and Newcastle have probably suffered the most. Let me provide an analogy. Say if United had Evra, Rafael, Smalling and maybe Fabio out, who would be drafted in to play at the full back positions? Probably Valencia and erh Giggs? Well there you go, but there's no use talking about 'If's', 'but's', or 'maybe's'. You have to handle whatever is in front of you, and Arsenal have failed to do so. Add to that the fact the transfer window has been opened for the best part of three weeks suggests that Mr Wenger is going senile. He could've got in at least a player to come in for a two months or so at left back, but he brought in Henry, and the King is now injured as well.
3. Both the top clubs in England were involved in the match at the Etihad, not the Emirates.
Well well, many United fans will be cursing me for this, but the rational ones would agree with me to an extent. Plain and simply put, the midfield of both City and Spurs are the best in the league, full stop. Manchester United's midfield duo are the weakest compared to the top 5 or 6 clubs. The likes of Carrick and Anderson/Scholes/Giggs just does not cut the mustard when it comes to the 'creme de la creme' of the Premier League. Picture this. Yaya Toure, Gareth Barry and David Silva on one side. Next you have the trio of Parker, Modric and Van Der Vaart for Spurs. To be honest, even the midfield of the SportsDirect Arena sounds better with Tiote and Cabaye. The papers this morning said that United might be in for Modric, but with the form Spurs are in, I doubt the little Croat would even consider leaving White Hart Lane.
4. United have to revert to the way they played at the beginning of the season.
At the start of the current campaign, the style of football played by United was breathtaking, marvelous 'tippy-tappy' football which left teams in their wake. The gung-ho style was thrown out the window the day they got raped and humbled at Old Trafford when the Blues put SIX goals past them, yes that day. Although that day was a real torture for the fans, it still made Ferguson rethink his tactics and that has made him resort to a more conservative approach. As a fan of slick football, I hope Fergie goes back to his style at the start, as that was also the period of time that a certain Wayne Rooney was on fire. When the tactics were changed, Rooney was deployed in a more withdrawn role which has seen his effect neutralised as well as the goals drying up, not forgetting the arguments he had with the Boss. Fergie, for the good of United, please revert, please.
5. Arsene has to leave, and leave soon.
The time has come for 'Le Professor' to leave Arsenal and the Emirates. He looks like an old man who has run out of ideas and really does not know what to do. I will stress the fact that his inability, or rather stubbornness of that has caused the club big time, and the decision of not bringing at least a single full back in the current window speaks volumes. I have never in my life called for the removal of Arsene Wenger as the man has done wonders for the club and probably made Arsenal what it is today. That being said, there has to be an end to every chapter so that a new one can be written. That time is now, and I'm sorry but Mr Wenger has to be shown the door. Arsenal will most likely miss out on the top four spot, which could also mean goodbye to RVP and future signings. The question remains as to whether Wilshere will stay long after he sees big names heading for the exit. Oxlade-Chamberlain is a wonderful player, and he puts Theo Walcott to shame. There are many managers who could come in and turn the club around. Personally, Van Basten would be a great choice, though there's always Guus Hiddink waiting in the wings, together with Frank Rijkaard or maybe even Dennis Bergkamp. You do not need to be Albert Einstein to manage a football team, but you cannot be an Average Joe either.
Interesting times ahead in the league indeed. The race is still on, its just a question of who wants it more.
Till next time,
Sayonara.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
The ribbons hung on the BPL trophy could be Red/White instead of Blue/White
Last night saw the 'Big Boys' drop valuable points against the so called 'whipping boys' of the Premier League with only Man. Utd picking up all points against Roberto Martinez's 'yoyo' team. The interesting aspect of that game was the sort of 'back from the dead' the Bulgarian magician, who in my opinion is the second most skillful Big Man in the world behind Swedish ponytail pumpkin, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The former Spurs forward managed to net a hat trick, adding to his previous goal in the last game (ironically another 5-0) whipping against Fulham. United now have 10 goals in the last two games, and are breathing down fellow Mancunians necks, cross-town rivals Man City. The Citizens, who were backed by everyone except Chow Yun Fatt to beat Wigan, and by a handsome margin at that, came up well short against Roy Hodgson's well-organised, well-oiled machine, West Brom. Bear in mind, the West Brom defense cost all of 2 million pounds. (City's cheapest defender last night was Gael Clichy, at 7 mil).
Before I move on, let me just say that Chelsea were never in the title race from the beginning of the season, so when AVB said at the post match interview that his team were 'all but out of the title race' more than amused me, even my dog howled at the teevee.
Moving on to serious stuff, I think United might actually pip City to the title, and here's why.
Fergie's men have not playing great football in the last five games, but have managed to beat all teams convincingly. And that with more than their fair share of injuries to go along with. City on the other hand, haven't had that many injuries, and have been more often than not, been able to play their best 11, though even if they were to have a couple of niggles they'd still be capable of bringing in support from their 'Gold' bench.
However, in all these games, Yaya Toure has been an ever-present. The Ivorian powerhouse has allowed the likes of Silva to go about his business, and has the capability to play in more than a couple of positions, and it is no wonder why he is City's best paid player. He will be gone next month though, and I don't see anyone in the squad being able to do anywhere near what he does. His older brother Kolo, who has been immense since his return from the drugs ban, will join him to represent Ivory Coast and that would mean the return of Lescott into the team, and he is by no means a world-beater.
Another reason would be the 'know-how' of Alex Ferguson's teams throughout the years. With the Scotsman at the helm, the players are more free to go about their business on the pitch, and most of the team are used to 'getting across the finish line'. The jury is still out on Mancini, however. Moreover, he is a manager who is known to buckle under immense pressure.
Lastly, by hook or by crook, past United teams tend to go into overdrive come January/February. The best part is this time around, it looks like they have started a month earlier.
I am by no means ruling City out of the title race, far from it actually, but it will be anything but easy. The advantage though is with United. The blue half of Manchester have been labelled as favourites all season, and Sir Alex might use that to his team's advantage.
Till next time,
Sayonara.
The former Spurs forward managed to net a hat trick, adding to his previous goal in the last game (ironically another 5-0) whipping against Fulham. United now have 10 goals in the last two games, and are breathing down fellow Mancunians necks, cross-town rivals Man City. The Citizens, who were backed by everyone except Chow Yun Fatt to beat Wigan, and by a handsome margin at that, came up well short against Roy Hodgson's well-organised, well-oiled machine, West Brom. Bear in mind, the West Brom defense cost all of 2 million pounds. (City's cheapest defender last night was Gael Clichy, at 7 mil).
Before I move on, let me just say that Chelsea were never in the title race from the beginning of the season, so when AVB said at the post match interview that his team were 'all but out of the title race' more than amused me, even my dog howled at the teevee.
Moving on to serious stuff, I think United might actually pip City to the title, and here's why.
Fergie's men have not playing great football in the last five games, but have managed to beat all teams convincingly. And that with more than their fair share of injuries to go along with. City on the other hand, haven't had that many injuries, and have been more often than not, been able to play their best 11, though even if they were to have a couple of niggles they'd still be capable of bringing in support from their 'Gold' bench.
However, in all these games, Yaya Toure has been an ever-present. The Ivorian powerhouse has allowed the likes of Silva to go about his business, and has the capability to play in more than a couple of positions, and it is no wonder why he is City's best paid player. He will be gone next month though, and I don't see anyone in the squad being able to do anywhere near what he does. His older brother Kolo, who has been immense since his return from the drugs ban, will join him to represent Ivory Coast and that would mean the return of Lescott into the team, and he is by no means a world-beater.
Another reason would be the 'know-how' of Alex Ferguson's teams throughout the years. With the Scotsman at the helm, the players are more free to go about their business on the pitch, and most of the team are used to 'getting across the finish line'. The jury is still out on Mancini, however. Moreover, he is a manager who is known to buckle under immense pressure.
Lastly, by hook or by crook, past United teams tend to go into overdrive come January/February. The best part is this time around, it looks like they have started a month earlier.
I am by no means ruling City out of the title race, far from it actually, but it will be anything but easy. The advantage though is with United. The blue half of Manchester have been labelled as favourites all season, and Sir Alex might use that to his team's advantage.
Till next time,
Sayonara.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Exciting Games in store.
The Christmas period is the time of the season when managers dread, as 'squad depth' comes into play, and those who depend solely on having the best 11 on the pitch tend to have it tough while the big boys (Mancini & Co.) will relish the chance of taking on all comers and prove that they are more than just a flash in the pan. They really are more than that.
Arsene Wenger meanwhile has to be thinking that the football Gods are against him, with 4 of his fullbacks out with niggling injuries and having to play centre backs out of position is not an ideal situation, as he found out at the Etihad at the weekend. Johan Djourou went off injured, further worsening the situation, though to be honest, he's as good a full back as instructing a pigeon to play the role of a 'German Shepherd'. Now, it looks like the Swiss will be out for the best part of three weeks, which means that the stale french loaf (Sebastian Squillaci) will play in one of the games. To be fair to him, he actually had one of his better games in the Carling Cup defeat to Man City. Then again, football is based on consistency and not the 'one-off Whitney Houston gala'. As on now, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Miquel and Squillaci are the only players who have some sort of first team experience.
Tonight's game at Villa Park is vital for Wenger's men, and it remains to be seen who will play in the full-back positions. Wenger for one cannot afford to have a centre-back partnership of Squillaci and Mertesacker as that would be like the 'Rabbit v Tortoise' race against the likes of Agbonlahor. On the other hand, playing Miquel, (who by the way can be put in the same boat as Mertesacker in terms of pace) at left back gives the chance to McLeish to play Agbonlahor on the right, though he usually does his damage on the opposite flank. One thing which is certain is that if Villa somehow manage to turn up for this game with Albrighton and Agbonlahor on fire, and Delfouneso playing to his capabilities, then they will definitely give the Arsenal defense (which will not consist of Alex Song, who is suspended) a run for their money.
Personally, I wish Arsene tries something different, like going with three at the back and 5 in midfield. He more than has the resources to do that, with Koscielny and Vermaelen playing either side of Mertesacker, and probably playing Frimpong alongside Arteta. That would really unleash the attacking prowess of Ramsey, Chamberlain and Benayoun, because I don't think Arshavin is up to it, the only thing left for him to do is go out the door. And dear ol' Theo will have his long awaited opportunity to give defenders goosebumps alongside the little known Dutchman. Whether or not Wenger decides to implement it is a different question altogether.
A number of pundits after the City game were of the opinion that Arsenal were not far off Man City, well not as far as the gap in the table suggests. That is just not good enough, because the difference between winning or losing is slight, and the gap does not really matter. At the end of the day, it is a results based industry, and if you get the right result, then most of the time you will end up successful and the loser will, well, just moan. The only certain thing this season is that the title will arguably end up in Manchester, though the colour of the ribbons on the Premier League trophy is yet to be decided. Some may think that it is slightly premature that I have come to this conclusion with the Christmas period yet to be played but hold on. Spurs, now have injuries to their deadly duo, Lennon and Bale. Replacements, Kyle Walker and probably Assou-Ekotto are not up to standard, basically square pegs into round holes. Defoe looks short for the upcoming game, with Redknapp saying the other day that his marksman has a Grade 1 hamstring tear (whatever that means, a tear is a tear).
Chelsea meanwhile are like a box of chocolates at the moment, though an expensive one at that. One week they become the first team to bring Man City back to earth, the next they fail to brush aside Wigan, who do not generally do well against the proverbial 'Big Boys' of the BPL. Sometimes, I think that AVB is too tactical for his own good. Against City, he brought on Mikel in favour of an attacker to shore up the defence and guarantee the points. I salute his decision in that game, because it ensured that the Londoners could nullify the attacking threat of the Mancunians. The Wigan game however was a real joke, bringing off their best two players in Mata and Sturridge who managed to score a wonderful goal in favour of Malouda and Mikel. I will not comment more than that, they already have a certain Russian to do that.
Whatever happens, at the end of the day the Christmas period is a most wonderful time of the year, and the 'telly' will definitely be showing a whole lot of matches, so I guess enjoy? Have a Holly Jolly Christmas and a Blessed and Prosperous New Year to all reading haha I think it'll be like 3 people at max.
Sayonara.
Arsene Wenger meanwhile has to be thinking that the football Gods are against him, with 4 of his fullbacks out with niggling injuries and having to play centre backs out of position is not an ideal situation, as he found out at the Etihad at the weekend. Johan Djourou went off injured, further worsening the situation, though to be honest, he's as good a full back as instructing a pigeon to play the role of a 'German Shepherd'. Now, it looks like the Swiss will be out for the best part of three weeks, which means that the stale french loaf (Sebastian Squillaci) will play in one of the games. To be fair to him, he actually had one of his better games in the Carling Cup defeat to Man City. Then again, football is based on consistency and not the 'one-off Whitney Houston gala'. As on now, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Miquel and Squillaci are the only players who have some sort of first team experience.
Tonight's game at Villa Park is vital for Wenger's men, and it remains to be seen who will play in the full-back positions. Wenger for one cannot afford to have a centre-back partnership of Squillaci and Mertesacker as that would be like the 'Rabbit v Tortoise' race against the likes of Agbonlahor. On the other hand, playing Miquel, (who by the way can be put in the same boat as Mertesacker in terms of pace) at left back gives the chance to McLeish to play Agbonlahor on the right, though he usually does his damage on the opposite flank. One thing which is certain is that if Villa somehow manage to turn up for this game with Albrighton and Agbonlahor on fire, and Delfouneso playing to his capabilities, then they will definitely give the Arsenal defense (which will not consist of Alex Song, who is suspended) a run for their money.
Personally, I wish Arsene tries something different, like going with three at the back and 5 in midfield. He more than has the resources to do that, with Koscielny and Vermaelen playing either side of Mertesacker, and probably playing Frimpong alongside Arteta. That would really unleash the attacking prowess of Ramsey, Chamberlain and Benayoun, because I don't think Arshavin is up to it, the only thing left for him to do is go out the door. And dear ol' Theo will have his long awaited opportunity to give defenders goosebumps alongside the little known Dutchman. Whether or not Wenger decides to implement it is a different question altogether.
A number of pundits after the City game were of the opinion that Arsenal were not far off Man City, well not as far as the gap in the table suggests. That is just not good enough, because the difference between winning or losing is slight, and the gap does not really matter. At the end of the day, it is a results based industry, and if you get the right result, then most of the time you will end up successful and the loser will, well, just moan. The only certain thing this season is that the title will arguably end up in Manchester, though the colour of the ribbons on the Premier League trophy is yet to be decided. Some may think that it is slightly premature that I have come to this conclusion with the Christmas period yet to be played but hold on. Spurs, now have injuries to their deadly duo, Lennon and Bale. Replacements, Kyle Walker and probably Assou-Ekotto are not up to standard, basically square pegs into round holes. Defoe looks short for the upcoming game, with Redknapp saying the other day that his marksman has a Grade 1 hamstring tear (whatever that means, a tear is a tear).
Chelsea meanwhile are like a box of chocolates at the moment, though an expensive one at that. One week they become the first team to bring Man City back to earth, the next they fail to brush aside Wigan, who do not generally do well against the proverbial 'Big Boys' of the BPL. Sometimes, I think that AVB is too tactical for his own good. Against City, he brought on Mikel in favour of an attacker to shore up the defence and guarantee the points. I salute his decision in that game, because it ensured that the Londoners could nullify the attacking threat of the Mancunians. The Wigan game however was a real joke, bringing off their best two players in Mata and Sturridge who managed to score a wonderful goal in favour of Malouda and Mikel. I will not comment more than that, they already have a certain Russian to do that.
Whatever happens, at the end of the day the Christmas period is a most wonderful time of the year, and the 'telly' will definitely be showing a whole lot of matches, so I guess enjoy? Have a Holly Jolly Christmas and a Blessed and Prosperous New Year to all reading haha I think it'll be like 3 people at max.
Sayonara.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Manchester 'Edin' into the Europa League? Unbelieveable, but believe it.
For the English clubs at least, this season's Champions League group stage was really nerve-wrecking, and most, (3 of them to be exact), had to go into the final day needing to get some sort of result to ensure qualification into the knockout stages of Europe's premier club competition. Arsenal guaranteed their progress on Matchday 5, while their counterparts in London needed to beat or draw against in form Valencia, former club of Juan Mata and the Blues surprisingly played their best match of the season to roll past the Spaniards into the knockout stages, and topping their group in the process.
United needed to get a draw against Basel while City had it out of their hands in terms of having a chance to qualify, needing assistance from the Navy guys, well they're better known as the Yellow Submarines, (Too-mah-toe, Too-mei-toe). The shock result of the day was obviously Basel beating Sir Alex's team 2-1, getting four out of a possible six points against United in the group stages. Man City meanwhile, played a controlled game, managing to beat the Germans from Munich 2-0, courtesy of goals from David Silva and also a nice passage of play to enable Yaya Toure to toe-poke the ball past Munich no.2 keeper' Hans Jorg Butt.
What this means is that England are now represented by only the two London clubs, while the boys from Manchester are heading into the Europa League, yes the Europa League (Europe's 2nd tier club competition). Sheer embarrassment for both Manchester clubs, considering that the duo are top of the BPL at the moment, and looked like being the strongest clubs in England at the start of the season. That may still be true, but a combination of a few events have now put them in dire straits.
For City, it has to be first season syndrome, not having the relative experience in the Champions League, and perhaps a manager who is not great in Europe, considering his failures with Inter Milan, unable to get them beyond the quarter finals despite being top-dogs in Italy when he was in charge. One would also point to the happenings at the Allianz Arena when Carlos Tevez refused to come on for the game, and the after-effects it had on the team as a whole. That, and also the result in Naples when a draw would have put them in a comfortable position, though it is immaterial discussing about the 'What if's' now.
Sir Alex looks to have made a huge blunder in the last couple of months. Up till late September, the Reds looked like being a team with not only blood in their veins as they were steam-rolling over all comers but they did not get their European campaign of to a good start. It seemed that after the goal fest against Basel at Old Trafford when both teams grabbed 3 goals each was the turning point in Fergie's philosophy this season. They started the season playing the much famed 'free-flowing, attacking, beautiful, majestic football', with Rooney at the spearhead of thing. Recently though, the English talisman has been thrust into a more withdrawn role in midfield, and United have seemed to lack a cutting edge up front. This could perhaps point to the manager's failure to bring an attacking midfielder into the club, and things might've been a whole lot different had the Glazers given him another five million to add to their original bid of 20 mil pounds for Frenchman Samir Nasri.
All said and done, both of them will now ply their trade in the Europa League, far from ideal under any circumstance. From a personal point of view, I think they should just forget about this competition. The only reason is the 'Thursday night-Sunday afternoon' kickoff times if one were to be involved in the competition previously known as the Uefa Cup. If they intent to pursue they Cup, then the chances of them failing to cope up in the Premier League will be much higher. One thing that is certain is both clubs will now put all their eggs into one basket i.e the Premier League. I cannot help think that the FA Cup 3rd round tie will play a huge role in determining the whole outcome. City still have the Carling Cup semifinal to look forward to, but United of course have already been knocked out. So it might also be sensible for Fergie to take the Europa League more seriously if they lose to their bitter rivals in the FA Cup. Realistically, both clubs' seasons depend on THAT tie in England's oldest club competition. The team that loses is going to be in serious trouble.
Personally, I'm looking forward to the Champions League draw, though Manchester fans will definitely prefer watching 'HIMYM' or some half-baked movie just to avoid the embarrassment of witnessing a draw which does not include their team. Today's events though could signal bad times for English clubs as a whole, though next season will be a totally different story.
Till next time,
Jay Jay Denis.
United needed to get a draw against Basel while City had it out of their hands in terms of having a chance to qualify, needing assistance from the Navy guys, well they're better known as the Yellow Submarines, (Too-mah-toe, Too-mei-toe). The shock result of the day was obviously Basel beating Sir Alex's team 2-1, getting four out of a possible six points against United in the group stages. Man City meanwhile, played a controlled game, managing to beat the Germans from Munich 2-0, courtesy of goals from David Silva and also a nice passage of play to enable Yaya Toure to toe-poke the ball past Munich no.2 keeper' Hans Jorg Butt.
What this means is that England are now represented by only the two London clubs, while the boys from Manchester are heading into the Europa League, yes the Europa League (Europe's 2nd tier club competition). Sheer embarrassment for both Manchester clubs, considering that the duo are top of the BPL at the moment, and looked like being the strongest clubs in England at the start of the season. That may still be true, but a combination of a few events have now put them in dire straits.
For City, it has to be first season syndrome, not having the relative experience in the Champions League, and perhaps a manager who is not great in Europe, considering his failures with Inter Milan, unable to get them beyond the quarter finals despite being top-dogs in Italy when he was in charge. One would also point to the happenings at the Allianz Arena when Carlos Tevez refused to come on for the game, and the after-effects it had on the team as a whole. That, and also the result in Naples when a draw would have put them in a comfortable position, though it is immaterial discussing about the 'What if's' now.
Sir Alex looks to have made a huge blunder in the last couple of months. Up till late September, the Reds looked like being a team with not only blood in their veins as they were steam-rolling over all comers but they did not get their European campaign of to a good start. It seemed that after the goal fest against Basel at Old Trafford when both teams grabbed 3 goals each was the turning point in Fergie's philosophy this season. They started the season playing the much famed 'free-flowing, attacking, beautiful, majestic football', with Rooney at the spearhead of thing. Recently though, the English talisman has been thrust into a more withdrawn role in midfield, and United have seemed to lack a cutting edge up front. This could perhaps point to the manager's failure to bring an attacking midfielder into the club, and things might've been a whole lot different had the Glazers given him another five million to add to their original bid of 20 mil pounds for Frenchman Samir Nasri.
All said and done, both of them will now ply their trade in the Europa League, far from ideal under any circumstance. From a personal point of view, I think they should just forget about this competition. The only reason is the 'Thursday night-Sunday afternoon' kickoff times if one were to be involved in the competition previously known as the Uefa Cup. If they intent to pursue they Cup, then the chances of them failing to cope up in the Premier League will be much higher. One thing that is certain is both clubs will now put all their eggs into one basket i.e the Premier League. I cannot help think that the FA Cup 3rd round tie will play a huge role in determining the whole outcome. City still have the Carling Cup semifinal to look forward to, but United of course have already been knocked out. So it might also be sensible for Fergie to take the Europa League more seriously if they lose to their bitter rivals in the FA Cup. Realistically, both clubs' seasons depend on THAT tie in England's oldest club competition. The team that loses is going to be in serious trouble.
Personally, I'm looking forward to the Champions League draw, though Manchester fans will definitely prefer watching 'HIMYM' or some half-baked movie just to avoid the embarrassment of witnessing a draw which does not include their team. Today's events though could signal bad times for English clubs as a whole, though next season will be a totally different story.
Till next time,
Jay Jay Denis.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
A weekend that could prove decisive
This weekend's results could prove to be a contributing factor to the season-ending positions of most teams. Some may think it is a tad too premature, but you might change your mind in a moment. Both the Uniteds gathered at Old Trafford for an afternoon kickoff, while Roman's team who were in serious trouble invited a 'Wolf Pack' to the Bridge which was indeed falling, slowly but surely. Of the other big teams, and 'Adebayor propelled' Spurs visited Roy Hodgson's men, while Arsenal entertained Hodgson's former side, Fulham, at the Emirates.
Most pundits put United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs as favourites to grab all the points, though the former 2 disappointed to an extent. Chelsea and Spurs on the other hand, made light work of their opponents, though Andre Villas-Boas still has some convincing to do. Spurs had a certain Togolese striker to thank, though whether or not he will become a permanent fixture at White Hart Lane is a totally different question.
One thing which was somewhat surprising was that Newcastle United were actually the one to get the so-called 'lucky break' at Old Trafford, a ground when some referees tend to buckle under the pressure of the atmosphere as well as Scotsman sitting on the home side's bench on the Red Audi sponsored leather seat. It wasn't to be for Fergie's men, as the penalty award was a foolish decision by the Assistant Referee, though the last time I checked, the main man in black did indeed have the power to overrule the decisions made by his counterparts. That certainly wasn't the case here, and it was not like it was an extremely tough decision to make. Ben Arfa strode into the United box, Rio Ferdinand came over, and after the tackle had been committed, yes in all fairness, the Frenchman did go down, but it was more than obvious that the ball had indeed been touched and went in a different direction. In Sir Alex's words, the ref was about 8 yards away, so I guess it was a 'Shocking, Outrageous' decision. A namby-pamby perhaps? That being said though, United were at home, had most of the possession, and would have got all the points if not for some 'Malaysian-like' finishing from the usually 'Ice-cool' Mexican, plus heroics from Dutchman Tim Krul, though the United goal was indeed 'Krul' on Newcastle. They defended resolutely as a team, and the draw was probably a fair result.
Moving on to Chelsea, it certainly is beginning to look like it is time to draw the curtains on Didier Drogba's time at Chelsea. The once feared Ivorian dynamite is now becoming an 'also ran' at the Blue Army. Daniel Sturridge looks like a better bet than Torres to bag the goals, and Nicholas Anelka looks like he's going to go back to his 'Le Sulk' ways. One thing Villas-Boas maybe needs to look at is the spine of the Chelsea team. Of the 4 stalwarts, namely Petr 'Broken Bones' Cech', 'Dear' John, Frankie Lampard and the Ivorian dude, the latter three might need to be moved on, and rather soon I guess. Raul Meireles looks more than capable of filling Lampards boots, but John Terry needs addressing. David Luiz is a good defender, but the boy needs a calm head beside him, and Terry looks like he needs a baby-sitter himself. Maybe a new addition is needed, and Gary Cahill might come quite cheap as his contract runs out in the summer. Another interesting player is Dortmund's Serbian centre back, Neven Subotic. Whatever the case, Roman has to realise that his team needs rebuilding, not a major one, but still an important one at that.
Arsenal disappointed thoroughly on the night, though they can be forgiven for being hard done by as the 'Ozzie' between the posts was in a rather blistering form. The team as a whole did look jaded as well, down to the fact that the same team has played many games without much change, though it looks likely that at least half the team will be out when the Gunners welcome Arab Moneybags, City, to the Emirates in midweek for their Carling Cup quarter final date.
Spurs look like they are depending on Adebayor to bag a few goals for them, and his partnership with Jermain Defoe is beginning to look lethal. I just wish Harry would give Defoe the chance to play up top, alongside the lanky fella, or Jermain might be out the door if not January, certainly in the summer.
Tonight's game will be a gut-wrenching one, with Liverpool needing to win to if they harbour any desire to finish in the top four. The Mancunians will want to extend their lead at the top to 7 points, though they're confidence would have been rattled after the midweek defeat, as their Champions League hopes look to have vanished into thin air. I may sound rather biased, but I'm actually hoping for a draw, just to stop the Blue half of Manchester from pulling ahead too far.
Till next time,
Sayonara.
Most pundits put United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs as favourites to grab all the points, though the former 2 disappointed to an extent. Chelsea and Spurs on the other hand, made light work of their opponents, though Andre Villas-Boas still has some convincing to do. Spurs had a certain Togolese striker to thank, though whether or not he will become a permanent fixture at White Hart Lane is a totally different question.
One thing which was somewhat surprising was that Newcastle United were actually the one to get the so-called 'lucky break' at Old Trafford, a ground when some referees tend to buckle under the pressure of the atmosphere as well as Scotsman sitting on the home side's bench on the Red Audi sponsored leather seat. It wasn't to be for Fergie's men, as the penalty award was a foolish decision by the Assistant Referee, though the last time I checked, the main man in black did indeed have the power to overrule the decisions made by his counterparts. That certainly wasn't the case here, and it was not like it was an extremely tough decision to make. Ben Arfa strode into the United box, Rio Ferdinand came over, and after the tackle had been committed, yes in all fairness, the Frenchman did go down, but it was more than obvious that the ball had indeed been touched and went in a different direction. In Sir Alex's words, the ref was about 8 yards away, so I guess it was a 'Shocking, Outrageous' decision. A namby-pamby perhaps? That being said though, United were at home, had most of the possession, and would have got all the points if not for some 'Malaysian-like' finishing from the usually 'Ice-cool' Mexican, plus heroics from Dutchman Tim Krul, though the United goal was indeed 'Krul' on Newcastle. They defended resolutely as a team, and the draw was probably a fair result.
Moving on to Chelsea, it certainly is beginning to look like it is time to draw the curtains on Didier Drogba's time at Chelsea. The once feared Ivorian dynamite is now becoming an 'also ran' at the Blue Army. Daniel Sturridge looks like a better bet than Torres to bag the goals, and Nicholas Anelka looks like he's going to go back to his 'Le Sulk' ways. One thing Villas-Boas maybe needs to look at is the spine of the Chelsea team. Of the 4 stalwarts, namely Petr 'Broken Bones' Cech', 'Dear' John, Frankie Lampard and the Ivorian dude, the latter three might need to be moved on, and rather soon I guess. Raul Meireles looks more than capable of filling Lampards boots, but John Terry needs addressing. David Luiz is a good defender, but the boy needs a calm head beside him, and Terry looks like he needs a baby-sitter himself. Maybe a new addition is needed, and Gary Cahill might come quite cheap as his contract runs out in the summer. Another interesting player is Dortmund's Serbian centre back, Neven Subotic. Whatever the case, Roman has to realise that his team needs rebuilding, not a major one, but still an important one at that.
Arsenal disappointed thoroughly on the night, though they can be forgiven for being hard done by as the 'Ozzie' between the posts was in a rather blistering form. The team as a whole did look jaded as well, down to the fact that the same team has played many games without much change, though it looks likely that at least half the team will be out when the Gunners welcome Arab Moneybags, City, to the Emirates in midweek for their Carling Cup quarter final date.
Spurs look like they are depending on Adebayor to bag a few goals for them, and his partnership with Jermain Defoe is beginning to look lethal. I just wish Harry would give Defoe the chance to play up top, alongside the lanky fella, or Jermain might be out the door if not January, certainly in the summer.
Tonight's game will be a gut-wrenching one, with Liverpool needing to win to if they harbour any desire to finish in the top four. The Mancunians will want to extend their lead at the top to 7 points, though they're confidence would have been rattled after the midweek defeat, as their Champions League hopes look to have vanished into thin air. I may sound rather biased, but I'm actually hoping for a draw, just to stop the Blue half of Manchester from pulling ahead too far.
Till next time,
Sayonara.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
A Fergie Tribute
It's his Silver Jubilee, and Sir Alex Ferguson of Scotland will probably go down as one of the, if not the greatest manager to ever grace the game. On the 6th of November, it will be exactly 25 years since Sir Alex was appointed manager of what has now become the leading club in the UK. It will take a momentous effort to come anywhere near what the Scotsman has achieved, and I can safely say that the chance of it being repeated is second to none.
Upon his appointment, United were at that time, second from bottom in the league, then consisting of 22 clubs, and the he managed to lead them to an 11th place finish. United's first league title under Fergie came in the first season of the Premier League, the 92/93 season. Ironically, the previous season is the last time their main rivals, Liverpool, won a League title. Manchester United have won 12 since then, and have overtaken the Merseysiders as England's top dogs. Ironically, Liverpool were then managed by Kenny Dalglish, who went on to sit in the stands for 10 years or so, while his counterpart was still at it in Manchester. Added to the 12 League Titles, and you get a handful of FA Cups, 4 League Cups, 10 Community Shields, a couple of Champions League titles, (though a few runners-up medals), a Super Cup and a Cup Winners Cup each, and one Intercontinental Cup, alongside the sole FIFA Club World Cup United won in 08. A host of personal accolades followed and many out there know what he has achieved, so I will not waste more time on it.
The last quarter of a century, the world has witnessed the fall of the famous Soviet Union, the US being attacked in 01', the capture of Saddam Hussein, throw in the assassination of Osama Bin Laden and now Muammar Gaddafi and not forgetting the tragedy at New Orleans, the 2004 tsunami and a couple of other things which were significant enough to live a long lasting memory in most human beings. In the footballing world, the game witnessed the passing of one of the great managers of all time in Sir Bobby Robson, which was indeed a sad year for football as a whole. 6 World Cups has been played, and in that period, 'Fergie', as he is fondly known, has built 6 to 7 great teams in one club. Numerous United fans have tried naming 'Fergie's best 11', but there was hardly an identical choice among the supporters. That is a testament to his man-management skills, and his ability to spot players and rope them into the Theater of Dreams.
His teams have always had a trademark about them, going back to the days of the 'Cole & Yorke' partnership in the late 90's, before that the mercurial Frenchman in Eric Cantona, followed by the Golden Generation of Scholes, Giggs, Beckham, Keane and not forgetting the Nevilles. One of the things that have to be admired about Ferguson's teams is that they always play football the right way, though some may argue that there is no wrong way to play football, but there is no denying that fans would rather pay more to watch United in action than to pay chicken feet to get a ticket into the Britannia Stadium, no offense.
Another traits the great man has is his ability to pressurise his opposing managers and making them melt under the heat. Kevin Keegan comes to mind, and so do Arsene Wenger and Rafael Benitez. More often than not, he comes out on top, though I really miss the moments when he and the man in North London used to get it going, on and off the pitch.
That being said, whatever is written here or elsewhere will not be enough to sum up what Sir Alex has achieved over the years, and even he might not be able to put it into words. From an Arsenal fan's perspective, it will certainly be interesting to see what will happen when Fergie retires, and who takes over at the helm, because shoes will not be the only thing that will require filling. One thing is for certain, he will certainly have a hand in picking his successor, and I can only thing of one man who is capable of doing it, and his name needs no mentioning. But let Fergie enjoy his moment, and the whole of football just stand back and take into account what he has done for the game.
There will never be another Alex Ferguson, Sir, I would add.
Upon his appointment, United were at that time, second from bottom in the league, then consisting of 22 clubs, and the he managed to lead them to an 11th place finish. United's first league title under Fergie came in the first season of the Premier League, the 92/93 season. Ironically, the previous season is the last time their main rivals, Liverpool, won a League title. Manchester United have won 12 since then, and have overtaken the Merseysiders as England's top dogs. Ironically, Liverpool were then managed by Kenny Dalglish, who went on to sit in the stands for 10 years or so, while his counterpart was still at it in Manchester. Added to the 12 League Titles, and you get a handful of FA Cups, 4 League Cups, 10 Community Shields, a couple of Champions League titles, (though a few runners-up medals), a Super Cup and a Cup Winners Cup each, and one Intercontinental Cup, alongside the sole FIFA Club World Cup United won in 08. A host of personal accolades followed and many out there know what he has achieved, so I will not waste more time on it.
The last quarter of a century, the world has witnessed the fall of the famous Soviet Union, the US being attacked in 01', the capture of Saddam Hussein, throw in the assassination of Osama Bin Laden and now Muammar Gaddafi and not forgetting the tragedy at New Orleans, the 2004 tsunami and a couple of other things which were significant enough to live a long lasting memory in most human beings. In the footballing world, the game witnessed the passing of one of the great managers of all time in Sir Bobby Robson, which was indeed a sad year for football as a whole. 6 World Cups has been played, and in that period, 'Fergie', as he is fondly known, has built 6 to 7 great teams in one club. Numerous United fans have tried naming 'Fergie's best 11', but there was hardly an identical choice among the supporters. That is a testament to his man-management skills, and his ability to spot players and rope them into the Theater of Dreams.
His teams have always had a trademark about them, going back to the days of the 'Cole & Yorke' partnership in the late 90's, before that the mercurial Frenchman in Eric Cantona, followed by the Golden Generation of Scholes, Giggs, Beckham, Keane and not forgetting the Nevilles. One of the things that have to be admired about Ferguson's teams is that they always play football the right way, though some may argue that there is no wrong way to play football, but there is no denying that fans would rather pay more to watch United in action than to pay chicken feet to get a ticket into the Britannia Stadium, no offense.
Another traits the great man has is his ability to pressurise his opposing managers and making them melt under the heat. Kevin Keegan comes to mind, and so do Arsene Wenger and Rafael Benitez. More often than not, he comes out on top, though I really miss the moments when he and the man in North London used to get it going, on and off the pitch.
That being said, whatever is written here or elsewhere will not be enough to sum up what Sir Alex has achieved over the years, and even he might not be able to put it into words. From an Arsenal fan's perspective, it will certainly be interesting to see what will happen when Fergie retires, and who takes over at the helm, because shoes will not be the only thing that will require filling. One thing is for certain, he will certainly have a hand in picking his successor, and I can only thing of one man who is capable of doing it, and his name needs no mentioning. But let Fergie enjoy his moment, and the whole of football just stand back and take into account what he has done for the game.
There will never be another Alex Ferguson, Sir, I would add.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
London Bridge is Falling Down?
It was supposed to be the 'Battle at the Bridge', which could have given a clear picture that Chelsea were back on course after a slight but very clear nudge against QPR the previous weekend, and also a vindication that Arsenal are just Arsenal, a team not yet ready to challenge for honours and the usual rap sheet. Well, the first 15 minutes of what proved to be an enthralling match was that. Chelsea steam-rolling their visitors, and it looked like they were going to run away with the points and make the Gunners look 'Blue' in the process. But, that was only for 15 minutes. Everyone knows what happened after that so I will refrain from divulging into the details of what proved to be one of the most entertaining matches of the season, alongside the 8-2 blockbuster and the now well-known Manchester derby.
To the Post-Mortem, because that was somewhat of a murder from a Chelsea point of view.
The main reason it was such an open game was not necessarily due to the open-attacking philosophies of both managers, but the sheer diabolical defending by both sets of players. The Blues were bullying both Djourou and Santos on both flanks, as Daniel Sturridge burned the Brazillian on more than one occasion. On the other wing, Ashley Cole made Johan Djourou look like Swiss Cheese. Frank Lampard was influential in the first half where he played passes at will and released the wingers. Fernando Torres however, looked like he had just returned from a wonderful week at the Bahamas, a total whitewash. Arsenal on the other hand, were extremely shaky at the start, but slowly grew into the game and created numerous chances. Ramsey was 'the' man in the midfield after half an hour or so, controlling the pace of the game, though Mikel Arteta looked out of his depth. The Spaniard may have been Everton's most skillful player, but he looks average in an Arsenal jersey. Gervinho managed to trouble Jose Bosingwa on many occasions, and it was surprising that he was played at right-back rather than the more muscular Ivanovic, and slot David Luiz alongside the England captain.
The amount of chances created by both teams left me dumbfounded, and I could not help but think that if one of this teams were playing against the team from the Blue side of Manchester, then it could have been a cricket score against them. Ramsey was able to slice open the Chelsea defense whenever he wanted to, and the composure he displayed with the ball at his feet suggests that the absence of the previous 'Number 4' will not be felt at all. The experience and calmness he has is at times mesmerising. Alex Song was good on the day, but he was lucky not to be carded much earlier in the game. It will definitely be interesting come January when Gervinho and Song fly off to Africa to represent their countries in the Nations Cup, though Frimpong looks like an able deputy for the Cameroonian. I just hope Tomas Rosicky is given a chance alongside Ramsey in the game against Marseille because he brings more pace to the offense as compared to Arteta, but the duo are now on the wrong side of thirty. Moving on, the Arsenal defense looked suspect on every Chelsea attack in the first half, and they could use a couple of fullbacks who defend well, though Andre Santos is impressive going forward, having already notched up two goals in a handful of games when Gael Clichy only managed to grab 2 goals in his whole career in North London.
However, Chelsea's defenders were playing like schoolboys. It looked like John Terry slipped, but he was literally hugging the turf when Van Persie was behind him, as though shot by a sawed of shotgun. The torrid week he endured looks like it is going to get a whole lot worse. Ivanovic was no better, as the was no visible communication between the two. On the opposite side, the partnership of Mertesacker and Koscielny were not great, though the Frenchman was impressive throughout the game, and Mertesacker looks like he could be a liability due to his glaring lack of pace. Whether or not Arsene Wenger decides to drop the German in favour of the Belgian stalwart Thomas Vermaelen is a topic for another day, but the Marseille game will certainly shed some light into that.
Previous Chelsea teams never played with such an open way, but what is more surprising is the state of their defense. The back four were the same players last season, but it looks like they are not getting the needed protection from the midfield. Fingers will be pointed at the manager, and only time will tell if Abramovich decides to do anything or not, because he is notorious for jumping the gun. Chelsea will no doubt beat the lesser teams, but it is now 2 defeats this season against their main rivals in United and Arsenal. The Russian dynamo will not like it if events were to continue like this, but from a Gunners point of view, it was a good day at the office for Wenger and his boys, but I wouldn't be overjoyed as the defense looks like in could come crashing down like a pack of cards anytime.
Till next time,
Goodbye.
To the Post-Mortem, because that was somewhat of a murder from a Chelsea point of view.
The main reason it was such an open game was not necessarily due to the open-attacking philosophies of both managers, but the sheer diabolical defending by both sets of players. The Blues were bullying both Djourou and Santos on both flanks, as Daniel Sturridge burned the Brazillian on more than one occasion. On the other wing, Ashley Cole made Johan Djourou look like Swiss Cheese. Frank Lampard was influential in the first half where he played passes at will and released the wingers. Fernando Torres however, looked like he had just returned from a wonderful week at the Bahamas, a total whitewash. Arsenal on the other hand, were extremely shaky at the start, but slowly grew into the game and created numerous chances. Ramsey was 'the' man in the midfield after half an hour or so, controlling the pace of the game, though Mikel Arteta looked out of his depth. The Spaniard may have been Everton's most skillful player, but he looks average in an Arsenal jersey. Gervinho managed to trouble Jose Bosingwa on many occasions, and it was surprising that he was played at right-back rather than the more muscular Ivanovic, and slot David Luiz alongside the England captain.
The amount of chances created by both teams left me dumbfounded, and I could not help but think that if one of this teams were playing against the team from the Blue side of Manchester, then it could have been a cricket score against them. Ramsey was able to slice open the Chelsea defense whenever he wanted to, and the composure he displayed with the ball at his feet suggests that the absence of the previous 'Number 4' will not be felt at all. The experience and calmness he has is at times mesmerising. Alex Song was good on the day, but he was lucky not to be carded much earlier in the game. It will definitely be interesting come January when Gervinho and Song fly off to Africa to represent their countries in the Nations Cup, though Frimpong looks like an able deputy for the Cameroonian. I just hope Tomas Rosicky is given a chance alongside Ramsey in the game against Marseille because he brings more pace to the offense as compared to Arteta, but the duo are now on the wrong side of thirty. Moving on, the Arsenal defense looked suspect on every Chelsea attack in the first half, and they could use a couple of fullbacks who defend well, though Andre Santos is impressive going forward, having already notched up two goals in a handful of games when Gael Clichy only managed to grab 2 goals in his whole career in North London.
However, Chelsea's defenders were playing like schoolboys. It looked like John Terry slipped, but he was literally hugging the turf when Van Persie was behind him, as though shot by a sawed of shotgun. The torrid week he endured looks like it is going to get a whole lot worse. Ivanovic was no better, as the was no visible communication between the two. On the opposite side, the partnership of Mertesacker and Koscielny were not great, though the Frenchman was impressive throughout the game, and Mertesacker looks like he could be a liability due to his glaring lack of pace. Whether or not Arsene Wenger decides to drop the German in favour of the Belgian stalwart Thomas Vermaelen is a topic for another day, but the Marseille game will certainly shed some light into that.
Previous Chelsea teams never played with such an open way, but what is more surprising is the state of their defense. The back four were the same players last season, but it looks like they are not getting the needed protection from the midfield. Fingers will be pointed at the manager, and only time will tell if Abramovich decides to do anything or not, because he is notorious for jumping the gun. Chelsea will no doubt beat the lesser teams, but it is now 2 defeats this season against their main rivals in United and Arsenal. The Russian dynamo will not like it if events were to continue like this, but from a Gunners point of view, it was a good day at the office for Wenger and his boys, but I wouldn't be overjoyed as the defense looks like in could come crashing down like a pack of cards anytime.
Till next time,
Goodbye.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)