After the draws for the Champions League and Europa League knockout rounds were made today I thought I'd take a moment to look at what the five remaining Premier League teams are faced with.
Champions League
SSC Napoli v Chelsea
AC Milan v Arsenal
Chelsea have been handed a tough-looking assignment against Napoli, who were of course part of Manchester City's group and progressed at the Citizens' expense. Napoli are a team with a very creative and dangerous forward line. Edinson Cavani, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marek Hamsik are all top quality players who can cause problems. The commanding Cavani in particular could prove tricky for a shaky Chelsea defence - the Uruguayan is in decent form this season with goals in the double figures, and 4 in Europe. In addition to these three, Napoli can call upon Goran Pandev who they secured on loan from Inter, and who is more than capable of changing a game.
Napoli's quality does not stop there however. The highly rated Swiss player Gokhan Inler commands the midfield, alongside another Uruguayan in Walter Gargano. In defence Napoli are captained by Paolo Cannavaro, younger brother of World Cup winner Fabio - though at 30 years old, Paolo is something of a seasoned veteran himself. In goal, Morgan De Sanctis can be almost unstoppable on his day, and Chelsea may well need to be extremely clinical to put anything past him.
No doubt Chelsea will find it tough in Naples, but should they come away without being defeated then I can see them progressing. Napoli, as competition debutants, are making headlines at the moment but by the time these games roll around their foot may have come off the gas somewhat.
Prediction: Chelsea to win 4-2 on aggregate.
Arsenal return to the scene of one of their most famous nights in recent history when they visit the San Siro for the first leg of their tie against Italian champions AC Milan. I referenced that night in another blog, and one of the points raised there was that the Arsenal side this season is vastly different to the one that night. Milan themselves are in a better place now than they were then, and should provide a more stern test.
Compared to their 2008 defeat to Arsenal only one player, Alessandro Nesta, played in the recent 3-2 defeat to Barcelona. Only a further two more were in the squad at all. This is not the same Milan, nor the same Arsenal. So, can we expect a different outcome too? It will be tight, but I don't believe so.
Much has been made in recent times of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's lack of goals against English sides; yet it was against Arsenal when he put such doubts to bed with a fine brace, so they will be wary of him. Milan also feature two players who struggled in brief spells at English clubs - Robinho and Alberto Aquilani, and they still have the experience of Seedorf, Ambrosini and Van Bommel to call upon. Overall though, they may struggle to contain the pace of Arsenal and of course there is the Robin factor - Van Persie seems to score whenever he strikes the ball!
Prediction: Arsenal to win 3-1 on aggregate.
Europa League
Ajax v Manchester United
Porto v Manchester City
Stoke v Valencia
Both Manchester clubs have dropped into European football's second tier this season, and both will have had designs on winning the European Cup so they will be disappointed. However, what these ties show us is that there are still some other great teams left in the Europa League, capable of producing some tasty-looking encounters.
Manchester United, finalists in last season's Champions League, will play Dutch giants Ajax - themselves four-times winners of the European Cup. Ajax are 8 points off the pace in the Eredivisie, a league which is not overall as strong as it has been in the past. However, Ajax do feature several impressive young talents that could present different types of problem for the English champions.
Their captain, Jan Vertonghen, is only 24 but he flourished in the Ajax side under Martin Jol when the departure of Thomas Vermaelen to Arsenal provided him with the opportunity. The Belgian is highly rated across Europe, and many rumours had him close to signing for Manchester City this past summer.
Other players for Manchester United fans to watch out for include the young right back Gregory van der Wiel and the Serbian right winger Miralem Sulejmani. Fellow Tweeter RutgerC030 said of Sulejmani: "Pace, skill, the occasional cracker, but tad inconsistent and very one footed too. #Goodplayer." Rutger also adds, of much-touted midfielder Christian Eriksen's season "Not very good, to be frank. Many mistakes, has been looking for better form almost the whole season." If Eriksen can find that form, he could present a threat to Manchester United too.
Prediction: Manchester United to win 4-1 on aggregate
For Manchester City, just days after Andre-Villas Boas inflicted their first Premier League defeat of the season upon them, they were drawn against AVB's former club Porto, holders of the Europa League. Porto are currently joint top of the Liga Sagres, but I don't see them offering too much of a problem to Roberto Mancini's men.
The danger man of course is Hulk. The Brazilian scored 36 goals last season and has 11 already this term including 4 goals in 6 European games. However, Porto's other strengths include defender Alvaro Pereira, and midfielders Joao Moutinho and Steven Defour (another of this exciting young generation of Belgian players).
So whilst there is genuine talent in this Porto side, I can't see how they will cope with Manchester City's superior squad depth and star quality. Over two legs, with the second in Manchester, I would expect City to progress more or less comfortably.
Prediction: Manchester City to win 5-1 on aggregate.
Finally, a word on Stoke City's draw against Valencia. This is a fantastic occasion for Tony Pulis' Potters - to host such Spanish giants in a competitive fixture is the culmination of what they have achieved over the last few years. Valencia, spearheaded by the very impressive Roberto Soldado, are likely to come out victorious in this tie.
However, we will at least get to see just how a top continental side copes in that cliche of an environment - Stoke on a Thursday night. Stoke will probably bow out of the competition at this stage but they can hold their heads high on a mangnificent achievement. They probably will score though, and the Britannia may explode with the noise from the fans' reactions!
Prediction: Valencia to win 4-1 on aggregate.
Friday, 16 December 2011
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Liverpool vs Manchester United - the biggest fixture in football?
Ahead of the huge Premier League encounter this weekend, I thought I would take a look at what could feasibly be called the biggest fixture in the sport of football, and the rivalry that surrounds it.
Liverpool. Manchester United.
Over the last forty or fifty years, these two clubs have dominated the sport of football in England, and at times in Europe. Though not from the same city, matches between these clubs have often been described as a local derby. Thirty miles might as well be three.
Of course, world football has many similar fixtures to this: 'El Grando Clasico' between Barcelona and Real Madrid is probably the most famous of those. The Milan derby, Boca Juniors v River Plate, Corinthians v Palmeiras and even the Merseyside derby between Liverpool & Everton are all well-known fixtures in the sport.
Why then should this one match, Liverpool v Manchester United, stand out above the others? Indeed, does it even do so?
For many years there has been a rivalry of sorts between the two cities, Manchester and Liverpool. Many believe that much of this ill feeling stems from the building of the Manchester Ship Canal, which took much trade (and consequently many jobs) away from the people of Liverpool as ships were able to bypass the city with a more direct route to the industries of Manchester. Indeed, the ship has become a symbol of the city of Manchester, and it even appears in the crests of both of their clubs, City and United.
As a consequence of this, it is understandable that people from the cities would take great pride in "getting one over" on the other - and football is a very convenient vessel, fuelled as it is by the passion of the city's inhabitants for their teams. And of course, seeing their respective clubs succeed at the very top of the game would bring the ultimate bragging rights.
Liverpool and Manchester United have exchanged periods of domination in the game - Liverpool frequently swept all before them in the 1970's and 80's, and Manchester United have done the same from the 90's to the present day. Consequently this has made the pair of clubs far and away the most successful in the English league. Manchester United now have more league titles than Liverpool, but the Merseysiders claim more European Cups.
So what does all this mean today? I asked a couple of Manchester United supporters what the rivalry means to them, and this is what they told me:
Mat: "For me it's the one game in the calendar United must win. Extra passion revolves around this fixture, goals are celebrated that little bit more. Having attended one of these fixtures in the league at Old Trafford, I must say the crowd are totally different to the usual crowds at OT. Old Trafford crowds are known for being on the quiet side, but not in this fixture! I was lucky to witness a close United 2-1 win & thoroughly enjoyed it. The sheer pleasure I got as well on my way out the of ground, with all the fans ecstatic & singing - I wanted to have a few beers & go out on the town!"
Shaun: "I think both sets of fans, deep down, appreciate the rivalry between the two clubs. It helps get people excited for the Premier League in general as, especially for Liverpool, immediate neighbours Everton don’t really offer much in terms of a true threat to their standing within the football hierarchy. Both clubs [Manchester United & Liverpool] are a threat to each other. And us United fans aren’t exactly going to chant about Blackburn or Bury are we?"
I can also say, as a Liverpool supporter and semi-regular at Anfield, that Mat's point about the atmosphere at these games being "different" to those at other fixtures is quite accurate. There is just something in the air. The need to win - all thoughts of season objectives put aside for one day, and all that matters, for both sets of fans, is "we must beat them!"
What started as an inter-city trade rivalry has formed the bedrock of a fierce and, importantly, competitive footballing derby. In league games between the pair, both clubs have won precisely 38 home games. Its been that close, and I feel that this only serves to further the reputation of this clash of titans.
So there we have it - a firm basis on local pride in their cities, football teams that have enjoyed large periods of success at the very top of the game, and a highly competitive fixture throughout history. These are just some reasons why this is the definitive match in English football, and will continue to be for some time. Indeed, this is a game that the whole footballing world tunes in to.
Liverpool vs Manchester United. There really is nothing else like it.
Liverpool. Manchester United.
Over the last forty or fifty years, these two clubs have dominated the sport of football in England, and at times in Europe. Though not from the same city, matches between these clubs have often been described as a local derby. Thirty miles might as well be three.
Of course, world football has many similar fixtures to this: 'El Grando Clasico' between Barcelona and Real Madrid is probably the most famous of those. The Milan derby, Boca Juniors v River Plate, Corinthians v Palmeiras and even the Merseyside derby between Liverpool & Everton are all well-known fixtures in the sport.
Why then should this one match, Liverpool v Manchester United, stand out above the others? Indeed, does it even do so?
For many years there has been a rivalry of sorts between the two cities, Manchester and Liverpool. Many believe that much of this ill feeling stems from the building of the Manchester Ship Canal, which took much trade (and consequently many jobs) away from the people of Liverpool as ships were able to bypass the city with a more direct route to the industries of Manchester. Indeed, the ship has become a symbol of the city of Manchester, and it even appears in the crests of both of their clubs, City and United.
As a consequence of this, it is understandable that people from the cities would take great pride in "getting one over" on the other - and football is a very convenient vessel, fuelled as it is by the passion of the city's inhabitants for their teams. And of course, seeing their respective clubs succeed at the very top of the game would bring the ultimate bragging rights.
Liverpool and Manchester United have exchanged periods of domination in the game - Liverpool frequently swept all before them in the 1970's and 80's, and Manchester United have done the same from the 90's to the present day. Consequently this has made the pair of clubs far and away the most successful in the English league. Manchester United now have more league titles than Liverpool, but the Merseysiders claim more European Cups.
So what does all this mean today? I asked a couple of Manchester United supporters what the rivalry means to them, and this is what they told me:
Mat: "For me it's the one game in the calendar United must win. Extra passion revolves around this fixture, goals are celebrated that little bit more. Having attended one of these fixtures in the league at Old Trafford, I must say the crowd are totally different to the usual crowds at OT. Old Trafford crowds are known for being on the quiet side, but not in this fixture! I was lucky to witness a close United 2-1 win & thoroughly enjoyed it. The sheer pleasure I got as well on my way out the of ground, with all the fans ecstatic & singing - I wanted to have a few beers & go out on the town!"
Shaun: "I think both sets of fans, deep down, appreciate the rivalry between the two clubs. It helps get people excited for the Premier League in general as, especially for Liverpool, immediate neighbours Everton don’t really offer much in terms of a true threat to their standing within the football hierarchy. Both clubs [Manchester United & Liverpool] are a threat to each other. And us United fans aren’t exactly going to chant about Blackburn or Bury are we?"
I can also say, as a Liverpool supporter and semi-regular at Anfield, that Mat's point about the atmosphere at these games being "different" to those at other fixtures is quite accurate. There is just something in the air. The need to win - all thoughts of season objectives put aside for one day, and all that matters, for both sets of fans, is "we must beat them!"
What started as an inter-city trade rivalry has formed the bedrock of a fierce and, importantly, competitive footballing derby. In league games between the pair, both clubs have won precisely 38 home games. Its been that close, and I feel that this only serves to further the reputation of this clash of titans.
So there we have it - a firm basis on local pride in their cities, football teams that have enjoyed large periods of success at the very top of the game, and a highly competitive fixture throughout history. These are just some reasons why this is the definitive match in English football, and will continue to be for some time. Indeed, this is a game that the whole footballing world tunes in to.
Liverpool vs Manchester United. There really is nothing else like it.
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Liverpool's transfers - an analysis
Due to time constraints (I am going away for a couple of weeks) I haven't got time to do a full analysis of the Premier League clubs' transfers as I wanted. Instead I'll look just at my own club for now, Liverpool, since they had quite a busy transfer window overall!
THE INS
Right then - the signings. Liverpool went into the summer needing to strengthen several positions. Prime amongst these were wide midfield and left back. Secondary positions were centre-half and striker. So how did we do?
Jordan Henderson - something of a surprise at first, the England U21 star has clearly been purchased for the long-term. His versatility means he will make plenty of appearances, and he is showing a lot of promise already with some composed performances.
Charlie Adam - surprising nobody given the activity in January, Charlie Adam was signed from Blackpool and has slotted instantly into the Reds' midfield. Adam's range of passing means he offers something none of Liverpool's other midfielders can provide. He is also thought of as a dead-ball specialist, which should help the Reds out in the offensive set-piece areas. Overall, a good quality signing.
Stewart Downing - now I admit I was, at first, a little underwhelmed by this signing. Sure, we needed a wide player or two, but I'd never really paid Downing much attention and thought of him as one-footed and a little bland. So far, it seems I may have been wrong. He has been a breath of fresh air at Anfield with some exciting performances on the wing. He has also demonstrated his eye for goal, and excellent crossing ability. I'm now convinced Downing is a player that Reds fans will continue to enjoy watching.
Jose Enrique - as I said above, Liverpool needed a left back. And of the names linked with the club, Enrique was the one I wanted. Quick and powerful, Enrique came into the side less than 48 hours after signing and looked like he'd been in the team for years. An excellent acquisition, particularly for the mooted £6m.
Sebastian Coates - something of an unknown quantity to many people, Coates is a young centre-half who comes with great potential. Standing at 6-foot-6, he is an imposing figure and was awarded the young player of the tournament at the recent Copa America, which he won alongside Luis Suarez with Uruguay. I suspect Coates will be eased into the side but the early indications are that he could be in for a successful stay on Merseyside.
Craig Bellamy - with David N'Gog gone to Bolton, a spot was opening up for another striker in the squad to provide backup, and options. Enter Bellamy, returning to Anfield 4 years after departing. Bellamy provides pace and ability, and coming off the bench could make an impact on a game that needs change. I am happy with Bellamy coming in, since he obviously wants to play for the club and accepts he will not be first choice.
THE OUTS
It was important for Liverpool to move a lot of players on this summer. A total of 21 players left Anfield - some of them youth players, but many names were the ones that fans would have hand-picked to be moved on if they could.
Christian Poulsen - the veteran Danish international has had a torrid time on Merseyside; and many fans were against his signing to start with. It was apparent that Dalglish did not have plans for Poulsen so it is best for all parties that he move. To his credit, Poulsen never complained or kicked up a fuss. He tried his best, but unfortunately that wasn't good enough.
Joe Cole - the England midfielder provided quite a conundrum for Dalglish and the owners FSG. Certainly last summer's marquee signing, Cole's Anfield career was somewhat less than spectacular. Not helped by injuries and suspensions, Joe Cole just couldn't get started. Even when he did play he failed to light up the field. Moving him on, therefore, became a priority. It was also a problem due to his high wage figure. In the end, French champions LOSC Lille took him on loan. I applaud Cole's willingness to ply his trade on the continent, since too many English players are reluctant to leave their comfort zone, and for me it shows that the man is serious about getting his career back on track. I wish him the best of luck.
David N'Gog - much criticised by many in and out of Liverpool, the young Frenchman signed for Bolton Wanderers after struggling to force his way into Kenny Dalglish's plans. Personally I liked N'Gog and thought some criticism was harsh considering he never had much of a run in the side, but when he did he scored goals. But he is of the age where he needs games to develop, and we could not offer him that at Anfield.
Alberto Aquilani - where to start with AA? The whole situation has been a mess since we signed him. He was injured, and ended up being out for longer than we thought. Then he struggled to get in the side, and after he did he looked quite the part. Then, inexcplicably, he was loaned to Juventus for a season, where he performed well but the new Juve boss Bruno Conte opted for the veteran Andrea Pirlo instead of purchasing Aquilani. And all along the summer nobody quite knew whether he would stay at Liverpool or not. Finally we confirmed a loan-to-buy deal with Serie A champions AC Milan, and this *should* spell the end of this whole saga. And I for one am thankful. Aquilani is a quality midfielder, but it was beginning to get a bit ridiculous and it needed a resolution for the benefit of all concerned.
Philipp Degen, Nabil El Zhar, Soto Kygriakos, Milan Jovanovic, Emiliano Insua & Paul Konchesky - I won't waste a paragraph on each of these. Suffice to say that all of these players were never going to have much of a season, if any, this year and it was necessary to move them on. I'm just surprised we managed to lose them all!
Raul Meireles - this, for me, was the one black spot on the window. Primarily for the way it happened, so late, and because it was Chelsea. I accept that Meireles' chances might have been limited this season, particularly with Steven Gerrard returning, but I had come around to thinking that he made an excellent squad player. It is unfortunate but I think the signings of Henderson and Adam indicates that we were always prepared for this to happen.
OVERALL
This transfer window has seen some excellent work from Liverpool, and may be the best business we've done in many many years, considering both ins and outs. The squad looks healthy, with plenty of competition for places, and hopefully this allows Dalglish's men to continue their progress by qualifying for the Champions League. It is an interesting time for Reds fans.
THE INS
Right then - the signings. Liverpool went into the summer needing to strengthen several positions. Prime amongst these were wide midfield and left back. Secondary positions were centre-half and striker. So how did we do?
Jordan Henderson - something of a surprise at first, the England U21 star has clearly been purchased for the long-term. His versatility means he will make plenty of appearances, and he is showing a lot of promise already with some composed performances.
Charlie Adam - surprising nobody given the activity in January, Charlie Adam was signed from Blackpool and has slotted instantly into the Reds' midfield. Adam's range of passing means he offers something none of Liverpool's other midfielders can provide. He is also thought of as a dead-ball specialist, which should help the Reds out in the offensive set-piece areas. Overall, a good quality signing.
Stewart Downing - now I admit I was, at first, a little underwhelmed by this signing. Sure, we needed a wide player or two, but I'd never really paid Downing much attention and thought of him as one-footed and a little bland. So far, it seems I may have been wrong. He has been a breath of fresh air at Anfield with some exciting performances on the wing. He has also demonstrated his eye for goal, and excellent crossing ability. I'm now convinced Downing is a player that Reds fans will continue to enjoy watching.
Jose Enrique - as I said above, Liverpool needed a left back. And of the names linked with the club, Enrique was the one I wanted. Quick and powerful, Enrique came into the side less than 48 hours after signing and looked like he'd been in the team for years. An excellent acquisition, particularly for the mooted £6m.
Sebastian Coates - something of an unknown quantity to many people, Coates is a young centre-half who comes with great potential. Standing at 6-foot-6, he is an imposing figure and was awarded the young player of the tournament at the recent Copa America, which he won alongside Luis Suarez with Uruguay. I suspect Coates will be eased into the side but the early indications are that he could be in for a successful stay on Merseyside.
Craig Bellamy - with David N'Gog gone to Bolton, a spot was opening up for another striker in the squad to provide backup, and options. Enter Bellamy, returning to Anfield 4 years after departing. Bellamy provides pace and ability, and coming off the bench could make an impact on a game that needs change. I am happy with Bellamy coming in, since he obviously wants to play for the club and accepts he will not be first choice.
THE OUTS
It was important for Liverpool to move a lot of players on this summer. A total of 21 players left Anfield - some of them youth players, but many names were the ones that fans would have hand-picked to be moved on if they could.
Christian Poulsen - the veteran Danish international has had a torrid time on Merseyside; and many fans were against his signing to start with. It was apparent that Dalglish did not have plans for Poulsen so it is best for all parties that he move. To his credit, Poulsen never complained or kicked up a fuss. He tried his best, but unfortunately that wasn't good enough.
Joe Cole - the England midfielder provided quite a conundrum for Dalglish and the owners FSG. Certainly last summer's marquee signing, Cole's Anfield career was somewhat less than spectacular. Not helped by injuries and suspensions, Joe Cole just couldn't get started. Even when he did play he failed to light up the field. Moving him on, therefore, became a priority. It was also a problem due to his high wage figure. In the end, French champions LOSC Lille took him on loan. I applaud Cole's willingness to ply his trade on the continent, since too many English players are reluctant to leave their comfort zone, and for me it shows that the man is serious about getting his career back on track. I wish him the best of luck.
David N'Gog - much criticised by many in and out of Liverpool, the young Frenchman signed for Bolton Wanderers after struggling to force his way into Kenny Dalglish's plans. Personally I liked N'Gog and thought some criticism was harsh considering he never had much of a run in the side, but when he did he scored goals. But he is of the age where he needs games to develop, and we could not offer him that at Anfield.
Alberto Aquilani - where to start with AA? The whole situation has been a mess since we signed him. He was injured, and ended up being out for longer than we thought. Then he struggled to get in the side, and after he did he looked quite the part. Then, inexcplicably, he was loaned to Juventus for a season, where he performed well but the new Juve boss Bruno Conte opted for the veteran Andrea Pirlo instead of purchasing Aquilani. And all along the summer nobody quite knew whether he would stay at Liverpool or not. Finally we confirmed a loan-to-buy deal with Serie A champions AC Milan, and this *should* spell the end of this whole saga. And I for one am thankful. Aquilani is a quality midfielder, but it was beginning to get a bit ridiculous and it needed a resolution for the benefit of all concerned.
Philipp Degen, Nabil El Zhar, Soto Kygriakos, Milan Jovanovic, Emiliano Insua & Paul Konchesky - I won't waste a paragraph on each of these. Suffice to say that all of these players were never going to have much of a season, if any, this year and it was necessary to move them on. I'm just surprised we managed to lose them all!
Raul Meireles - this, for me, was the one black spot on the window. Primarily for the way it happened, so late, and because it was Chelsea. I accept that Meireles' chances might have been limited this season, particularly with Steven Gerrard returning, but I had come around to thinking that he made an excellent squad player. It is unfortunate but I think the signings of Henderson and Adam indicates that we were always prepared for this to happen.
OVERALL
This transfer window has seen some excellent work from Liverpool, and may be the best business we've done in many many years, considering both ins and outs. The squad looks healthy, with plenty of competition for places, and hopefully this allows Dalglish's men to continue their progress by qualifying for the Champions League. It is an interesting time for Reds fans.
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Arsenal - showing progress...or empty promises?
"There's something wrong with the world today,
I don't know what it is,
Something's wrong with our eyes"
The opening lyrics to Aerosmith's "Livin on the Edge" could have applied to Arsenal going into their Champions League qualifier second leg in Udine. They were, in theory, living on the edge - elimination from Europe's elite competition so early would have not only resulted in a loss of revenue, but may also have been the start of a vicious downward spiral for the Gunners.
But was there "something wrong with our eyes"? Given the lack of recognised first-teamers in the lineup, and the relative youth of the team, Arsenal ended up producing a very mature display to come away 2-1 winners on the night (3-1 on aggregate). And this after Antonio Di Natale, Italy's most prolific striker for 2 consecutive seasons, had put the hosts ahead in the first half. Had Arsenal been underestimated, not just by their opposition but by the press and football fans in their own country?
Of course it could have been so different. Gunners 'keeper Wojciech Szczesny made a brilliant save to deny Di Natale from the penalty spot, which would have put the Italians 2-1 up on the night, and needing just the one goal to go through. However, imperious performances from Szczesny, Walcott and Gervinho helped Arsenal secure the vital win.
But what does this mean for Arsene Wenger and his club? For a start, now that they are guaranteed Champions League football at least until Christmas (and probably beyond given how much of a farce the group stages are these days) they can start attracting players who may have been delaying a decision until this tie had been settled.
The big question of course is will Wenger spend, and bring in players to replace the departed Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri? He loves to promote from within of course, and even hinted that this might continue - although that was before the Udinese game and may have been a face-saving comment should the worst have happened. Really Arsenal should be using this victory to propel themselves forward and not let themselves slip back into their routine of the last few years - i.e. not being quite good enough.
They've been here before, actually. They've had some magnificent and inspirational results in Europe over the last few years - for example their 2-0 victory in the San Siro against AC Milan in 2008. Many claimed Arsenal had "come of age" that night. Yet of the starting XI then, only one player (Sagna) started the game against Udinese. Incredibly, eight of the eleven players have left the club. In the wake of this Udinese victory, I have heard several comments from Arsenal supporters that ring eerily familiar to those we heard three years ago.
This result in Udine was a very good and important one for Arsenal; but there is a huge element of caution that I would offer to Gunners fans. If Wenger continues with his policy of the last few years as regards player transfers, then this result will just rank alongside the victory over Milan as yet another false dawn.
I don't know what it is,
Something's wrong with our eyes"
The opening lyrics to Aerosmith's "Livin on the Edge" could have applied to Arsenal going into their Champions League qualifier second leg in Udine. They were, in theory, living on the edge - elimination from Europe's elite competition so early would have not only resulted in a loss of revenue, but may also have been the start of a vicious downward spiral for the Gunners.
But was there "something wrong with our eyes"? Given the lack of recognised first-teamers in the lineup, and the relative youth of the team, Arsenal ended up producing a very mature display to come away 2-1 winners on the night (3-1 on aggregate). And this after Antonio Di Natale, Italy's most prolific striker for 2 consecutive seasons, had put the hosts ahead in the first half. Had Arsenal been underestimated, not just by their opposition but by the press and football fans in their own country?
Of course it could have been so different. Gunners 'keeper Wojciech Szczesny made a brilliant save to deny Di Natale from the penalty spot, which would have put the Italians 2-1 up on the night, and needing just the one goal to go through. However, imperious performances from Szczesny, Walcott and Gervinho helped Arsenal secure the vital win.
But what does this mean for Arsene Wenger and his club? For a start, now that they are guaranteed Champions League football at least until Christmas (and probably beyond given how much of a farce the group stages are these days) they can start attracting players who may have been delaying a decision until this tie had been settled.
The big question of course is will Wenger spend, and bring in players to replace the departed Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri? He loves to promote from within of course, and even hinted that this might continue - although that was before the Udinese game and may have been a face-saving comment should the worst have happened. Really Arsenal should be using this victory to propel themselves forward and not let themselves slip back into their routine of the last few years - i.e. not being quite good enough.
They've been here before, actually. They've had some magnificent and inspirational results in Europe over the last few years - for example their 2-0 victory in the San Siro against AC Milan in 2008. Many claimed Arsenal had "come of age" that night. Yet of the starting XI then, only one player (Sagna) started the game against Udinese. Incredibly, eight of the eleven players have left the club. In the wake of this Udinese victory, I have heard several comments from Arsenal supporters that ring eerily familiar to those we heard three years ago.
This result in Udine was a very good and important one for Arsenal; but there is a huge element of caution that I would offer to Gunners fans. If Wenger continues with his policy of the last few years as regards player transfers, then this result will just rank alongside the victory over Milan as yet another false dawn.
Saturday, 13 August 2011
Premier League 2011-12 Season - Best of the Rest
Okay, so having looked at the title contenders and the relegation candidates, what of the rest of the Premier League? Here are my opinions on several other teams this season, and what they can expect:
Fulham
The resignation of Mark Hughes from Craven Cottage in June was a surprising one, but Fulham have not rested on their laurels. They appointed former Spurs boss Martin Jol, who brings with him a wealth of experience from around Europe having recently managed Hamburg and Ajax. The Cottagers have managed to hold on to players such as Brede Hangeland, Clint Dempsey and Bobby Zamora, as well as bringing in several players including ex-Liverpool and Roma full-back John Arne Riise. I anticipate that Fulham will surprise many people this season and finish in the top eight.
Stoke City
Tony Pulis' Potters are something of a success story for promoted teams. Not really given a chance by many upon their promotion to the top flight, Stoke have gone from strength to strength. They now find themselves competing in the Europa League thanks to an FA Cup Final appearance last season. Their signings are ambitious too, having bolstered their defence with the arrival of Matthew Upson and Jonathan Woodgate, who both have points to prove for different reasons. They may yet sign Wilson Palacios and Peter Crouch from Tottenham. I believe Stoke will easily finish in the top 10 this season, or maybe even higher.
Arsenal
The Gunners' problems have been well documented of late, so I won't dwell on them. If, as expected, they lose Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri then the main question is can they replace them? A deal for Valencia's talented playmaker Juan Mata appears to be dead, and they do not yet have a guaranteed place in the Champions League group stage having been handed a tricky qualifier against Italian outfit Udinese. Many times in the past I have written Arsenal off for a top 4 finish, and time & again they have proven me wrong. I really do fear for them this time though.
Tottenham Hotspur
Right, here's an opinion you won't hear in many media outlets - Harry Redknapp messed up last season. With the squad that Tottenham had, finishing outside the top 4 and failing to present the title challenge their manager suggested they could, was disappointing for them. They've gone backwards. With their best player, Luka Modric, wanting out and their other stars of last year, Rafa Van Der Vaart and Gareth Bale primarily, dropping out of form, I don't see Spurs kicking on this season either. And a second successive season outside the top 4 will see their pulling power wane, and further stars wanting to leave. I feel that, without drastic change, this season will be the start of Spurs' inevitable downward cycle.
Final League Table prediction:
Fulham
The resignation of Mark Hughes from Craven Cottage in June was a surprising one, but Fulham have not rested on their laurels. They appointed former Spurs boss Martin Jol, who brings with him a wealth of experience from around Europe having recently managed Hamburg and Ajax. The Cottagers have managed to hold on to players such as Brede Hangeland, Clint Dempsey and Bobby Zamora, as well as bringing in several players including ex-Liverpool and Roma full-back John Arne Riise. I anticipate that Fulham will surprise many people this season and finish in the top eight.
Stoke City
Tony Pulis' Potters are something of a success story for promoted teams. Not really given a chance by many upon their promotion to the top flight, Stoke have gone from strength to strength. They now find themselves competing in the Europa League thanks to an FA Cup Final appearance last season. Their signings are ambitious too, having bolstered their defence with the arrival of Matthew Upson and Jonathan Woodgate, who both have points to prove for different reasons. They may yet sign Wilson Palacios and Peter Crouch from Tottenham. I believe Stoke will easily finish in the top 10 this season, or maybe even higher.
Arsenal
The Gunners' problems have been well documented of late, so I won't dwell on them. If, as expected, they lose Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri then the main question is can they replace them? A deal for Valencia's talented playmaker Juan Mata appears to be dead, and they do not yet have a guaranteed place in the Champions League group stage having been handed a tricky qualifier against Italian outfit Udinese. Many times in the past I have written Arsenal off for a top 4 finish, and time & again they have proven me wrong. I really do fear for them this time though.
Tottenham Hotspur
Right, here's an opinion you won't hear in many media outlets - Harry Redknapp messed up last season. With the squad that Tottenham had, finishing outside the top 4 and failing to present the title challenge their manager suggested they could, was disappointing for them. They've gone backwards. With their best player, Luka Modric, wanting out and their other stars of last year, Rafa Van Der Vaart and Gareth Bale primarily, dropping out of form, I don't see Spurs kicking on this season either. And a second successive season outside the top 4 will see their pulling power wane, and further stars wanting to leave. I feel that, without drastic change, this season will be the start of Spurs' inevitable downward cycle.
Final League Table prediction:
- Manchester United
- Manchester City
- Chelsea
- Liverpool
- Arsenal
- Tottenham Hotspur
- Bolton Wanderers
- Fulham
- Stoke City
- Everton
- Sunderland
- West Bromwich Albion
- Newcastle United
- Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Aston Villa
- Blackburn Rovers
- QPR
- Wigan Athletic
- Norwich City
- Swansea City
Premier League 2011-12 Season - Battle for Survival
This season the Premier League welcomes back Norwich City and Queen's Park Rangers, whilst it also for the first time will see a Welsh side compete in it - Swansea City. For all three clubs, simply avoiding relegation would constitute a successful season this time around. So, what are their chances? And who from the current crop of league teams will they be competing against?
Swansea City - The Swans defeated Reading in a thrilling Championship playoff final to earn the right to play in the Premier League for the very first time. The team that comes up via the playoffs is usually a favourite for immediate relegation; indeed of the last five to win promotion this way, only one survived their first season in the Premier League. That was Hull, who were relegated in their second year.
Rodgers has brought in a couple of Premier League journeymen in Wayne Routledge and Leroy Lita in the hope that they will provide the experience the Swans otherwise lack. They did, though, lose Darren Pratley to Bolton. Though Swansea play good football, and it has been proven that this approach can work in the Premier League even for lower-table teams, I do not expect them to still be in the league in 12 months' time.
Norwich City - Norwich's great advantage is their good upcoming young manager, Paul Lambert. He got the job after hammering Norwich 7-1 with his Colchester team on the opening day of the 2009/10 League One season, and hasn't looked back since. Successive promotions has seen him lead the Canaries into the Premier League, and it could be argued this form will serve them well.
Norwich have been trying to bolster their defence with loan signing Richie De Laet from Manchester United, and have tabled a bid for promising youngster Daniel Ayala from Liverpool. Although these signings should help them out, I feel Norwich's lack of experienced Premier League players will eventually show and they will drop from the league late on, perhaps in the last week or two of fixtures.
Queen's Park Rangers - Huge financial backing, and a very experienced manager in Neil Warnock, has allowed the Hoops to return to the top flight for the first time since 1996. Warnock, though, has always struggled with the demands of the Premier League and now that QPR are there, you can be certain that their owners will demand that they stay there. Over the summer there were rumblings that they wanted Warnock replaced with someone who has been proven at this level. Don't be surprised if Warnock is shown the door should things start to look grim.
Jay Bothroyd and DJ Campbell have been brought in to score the goals, and they still have their talented playmaker Adel Taarabt, although he himself failed to make an impression last time he plied his trade at this level. Come January though, QPR will find they have the money to attract players should it become necessary. I expect that Loftus Road will be hosting Premier League football again in 2012/13.
Other sides in danger - I'm picking three other Premier League teams to struggle this season: Wigan Athletic, Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa.
Wigan have flirted with relegation ever since arriving into the league, and somehow always survived in spite of selling their better players time and again. Though, at this time, they still have their primary goal threat in Hugo Rodellega, they have sold Charles N'Zogbia to Villa (more on them shortly), and they are still wildly unpredictable week-to-week and prone to bouts of shipping bags of goals. This is never good and I feel that this season the Latics' number might finally be up.
Blackburn Rovers were, in many respects, lucky to avoid relegation last season. The baffling decision to replace Sam Allardyce with Steve Kean probably should have backfired, and only a last-day win at Wolves ensured their safety - and that of Kean's job. They have signed David Goodwillie, who showed great promise in Scotland but recent history suggests that this does not necessarily translate to Premier League success. My prediction? Blackburn will survive, but Steve Kean will not.
Finally, Aston Villa. Let's get one thing straight - Alex McLeish is not in danger of being sacked any time soon. The board knew that his appointment from Birmingham would be a controversial one and I expect them to give him their full support for as long as possible. But the loss of arguably their best two players last year, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young, and a failure to bring in a proven goalscorer may hurt them badly. They have done well to replace outgoing Brad Friedel with Shay Given, but this will only serve to save them a few points here and there. N'Zogbia is a good player on the wing, but who does he provide for? I think Villa will survive, but it will be a long and difficult season for the Villa Park faithful.
Bottom six prediction:
15. Aston Villa
16. Blackburn Rovers
17. QPR
18. Wigan Athletic
19. Norwich City
20. Swansea City
Swansea City - The Swans defeated Reading in a thrilling Championship playoff final to earn the right to play in the Premier League for the very first time. The team that comes up via the playoffs is usually a favourite for immediate relegation; indeed of the last five to win promotion this way, only one survived their first season in the Premier League. That was Hull, who were relegated in their second year.
Rodgers has brought in a couple of Premier League journeymen in Wayne Routledge and Leroy Lita in the hope that they will provide the experience the Swans otherwise lack. They did, though, lose Darren Pratley to Bolton. Though Swansea play good football, and it has been proven that this approach can work in the Premier League even for lower-table teams, I do not expect them to still be in the league in 12 months' time.
Norwich City - Norwich's great advantage is their good upcoming young manager, Paul Lambert. He got the job after hammering Norwich 7-1 with his Colchester team on the opening day of the 2009/10 League One season, and hasn't looked back since. Successive promotions has seen him lead the Canaries into the Premier League, and it could be argued this form will serve them well.
Norwich have been trying to bolster their defence with loan signing Richie De Laet from Manchester United, and have tabled a bid for promising youngster Daniel Ayala from Liverpool. Although these signings should help them out, I feel Norwich's lack of experienced Premier League players will eventually show and they will drop from the league late on, perhaps in the last week or two of fixtures.
Queen's Park Rangers - Huge financial backing, and a very experienced manager in Neil Warnock, has allowed the Hoops to return to the top flight for the first time since 1996. Warnock, though, has always struggled with the demands of the Premier League and now that QPR are there, you can be certain that their owners will demand that they stay there. Over the summer there were rumblings that they wanted Warnock replaced with someone who has been proven at this level. Don't be surprised if Warnock is shown the door should things start to look grim.
Jay Bothroyd and DJ Campbell have been brought in to score the goals, and they still have their talented playmaker Adel Taarabt, although he himself failed to make an impression last time he plied his trade at this level. Come January though, QPR will find they have the money to attract players should it become necessary. I expect that Loftus Road will be hosting Premier League football again in 2012/13.
Other sides in danger - I'm picking three other Premier League teams to struggle this season: Wigan Athletic, Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa.
Wigan have flirted with relegation ever since arriving into the league, and somehow always survived in spite of selling their better players time and again. Though, at this time, they still have their primary goal threat in Hugo Rodellega, they have sold Charles N'Zogbia to Villa (more on them shortly), and they are still wildly unpredictable week-to-week and prone to bouts of shipping bags of goals. This is never good and I feel that this season the Latics' number might finally be up.
Blackburn Rovers were, in many respects, lucky to avoid relegation last season. The baffling decision to replace Sam Allardyce with Steve Kean probably should have backfired, and only a last-day win at Wolves ensured their safety - and that of Kean's job. They have signed David Goodwillie, who showed great promise in Scotland but recent history suggests that this does not necessarily translate to Premier League success. My prediction? Blackburn will survive, but Steve Kean will not.
Finally, Aston Villa. Let's get one thing straight - Alex McLeish is not in danger of being sacked any time soon. The board knew that his appointment from Birmingham would be a controversial one and I expect them to give him their full support for as long as possible. But the loss of arguably their best two players last year, Stewart Downing and Ashley Young, and a failure to bring in a proven goalscorer may hurt them badly. They have done well to replace outgoing Brad Friedel with Shay Given, but this will only serve to save them a few points here and there. N'Zogbia is a good player on the wing, but who does he provide for? I think Villa will survive, but it will be a long and difficult season for the Villa Park faithful.
Bottom six prediction:
15. Aston Villa
16. Blackburn Rovers
17. QPR
18. Wigan Athletic
19. Norwich City
20. Swansea City
Friday, 12 August 2011
Premier League 2011-12 Season - Title Contenders
With only a few hours to go before the new Premier League season kicks off, I thought I should take the time to write down a few random musings and predictions. In separate blogs I'll look at the top 4 contenders, surprise packages and who will be scrapping against relegation. I'll not analyse transfers too much at this stage, since that will be a separate blog when the window closes.
The Title
Right, let's get straight to it. Realistically I see three teams - Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs - competing for the title this season, with my very own Liverpool somewhat of an outsider. So how do they shape up?
Liverpool - much as I would like to say otherwise, the Reds are not really cut out for a title tilt this season. One main reason for this is that they have brought in several new players, many of whom will expect to play a lot of games, and it might take time for the team to click. Another major factor is the lack of title-winning experience in the side; which is something you can rely on when other things go against you.
Manchester City - I wrote a blog on the Citizens last week asking about their title aspirations. Since then I have seen them blow a 2-0 lead to their city rivals in the Community Shield, and some of Mancini's old habits reared their ugly heads. That is, he replaced several attack-minded players with defensive ones and did not go for the win, even in such a game as this. I fear, from a City perspective, that he will be unable to get out of old habits and this will be to City's detriment as they fail to win games they easily could have.
Chelsea - The Blues' major signing this summer was the manager, Andre Villas-Boas. A man who accomplished incredible things with FC Porto last season, and who has spent his career learning from the likes of Sir Bobby Robson and Jose Mourinho, "AVB" brings a fresh tactical approach to Stamford Bridge. But what of the tools at his disposal? Lampard, Terry, Anelka and Drogba are ageing, Essien is injured (and isn't the player he was), Ramires is taking longer to adjust than he should, Cech still hasn't recovered his best form, and Torres is looking dangerously like a superstar past his peak already. If Chelsea stick with Villas-Boas in the long term I am confident he will rejuvenate them into a trophy-winning side. But that will not be this season.
Manchester United - The defending champions remain the team to beat. Some say that their title-winning squad last season was poor; but that doesn't wash with me because it is of course all relative. You don't need a truly great team to win the title, you just need to be better than everyone else that year. Of course they have lost Van Der Sar and Scholes, and not replaced them like-for-like with quality, but the champions have retained their real MVP - the manager. Sir Alex Ferguson knows how to win; it could be said he knows little else. And with some interesting young signings, he looks to be on his way to building yet another title-winning team.
Conclusion
I would expect the race to look reasonably close for the majority of the season - given Manchester United's opening fixtures it is feasible they could be off the pace going into October. In the end though, their title-winning know-how will show through and I'd expect them to finish a good four to six points clear of Manchester City.
Top 4 prediction:
1. Manchester United
2. Manchester City
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
Next up.....a look at the relegation candidates.
The Title
Right, let's get straight to it. Realistically I see three teams - Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs - competing for the title this season, with my very own Liverpool somewhat of an outsider. So how do they shape up?
Liverpool - much as I would like to say otherwise, the Reds are not really cut out for a title tilt this season. One main reason for this is that they have brought in several new players, many of whom will expect to play a lot of games, and it might take time for the team to click. Another major factor is the lack of title-winning experience in the side; which is something you can rely on when other things go against you.
Manchester City - I wrote a blog on the Citizens last week asking about their title aspirations. Since then I have seen them blow a 2-0 lead to their city rivals in the Community Shield, and some of Mancini's old habits reared their ugly heads. That is, he replaced several attack-minded players with defensive ones and did not go for the win, even in such a game as this. I fear, from a City perspective, that he will be unable to get out of old habits and this will be to City's detriment as they fail to win games they easily could have.
Chelsea - The Blues' major signing this summer was the manager, Andre Villas-Boas. A man who accomplished incredible things with FC Porto last season, and who has spent his career learning from the likes of Sir Bobby Robson and Jose Mourinho, "AVB" brings a fresh tactical approach to Stamford Bridge. But what of the tools at his disposal? Lampard, Terry, Anelka and Drogba are ageing, Essien is injured (and isn't the player he was), Ramires is taking longer to adjust than he should, Cech still hasn't recovered his best form, and Torres is looking dangerously like a superstar past his peak already. If Chelsea stick with Villas-Boas in the long term I am confident he will rejuvenate them into a trophy-winning side. But that will not be this season.
Manchester United - The defending champions remain the team to beat. Some say that their title-winning squad last season was poor; but that doesn't wash with me because it is of course all relative. You don't need a truly great team to win the title, you just need to be better than everyone else that year. Of course they have lost Van Der Sar and Scholes, and not replaced them like-for-like with quality, but the champions have retained their real MVP - the manager. Sir Alex Ferguson knows how to win; it could be said he knows little else. And with some interesting young signings, he looks to be on his way to building yet another title-winning team.
Conclusion
I would expect the race to look reasonably close for the majority of the season - given Manchester United's opening fixtures it is feasible they could be off the pace going into October. In the end though, their title-winning know-how will show through and I'd expect them to finish a good four to six points clear of Manchester City.
Top 4 prediction:
1. Manchester United
2. Manchester City
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
Next up.....a look at the relegation candidates.
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Manchester City - title contenders?
I want to talk about that big sky blue elephant in the room.
There is no doubt that Manchester City, over the past two or three years, have become a massive talking point in English football. Their spending power has overshadowed everybody else in the league, including previous holders of the title "Moneybags FC", Chelsea. They almost overshadow every club in Europe. If it weren't for Real Madrid spending £140m on two players, they probably would have.
Whether you think such spending power is "good for the game" or whether you believe that the Citizens are trying to "buy success" is, by and large, irrelevant. The only question that needs answering is this: will they do it?
The Liverpool sides of the 70's & 80's and the Manchester United sides of the 90's & 00's achieved success through creating a dynasty. It starts with a league title or two, and then being able to use your success to create pulling power which enables you to buy top players. Manchester City, and Chelsea before them, did and do not have this luxury. They have therefore taken another approach.
Clearly Manchester City are also building something - but they have had to do it, more or less, without trophy success. A domestic cup win is all well and good, but consider that Portsmouth won that trophy recently and you realise that this alone will not attract the best players.
Last season, their aim was clear for all to see. Achieve a top 4 finish at all costs. A place in Europe's elite competition, the Champions League, was the next step in building the Manchester City dynasty. Narrowly missing out to Tottenham the season before, this time around they finished 3rd, only behind second-placed Chelsea on goal difference.
And, perhaps tellingly, that goal difference says a lot about how they went about things. Mancini employed a very cautious approach to a lot of games last season. None were more evident than their trip to the Emirates Stadium. This was an Arsenal side that was there for the taking, and there is no doubt that City could have beaten them if they'd tried. But they didn't. It seemed that Mancini was happy with a 0-0 result even before kick-off. If they nicked a goal on the break, great, but otherwise a point was the "safe" result.
Their midfield trio in many games consisted of Gareth Barry, Nigel De Jong and Yaya Toure. Whilst Barry & Toure are both capable of getting forward, all three are primarily defensive-minded players. And this set-up made City extremely difficult to beat. They ground their way to a 3rd-place finish, that probably would have been 4th but for the inexplicable, yet predictable, late-season collapse of Arsenal.
Make no mistake - this year should be different. If Mancini has designs on kicking on further in the league there is only one place to go: a title challenge. To do this, he must forsake his cautious approach.
No doubt Manchester City have the players. Any team that can boast the names of David Silva, Edin Dzeko, Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero, Adam Johnson and possibly Carlos Tevez must surely have the capability to go out and outscore any other team in the league.
But will they? Is Mancini capable of altering his mindset to the point that Manchester City are taken as seriously as their squad list suggests they should be? If he does, then the Premier League should consider itself put on warning - Manchester City mean business.
And if he doesn't I'm sure the men at the top will not hesitate to find a man who will.
My personal opinion is that the title will be one step too far this season. Another top 3 finish beckons, I think. Whether that is sufficient for the owners remains to be seen, but I feel that would depend on the manner of their season. If they grind their way to a Champions League place like last season they may lose patience. If they make a serious title bid but just fall short, then perhaps Mancini will be given another year.
There is no doubt that Manchester City, over the past two or three years, have become a massive talking point in English football. Their spending power has overshadowed everybody else in the league, including previous holders of the title "Moneybags FC", Chelsea. They almost overshadow every club in Europe. If it weren't for Real Madrid spending £140m on two players, they probably would have.
Whether you think such spending power is "good for the game" or whether you believe that the Citizens are trying to "buy success" is, by and large, irrelevant. The only question that needs answering is this: will they do it?
The Liverpool sides of the 70's & 80's and the Manchester United sides of the 90's & 00's achieved success through creating a dynasty. It starts with a league title or two, and then being able to use your success to create pulling power which enables you to buy top players. Manchester City, and Chelsea before them, did and do not have this luxury. They have therefore taken another approach.
Clearly Manchester City are also building something - but they have had to do it, more or less, without trophy success. A domestic cup win is all well and good, but consider that Portsmouth won that trophy recently and you realise that this alone will not attract the best players.
Last season, their aim was clear for all to see. Achieve a top 4 finish at all costs. A place in Europe's elite competition, the Champions League, was the next step in building the Manchester City dynasty. Narrowly missing out to Tottenham the season before, this time around they finished 3rd, only behind second-placed Chelsea on goal difference.
And, perhaps tellingly, that goal difference says a lot about how they went about things. Mancini employed a very cautious approach to a lot of games last season. None were more evident than their trip to the Emirates Stadium. This was an Arsenal side that was there for the taking, and there is no doubt that City could have beaten them if they'd tried. But they didn't. It seemed that Mancini was happy with a 0-0 result even before kick-off. If they nicked a goal on the break, great, but otherwise a point was the "safe" result.
Their midfield trio in many games consisted of Gareth Barry, Nigel De Jong and Yaya Toure. Whilst Barry & Toure are both capable of getting forward, all three are primarily defensive-minded players. And this set-up made City extremely difficult to beat. They ground their way to a 3rd-place finish, that probably would have been 4th but for the inexplicable, yet predictable, late-season collapse of Arsenal.
Make no mistake - this year should be different. If Mancini has designs on kicking on further in the league there is only one place to go: a title challenge. To do this, he must forsake his cautious approach.
No doubt Manchester City have the players. Any team that can boast the names of David Silva, Edin Dzeko, Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero, Adam Johnson and possibly Carlos Tevez must surely have the capability to go out and outscore any other team in the league.
But will they? Is Mancini capable of altering his mindset to the point that Manchester City are taken as seriously as their squad list suggests they should be? If he does, then the Premier League should consider itself put on warning - Manchester City mean business.
And if he doesn't I'm sure the men at the top will not hesitate to find a man who will.
My personal opinion is that the title will be one step too far this season. Another top 3 finish beckons, I think. Whether that is sufficient for the owners remains to be seen, but I feel that would depend on the manner of their season. If they grind their way to a Champions League place like last season they may lose patience. If they make a serious title bid but just fall short, then perhaps Mancini will be given another year.
Saturday, 23 July 2011
Is reducing away support necessary?
Recently, it was proposed that Liverpool Football Club may be reducing the number of allocated tickets to Manchester United supporters for their Premier League clash at Anfield on 15th October.
Supposedly the reasons for this relate to safety concerns - the issue of supporters consistently standing during the match rather than sitting down resulted in gangways being blocked and thereby preventing the match stewards doing their jobs.
Obviously, supporters standing during matches has been a sensitive issue in football, and in particular an emotional one at Liverpool, since the tragedy of Hillsborough and the subsequent Taylor Report which, amongst other things, recommended the removal of "terracing", the dedicated standing areas in football grounds.
And so, when supporters refuse to acknowledge this and choose to persistently stand during games, especially at Anfield, they are not only flagrantly ignoring the rules but also the reasons for such rules being there to start with.
If Manchester United supporters, and I do not for a moment wish to suggest they are alone in this, have been acting in such a way then it is only natural that a club such as Liverpool would recognise the potential danger and choose to act. Certainly it is not a unique situation, as such things have happened before - in particular Liverpool themselves have seen their away allocation reduced at Sunderland's Stadium of Light.
Is reducing the ticket allocation the answer? Removing one in three supporters should help ensure the safety of the others and allow the stewards to police them. Manchester United supporters might feel that they are being victimised, but they must understand and appreciate the historical significance. It is also understandable that this match in particular would be the worst affected, as it is still to this day the marquee match in the Premier League - a fierce rivalry with passionate support on both sides.
The main concern I have with this action is to ask "where does it stop?" If this action is taken in one or two unique circumstances, and that encourages other supporters to be (for want of a better term) "better behaved" then it could be viewed as a good thing.
The proposal could mean a lessened atmosphere however, and that benefits nobody. Football is a passionate game particularly in derby/rivalry games. By trying to remove this you remove part of what the game is and what it means to supporters.
Obviously I have not been privy to the decision-making process in this instance, but I would like to think that even two clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester United could work together to attempt to improve the situation without resorting to this. Liverpool could have voiced their concerns to their counterparts along the M62, and Manchester United could have spoken with supporters' unions.
So, although I can see the reasoning behind this course of action, I just hope that this doesn't become a wider-spread necessity in our game.
Supposedly the reasons for this relate to safety concerns - the issue of supporters consistently standing during the match rather than sitting down resulted in gangways being blocked and thereby preventing the match stewards doing their jobs.
Obviously, supporters standing during matches has been a sensitive issue in football, and in particular an emotional one at Liverpool, since the tragedy of Hillsborough and the subsequent Taylor Report which, amongst other things, recommended the removal of "terracing", the dedicated standing areas in football grounds.
And so, when supporters refuse to acknowledge this and choose to persistently stand during games, especially at Anfield, they are not only flagrantly ignoring the rules but also the reasons for such rules being there to start with.
If Manchester United supporters, and I do not for a moment wish to suggest they are alone in this, have been acting in such a way then it is only natural that a club such as Liverpool would recognise the potential danger and choose to act. Certainly it is not a unique situation, as such things have happened before - in particular Liverpool themselves have seen their away allocation reduced at Sunderland's Stadium of Light.
Is reducing the ticket allocation the answer? Removing one in three supporters should help ensure the safety of the others and allow the stewards to police them. Manchester United supporters might feel that they are being victimised, but they must understand and appreciate the historical significance. It is also understandable that this match in particular would be the worst affected, as it is still to this day the marquee match in the Premier League - a fierce rivalry with passionate support on both sides.
The main concern I have with this action is to ask "where does it stop?" If this action is taken in one or two unique circumstances, and that encourages other supporters to be (for want of a better term) "better behaved" then it could be viewed as a good thing.
The proposal could mean a lessened atmosphere however, and that benefits nobody. Football is a passionate game particularly in derby/rivalry games. By trying to remove this you remove part of what the game is and what it means to supporters.
Obviously I have not been privy to the decision-making process in this instance, but I would like to think that even two clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester United could work together to attempt to improve the situation without resorting to this. Liverpool could have voiced their concerns to their counterparts along the M62, and Manchester United could have spoken with supporters' unions.
So, although I can see the reasoning behind this course of action, I just hope that this doesn't become a wider-spread necessity in our game.
Sunday, 10 July 2011
The importance of pre-season
With many teams across the Football League beginning their pre-season yesterday, and Premier League teams beginning theirs this week, I thought I would take a few minutes to put down my thoughts on this annual ritual.
For many fans, pre-season is something to whet the appetite - it tells you "Hey, the football season's nearly here!" It gives the fans the opportunity for a sneak preview of how their team might perform in the upcoming season - showcasing new signings or, in some cases, new managers and their styles of play.
But a question often asked by many supporters is "How much do pre-season games matter?"
What they really mean by "games" is "results". How much attention can you pay to these games and what weight can you give to the overall performances and final scores? There are, generally, two schools of thought:
1 - It's All About Fitness
People with this perspective tend to brush aside any notion of winning pre-season games and to an extent don't pay much mind to the performances. They'll often say that the games are just extended training sessions and that they are designed to get the team's fitness levels up in time for the first game of the regular season. Therefore it doesn't matter whether you lose 2-0 to a side three divisions below you, or beat a decent European team 3-0. "It's all about fitness".
2 - It Helps Confidence
This approach to pre-season preaches that it is important for the team to get into a winning habit going into their first game. Fans with this attitude treat pre-season games almost as if they were league games - performances and results really do matter. Often they will use the games to pre-judge how new signings will fit in over the coming season.
But what is the truth of the importance of pre-season? There is no right and wrong, but my opinion is that it lies somewhere in-between the two.
The merits of point #1 above are plain to see. Running around cones on a training field is one thing, but really nothing can better prepare you for playing football than playing football. Might sound obvious but its true. On the other hand if it really was "just about fitness" then clubs would arrange in-house friendlies and save on travel expenses etc.
Thus, we must consider point #2. Often teams will arrange pre-season friendlies against vastly inferior opposition - often local sides. The benefits of this are two-fold. One, you get to help out a small local team by bringing a crowd to their ground. Two, you are likely to beat them by a decent margin and thus get your players into the "winning habit" described above.
Obviously many of the larger Premier League teams dispense with this in favour of overseas tours and marquee opponents, but that's largely because they have the resources to. And that leads me to another point. Games such as these are also good from a commercial aspect - they help get your club name exposure in foreign markets as well as giving fans in those areas the opportunity to attend a live game.
The drawback to placing too much weight on point #2 is that you can end up with false expectations. New signings can sometimes take time to settle in, and if you judge them too much on their 20-minute run out against a side from Thailand then you are in danger of forming a biased opinion. Additionally, the manager might experiment with new formations or strategies, and if he feels they don't work as he'd hoped then they could well be binned before the season starts; therefore the performances in pre-season may not be a good reflection of how the team will approach competitive games. If such experimentation costs you the result in a friendly game you've lost nothing but learned much.
Conclusions
In closing then, you can see that both points of view raise valid arguments. Neither can claim to be 100% accurate though. Yes, it is about getting teams fit and playing games but you'd also choose to win all of your games if you could. When I watch a pre-season game I don't have any expectations about the result but I'd be lying if I said losing them didn't disappoint me a little.
However, I do know that the most important thing is that when the whistle blows to kick off the league season, the club staff have done all they can in the preceding month or so to prepare the players efficiently.
'til next time
Adam
For many fans, pre-season is something to whet the appetite - it tells you "Hey, the football season's nearly here!" It gives the fans the opportunity for a sneak preview of how their team might perform in the upcoming season - showcasing new signings or, in some cases, new managers and their styles of play.
But a question often asked by many supporters is "How much do pre-season games matter?"
What they really mean by "games" is "results". How much attention can you pay to these games and what weight can you give to the overall performances and final scores? There are, generally, two schools of thought:
1 - It's All About Fitness
People with this perspective tend to brush aside any notion of winning pre-season games and to an extent don't pay much mind to the performances. They'll often say that the games are just extended training sessions and that they are designed to get the team's fitness levels up in time for the first game of the regular season. Therefore it doesn't matter whether you lose 2-0 to a side three divisions below you, or beat a decent European team 3-0. "It's all about fitness".
2 - It Helps Confidence
This approach to pre-season preaches that it is important for the team to get into a winning habit going into their first game. Fans with this attitude treat pre-season games almost as if they were league games - performances and results really do matter. Often they will use the games to pre-judge how new signings will fit in over the coming season.
But what is the truth of the importance of pre-season? There is no right and wrong, but my opinion is that it lies somewhere in-between the two.
The merits of point #1 above are plain to see. Running around cones on a training field is one thing, but really nothing can better prepare you for playing football than playing football. Might sound obvious but its true. On the other hand if it really was "just about fitness" then clubs would arrange in-house friendlies and save on travel expenses etc.
Thus, we must consider point #2. Often teams will arrange pre-season friendlies against vastly inferior opposition - often local sides. The benefits of this are two-fold. One, you get to help out a small local team by bringing a crowd to their ground. Two, you are likely to beat them by a decent margin and thus get your players into the "winning habit" described above.
Obviously many of the larger Premier League teams dispense with this in favour of overseas tours and marquee opponents, but that's largely because they have the resources to. And that leads me to another point. Games such as these are also good from a commercial aspect - they help get your club name exposure in foreign markets as well as giving fans in those areas the opportunity to attend a live game.
The drawback to placing too much weight on point #2 is that you can end up with false expectations. New signings can sometimes take time to settle in, and if you judge them too much on their 20-minute run out against a side from Thailand then you are in danger of forming a biased opinion. Additionally, the manager might experiment with new formations or strategies, and if he feels they don't work as he'd hoped then they could well be binned before the season starts; therefore the performances in pre-season may not be a good reflection of how the team will approach competitive games. If such experimentation costs you the result in a friendly game you've lost nothing but learned much.
Conclusions
In closing then, you can see that both points of view raise valid arguments. Neither can claim to be 100% accurate though. Yes, it is about getting teams fit and playing games but you'd also choose to win all of your games if you could. When I watch a pre-season game I don't have any expectations about the result but I'd be lying if I said losing them didn't disappoint me a little.
However, I do know that the most important thing is that when the whistle blows to kick off the league season, the club staff have done all they can in the preceding month or so to prepare the players efficiently.
'til next time
Adam
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Blog revived!
I've finally decided to revive this thing after 2 years away! I intend to keep more on top of things from now on, and I will be posting regular updates to this blog during the course of the 2011-12 season.
As a Liverpool supporter I may be focused more on the Reds' activities than other clubs but I will certainly be posting about the major discussion points in football, and offering my alternate perspective on anything that catches my attention.
Expect the first new post within the next week or so.
Cheers
Adam
As a Liverpool supporter I may be focused more on the Reds' activities than other clubs but I will certainly be posting about the major discussion points in football, and offering my alternate perspective on anything that catches my attention.
Expect the first new post within the next week or so.
Cheers
Adam
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