Name: Juan Manuel Iturbe
DOB: June 4, 1993
Nationality: Argentina
Position: Attacking Midfielder (Left, Centre), Secondary Striker
Interested Clubs: Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Napoli, Roma, Genoa, FC Porto
Juan Manuel Iturbe was originally born in Argentina, yet moved to Paraguay with his parents at a young age and joined the Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno on non-contract terms as a 16 year old, where he made eleven appearances in the Paraguayan Primera División. His prodigious talent was discovered soon after, and subsequently earned him an apparent free transfer to Quilmes in August 2010, with the player appearing on the club website.
Porto FC officials confirmed that the club had reached an agreement with Iturbe’s former club Cerro Porteno, estimated at around €1.5m, and announced that they will be meeting with the player in order to agree personal terms. The confusion surrounds the transfer of Iturbe to Quilmes. As the player was 17 years old, he was not eligible for a professional contract with Porteno, and allegedly signed for Quilmes and has been training with the club since. Porteno allege that the club still holds Iturbe’s player registration and, as such, are free to negotiate his transfer.
While an air of mystery surrounds the finer details of the transfer, Iturbe himself has been impressing for Argentina’s U20s at the South America Under-20 Championships. During the Summer, Iturbe’s technical ability was recognised and he was selected as part of the nation’s ‘Sparring Squad’, an ensemble of the most promising youngsters who trained with the senior side in South Africa.
Iturbe is accepted to have been hugely impressive, earning him a berth within the U20 side and is a player widely expected to walk in the footsteps of Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria by representing Argentina at the London Olympics in 2012.
Iturbe has been likened to Lionel Messi, small and slight of build at just 5’6, he boasts supreme ball control and his low centre of gravity allows him great speed and balance as he looks to run at his man. Although earning himself a reputation as an attacking midfielder at Cerro Porteno, Iturbe has pigeonholed into a more ‘Messi-like’ position for Argentina, playing in an advanced, left-sided position akin to how Messi plays for Barcelona.
Clubs with scouts operating in South America will have known about Iturbe for some time. Real Madrid have long thought to be admirers of the youngster, while he was brought to Manchester United’s attention by their scouting network in March 2010. Genoa, too, have long harboured an interest in the player, with club officials declaring that they were looking at a “Supremely talented South American youngster, who has world class potential.”
Porto appeared to have stolen a march on some of the giants of European football, but if Juan Manuel Iturbe can realise his apparent potential, then it’s difficult to imagine him staying with Os Dragões for long.
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Friday, 21 January 2011
Good Fans Love Bad Boys
Football fans are, largely, overly emotional teenage girls. They develop untrustworthy relationships on a whim, embark on regular emotional rollercoasters based on what’s shown on the TV and strangely find bad boys utterly irresistible.
If you examine the so called “fan’s favourites” then you’ll see that they mostly consist of players widely derided outside of their own fan base. Even before his diabolical rant at QPR’s Jamie Mackie, El-Hadji Diouf was resoundingly despised outside of Blackburn for a string of antics that would more appropriately befit a rather rude camel. Compare this to the chants that ring round Ewood Park on a Saturday afternoon, and you could easily mistake him for a much revered hero… albeit one with rather silly hair.
This isn’t alien to well-supported clubs, either. My own Southend United, for the third time, signed former Chelsea starlet Lee Sawyer recently. During his second stint at the club, he alienated his team mates with an attitude that led him to be labelled as ‘ASBO’, frequently missed team meetings and was sent packing to Chelsea with his tail very much between his legs. The vast majority of the fan base welcomed him back into the fold this week with open arms, hailing him a saviour.
Attitudes of supporter fandom have changed over recent years, and you could be mistaken for thinking that this instance is a bizarre consequence of the celebrity culture attached to the nouveau football follower. What this explanation doesn’t explain, however, is that this bizarre attachment to players of questionable moral repute has been occurring for some time. Paul Gascoigne, Eric Cantona, Diego Maradona and George Best have all been idolised by their supporters in spite of their indiscretions.
Diego Maradona even managed to convince great swathes of Napoli supporters to deny their nationality and support their favourite son and his Argentina at Italia ’90. At the time, Italy was very much in the midst of a north/south divide and citizens in the south, including those of Naples, were made to feel undervalued by their northern counterparts. Despite this social extreme, successfully converting Italians to Argentines in the midst of a football tournament is some feat, especially for someone who fled the country owing some £33m in tax arrears.
It would be easy to attribute this to the remarkable talent these players possessed, or even the success they bestowed upon the club during their time. What this doesn’t explain is why players of equal talent are simply not as well revered. Jamie Redknapp, for instance. Before he literally graced Sky television with his very literal presence, he wasn’t an overly terrible footballer. Blighted by injuries, he was a very effective midfielder who earned the reputation as one of football’s ‘good guys.’
I’ve yet to hear the Kop preach the wonders of Redknapp on a Saturday afternoon.
So what exactly is the reason for such misguided and inappropriate affection? Simply put, these rapscallions are the footballers who the average supporters can relate to. Football icons are plunged into the media limelight and expected to behave with the morality and sincerity of a monk. This is, of course, an unfeasible expectation but one that has only been exacerbated by modern 24/7 news culture. No sooner had the news of Wayne Rooney’s extra-marital dalliances broken, was there several news crews camped outside his Cheshire home hoping for a glimpse of the man.
Footballers are forced to live a sheltered life, and the often obscene wages they receive can lead to them become distanced from the recognised social normality. Players who live their lives in a warts and all manner, accepting their weaknesses alongside their strengths, show a human quality that the average supporter is far more likely to relate to.
Players who show their emotion, their fragility on the football pitch, are far more likely to endear themselves to the baying masses than the charisma-vacuum clone who see football solely as an occupation, rather than a childhood love that they’re fortunate enough to experience as a professional.
The halcyon days of the loveable, working class in the Best or Gascoigne fashion may have passed, eclipsed by the eccentric, foreign rogue such as Cantona or Di Canio, but the echoes of character remain in the game. Ashley Cole committed no worse a crime than Wayne Rooney, yet the mention of the former’s name met with such contempt that the latter is never likely to hear. Rooney’s image is infinitely better because of what he represents… A professional who lives for the game and supporters will, ultimately, forget all their discretions for this simple fact.
Fans will, much like the teenage girls they have regressed to, be left broken hearted by the bad boys, but they won’t forget them in a hurry.
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Not So Super Sunday
First up on the Super Sunday schedule was the Second City derby, the clash between Birmingham and Aston Villa, with a vital three points on offer for both teams to pull away from the drop zone. A game with more than its fair share of end-to-end action, the majority of attacking play came down the flanks.
And with the likes of Marc Albrighton, Stewart Downing,Gabriel Agbonlahor and David Bentley on display, this was largely predictable.
Wide Play the Order of the Day
Bentley had a fairly productive debut for Birmingham, showing an eagerness to get past and beat his man and get deliveries in, while Albrighton continued his impressive form this season and Liam Ridgewell struggled to contain the threat all afternoon. Ridgewell gave Albrighton far too much space to operate and, in doing so, gave the Villa youngster the option of cutting inside. Ridgewell’s shaky performance was a far cry from his performance during the week against West Ham, where he was one of the standout performers.
Albrighton completed 28 of his 44 attempted passes today with the majority coming in an advanced position on the right hand side. Ridgewell's inability to get tight on his man meant that Albrighton's potency was increased, causing Birmingham's central pairing to defend even deeper than necessary.
by Guardian Chalkboards
On the balance of play, a draw was a fair result, yet one that helps neither Birmingham nor Villa in their survival hunt. Fortunately for them, Wigan’s defensive incompetence, the rampant inconsistency of Wolves and Brady/Gold/Sullivan’s dastardly attempts to rot West Ham from the inside out may just prove to be their saviour.
Next up was the Merseyside derby, where King Kenny had the perfect opportunity to breathe new life into Liverpool’s season that, following losses against Manchester United and Blackpool, had continued to falter despite the King’s presence.
Midfield Anonymity Almost Cost Liverpool Dear
With Carragher injured and Gerrard suspended, Jay Spearing was called upon to represent the only city-born player in the Liverpool squad and the Gollum-esque midfielder struggled to have any discernible impact on the game. A passenger for the most part, Spearing appeared to be swept up in the occasion and beaten into submission by a rampant Marouane Fellaini.
Where Spearing faltered, Fernando Torres appeared to be revitalised and, for the first half, caused Everton’s defensive line significant problems and completely baffled Distin with one turn in particular, before bearing down on goal and crashing Howard’s far post. Meireles gave Liverpool a first-half lead, yet Everton responded after the intermission with a by taking the lead in a remarkable seven minute turnaround.
Victor Anichebe, originally partnering Jermaine Beckford in attack, switched to the left hand side and posed Kelly significant problems with his physical presence. After Distin powered home, converting a set-piece, Anichebe drew Kelly out of position and beat him in the air, knocking the ball down for Leon Osman. Osman cut inside and left Kyrgiakos, called in to replace Agger, turned inside out before sliding the ball into the path of Beckford, who shrugged off the challenge to curl past Reina from eight yards out.
by Guardian Chalkboards
NESV Must Speculate to Accumulate
Those seven minutes captured Liverpool’s frailties this season. Kyrgiakos is struggling to form any kind of understanding with Skrtel and was left flat-footed for Everton’s second goal. In Carragher’s absence Liverpool have lost their organiser and the defensive unit has looked lost at sea when placed under the slightest pressure. For Kenny Dalglish to avert disaster and rejuvenate their fortunes, Liverpool simply must bolster their defensive ranks in the transfer window and they could do far, far worse than the hugely under rated and undervalued Chris Samba, who is currently angling for a move away from Chicken Nugget FC.
Dirk Kuyt salvaged a point with a cooly converted penalty and arrested a losing streak that will have left Dalglish concerned. The fact of the matter is that this squad of players isn’t good enough to meet the Kop’s lofty expectations, and no manner of saviour can rectify the situation without reinforcements.
Anything But Super
Last in the Super Sunday line-up was the hugely anticipated contest between Manchester United and Tottenham in a game that, unfortunately for Sky, was anything but super.
Although fit, Jermain Defoe was forced to watch from the bench at first as Redknapp opted to include Crouch ahead of the diminutive striker primarily for Crouch’s uncanny ability to get the best out of Rafael Van der Vaart. Defoe and Van der Vaart have managed just one game together in the Premier League this season, and the familiarity between Crouch and the Dutch trequartista is an integral string to Tottenham’s bow.
The absence of Anderson in United’s midfield, paired with Rooney’s deployment on the left hand side, was met with the reasoned assumption that Ferguson considered this as a job of containment rather than entertainment and United attempted to bore Redknapp’s charges into submission.
The quasi-451 formation that United use almost religiously in continental competition has served them well in previous “Big Four” encounters, particularly in nullifying Arsenal’s forward momentum and, to an extent, it could be argued that the desired result has been gained. United remain unbeaten and haven’t lost substantial ground in the title race.
The tactic does, however, cause as many problems as it solves. By sitting deep, Fletcher and Carrick create a vacuum in the middle of the field that Tottenham could openly operate in and the vast majority of their attacking possession came within this pocket of space just in front of the defensive midfielders. With no quick outlet, pressure mounted on the United defence and it’s great testament to the impervious Vidic/Ferdinand partnership that a clean sheet was kept.
Imperial Vidic All Important
There are few superlatives that would do Vidic’s performance justice. He was absolutely magnificent in defence and has been for the entire season. Although the risk that United could lose him to one of his many admirers in Europe was substantial last Summer, his decision to stay will mean far more to Ferguson than any acquisition would. He has quickly, and rightly, become one of United’s most trusted players and has been the centrefold of an imperial defensive record, conceding just 19 goals in 21 games.
Today's stats are equally as impressive. Vidic made five interceptions, two within his own 18-yard box and made three vital clearances to keep his side within the game.
Dimitar Berbatov, hailed at Tottenham just a few years ago, was another casualty of the negative tactic, starved of anything closely resembling service by a dysfunctional midfield and misfiring partners in attack. It spoke volumes of his evening with Wayne Rooney being the only United player to have a shot on goal in the first half, responsible for all three.
Clogger Extraordinaire
The principle offender for United’s lack of cohesion against Spurs, however, was Darren Fletcher. Hailed by Ferguson as a big-game performer, Fletcher’s passing was atrociously astray and to the ultimate detriment of United’s fluidity. He persistently gave the ball away and drove his team far deeper than they needed to be… Not a game to remember for Clogger Extraordinaire.
Anderson, in comparison, was hugely positive when he entered the fray, picking the ball in the centre of the park and driving forward with conviction. Having seen his compatriot Rafael be dismissed for two shockingly soft yellow cards, Anderson will have been tasked with keeping possession and he succeeded where Fletcher failed.
Spurs will look at this game as a missed opportunity to end their United jinx. When playing against ten men, Spurs have the perfect ingredients to stretch a team in order to find a gap. Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon are devastatingly quick wingers, Luka Modric has the ingenuity to unlock defences and the Crouch/Van Der Vaart partnership has proved to be brilliantly potent when the need arises. Lennon struggled to get any change out of Patrice Evra, playing a reserved role to counter Lennon’s pace, Modric constantly ran into Vidic-shaped brick wall and Crouch was hugely ineffectual against Rio Ferdinand, losing the majority of his aerial challenges. Merked.
by Guardian Chalkboards
Another game, another deserved draw and certainly nowhere near the action Dwight Yorke’s scandalous shirt deserved.
And with the likes of Marc Albrighton, Stewart Downing,Gabriel Agbonlahor and David Bentley on display, this was largely predictable.
Wide Play the Order of the Day
Bentley had a fairly productive debut for Birmingham, showing an eagerness to get past and beat his man and get deliveries in, while Albrighton continued his impressive form this season and Liam Ridgewell struggled to contain the threat all afternoon. Ridgewell gave Albrighton far too much space to operate and, in doing so, gave the Villa youngster the option of cutting inside. Ridgewell’s shaky performance was a far cry from his performance during the week against West Ham, where he was one of the standout performers.
Albrighton completed 28 of his 44 attempted passes today with the majority coming in an advanced position on the right hand side. Ridgewell's inability to get tight on his man meant that Albrighton's potency was increased, causing Birmingham's central pairing to defend even deeper than necessary.
by Guardian Chalkboards
On the balance of play, a draw was a fair result, yet one that helps neither Birmingham nor Villa in their survival hunt. Fortunately for them, Wigan’s defensive incompetence, the rampant inconsistency of Wolves and Brady/Gold/Sullivan’s dastardly attempts to rot West Ham from the inside out may just prove to be their saviour.
Next up was the Merseyside derby, where King Kenny had the perfect opportunity to breathe new life into Liverpool’s season that, following losses against Manchester United and Blackpool, had continued to falter despite the King’s presence.
Midfield Anonymity Almost Cost Liverpool Dear
With Carragher injured and Gerrard suspended, Jay Spearing was called upon to represent the only city-born player in the Liverpool squad and the Gollum-esque midfielder struggled to have any discernible impact on the game. A passenger for the most part, Spearing appeared to be swept up in the occasion and beaten into submission by a rampant Marouane Fellaini.
Where Spearing faltered, Fernando Torres appeared to be revitalised and, for the first half, caused Everton’s defensive line significant problems and completely baffled Distin with one turn in particular, before bearing down on goal and crashing Howard’s far post. Meireles gave Liverpool a first-half lead, yet Everton responded after the intermission with a by taking the lead in a remarkable seven minute turnaround.
Victor Anichebe, originally partnering Jermaine Beckford in attack, switched to the left hand side and posed Kelly significant problems with his physical presence. After Distin powered home, converting a set-piece, Anichebe drew Kelly out of position and beat him in the air, knocking the ball down for Leon Osman. Osman cut inside and left Kyrgiakos, called in to replace Agger, turned inside out before sliding the ball into the path of Beckford, who shrugged off the challenge to curl past Reina from eight yards out.
by Guardian Chalkboards
NESV Must Speculate to Accumulate
Those seven minutes captured Liverpool’s frailties this season. Kyrgiakos is struggling to form any kind of understanding with Skrtel and was left flat-footed for Everton’s second goal. In Carragher’s absence Liverpool have lost their organiser and the defensive unit has looked lost at sea when placed under the slightest pressure. For Kenny Dalglish to avert disaster and rejuvenate their fortunes, Liverpool simply must bolster their defensive ranks in the transfer window and they could do far, far worse than the hugely under rated and undervalued Chris Samba, who is currently angling for a move away from Chicken Nugget FC.
Dirk Kuyt salvaged a point with a cooly converted penalty and arrested a losing streak that will have left Dalglish concerned. The fact of the matter is that this squad of players isn’t good enough to meet the Kop’s lofty expectations, and no manner of saviour can rectify the situation without reinforcements.
Anything But Super
Last in the Super Sunday line-up was the hugely anticipated contest between Manchester United and Tottenham in a game that, unfortunately for Sky, was anything but super.
Although fit, Jermain Defoe was forced to watch from the bench at first as Redknapp opted to include Crouch ahead of the diminutive striker primarily for Crouch’s uncanny ability to get the best out of Rafael Van der Vaart. Defoe and Van der Vaart have managed just one game together in the Premier League this season, and the familiarity between Crouch and the Dutch trequartista is an integral string to Tottenham’s bow.
The absence of Anderson in United’s midfield, paired with Rooney’s deployment on the left hand side, was met with the reasoned assumption that Ferguson considered this as a job of containment rather than entertainment and United attempted to bore Redknapp’s charges into submission.
The quasi-451 formation that United use almost religiously in continental competition has served them well in previous “Big Four” encounters, particularly in nullifying Arsenal’s forward momentum and, to an extent, it could be argued that the desired result has been gained. United remain unbeaten and haven’t lost substantial ground in the title race.
The tactic does, however, cause as many problems as it solves. By sitting deep, Fletcher and Carrick create a vacuum in the middle of the field that Tottenham could openly operate in and the vast majority of their attacking possession came within this pocket of space just in front of the defensive midfielders. With no quick outlet, pressure mounted on the United defence and it’s great testament to the impervious Vidic/Ferdinand partnership that a clean sheet was kept.
Imperial Vidic All Important
There are few superlatives that would do Vidic’s performance justice. He was absolutely magnificent in defence and has been for the entire season. Although the risk that United could lose him to one of his many admirers in Europe was substantial last Summer, his decision to stay will mean far more to Ferguson than any acquisition would. He has quickly, and rightly, become one of United’s most trusted players and has been the centrefold of an imperial defensive record, conceding just 19 goals in 21 games.
Today's stats are equally as impressive. Vidic made five interceptions, two within his own 18-yard box and made three vital clearances to keep his side within the game.
Dimitar Berbatov, hailed at Tottenham just a few years ago, was another casualty of the negative tactic, starved of anything closely resembling service by a dysfunctional midfield and misfiring partners in attack. It spoke volumes of his evening with Wayne Rooney being the only United player to have a shot on goal in the first half, responsible for all three.
Clogger Extraordinaire
The principle offender for United’s lack of cohesion against Spurs, however, was Darren Fletcher. Hailed by Ferguson as a big-game performer, Fletcher’s passing was atrociously astray and to the ultimate detriment of United’s fluidity. He persistently gave the ball away and drove his team far deeper than they needed to be… Not a game to remember for Clogger Extraordinaire.
Anderson, in comparison, was hugely positive when he entered the fray, picking the ball in the centre of the park and driving forward with conviction. Having seen his compatriot Rafael be dismissed for two shockingly soft yellow cards, Anderson will have been tasked with keeping possession and he succeeded where Fletcher failed.
Spurs will look at this game as a missed opportunity to end their United jinx. When playing against ten men, Spurs have the perfect ingredients to stretch a team in order to find a gap. Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon are devastatingly quick wingers, Luka Modric has the ingenuity to unlock defences and the Crouch/Van Der Vaart partnership has proved to be brilliantly potent when the need arises. Lennon struggled to get any change out of Patrice Evra, playing a reserved role to counter Lennon’s pace, Modric constantly ran into Vidic-shaped brick wall and Crouch was hugely ineffectual against Rio Ferdinand, losing the majority of his aerial challenges. Merked.
by Guardian Chalkboards
Another game, another deserved draw and certainly nowhere near the action Dwight Yorke’s scandalous shirt deserved.
Thursday, 13 January 2011
FIFA's Arrogance Knows No Bounds
Not satisfied by devaluing the World Cup brand enough by awarding the right to host the tournament to a country with no discernible football history or even interest, members of the football hierarchy have gone one further by engaging in public debate about how it should go ahead.
Qatar won the right to host the 2022 edition of the tournament on the back of a glittering campaign, backed by a number of FIFA darlings and celebrities, boasting an unrivalled legacy and expensive air-conditioning systems. Those who once criticised the bid were found to have voted on its behalf, and the Arab state claimed a resounding victory over the likes of Australia and the US.
No sooner had the celebrations wilted, however, everybody’s favourite FIFA politician was involving himself in a very public debate of when the competition should be hosted. Blatter disappointed an entire region of air conditioning technicians by revealing his preference for a Winter tournament and, in the process, unwittingly revealed the true intentions of a Qatari World Cup.
Because, let’s face it, the prospect footballers collapsing with heat exhaustion isn’t the best PR in the lead up to a presidential election, but the very notion of a Gulf-state football legacy does. You’re instantly left with the thought that Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Qatar 2022 chairman, could’ve floundered onto the podium, opened with a 20 minute diatribe about Jack Warner’s package holiday company before proposing death penalties for nations eliminated at the group stage and still Uncle Sepp would’ve awarded them the honour.
Platini’s admission that he’d favour a joint-bid, inviting neighbouring states to join the party, only further cheapens FIFA’s decision and it hasn’t taken long for football officials to announce their derision.
"I think if they are now talking about sharing it with other countries, I think it is very unfair to the United States, to Australia, all the other countries that were bidding at the same time," Iran manager Afshin Ghotbi said during the ongoing Asian Cup, currently underway in none other than Qatar, adding: "Now you are changing the landscape. My feeling is if they want to take a decision on that then they should go back to the bidding countries and ask them to bid again.”
And he’s exactly right. FIFA changing the goalposts isn’t much of an alien issue, but their grossly arrogant attempt to meddle with the Qatari bid, to mould into a shape their happy with, conveys an impression that the original bid wasn’t appealing, but the notion of a Middle-Eastern World Cup was one too romantic to ignore.
Qatar won the right to host the 2022 edition of the tournament on the back of a glittering campaign, backed by a number of FIFA darlings and celebrities, boasting an unrivalled legacy and expensive air-conditioning systems. Those who once criticised the bid were found to have voted on its behalf, and the Arab state claimed a resounding victory over the likes of Australia and the US.
No sooner had the celebrations wilted, however, everybody’s favourite FIFA politician was involving himself in a very public debate of when the competition should be hosted. Blatter disappointed an entire region of air conditioning technicians by revealing his preference for a Winter tournament and, in the process, unwittingly revealed the true intentions of a Qatari World Cup.
Because, let’s face it, the prospect footballers collapsing with heat exhaustion isn’t the best PR in the lead up to a presidential election, but the very notion of a Gulf-state football legacy does. You’re instantly left with the thought that Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Qatar 2022 chairman, could’ve floundered onto the podium, opened with a 20 minute diatribe about Jack Warner’s package holiday company before proposing death penalties for nations eliminated at the group stage and still Uncle Sepp would’ve awarded them the honour.
Platini’s admission that he’d favour a joint-bid, inviting neighbouring states to join the party, only further cheapens FIFA’s decision and it hasn’t taken long for football officials to announce their derision.
"I think if they are now talking about sharing it with other countries, I think it is very unfair to the United States, to Australia, all the other countries that were bidding at the same time," Iran manager Afshin Ghotbi said during the ongoing Asian Cup, currently underway in none other than Qatar, adding: "Now you are changing the landscape. My feeling is if they want to take a decision on that then they should go back to the bidding countries and ask them to bid again.”
And he’s exactly right. FIFA changing the goalposts isn’t much of an alien issue, but their grossly arrogant attempt to meddle with the Qatari bid, to mould into a shape their happy with, conveys an impression that the original bid wasn’t appealing, but the notion of a Middle-Eastern World Cup was one too romantic to ignore.
Sunday, 9 January 2011
United Efficient, Webb Insistent.
Kenny Dalglish stole the headlines prior to kick-off, but Howard Webb ensured that only he was the centre of attention as the final whistle blew with two critical decisions; one correct, one wrong.
Liverpool entered the game without too many drastic changes, Fabio Aurelio replacing Paul Konchesky, Daniel Agger drafted in ahead of Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Martin Kelly called in to cover for Glen Johnson’s absence, which definitely wasn’t due to an internet brawl with Paul Merson. A familiar formation, Gerrard behind Torres with Lucas and Raul Meireles in auxiliary positions and flanked by Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez.
It’s a familiar tactic, yet Fernando Torres continues to play like he’s alien to it.
If Dalglish wanted a response from his new charges, a response was what he got. A mere 30 seconds into the first half and Agger had needlessly lunged in on Dimitar Berbatov and conceded a penalty. The contact was soft and the penalty was the wrong decision from Howard Webb, much to the derision of Liverpool fans. The only thing more wrong than the penalty award was Agger’s decision making, something which will have made an instant impact on Dalglish’s thoughts of a defender who had issued a “Use me or Lose me” plea to Roy Hodgson.
After Ryan Giggs had blistered Pepe Reina’s fingertips en route to handing United the lead, Liverpool made a marked improvement in comparison to their recent, point-costing performances. They were considerably sharper and more positive than against Wolves, with Steven Gerrard looking to lead by example.
If awarding Manchester United a penalty wasn’t enough, however, Howard Webb went one further by dismissing Gerrard for a two-footed lunge on Michael Carrick. A contentious foul that, had Gerrard not reacted to by telling Carrick to get up from, may have been met with a calmer reproach. The fact is Gerrard was seemingly reacting to Meireles ducking out of a challenge with Rafael Da Silva.
The sending off, whilst leaving Liverpool chasing the game with a man down, also served to isolate an increasingly disinterested Torres. Liverpool’s system utilises Gerrard’s advanced position to detract attention away from the lone striker with his forward runs, yet Torres is becoming static and his lack of movement is hindering Liverpool.
Being forced to toil up front as a lone striker is not the most enviable job in football, particularly in a side as devoid of creativity as Liverpool and in a league with ruthless, physically dominant defenders. Getting the most out of Torres is imperative to any success Dalglish can expect, and there is a rather simple remedy to this: take the heat off the Spaniard by deploying a partner.
So much emphasis has been placed on this 4-4-1-1 formation that Liverpool are quick to employ, yet its utilisation is clearly not in the best interests in the team. If Dalglish wants to have an instantaneous impact, then he has to leave this malfunctioning tactic by the wayside and start from scratch.
Installing another forward into the set-up will halve the pressure and expectation on Fernando's shoulders, divert attention from him and should, in theory, make Liverpool more dynamic in attack. Ideally, a target-man in the Edin Dzeko mould would allow Torres to operate with freedom. A midfielder would have to be sacrificed in order to allow the change, but it has been made evident that Torres is creasing under the pressure of leading Liverpool's charge.
From Gerrard’s dismissal in the 31st minute till the 61st minute, Liverpool were left playing through the motions without much forward movement. Torres was choked out of the game and Kuyt left to squander without service as United pushed further up the field, pushing Meireles and Lucas so far back that they were in a time-share agreement with their own centre-halves.
This was rectified with an impressive double-substitution. Meireles and Maxi Rodriguez departed, with Jonjo Shelvey and Ryan Babel entering the fray, and their impact was visible with their first touches. Shelvey garnered a reputation as an intelligent, attacking midfielder for both Charlton and England U19s, and his presence instantly pushed United’s midfield back enough to relieve some pressure. Babel, on the other hand, made more of an effort in the first 10 minutes than Torres had for the previous 60, pushing back United’s full-backs and hassling them into searching, rather than placed, passes.
Unfortunately for Liverpool, United had just the remedy. Such is Anderson’s resurgence this season that he’s now being rested, and he nullified Shelvey’s impact with a succession of challenges and drives forward. The difference between United and Liverpool was, with that substitution, made quite evident. Dalglish was forced to search for the game by installing largely untested, young players, while Sir Alex Ferguson was allowed to react by installing a midfielder of the calibre of Anderson to see the game out.
By the time Torres trudged off the pitch, with the same amount of effort that he’d shown on it, to be replaced by David N’gog, the game was beyond Liverpool and the remaining 13 minutes played out without much incident.
Dalglish can use this game as a learning experience, but there’s only so much to learn from a professional and efficient performance from Ferguson’s side that has become the trademark of United this season.
Liverpool entered the game without too many drastic changes, Fabio Aurelio replacing Paul Konchesky, Daniel Agger drafted in ahead of Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Martin Kelly called in to cover for Glen Johnson’s absence, which definitely wasn’t due to an internet brawl with Paul Merson. A familiar formation, Gerrard behind Torres with Lucas and Raul Meireles in auxiliary positions and flanked by Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez.
It’s a familiar tactic, yet Fernando Torres continues to play like he’s alien to it.
If Dalglish wanted a response from his new charges, a response was what he got. A mere 30 seconds into the first half and Agger had needlessly lunged in on Dimitar Berbatov and conceded a penalty. The contact was soft and the penalty was the wrong decision from Howard Webb, much to the derision of Liverpool fans. The only thing more wrong than the penalty award was Agger’s decision making, something which will have made an instant impact on Dalglish’s thoughts of a defender who had issued a “Use me or Lose me” plea to Roy Hodgson.
After Ryan Giggs had blistered Pepe Reina’s fingertips en route to handing United the lead, Liverpool made a marked improvement in comparison to their recent, point-costing performances. They were considerably sharper and more positive than against Wolves, with Steven Gerrard looking to lead by example.
If awarding Manchester United a penalty wasn’t enough, however, Howard Webb went one further by dismissing Gerrard for a two-footed lunge on Michael Carrick. A contentious foul that, had Gerrard not reacted to by telling Carrick to get up from, may have been met with a calmer reproach. The fact is Gerrard was seemingly reacting to Meireles ducking out of a challenge with Rafael Da Silva.
The sending off, whilst leaving Liverpool chasing the game with a man down, also served to isolate an increasingly disinterested Torres. Liverpool’s system utilises Gerrard’s advanced position to detract attention away from the lone striker with his forward runs, yet Torres is becoming static and his lack of movement is hindering Liverpool.
Being forced to toil up front as a lone striker is not the most enviable job in football, particularly in a side as devoid of creativity as Liverpool and in a league with ruthless, physically dominant defenders. Getting the most out of Torres is imperative to any success Dalglish can expect, and there is a rather simple remedy to this: take the heat off the Spaniard by deploying a partner.
So much emphasis has been placed on this 4-4-1-1 formation that Liverpool are quick to employ, yet its utilisation is clearly not in the best interests in the team. If Dalglish wants to have an instantaneous impact, then he has to leave this malfunctioning tactic by the wayside and start from scratch.
Installing another forward into the set-up will halve the pressure and expectation on Fernando's shoulders, divert attention from him and should, in theory, make Liverpool more dynamic in attack. Ideally, a target-man in the Edin Dzeko mould would allow Torres to operate with freedom. A midfielder would have to be sacrificed in order to allow the change, but it has been made evident that Torres is creasing under the pressure of leading Liverpool's charge.
From Gerrard’s dismissal in the 31st minute till the 61st minute, Liverpool were left playing through the motions without much forward movement. Torres was choked out of the game and Kuyt left to squander without service as United pushed further up the field, pushing Meireles and Lucas so far back that they were in a time-share agreement with their own centre-halves.
This was rectified with an impressive double-substitution. Meireles and Maxi Rodriguez departed, with Jonjo Shelvey and Ryan Babel entering the fray, and their impact was visible with their first touches. Shelvey garnered a reputation as an intelligent, attacking midfielder for both Charlton and England U19s, and his presence instantly pushed United’s midfield back enough to relieve some pressure. Babel, on the other hand, made more of an effort in the first 10 minutes than Torres had for the previous 60, pushing back United’s full-backs and hassling them into searching, rather than placed, passes.
Unfortunately for Liverpool, United had just the remedy. Such is Anderson’s resurgence this season that he’s now being rested, and he nullified Shelvey’s impact with a succession of challenges and drives forward. The difference between United and Liverpool was, with that substitution, made quite evident. Dalglish was forced to search for the game by installing largely untested, young players, while Sir Alex Ferguson was allowed to react by installing a midfielder of the calibre of Anderson to see the game out.
By the time Torres trudged off the pitch, with the same amount of effort that he’d shown on it, to be replaced by David N’gog, the game was beyond Liverpool and the remaining 13 minutes played out without much incident.
Dalglish can use this game as a learning experience, but there’s only so much to learn from a professional and efficient performance from Ferguson’s side that has become the trademark of United this season.
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Fergie's Flanks Falter, Yet Rooney Leads the Charge
An off-colour Manchester United glanced past West Bromwich Albion with a glance of Javier Hernandez’s head, but Di Matteo’s Baggies will almost certainly see this as an opportunity missed following Peter Odemwingie’s terrible penalty failure.
United started the half in a familiar 4-4-2 formation, with something of a twist to compensate for Nani’s absence. Rooney partnered Berbatov in attack with Gabriel Obertan on the left hand side and Darren Fletcher along the right, yet his natural instinct to play inside the centre led to quite a narrow midfield.
This in itself wouldn’t have caused too much for a concern if it wasn’t for Ferguson’s choice of right-back. Rafael has been hugely impressive in recent games in spite of his youthful, tendencies and is normally very industrious on the right. Gary Neville, however, is not. Neville offered very little going forward and even less defensively, arguably exposed by Fletcher. This culminated in a rash challenge that should’ve seen his dismissal and a penalty to West Brom.
It didn’t take Ferguson long to ring the changes, with Fletcher finally allowed inside, Rooney dropped to the left and Obertan swapped over to the right in order to aid Neville. Swapping Obertan’s flank also bore its own use, as himself and Patrice Evra were playing like they had been introduced at half time and, as a result, several attacks broke down due to their lack of familiarity.
This tactic was changed yet again, however, after the break as Ferguson rang the changes in an attempt to salvage the game for United. Off went Berbatov, struggling to have an impact when left to toil on his own, followed by the equally ineffectual and frustrating Obertan and Gary Neville. Replacing them were Darron Gibson, who took over right-sided duties; Fabio Da Silva, whose pace seemed to nullify a fair amount of Jerome Thomas’ movement and Javier Hernandez, who once again popped up in the box to score what could prove to be an all-important goal for United come May.
After Hernandez’s headed goal, which came about from a frankly appalling piece of set-piece defending from West Brom, the half played out without too much drama and United achieved what they couldn’t during the week, holding on in the midlands for three points.
Sir Alex Ferguson will undoubtedly be thankful for the result, though, as this match could have finished very differently. Ironically, the centre of United’s problems today lay out wide. A disastrous day at the office for Gary Neville and Patrice Evra was complimented with a thoroughly fruitless display by Gabriel Obertan and the absence of another out-and-out wide player. This seriously impacted on United’s forward play where there pass completion rate in the opposition half was their second lowest of the season at just 68%, Obertan the chief offender, misplacing 12 of his 36 attempted passes, eight of those in Baggies territory.
The opposing end of the ball-retention scale was Michael Carrick, who is quietly achieving something of a renaissance in form over recent weeks. His presence in the side is something of a calming one and he operates completely differently to the likes of Fletcher and Gibson. His subtle passing eases pressure on the defensive line while probing for openings in the opposition and the United chief will no doubt value an in-form Carrick. His pass completion rate was amongst the best on the field, standing at a highly impressive 89.7%, including a dynamic, midfield splitting pass for United’s opener whilst losing the ball on just six occasions all afternoon. He might not receive all the accolades or grab the headlines, but his value cannot be overstated when he is this effective.
by Guardian Chalkboards
Taking the West Brom stance, Roberto Di Matteo must be wondering how a midfielder can achieve such a high pass completion rate in a league as competitive. The answer is relatively simple, he was never pressured into a mistake or rushed pass by West Brom’s central midfielders… It’s a lesson that they must surely learn from if West Brom are to realise their potential, as the Premier League is full of midfielders capable of dictating the tempo in such a way if they’re given the time and space to do so. The midfield duo of Mulumbu and Dorrans made a combined eight interceptions, yet just one was in United’s half.
Also integral to United’s win was Wayne Rooney’s work rate and determination. Ending his goal drought from open play will have come as a huge relief for Rooney himself, but more pleasing for the fan’s will have been his all round performance. Even during the short spell in which he found himself shunted onto the left towards the end of the first half, the position he struggled in against Birmingham, he ran tirelessly and looked to create opportunities, doing so by placing the ball on Chicarito’s head for the winner. Rooney’s stats are equally as impressive, winning all but two tackles made, making four interceptions and completing a string of forward-moving passes to inspire United forward.
by Guardian Chalkboards
Manchester United were far from their best on today’s showing but have escaped the worst of the congested Christmas period exactly where Ferguson will want them; topping the table. If they can continue to grind out results while a number of players are off-colour, then they’re a good bet for the title destination.
United started the half in a familiar 4-4-2 formation, with something of a twist to compensate for Nani’s absence. Rooney partnered Berbatov in attack with Gabriel Obertan on the left hand side and Darren Fletcher along the right, yet his natural instinct to play inside the centre led to quite a narrow midfield.
This in itself wouldn’t have caused too much for a concern if it wasn’t for Ferguson’s choice of right-back. Rafael has been hugely impressive in recent games in spite of his youthful, tendencies and is normally very industrious on the right. Gary Neville, however, is not. Neville offered very little going forward and even less defensively, arguably exposed by Fletcher. This culminated in a rash challenge that should’ve seen his dismissal and a penalty to West Brom.
It didn’t take Ferguson long to ring the changes, with Fletcher finally allowed inside, Rooney dropped to the left and Obertan swapped over to the right in order to aid Neville. Swapping Obertan’s flank also bore its own use, as himself and Patrice Evra were playing like they had been introduced at half time and, as a result, several attacks broke down due to their lack of familiarity.
This tactic was changed yet again, however, after the break as Ferguson rang the changes in an attempt to salvage the game for United. Off went Berbatov, struggling to have an impact when left to toil on his own, followed by the equally ineffectual and frustrating Obertan and Gary Neville. Replacing them were Darron Gibson, who took over right-sided duties; Fabio Da Silva, whose pace seemed to nullify a fair amount of Jerome Thomas’ movement and Javier Hernandez, who once again popped up in the box to score what could prove to be an all-important goal for United come May.
After Hernandez’s headed goal, which came about from a frankly appalling piece of set-piece defending from West Brom, the half played out without too much drama and United achieved what they couldn’t during the week, holding on in the midlands for three points.
Sir Alex Ferguson will undoubtedly be thankful for the result, though, as this match could have finished very differently. Ironically, the centre of United’s problems today lay out wide. A disastrous day at the office for Gary Neville and Patrice Evra was complimented with a thoroughly fruitless display by Gabriel Obertan and the absence of another out-and-out wide player. This seriously impacted on United’s forward play where there pass completion rate in the opposition half was their second lowest of the season at just 68%, Obertan the chief offender, misplacing 12 of his 36 attempted passes, eight of those in Baggies territory.
The opposing end of the ball-retention scale was Michael Carrick, who is quietly achieving something of a renaissance in form over recent weeks. His presence in the side is something of a calming one and he operates completely differently to the likes of Fletcher and Gibson. His subtle passing eases pressure on the defensive line while probing for openings in the opposition and the United chief will no doubt value an in-form Carrick. His pass completion rate was amongst the best on the field, standing at a highly impressive 89.7%, including a dynamic, midfield splitting pass for United’s opener whilst losing the ball on just six occasions all afternoon. He might not receive all the accolades or grab the headlines, but his value cannot be overstated when he is this effective.
by Guardian Chalkboards
Taking the West Brom stance, Roberto Di Matteo must be wondering how a midfielder can achieve such a high pass completion rate in a league as competitive. The answer is relatively simple, he was never pressured into a mistake or rushed pass by West Brom’s central midfielders… It’s a lesson that they must surely learn from if West Brom are to realise their potential, as the Premier League is full of midfielders capable of dictating the tempo in such a way if they’re given the time and space to do so. The midfield duo of Mulumbu and Dorrans made a combined eight interceptions, yet just one was in United’s half.
Also integral to United’s win was Wayne Rooney’s work rate and determination. Ending his goal drought from open play will have come as a huge relief for Rooney himself, but more pleasing for the fan’s will have been his all round performance. Even during the short spell in which he found himself shunted onto the left towards the end of the first half, the position he struggled in against Birmingham, he ran tirelessly and looked to create opportunities, doing so by placing the ball on Chicarito’s head for the winner. Rooney’s stats are equally as impressive, winning all but two tackles made, making four interceptions and completing a string of forward-moving passes to inspire United forward.
by Guardian Chalkboards
Manchester United were far from their best on today’s showing but have escaped the worst of the congested Christmas period exactly where Ferguson will want them; topping the table. If they can continue to grind out results while a number of players are off-colour, then they’re a good bet for the title destination.
Friday, 24 December 2010
Tiki-Taka Football's Five Lessons Learned in 2010
1) There is far too much (and not enough) technology in football
Wwith the exception of Diego Forlan, every notable footballer at the tournament struggled to tame the Jabulani in South Africa. Adidas spent millions developing the ball in conjunction with Loughborough University, when they might as well have spent a fraction of that on 1,000 beachballs and invested the rest in Jack Warner's package-holiday company.
In the very same tournament, Frank Lampard's goal-that-never-was provided every red-top reading simpleton with the perfect excuse for England's tactical naivity and Mexico were left to lament a very simple decision made incorrectly in their game against Argentina.
FIFA has led an extremely negative line towards the implementation of goal-line technology, yet invests in co-developing a football with all the traits of a balloon and none of the charm.
2) The traditional 4-4-2 is dead
Rooney's implosion, Rio's injury, Gerrard on the left and John Terry speaking out of turn. All were held as possible, yet entirely implausible, reasons for England's demise in South Africa. All the above fail to explain the stand-out fact; England stank the place out.
Capello's three-lions never looked capable of beating Algeria, yet alone the impressive Germans, hardy Dutch and the eventual Spanish Campeones. The truth lies somewhere between the selected squad not being on the same level of others, and a tactical system deployed by Capello that never clicked. 4-4-2 might well be the only system our representatives can understand, but it's one that is all too predictable on the continent and one all too easy to contain: play deep, hit them on the counter.
This isn't to say that England would've fared better with another tactic, far from it, but the evidence of 4-4-2's demise was extraordinary. The top teams in England's elite league stopped playing a traditional 4-4-2, especially in European competition, a long time ago and there's a good reason for that.
3) England's present is bleak, but the future might just be bright.
Without turning this list into an all-out, derogatory comment on Matthew Upson's merry band of inadequates, England do, at the very least, appear to have something on the horizon.
Jack Wilshere has continued impressing in his development by apparently abandoning all the typical traits of an English footballer aside from the habit of getting involved in the occasional nightclub scrap. Instead of searching for the big-man up top with a long pass, he's happy to maintain possession and look for the threaded ball.
Jordan Henderson, Marc Albrighton and Chris Smalling have all been largely magnificient for their respective clubs, while Tom Huddlestone has proved his worth in the centrefold of a Tottenham midfield that continues to defy.
When you couple this with the first youth-tournament win for England since the supposed "Golden Generation" with U17 victory earlier this year, the country left so disappointed in the summer do have something to cheer about.
4) Rafael Benitez has continued his jaunt into mental instability.
I have to admit, for me the writing on the wall was his now infamous 'Facts' episode, which contained a thoroughly bizarre blast at Ferguson which had all the hallmarks of a Keegan-esque meltdown. News of him tearing down pictures of Inter's Champions League win on his arrival, whilst vaguely understandable, were indicative of a man clearly on the brink of madness.
Not only did he continue this with a string of backhanded jibes at Roy Hodgson detailing the delights of priests on sugar mountains, but he then deemed it necessary to commence a tirade against his new employers after winning them the Club World Championship. I don't know if anybody explained this to Rafa before he accepted the job, but Italian clubs tend to be rather cutthroat at the best of times.
Attacking the chairman of a club who sacked Marcello Lippi after just one game probably wasn't the wisest of moves considering the rather inconsistent start he had in Italy.
Still, he's one of a number of coaches who make for great newspaper interviews and I simply cannot wait until he's back doing what he does best; launching verbal attacks at any manager who dare look at him funny.
5) You can actually play good football on a shoestring budget.
In August, Ian Holloway was quite right to defend the team he had assembled. Most critics spent the Summer making themselves feel better by writing off Blackpool's chances of survival before a ball had been kicked in anger. Now, those critics are being forced to eat pie of the humble variety this christmas.
Blackpool aren't just doing well, but they're playing well, too. Blackpool lie 10th in the table having amassed 22 points, which is precisely 20 more than the general concensus had them down before in pre-season. They're level on points with the mighty Liverpool (with a game in hand), and sit above the likes of Blackburn, Everton and Villa. West Brom are just one place below them, while Newcastle have looked fairly impressive too.
While the surprise package of the season deservedly goes to Blackpool, Bolton have been tearing up trees under Owen Coyle's tutorship. He's turned what were essentially a hoofball outfit into a side who play football the "right" way and have made the most of what's available. Stuart Holden and Ivan Klasnic look very astute signings, while he's also achieved the previous unthinkable by turning Johan Elmander into a destructive centre-forward.
Coyle has had a budget to spend, however. As the brillian Swiss Ramble exposed, their debt has spiralled recently and while the collectors aren't smashing the door down like they have been at other clubs, don't be surprised to see the club capitalise on Gary Cahill's progress.
Wwith the exception of Diego Forlan, every notable footballer at the tournament struggled to tame the Jabulani in South Africa. Adidas spent millions developing the ball in conjunction with Loughborough University, when they might as well have spent a fraction of that on 1,000 beachballs and invested the rest in Jack Warner's package-holiday company.
In the very same tournament, Frank Lampard's goal-that-never-was provided every red-top reading simpleton with the perfect excuse for England's tactical naivity and Mexico were left to lament a very simple decision made incorrectly in their game against Argentina.
FIFA has led an extremely negative line towards the implementation of goal-line technology, yet invests in co-developing a football with all the traits of a balloon and none of the charm.
2) The traditional 4-4-2 is dead
Rooney's implosion, Rio's injury, Gerrard on the left and John Terry speaking out of turn. All were held as possible, yet entirely implausible, reasons for England's demise in South Africa. All the above fail to explain the stand-out fact; England stank the place out.
Capello's three-lions never looked capable of beating Algeria, yet alone the impressive Germans, hardy Dutch and the eventual Spanish Campeones. The truth lies somewhere between the selected squad not being on the same level of others, and a tactical system deployed by Capello that never clicked. 4-4-2 might well be the only system our representatives can understand, but it's one that is all too predictable on the continent and one all too easy to contain: play deep, hit them on the counter.
This isn't to say that England would've fared better with another tactic, far from it, but the evidence of 4-4-2's demise was extraordinary. The top teams in England's elite league stopped playing a traditional 4-4-2, especially in European competition, a long time ago and there's a good reason for that.
3) England's present is bleak, but the future might just be bright.
Without turning this list into an all-out, derogatory comment on Matthew Upson's merry band of inadequates, England do, at the very least, appear to have something on the horizon.
Jack Wilshere has continued impressing in his development by apparently abandoning all the typical traits of an English footballer aside from the habit of getting involved in the occasional nightclub scrap. Instead of searching for the big-man up top with a long pass, he's happy to maintain possession and look for the threaded ball.
Jordan Henderson, Marc Albrighton and Chris Smalling have all been largely magnificient for their respective clubs, while Tom Huddlestone has proved his worth in the centrefold of a Tottenham midfield that continues to defy.
When you couple this with the first youth-tournament win for England since the supposed "Golden Generation" with U17 victory earlier this year, the country left so disappointed in the summer do have something to cheer about.
4) Rafael Benitez has continued his jaunt into mental instability.
I have to admit, for me the writing on the wall was his now infamous 'Facts' episode, which contained a thoroughly bizarre blast at Ferguson which had all the hallmarks of a Keegan-esque meltdown. News of him tearing down pictures of Inter's Champions League win on his arrival, whilst vaguely understandable, were indicative of a man clearly on the brink of madness.
Not only did he continue this with a string of backhanded jibes at Roy Hodgson detailing the delights of priests on sugar mountains, but he then deemed it necessary to commence a tirade against his new employers after winning them the Club World Championship. I don't know if anybody explained this to Rafa before he accepted the job, but Italian clubs tend to be rather cutthroat at the best of times.
Attacking the chairman of a club who sacked Marcello Lippi after just one game probably wasn't the wisest of moves considering the rather inconsistent start he had in Italy.
Still, he's one of a number of coaches who make for great newspaper interviews and I simply cannot wait until he's back doing what he does best; launching verbal attacks at any manager who dare look at him funny.
5) You can actually play good football on a shoestring budget.
In August, Ian Holloway was quite right to defend the team he had assembled. Most critics spent the Summer making themselves feel better by writing off Blackpool's chances of survival before a ball had been kicked in anger. Now, those critics are being forced to eat pie of the humble variety this christmas.
Blackpool aren't just doing well, but they're playing well, too. Blackpool lie 10th in the table having amassed 22 points, which is precisely 20 more than the general concensus had them down before in pre-season. They're level on points with the mighty Liverpool (with a game in hand), and sit above the likes of Blackburn, Everton and Villa. West Brom are just one place below them, while Newcastle have looked fairly impressive too.
While the surprise package of the season deservedly goes to Blackpool, Bolton have been tearing up trees under Owen Coyle's tutorship. He's turned what were essentially a hoofball outfit into a side who play football the "right" way and have made the most of what's available. Stuart Holden and Ivan Klasnic look very astute signings, while he's also achieved the previous unthinkable by turning Johan Elmander into a destructive centre-forward.
Coyle has had a budget to spend, however. As the brillian Swiss Ramble exposed, their debt has spiralled recently and while the collectors aren't smashing the door down like they have been at other clubs, don't be surprised to see the club capitalise on Gary Cahill's progress.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)