All Things Football

Incompatibility

2008-11-06T11:48:00.002+08:00

I was up last night to catch some Champions League action and i flipped between Celtic vs Manchester United and Real Madrid vs Juventus. I noticed a stark difference between their styles of play and it is this difference that resulted in 3 of the 4 semi-finalists in the same competition last year to be English. The modern game is characterized by pace and the tempo which the team is capable of playing at. The faster and higher tempo u can play in, and the longer you can keep that up, the better team you are.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool were, and still are, capable of playing fast-paced games and can keep the tempo up for long periods in the game. The likes of Real Madrid, Juventus and Milan have been left behind in the wake of this revolution for some years now, and have yet to see continental success in the last 5 years. They are languid and pensive in their approach, patiently probing for openings. Although cautious, it is harder to get a result against swifter opponents.

They may have to rethink their strategy in tactics and player recruitment if they were to stay competitve with not just the clubs from England, but also examples like Inter Milan and to a lesser extent, Lyon.

Get off His Back

2008-09-21T20:08:00.003+08:00

This is my reponse to the criticism on Robinho's move to Manchester City.

It is ok to argue that he went to City for the money, but to criticize him on the fact that the Sky Blues are too weak a club for him is, in my opinion, disrespectful. What is wrong with a club with ambition? Was not Chelsea in the same boat as City is? Chelsea was only in weak reckoning for a Champions League league finish till they spent 300mil on players. I certainly do not see why Manchester City would not be able to match the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal after spending 300mil.

What is wrong with a little ambition? Shame on those people who argued along those lines! Sour grapes meets ill-logic.

More on the Sky Blues

2008-09-10T13:47:00.003+08:00

There is a lot to be said about the potential new entrant into Champions League football, wresting the power base from the traditional big four we have been so used to for over a decade. There is serious cause for concern as far as Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal, even though City's chances may seem vague as of now. Here's why...

1. No Significant Debts

Arsenal has to pay for their new stadium; while Liverpool is looking to build a new one; the Glazers still got countless millions to settle in bank loans they took to buy United over, and maybe the only one without clearcut debts would be Chelsea. As such we saw, and will be seeing, the spending power of City in the years to come. However, to compete with them it would seem inevitable that City upgrade or even build a new stadium and they could possibly face the same problems.

2. Single Owner

The issues we have seen surfaced between Tom Hicks, George Gillett and Benitez is high profile, divisive and highly disruptive. Yes this is just one club of the big four, but the ultimate goal is to just sneak into the top four isn't it? They just need one of them to collaspe. Managerial patience from the Abu Dhabi group has yet been tested but if they can keep things peaceful, it could help the team's cause on the pitch.

3. Ambition

The capture of Robinho is as much a tactical coup as it is a symbolic one. His presence in the Sky Blues could attract other big name players to the club, signifying the ambitions of the club. Big moves are expected from them at the end of this current season. Besides, there is no league with a bigger audience worldwide than the Barclays Premier League.

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The dynamics have shifted as now there are potentially four new fixtures in a season which could determine Champions League football for five clubs instead of four. If Manchester City can put in a strong and consistent foundation, they will benefit from the technical stability and could move on to depose one of the big four. Liverpool and Arsenal are most precarious with the problems they have exhibited, cēterīs paribus. Let's not speak too soon and see whether the moves City makes and their performances on the pitch can bring them in two seasons.

Keegan Gets Angry

2008-09-04T11:20:00.004+08:00

Up yours, Mike.

The Window Closes; Clamped Shut and Stifling

2008-09-03T01:45:00.011+08:00

What a crazy night of events for BPL fans. Here’s a recap of the most notable in my opinion.

1. Oil Money for Man C

With money dripping from their nostrils, it was about time the BPL was graced with some oil money from Arabia. What an introduction it was too –a hijacked £32.5m deal for Robinho, with an audacious £135m bid for Cristiano Ronaldo lined up (what a story that would be). This could very well mean another club making an appearance in the Champions League other than the Big Four. Definitely one to keep our eyes and ears out for.

2. Weird Spurs

They now have a decent goalie, a great defensive line-up, a decent midfield and a dismal front-line. This is a complete reversal from the kind of team they were last season. If you look up the word erratic on the dictionary you will see Tottenham Hotspurs beside it. I can’t really see Bent and Pavlyuchenko making big splashes in the league this season, and Ramos is essentially a “cup manager”. A UEFA league placing this season will be an excellent result for them, but they could get more if they can get some rhythm going forward.

3. Messiah Crucified (edited)

After just eight months, barely enough time to prove anything to anyone, Keegan has been sacked. A tad bit unfair to Silver-Hair, who has had his differences with the board over the post-season; and it was ultimately a clash of personalities that led to his dismissal. Perhaps he could take the job of Paul Ince when Blackburn is threatened by relegation twenty matches into the season, or even Ole-Bristles Rafa’s potentially vacant job (who himself has had his fair share of boardroom bust-ups).

Edit: Looks like he was not sacked after all. There is still some justice left in this world. Or so i thought...

* * * * * * * * * *

Money is the name of the game in this era of football and I see no slowing down of it. Titles are beginning to be bought as more and more Abramovic-es pop up. They may say it’s a hobby, but it’s actually big business, and a chance to write your name in popular history. Could this progress happen at the expense of the traditional values associated with sports like excellence, human development and the (mythical) level playing field? The pervasiveness of capitalism and its inherent consequence of stratification strangles sporting tradition. So just make sure you support the right team. If that team you support has billionaire funding (read Chelsea and now Man City), a Prime Minister’s backing (read AC Milan) or a whole city behind them (read Real Madrid) then you are on the right track as long as they got the moolah.

Random Laughs

2008-08-20T23:16:00.007+08:00

One's Christian Malcolm, finalist in the Men's 200m.
The other's Eddie Murphy.
One used to make people laugh while the other used to win stuff in his college years.
Both are pretty much B-grade now. Your still a legend Eddie.

And yes, that's Colin vs Norbit. Just had to put that.

Some Beginning Thoughts

2008-08-18T02:01:00.005+08:00

The first round of games is over and there were few surprises in my opinion. Some comments on my predicted top 6 and other selected teams -

Manchester United

I expect a mediocre season from them for two reasons – Ronaldo will play without putting in the heart and soul we saw him do last season, and the loss of Carlos Quieroz. The need for an out-and-out forward never seem more obvious in a toothless performance against a resurgent Newcastle side. Look out for Fletcher this season as I see him getting more games and making his mark finally as a vastly improved player.

Prediction: 3rd

Arsenal

Of the big four, I once again see Arsenal as the one which would most probably end up the worst. A fourth place finish this season would be a real achievement with the players they have. They really should open themselves for sale so as to free up some funds they desperately need to add some experience to a gutsy but lacking side. Those sorry Gunner fans…

Prediction: 4th or 5th

Liverpool

They may have seemed average against Sunderland, but I think credit has to be given to Keane and the Sunderland side he has put together. If Benitez learns his lesson on rotation, Liverpool would actually have a fantastic chance of challenging for the title this season. Always spending big on overvalued quality, this season was no different as they splashed 20mil on Keane (which I think is a good buy) and Benitez’s annoyance at the board’s lack of support in his chase for Barry (which I see as an absolute waste of money). If Keane and Torres can put together a working partnership, there will be little anyone in the League can do to stop them and finally put some value to the big money transfers.

Prediction: 1st or 2nd

Chelsea

What else to say about Scolari? Many have doubted his credentials when at club level but I tell you now he will bring attacking football that Abramovic has been looking for and Chelsea will produce the goods, IF he is able to keep the massive egos in the team in check. Deco is a brilliant buy and I see him as possibly being the key player this season for Chelsea, unless the other “indian-chiefs” have something to say about that (aka Frank Laanpah and the other mupps).

Prediction: 1st or 2nd

Tottenham

Well well money can’t buy success, or can it. The biggest spenders saw defeat at Teeside and look to let their fans down again, despite spending. I however think they can make a challenge for 4th place this season when Ramos gets it right within a month. The crucial factor here is who they will purchase to replace the impending departure of Berbatov.

Prediction: 4th or 5th

Aston Villa

Martin O’Neil did wonders last season with a paper thin squad and I see him performing miracles again this time round. The impressive duo of Agblonlahor and Young will continue to torment defences with their pace, and if they manage to stay fit, could carry the Villains all the way to Europe on their shoulders.

Prediction: 6th

Possible surprises this season include a resilient Sunderland and Newcastle. Whether the blue side of Manchester sees success this season is entirely dependent on the issues their owner faces in this part of the world. Stoke looks to do a Derby; while Wigan should join them with WBA, Hull and possibly Blackburn, Bolton and Fulham vying for the final relegation spot.

Entertainment & Apathy Induced Embarrassment

2008-07-26T21:07:00.007+08:00

Went to watch Brazil U-23 train at the National Stadium yesterday, and it sure is an eye opener. They played 2-sided-games throughout and I must say, there was rarely a misplaced pass or touch and the intensity was really high, not to mention the level of football on display.

Ronaldinho looked a tad sluggish and is obviously still in a race to get himself fit for the Olympics. Anderson looked assuring, but his antics during training were a minor cause for concern. But he is only 20 and is still growing and maturing, and perhaps his sort of presence during tense periods close to big games or tournaments can help alleviate the general stress on the team. Pato looked sharp and matured for someone his age and is definitely one for the future. The one that impressed me most however is Manchester City's new signing Jo. He is very similar to Adebayor - lanky yet quick, good movement with and without the ball, strong in the air and strikes a mean shot. He will definitely be one to look out for in the coming season as he seeks to repay the mad amount of money paid by Thaksin.

Finally, a few words regarding the Singaporean fans who were present at the session. I felt uncomfortable throughout the session as the people who were really there made me feel like some sort of a misfit. They shouted unsavoury jokes, most of which presented Singaporeans as a bunch of low-lives with poor and blunt sense of humour. I guess they were just doing it for the sake of their own idea of 'good fun', but being funny and being laughed at are two different things.

The kind of frenzy (or lack of) that this match has created somewhat reflects the kind of society we live in. Tickets are still apparently on sale when I expected them to move really fast. Goodness this is Brazil, who will not want to watch it, for a decent price as well! The hustle and bustle of our highly capitalistic system has changed our attitudes towards leisure, to the point of apathy. There are multitudes of distractions and other priorities placed above leisure. I would think leisure would be something we look forward to and work towards, not distract ourselves from. Looks like priorities and attitudes have changed.

(edit: I actually wrote this two days before the Straits Times' Sports Correspondent came up with something of similar content!)

Ronald-HO..A Carlos Queiroz Ramble

2008-07-01T13:13:00.002+08:00

Should he or should he not? I think it is a foregone conclusion in my opinion, just get going and give us a minimum of 70mil Euros in return. A player, however brilliant, is only as useful as his heart for the club. Wanna leave? Fine, just make sure I get back monetarily the amount of effort I put into making who you are today, the faith I placed in you when everyone thought your were an Olympic diver and sheltered you while the whole of England wanted your ass.

Can anyone honestly replace him? He is strong, fast, skilful, an accomplished finisher with both his feet and head, excellent physique and plays with the heart and desire that is desperately lacking in so many professional players. A complete player? Yes. Irreplaceble? Maybe. Can we go on and be successful without him? Definitely. We are Man United, not CRFC. We won the Champions League the season after Cantona retired and you're no where near his legendary status yet.

With a heavy heart I let you go, but with (muted) gleeful anticipation I look forward to your next replacement. With that money, I can get anyone I want.

Queiroz

Portuguese Let-Down and Other Updates

2008-06-20T23:33:00.004+08:00

As predicted, the Portuguese defence proved to be their bane as they fall to a German team usually inept in the offensive department. They failed to outscore how much they (would always) concede and have paid the price for it.

The Spain-Italy encounter looks very similar to this. The Italians are as methodological as the Germans in their approach to tournaments, while the Spanish are brilliant going forward and as abysmal as the Portuguese in defending. If this Spanish armada is sunk, it will be a massive blow to the tournament, since the remaining teams lack the flair and excitement both the Portuguese and Spanish can provide.

What about the Dutch you say? Well they are efficient and no doubt a brilliant team, but not as exciting and flambouyant as their more exotic counterparts. Russia should be a breeze, setting up a mouth-watering clash with Spain.

If things were straight-forward, the semi-finals will see Croatia reunited with Germany after disposing of the dirty Turks with the Germans looking to set right their early group game defeat; while Spain will dispatch the underseving Italians which will see them match up against the Netherlands.

I am silently rooting for Spain in this tournament, and I hope their defence will hold up to the Orange Army.

Allow Me Biasness...A One-off Ramble

2008-06-12T04:44:00.005+08:00

I may sound like a racist bastard here, but the Turks were certainly undeserving, stinking and largely annoying in the second round Group A match against hosts Switzerland. Hakan Ya-kin was perhaps too bothered about playing against his kin to finish numerous chances that came his way. Even his goal was one whose celebrations were muted, so much for naturalizing citizenship.

Portugal has announced their intentions with two wins in the first two group stage matches. Their defending though, leaves more to be desired. They will have to score more than they will probably concede in the later stages if they want to live up to their pre-tournament billing as favourites; or maybe, just defend better.

Spain has started off brightly but they too share the same problem as the Portuguese. Coupled with their standard self-destruction that we have so often seen in past tournaments, it would be risky to back them all the way. One potential saving grace is the fact that political animal Raul is not in the squad, and Spain is finally playing and behaving like a team on high spirits.

The German machine seems all at home in the tournament hosted by the Swiss and Austrians, and produce yet another methodological victory. They were efficient, but not brilliant. Should be enough to see them into the semis.

The Netherlands are on a high after a not-so-fluke 3-0 win over world champions Italy. If I were forced to choose a team that gave the best balanced performance, it would be them. They will probably see Spain in the semi-finals if all goes as plan. From then on, may the team more endowed with ability and luck go through.

So you heard it here first, the not so surprising predictions of a Portugal-Germany, Spain-Netherlands semi-final. To stick my neck out further, I see a Portugal-Spain final. Oh yes and one more thing, expect to see Greece get creamed in the group stages, to my delight.

Melvin out...

Auld Lang Syne & All That

2007-12-31T14:37:00.000+08:00

Next article that should be up by the 3rd of January will be examining the chances of the clubs threatened by relegation at the mid-point stage of the season and offer some solutions that could keep them afloat.

Till then, have an excellent New Year's Eve and a fabolous 2008. Cheers!

Wake up and Smell the Ashes, Arsene.

2007-12-14T22:18:00.001+08:00

Top of the league by one point, through to the knockout stages of the Champions League and with the FA and Carling Cup yet to come, Arsenal are sure looking good for success this season. Spearheaded by the dynamism and creativity of Cesc Fabregas, who is only 20 years of age and already in his 5^th season for the Gunners, it would seem foolish to not back Wenger’s Gunlets for at least one trophy this season. Yet, that is exactly what I am going to do – Arsenal will end up without the League, Champions League and FA Cup this season. Call me daft, but here’s why.

Probably the most obvious weakness in the squad is the lack of depth and general quality beyond the first-eleven. They have a decent keeper that is yet to see action at high levels in Alumnia. Their defense is prone to error and has backup in the form of Sanderos and Hoyte, this department is particularly weak. Other than Hleb and Fabregas, the midfield either has vastly inexperienced players, or those who are not good enough to be challenging for top honours. They do have a talented forward line, many of which can double up as wingers. But they only have two out-and-out forwards in Adebayor and Bendtner and neither is good enough to lead the line. Van Persie and Walcott are too light-weight to be employed as target-men and are better off coming in from wide.

The youthfulness of this Arsenal side smacks of effervescence, but the inexperience and the condition of young bodies could undo their prospects, and this is especially compounded by the lack of depth in the squad. The stress of fixtures in a top club like Arsenal mean that the core players in the team have to turn out for 60 odd games in one full season. This is highly stressful especially for players who are still in the early years of physical development. This will ultimately contribute to the theory that Arsenal will fade out after the second half of the season as fatigue and injuries set in.

Arsenal has performed pretty well so far this season, but I would like to remind readers that the only real opponents they faced so far are at home to Manchester United (2-2, lucky to have got away with a point), away to Liverpool (1-1) and Sevilla home and away (3-0 and 1-3 respectively). The real test comes when they face a resurgent Chelsea this weekend, while not forgetting the tougher challenges in the Champions League knockout stage. If a Fabregas-less Arsenal does that badly against a less-than mediocre Middlesbrough side (who happened to perform brilliantly that particular day) is any sort of indicator, your guess is as good as mine on how they will fair against the bubbling Blues.

I meant to write this article before the game against Middlesbrough and talk about how Arsenal will fade after the Christmas fixture congestion, but I guess it has begun earlier than I expected. Arsene has to wake up and smell the ashes real soon. Make 1 or 2 purchases in the January transfer window to fill that lack of depth especially in defense, or risk ruining a bright start to the season.

Manchester United's Chances in Europe

2007-12-09T22:05:00.000+08:00

Five games, five victories, and United are through to the knockout stages of the Champions League. Only two other teams have remained unbeaten in the group stages, Chelsea and Barcelona. Although the teams that were in Group F were not exactly what you would call serious contenders for the Champions League, coming away from Kiev and Lisbon 4-2 and 1-0 winners is quite a feat. Coupled together with dominating performances at home, the Red Devils look the best bet for a strong showing in Europe this season.

As a United fan myself, I would love to see that happen. But this is dependent on two factors. Firstly, the Cristiano Ronaldo factor. He has netted 14 goals in 18 games this season, 5 of which have come in the 5 European games he appeared in. He sure is peaking, but is it too early? If he burns out prematurely, this could cause serious problems to United in all competitions. You could say there are still the likes of Tevez, Rooney and Saha to lead the front line. Tevez and Rooney are doing relatively ok while Saha is perpetually unfit yet somehow is able to contribute when called upon. The situation looks real bright. At least one of the three has to step up when (or if) Ronaldo wanes at the latter part of the season if United were to see success in any competition.

The second factor is the shaky defense that has been on display all season. They have conceded 13 goals so far this season, which doesn’t seem that bad a number initially. However conceding 5 in the last 7 is a statistic to worry about. The most consistent defensive performer this season has been Wes Brown, who is now in the middle of a distracting contract wrangle. The problem actually lies in the latent instability of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. They look solid on the whole and started off very hard and strong early in the season, but they are beginning to show a propensity to lose concentration, which was precisely why those goals were leaked. Such cracks will be gaping holes when they move deeper into the competition where the likes of Kaka, Ronaldinho and Ibrahimovic will prove to be much more of a problem. Reestablishing the once sound Ferdinand-Vidic partnership and holding on to Brown could be vital to their quest for silverware this season.

My humble opinion is that whether United do well in the Champions League this season is entirely dependent on their performance in the domestic league. The better they do in the league, the less likely they would do well in the Europe. They arguably have enough depth in the squad to challenge a minimum of two fronts, but the new batch of players lack the experience to compete at such a high level so often and perform consistently. However if there was one player that could bring back the 2^nd European title that Sir Alex so obviously wants and needs to surpass Sir Matt Busby and cement himself in United folklore, it will be that Portuguese Prodigy.

Precursor to Revival

2007-12-08T02:16:00.000+08:00

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=488545&cc=4716
(Article posted on 7/12/2007)

http://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/2724-European_Football-
Portsmouth-Tottenham_Hotspur-Foreign_Ownership_in_the_EPL_
A_Double-Edged_Sword-081007
(Written on 08/10/2007)

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Hey Melvin,

The Champions League Group F has proven to be a simple challenge for Fergie's men. No other club in Europe has matched their dominance in the Group Stage, and many spectators would deem them the favorite heading into the knockout rounds.

Wondering if in the next week, you'd be able to write a 250-500 word editorial piece regarding Man U's Champions League prospects heading into the new year?

If you're feeling ambitious, we're also looking for analysis on other top Champions League contenders.

Thanks Melvin—looking forward to hearing from you.

Best,
Zan

Zander Freund
Content and Community Director
Bleacher Report Team
www.BleacherReport.com

*********************

Back with a vengeance! Look out for my next article which will probably come in beginning of next week. Sorry for the wait folks...will update soon.

Lame Looney

2007-09-30T13:11:00.001+08:00

Everyone has been talking about the £30mil useless piece of meat that is Andrei Shevchenko. I will do one better. Named by Sir Alex Ferguson as one of the 5 world-class players he has ever coached, alongside Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel, Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs and costing the club in excess of £20mil, Wayne Rooney has definitely been placed on a pedestal by both his manager and his fans. I will stick my neck out to say that Rooney is overrated, and Manchester United is better off with him not in the starting lineup. Here’s why…

Statistics that matter, Rooney has scored 7 goals in 28 appearances against credible teams like Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Milan and Roma. This brings me to my first beef - Rooney does not perform on the big stage. Very often fading into obscurity when performing on the biggest stage, he certainly has failed to live up to the ‘world-class’ tag labeled on him. Granted, his role in the team is not one of being a natural goal-scorer, but then again besides Saha, Ruud van Nistlerooy and the now retired Solskjaer, there were not many of such players. This plus the point that he plays almost every game that he is fit to and the positions he finds himself in front of goal in matches, makes the lack of goals against big teams glaring. Cristiano Ronaldo can score more goals than Rooney, playing in a less forward and central position, on the big stage as well.

Known for his fiery and dogged playing style, he loses the plot too often and does unnecessary tackles or comes into confrontations with the opposition and the referee. He is certainly someone that does not lack confidence and he is very overt in showing it. He has improved somewhat in his relations with opposition players but he really has to check his tackles and less-than-subtle conversations with the referee or he will continue to be a disciplinary liability.

His playing style is another cause for concern. He has this habit of playing on his strength and determination, often running the ball into the wide and corner positions, very often crowded out by 2 or more defenders, and he will end up losing the ball. He loses the ball very often too, due to poor touch and awareness. He is unable to bring his teammates into the game (unlike Tevez), lacking the presence of mind and awareness that is vital for someone employed in that position. His finishing is inconsistent; he used to score spectacular goals and is able to put away easy chances, but he has yet to score in 10 competitive games 4 of which included slightly inferior teams. The only advantage having him on the pitch is his determination and physical presence, which could cause defenders problems and open up space for his teammates to capitalize on.

I find it quite an issue to name someone, who has just played 4 seasons for you and is only 22 years of age, alongside true greats like Cantona, Giggs, Schmeichel and Keane as being ‘world-class’. He has yet to achieve anything on the big stage and this brings immense injustice to a player like Paul Scholes. Perhaps this is another mind-game from the wily old Scot in an attempt to bring Rooney’s standard of play up another level to justify his price tag or to benefit the team, I don’t know. I do know he has to bring his game with him soon, if not Tevez and Saha should deservedly be in the first team and not Lame Looney.

Jose has Left the Building

2007-09-20T20:19:00.000+08:00

Jose Mourinho has left Chelsea. As much as everyone has their negative comments about him, I am absolutely certain his presence will be missed. Let's take a pictorial journey on the impression he left on the Premier League.

Amidst the Blue revival under Roman Abramovich, a certain someone who won the Champions League with an unfancied Porto side was hired to replace Claudio Rainieri. He called himself The Special One, and from this picture, it isn't hard to see why. Armed with Roman's billions, to spend on transfers, he began his reign.

In the flurry of criticisms and hatred, he silenced every one by winning the Premier League and the League Cup, reaching the semi-final stages of the Champions League in the process. He has gone on to win one more League title and League Cup, one FA Cup, and one Community Shield in his 3 full seasons with Chelsea. Chelsea are currently unbeaten at home for a record 67 games in a row. Such are his achievements.

In his time at Chelsea, he has shown himself to have interesting character traits. The most attention-grabbing is his inability to lose with grace. Blaming everyone from the referee, his assistants, the FA, buses parked in front of goals, lunch...whatever. Sometimes he has a point, sometimes he doesn't. One thing's for sure, he usually gives the opponent the credit they deserve. One legacy he did leave behind is his stylish goal celebrations at the dugout, sometimes he even displays nonchalance. Nothing less from the Special One.

His antics were fodder for the press, who lapped up his every word and action. Every facial expression, every comment made, every mis-step was scrutinized. It was a field day for the media personnel covering any Chelsea event. Every reporter's dream.

All said and done, Jose is one polished Portuguese. His boyish looks, manly charms, sharp suits, sexy accent and the air of confidence around him left many women hot on their couches. He does have his off days though, but generally, he was hot enough.

And things began turning sour. His relationship with Roman turned frigid. I would say, it all started with the arrival of Andriy Shevchenko, Roman's good friend. Things snowballed and didn't look good at the end of last season. Roman's ominous departure in the recent 2-0 defeat against Villa spelled trouble. The support of his players, and the success he had was not enough to make him immune from the chop. More of an issue of personal differences than anything else, Mourinho was made to leave.

He carried the team on his shoulders, and wore his heart on his sleeve. He was extremely popular with the players, media and his own fans. I am certain he has converted many a hater in his time at Chelsea. And I am proud to say that I am one of them. The Premier League will never be the same without him. He will be missed. Will we see him in action on the sidelines in England for another team? Spurs are actively looking for a manager and they could hire him. But I feel it is unlikely that he will stay in the UK. If Spurs does hire Ramos from Sevilla, Mourinho could be moving to sunny Spain. Anyway, Jose has certainly left the building.

The Foe?

2007-09-06T01:27:00.000+08:00

Name: Jermain Colin Defoe

Height: 1.70m

Date of birth: 07-10-1982

Position: Forward

Nationality: England

Tottenham Hotspur

Appearance (Substitute) - Goals

League: 85 (40) - 39

FA Cup: 7 (4) - 5

League Cup: 8 (2) – 9

Other: 2 (3) – 3

Jermain Defoe was a youth product of Charlton where he impressed enough to be purchased by then West Ham boss Harry Redknapp for a fee of £1.15million in 1999; he was only 19 years old then. In his 5 years at Upton Park he netted 51 goals and when The Hammers went down in 2003, it was almost inevitable that someone one of his quality would have no lack of suitors. Thus he followed the West Ham exodus of that season and joined Tottenham Hotspur for a hefty fee of £7million in 2004. This move saw him make his England senior debut as a substitute in March of the same year in a 1-0 defeat to Sweden. He subsequently handed his first start in a World Cup qualifying match against Poland in September 2004, scoring in a 2-1 win. He has clocked up 22 more caps after this and scoring 2 more goals. Blessed with quick feet, lightning reaction and explosive finishing, many people would have tipped him to achieve great things. This is precisely why I decided to devote an entire article to him.

He has made 5 league appearances for Spurs this season, all as a substitute. In his 24 international caps for England, he only started four of those games, with the rest as a cameo substitute. Sven brought an unfit Rooney and an untested 17 year old Walcott rather than a raring-to-go Defoe for the World Cup last year. In short, Defoe’s recent fortune with selection could be described as pitiful. Why is that so? Let’s look at the situation in both Spurs and England to have a better idea.

There are currently 4 forwards in the Tottenham setup – Berbatov, Keane, Bent and Defoe. You could say each has their own strengths and weaknesses but neither are goal scoring machines unless you count Berbatov’s 23 goal haul in all competitions last season as being prolific. He is the only one, I would have to say, that would be the only confirmed name on the team sheet in the forwards department. Keane’s strengths are his intelligence and creativity, leadership qualities, as well as his ability to score amazing goals to rouse his team mates. He would be second on the team sheet. This leaves Jermain Defoe and a £16.5million Bent on the bench.

One note on Bent; he has pace, strength, and aerial ability. But he is only slightly above average in those departments, and that arguably makes him a mediocre player. You could say he scored lots of goals during his time at Charlton but being the lone man up-front for the Addicks would mean he would have the most and best opportunities to become their top goal-scorer. After all that rambling, I will just sum up the player, which cost Spurs £0.5million more than what Barcelona paid for Theirry Henry, in one word – overrated.

With Tottenham involved in the domestic league, FA and League Cup competitions, and the Uefa Cup, there is supposed to be a host of games to keep each forward happy. The problem here lies in the international status of both Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe. Both are on the fringes of the team and need match time in order to impress and keep sharp. Playing bit-parts in competitions inferior to the League or Uefa competitions would definitely frustrate, or could even be detrimental to these players, who are of certain quality and expectation.

The fact that Spurs have got off to a poor start has pressured Martin Jol to keep the existing strikeforce of Berbatov and Keane. The only time this partnership was changed was against Derby when Bent was handed a starting place, ahead of Defoe. It was perhaps the fact that Defoe and Keane were never able to successfully play together that prompted Jol to make such a decision.

What this could mean for Defoe on the club level is increasing disappointment on the bench. This would affect his already dim international future. England usually employs a dual forward system and this would normally mean calling up 4-5 of them. In the upcoming Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel, McClaren called up Alan Smith, Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, Andrew Johnson and Jermain Defoe. Well-known for his liking of pairing a target-man with a speedy player, it would be a good guess to say that Heskey and Owen are the most likely to start.

A few words on McClaren (as you can see, I love to digress). I have always felt he has achieved nothing in club level for him to deserve a job like managing England. Owen is a paler shade of his old self, after losing his speed and agility after coming back from his long term injury. But yet, he is one of McClaren’s favourites. In my opinion, it would be logical to start Emile Heskey and Andy Johnson up front as the latter is in good form compared to Alan Smith (who is deployed as a centre-midfielder in Newcastle) and Jermain Defoe (who has a serious lack of match practice). Owen’s place in the squad should be given up to someone like Ashley Young or Gabriel Agbonlahor (both of whom have been putting in decent displays for Villa), since I feel his abilities and form does not warrant him a place. In essence, he is as daft a manager (tactically) as you can get.

Back to Defoe. It is unlikely he will play any part in this game as I see Andy Johnson coming before him in the pecking order, and putting 4 forwards on the field at the same time would only happen if England were down 1-0 with 15 minutes to go. And with Rooney and Crouch unavailable, Defoe’s England chances look bleak.

What now for this young man? To me at least, his abilities as a forward are undeniable and my heart aches to see such footballing injustice being done. My honest opinion is that he should move on to a club that will guarantee him regular first team action, and that England needs a new (read: more competent) manager for his talents to be recognized and put in better use. He should be least playing a more integral role rather than the plug-filling function that he is right now.

With such talent and promise, one can only lament the state that Defoe is in right now. I wish him all the best.

Fragility

2007-08-30T00:33:00.000+08:00

The practical aspect of sport is commonly associated with health, happiness and personal/group satisfaction. However the recent death of Sevilla’s Antonio Puerta has once again reminded us the fragility of life, and the obvious paradox.

This certainly rings a bell with Marc-Vivien Foé and his passing away. My sources tell me that there is some sort of distortion of what really happened to him. The official story is that he had an enlarged right ventricle, which made cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation the likely cause of death. Apparently Foé had been taking performance enhancing drugs prior to the time of his death, and I was told that this is common practice for professional players at the highest level. This apparently has something to do with his death. I must state that the nature and legality of the alleged supplement he was consuming are not known to me.

There are risks when you are priming the body to be in its best condition to perform and entertain, through hard work and supplements. Untold and unknown side-effects which are still being researched today can cause physical and psychological harm. R.I.P. Chris Benoit, Antonio Puerta, Marc-Vivien Foé and the countless others who devoted their lives to sporting excellence as well as entertainment of the masses, and paid a price for it. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.

BPL Game Week 4 Preview

2007-08-25T16:43:00.000+08:00

This week’s game in focus is Bolton hosting Reading at the Reebok. Sammy Lee desperately needs a result tonight so let’s take a look at his prospects.

Bolton v Reading

Three straight losses and Lil’ Sammy is the fore-runner in the race to get sack first. His attempts in altering the system that work so well under the more illustrious Sam seem to reap little, if any, rewards. Such is the distress in the dressing room that Anelka and Diouf have both invoked rumours of moving elsewhere. He does possess a decent team that could produce better results under different circumstances. Nolan needs to pick him and the team up, and drive them forward. The key concern is the evidently frail defense that has not filled the void left by Ben-Haim. It is now or never for Sammy

Reading on the other hand is having an excellent start to the season. 4 points from a possible 9, 6 of which came against Chelsea and Manchester United. The win was no walk in the park either, against a resurgent Everton side. They look initially good for a squad that has relatively mediocre paper quality. Their strength lies not in the team but in their manager. Steve Coppell is achieving as a manager, what he was not able to as a player after retiring prematurely. But there is only so much a manager can do.

Losing twice to Reading last season, Bolton will be looking to exact revenge and get their first proper result of the season.

Last Season’s Head-2-Head

English Premier Bolton Wanderers 1-3 Reading 21-04-2007

English Premier Reading 1-0 Bolton Wanderers 02-12-2006

Score Prediction: Bolton 1-0 Reading

Final Notes: Sammy will get his first win tonight to ease the pressure off him, and his team. Reading has flown high enough, and what goes up must come down.

Fun-Pix (1)

2007-08-23T22:44:00.001+08:00

Big Sam and Lil' Sammy

An excellent picture I picked off Guardian. Many meanings and lotsa laughs. Been a tad busy with commitments, will be back with the usual dose real soon. Till then...

BPL Game Week 3 Preview: Part II

2007-08-19T15:40:00.000+08:00

Three sizzling Sunday matches awaits as the three big teams that played last Sunday, will again play this Sunday in overlapping times. Let’s take a quick look at the three games and size up how each team should do.

Manchester City vs Manchester United

City has a 100% start to the season so far but against arguably lesser opponents. This is where the real test comes. A United side still looking for their first win of the season travel just a couple of miles to the City of Manchester Stadium in what is a familiar yet hostile environment will be out to kill. Other than the absence of Isaksson, Sven virtually has a full strength squad to choose from and looking at the past two matches, they will probably play a 4-5-1 formation without much change to the personnel on the pitch. We all know David Dunne is susceptible to pace and how he handles Tevez will determine whether City can hold on for a draw. Expect to see a goal contrived by Petrov and/or Bianchi and/or Elano, the backbone of City’s attack.

Manchester United’s cursed start to the season continues with Rooney out for extended periods and Ronaldo suspended for three matches. The team that is to be put out is still reasonable by United’s standards, but once again the question is can they score more than they will invariably concede? Tevez particularly would play in a big role in this game as I feel most of the pressure of not having Rooney and Ronaldo will rest on his shoulders. He will revel in being the focal point of attack and should create space for Scholes, Giggs and Nani to do their stuff. Ferdinand may find trouble handling the strength and presence of Bianchi and he should be thankful that he has Vidic by his side.

Score Prediction: Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United

Final Notes: The only reason why I think United will win this is the fact that if they do not, alarm bells will certainly start ringing. City though, could spring a surprise.

Blackburn vs Arsenal

Blackburn is a team whose pre-season started earlier as they were involved in the Inter-Toto competition. This could mean the team peaking earlier than the others and could put them in good stead against Arsenal. The challenge for Mark Hughes is to maintain the team’s performance throughout the season and not let them peak too early and die off late into the campaign. Bright starts from Derbyshire and Santa Cruz in the first game could see either or both starting in this match. They look reasonable in all departments so far and have a variety of options going forward. Pedersen should be running the show for them again tonight.

Arsenal’s youths came back from a goal down last week to clinch the game against Fulham but this is a different ball game all together. They will have to stay focused and disciplined throughout the game if they were to get any result from this fixture. Eduardo has yet to play and I believe everyone is excited to see him in action. Jens Lehmann needs to sort himself out and put in a sound and confident performance this week to make up for last week’s gaffe, and the same goes to the entire defense that looked shaky at times, making uncharacteristic mistakes.

Score Prediction: Blackburn 2-1 Arsenal

Final Notes: Blackburn is a team already in gear while Arsenal’s still trying to sort themselves out defensively. The Gunners are good for a goal and could force a draw, but I see Blackburn putting in a competent performance to clinch this one.

Liverpool vs Chelsea

Liverpool sees this as a good chance to inflict a blow on Chelsea’s title challenge and proclaim their own as they face an injury-hit squad that looks suspect in defense, especially when Liverpool have the likes of Torres and Gerrard pushing forward. Terry’s possible inclusion will be a much welcomed sight. As much as I see Liverpool scoring, I also foresee that the Liverpool defense will not be able to handle Didier Drogba and he will cause a lot of problems for them.

Both teams have recent history against one another, and Benitez and Mourinho are not exactly the best of pals. I expect this to be a hot-blooded affair as a victory for either team will be a big step towards claiming the title. The one-on-one match ups of the night that will be interesting for the fans are – Lampard-Gerrard, Carvalho-Torres, Drogba-Agger pairings. Glen Johnson will have to contain an explosive Riise too if Chelsea were to get anything out of this game and the same goes for the Liverpool defense in handling the threat that Malouda poses.

Score Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea

Final Notes: I feel both teams will score, and the match will likely end up a draw. But I could not help but hope for a Liverpool victory to make the race for the title that little bit more interesting.

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Three big games in three time slots that overlap, how stupid. Oh well, we make the best of what we can and maybe what we can do is watch the game that interests us the most. So much for the promise of better quality for increased rates. Anyway, have a good night catching the games, and a good working week ahead. Melvin, out...

BPL Game Week 3 Preview: Part I

2007-08-18T16:56:00.001+08:00

While everyone’s attention will be on the big clash between Liverpool and Chelsea on Sunday, I have decided to focus on solely one match that would be of almost equivalent significance but has been overshadowed by the Red vs Blue encounter – Newcastle vs Aston Villa. Both are decent teams with good managers who should both be aiming for Europe this season, and both deserve decent media coverage, as much as that big encounter.

Newcastle vs Aston Villa

Newcastle

The Magpies may be missing quite a few first team players like Duff, Barton and Babayaro but the figure whose inability to feature tonight could have a major bearing on the result is Shay Given. When the defense finally looks like they have moved on from the Boumsong-Bramble days, they will be without their steady custodian. Steve Harper may be a reasonable talent, but the variety that the Villa attack has means he would have to handle shots from all over the pitch, crosses and headers. How he performs tonight would determine how many Villa can score.

Sam Alladyce has developed a unique footballing philosophy that brought success to Bolton and here at Newcastle, he has managed to assemble a team that could outshine his achievements at the Reebok. Compact, disciplined, hard and patient while defending and when they get the ball, they have several options. They could throw the ball out wide to N’Zogbia or Milner to attack down the flanks or drop balls behind the full-backs for them to chase, go route one towards Viduka who could play off to Martins, hold the ball up or barge forward on his own, or they could build up from the middle and look to play the ball into space for Martins to pounce on. This is the variety of options up front that makes Newcastle so dangerous and when combined with Big Sam’s belief in making full use of their set-pieces, it will arguably be a complete strategy.

He brought fans expectations to a new high, which has never been higher since they purchased Alan Shearer and the excellent start to the season certainly brings much promise. Mark my words: Newcastle is one of the few teams in the league that will be able to have a hand on how the title race is decided as they are capable of springing surprises on every single one of the Big 5.

Newcastle Probable 11: Harper, Geremi, Taylor, Rozehnal, Carr, N’Zogbia, Milner, Butt, Smith, Viduka, Martins

Strengths: Variety of options up-front, disciplined, excellent manager

Weakness: No Shay Given

Aston Villa

This could be billed as the Battle of the Gaffers as both teams seems equally matched on paper and it could go down to the managers to separate the two teams. Villa has an arguably better first team who moves forward quite similarly to Newcastle. The difference is that Newcastle has two holding midfield players, one of which is allowed to join in the attack, and plays two forwards, while Villa has only one holding midfielder and plays one forward.

Agbonlahor looked ordinary in Villa’s opening game and it was Ashley Young who came up with an inspired second-half performance to be a nuisance against Liverpool. John Carew should have a better outing this time round as I foresee Geremi and Taylor having problems handling his strength and presence. The weak-link in Villa when facing Newcastle could be Wilfred Bouma and O’Neil will be hoping his experience will be able to make up for his lack of pace against Milner.

Scott Carson should come in and start in goal after completing his loan move to replace the injured Sorensen, and would relish the chance to impress McClaren and make a claim for a spot in England’s European challenge. Another player that I expect to make an impact tonight for Villa is Petrov but contending with the two holding midfielders that Newcastle deploys could pose a problem. The key to victory in this game for Villa is how Carew conducts himself, and how much his teammates are able to get him involved tonight.

Aston Villa Probable 11: Carson, Mellberg, Laursen, Bouma, Gardner, Barry, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Young, Agbonlahor, Carew

Strengths: Creativity in the middle, John Carew’s presence, excellent man-manager

Weaknesses: Depth in squad, pace on the wide of defense

Score Prediction: Newcastle 2-2 Aston Villa

Final Notes: I actually fancy Big Sam getting a result on his home debut, but his defense showed they were shaky handling the likes of Davis in the first game against Bolton and now they face an even stronger opponent in the form of John Carew. Villa should grind out a result after their disappointment against Liverpool last week. Goals should be scored by both teams and I expect an exciting match.

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Ok I was just kidding when I said I would overlook the massive match between Liverpool and Chelsea, as well as a certain Manchester derby. They will be previewed tomorrow. Till then, enjoy the action tonight. Melvin, out...

BPL Game Week 2 Review

2007-08-16T21:26:00.000+08:00

If this is going to be the how the league is played out over the rest of the season, it is going to be keenly contested on all fronts. Once again, let’s look at the few talking points, team, player and goal of the game week.

Talking Point 1: Slow off the Blocks

Spurs and Manchester United start off their first two games of the season on uneasy footing as both struggled to find wins, with Spurs even losing to an unfancied Sunderland side. Tottenham possess a team that is always changing every season, and arguably every game. The thing that I find weird is, they are a big club in this league and how big clubs should operate is to play their best formation and tactics and let the opposition alter themselves tactically; but in the case of Martin Jol, he changes his formation and tactics irregardless of the team he faces, giving little chance of allowing his best 11 have game-time together and grow as a team, prolonging that process. Although his approach seems logically sound, it has this precise disadvantage, making Spurs a slow starter as a result. Tactical tweaks are welcomed but drastic changes should be given time to work on the training ground before being applied on an ad-hoc basis.

As for Manchester United, I believe their problem is their lack of variety of options up-front as well as the massive void left by Roy Keane without anyone to fill that leadership role. They have an excellent team on paper, but if their first two games were any indicator, teams are beginning to sit deep and neutralize the pace of the Red Devils. This would not be a problem if they had someone different to mix it up up-front, an example I can think of is what Niclas Bendtner did for Arsenal when they played Villa. Looking at the people who have taken on the captain’s armband since Keano’s departure, the best of the worst were Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand. The former is not exactly first-team quality while the other seems to have distractions outside of the pitch making Sir Alex reluctant to make it permanent. Wayne Rooney has the fire but lacks the experience and mental stability to take on such a task. Sometimes you need that leader-figure on the pitch to rally the team forward and United does not have anyone capable of doing that. They will come through as a formidable team sooner or later, but if they want success on all fronts this season, they will need to sort these problems out.

Talking Point 2: Fan-Tevez-Tic

United once again failed to find the net more times than they invariably would concede and did not win the game, but one consolation is Tevez’s performance that night. Seeing what I saw, he is definitely a better option than Wayne Rooney. He has better ball skills, more awareness and is able to get his teammates involved, while Rooney on the other hand has a habit of barging forward solo and losing the ball after poor touches or being crowded out by defenders. Mind you, Tevez was not even fully fit and with a performance like that makes it even more obvious that he should be penned on that team sheet before Rooney. Sir Alex however has named Rooney in his list of the top five players he ever managed in United and would definitely beg to differ.

Talking Point 3: Sammy-Southgate Trouble

4 games without a win, Sammy is in trouble. It ain’t that bad if you look at it, but the success and expectations his predecessor achieved and left behind leaves him a high benchmark. If he doesn’t bring back results in the next couple of months, he could very well be the first manager to be relieved of his services.

As mentioned in my BPL Preview, Gareth Southgate has to improve if Middlesbrough were to have a decent season and from the looks of it, he doesn’t seem to be cut out for management at such high level yet. Although Mido’s purchase could go a long way in securing his job, he seems to be the competing with Sammy for the uncoveted title of First Manager Sacked. My humble opinion is that Southgate will pip Sammy for the title.

Team of the Week

Everton and Arteta put in an amazing performance to pounce on Spurs’ fragilities and bring back 3 precious points away at White Hart Lane. Moyes has started off well, but it is early days yet with teams still tinkering and getting the formula right. I wouldn’t be surprised if Everton falters as the season progresses, but their performance this week nonetheless wins my Team of the Week.

Player of the Week

It was a close fight between Arteta and Drogba but I figured I would mention Arteta above leave this space for the best forward in the league. Having a hand in Chelsea’s equalizer and scoring the match winner, he starts off this season the same way as he ended the last, to a scoring and winning encounter. He will once again be Chelsea’s best forward and with the likes of Pizarro, and a much to prove Shevchenko in the wings, Chelsea will be deadly this season.

Goal of the Week

Well this time it was between Sunderland’s Michael Chopra’s astounding and important volley against Birmingham, and young Michael Johnson’s sublime finish with the outside of his right boot to maintain Manchester City 100% start to the season. It’s really hard to decide and maybe you should make up your own mind about this one. Both goals are absolutely brilliant and it would be a shame if either were left out from this accolade.

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The next preview for this weekend's games will hopefully be in by Saturday afternoon. Till then have a wonderful remainder of the working week. Melvin out...

BPL Game Week 2

2007-08-14T21:47:00.000+08:00

Midweek action this week as we see 14 teams face off against one another in early season fixture congestion. This time we take a look at last season’s top 2, both playing a tricky away game.

Portsmouth vs Manchester United

Team Update

In their previous encounter against Reading, United had a massive share of possession but could not turn them into goals. Reading sat back defending deep, leaving little room for United to play their counter-attacking style of play, where players will push the ball forward into space and run at defenders. They were obviously not accustomed to passing the ball around and looking for openings patiently, something a team like Barcelona would be adapted to. This was further compounded with their lack of a target man which could act as an extra option to play the ball to if there were limited opportunities to run at defenders. Ah yes, Rooney is injured again meaning Tevez will be drafted into the action earlier than Sir Alex would like.

This time round, it would unlikely that Portsmouth will be adopting Reading’s style of play as they would feel they could snatch something away from this game, rather than settle for a draw, since Fratton Park has always been a fortress. Once again it has to be said that the trio of David James, Sol Campbell and Sylvain Distin will be a very tough nut to crack, was quite surprised that they conceded 2 goals against Derby which could be one-off, or could spell underlying possible fractures. Yet, Portsmouth are capable of scoring as seen in pre-season and in their first game against Derby. With talent like Nugent, Utaka and Benjani leading the forward line, the mercurial Lua Lua will be missed, but not much. The weak link lies in their wide positions in defense, where Lauren and Hreidarsson are prone to lapses in concentration, as well as a lack of pace to keep up with United’s speed. If Portsmouth deploys the same tactic as Reading of having the defense and midfield sitting deep whenever they do not have possession, it may again cause some problems for United.

Portsmouth Probable 11: David James, Sol Campbell, Sylvain Distin, Lauren, Hermann Hreidarsson, Pedro Mendes, Sean Davis, Sulley Muntari, John Utaka, David Nugent, Benjani Mwaruwari

Manchester United Probable 11: Edwin van Der Sar, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Mikael Silvestre, Wes Brown, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Partrice Evra, Cristiano Ronaldo, John O’Shea, Carlos Tevez

Head-2-Head

English Premier Portsmouth 2-1 Man United 07-04-2007

English FA Cup Man United 2-1 Portsmouth 27-01-2007

English Premier Man United 3-0 Portsmouth 04-11-2006

English Premier Portsmouth 1-3 Man United 11-02-2006

English Premier Man United 3-0 Portsmouth 03-12-2005

Score Prediction: Portsmouth 1-3 Manchester United

Final Notes: I expect United to sort themselves out and put in a strong performance. Portsmouth is worth as least a goal in this game because of their respectable strike-force and United’s defensive frailties. The question here is can United score more than they concede, and how much can Tevez contribute on his debut. United will be looking to avenge the coresponding fixture last seasonwhen they lost 2-1. I anticipate this game like a giggling girly.

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Reading vs Chelsea

Team Update

Terry’s presence in defense is sorely missed, as demonstrated by the two goals Chelsea conceded against Birmingham. Even this would not stop Chelsea from keeping a clean sheet in this game. Moreover they possess a variety of quality going forward, scoring 3 different kinds of goals against Steve Bruce’s side and threatening in every tactical form of attack that football possesses – speed and trickery wide which sends crosses in, driving midfield middle that are good from range, a goal poacher and a strong target man who can hold up the ball well and involve his teammates with intelligent play. It has to be noted that this was all done against a team that did not look comfortable as a defensive unit. I do not expect Chelsea to let up though, and they should put in another sterling offensive display to clinch a result. If Chelsea manages to have a 2 goal cushion before the 60^th minute, I expect to see Sidwell, Drogba and Joe Cole coming on as substitutes for match fitness.

It is precisely the variety in attacking options that they have that would pose as a tactical dilemma to Steve Coppell. Certainly his sit-back-and-defend tactics would not hold out against a quality side like Chelsea. Reading lacks the quality going forward and attempt to match Chelsea goal for goal to try to get a result. As a result, I believe Reading will not be able to get even a point from this fixture and their best option is actually to do some damage limitation. One thing that could prove to be useful is to employ a rough-and-tough approach to the game and try to throw Chelsea’s players off-focus by riling them up. Essien, Lampard, Mikel, Ashley Cole, Ben-Haim, Carvalho all are susceptible to such treatment and could react.

Reading Probable 11: Marcus Hahnemann, Ulises De la Cruz, Michael Duberry, Ivar Ingimarsson, Graeme Murty, Nicky Shorey, Brynjar Gunnarsson, James Harper, Stephen Hunt, Seol Ki-Hyeon, Kevin Doyle

Chelsea Probable 11: Petr Cech, Tal Ben-Haim, Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson, Frank Lampard, Jon Obi Mikel, Sean Wright-Phillips, Florient Malouda, Salomon Kalou, Claudio Pizarro

Head-2-Head

English Premier Chelsea 2-2 Reading 26-12-2006

English Premier Reading 0-1 Chelsea 14-10-2006

English League Cup Reading 0-1 Chelsea 03-12-2003

English League Cup Chelsea 3-2 Reading 07-10-1987

English League Cup Reading 3-1 Chelsea 23-09-1987

Score Prediction: Reading 0-3 Chelsea

Final Notes: Reading will find tactical problems in handling this offensively excellent Chelsea side and the result is inevitable. How big the margin will be will depend on how many minutes Mourinho tells his side to go full steam.

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Tonight we will see Spurs hoping to put the shock defeat by Sunderland behind them as they face an Everton side fresh from a moral-boosting win over the weekend. The other matches on Thursday early morning include Steve Bruce’s Birmingham attempting to set the record straight against a buoyant Sunderland and show them who was last season’s champions, Fulham and Bolton face each other fresh from agonizing defeats, another wound-licking fest is Wigan at home to Middlesbrough, and Man City will try to make it two wins on the trot against a Derby side that performed beyond expectations last weekend, and trust me their first game was just a one off as I expect City to boss them around.

Here’s a good mid-week to all and I’ll catch you over the weekend.

BPL Game Week 1 Review

2007-08-13T04:28:00.000+08:00

What an amazing opening week for the BPL. In my weekly post-mortem, I will once again devote 3-4 themes/incidents of the particular game week that would be called Talking Points. This will be accompanied by a player, team and goal of the week. Well, here goes…

Talking Point 1: Debut Goals

12 out of the 28 goals scored this weekend were goals that came from players who made their league debuts. This could only mean that the purchases made during the summer did improve the league’s attacking flair. Although not every goal was a gem, there were certainly a couple of crackers. The most obvious one would be Olivier Kapo’s scorcher against Chelsea. What a goal that was.

Talking Point 2: Goals Galore?

28 Goals in 10 games. Only one 0-0 draw and that came from the team that scored the most goals last season, Manchester United, despite dominating the match with over 70% possession. If this is a marker for how the entire season will pan out, fans will be in for a goal glut as majority of teams seem more willing to move forward, rather than sit back cautiously. Heck, even Birmingham managed to get two against Chelsea. This could be due to the attacking quality that the league purchased and with the likes of Bojinov, Tevez and Eduardo da Silva yet to feature, there can only be more.

Talking Point 3: No Pushovers

The promoted teams showed they were no pushovers with Sunderland even managing a last minute winner against a weary Tottenham side that is supposed to be challenging for a Champions League place this season. Sunderland looked disciplined and patient without the ball but were admittedly lacking up-front even though they managed a win. Although Birmingham were dominated by Chelsea, they still managed two goals, one of which was down to individual brilliance; imagine if they started playing like a team. Their defense though, looks extremely disorganized and panicky. Derby may lack in quality, but they sure make up for it with spirit, as exemplified by manager Billy Davies. Coming back from a goal down, they clinched a good result with a draw with a Portsmouth side that looked impressive in pre-season.

Talking Point 4: Big 5 Appraisal

Chelsea: Excellent display. Malouda, Pizzaro, Essien and Wright-Phillips had good games and there’s still Alves on the way, Shevchenko, Drogba, Terry unfit. Defense will be more stingy when the full team is fit and back in action. Looks on course for another successful season barring any surprises.

Manchester United: Showed that when opponents sit back and let them attack, they lack ideas. Too reliant on their counter-attacking style of play. Desperately needs fresh options up-front and the injury to Rooney will push the likes of Tevez and Anderson into the fray earlier than planned. Would do much better as the season progresses and the team gets into gear together.

Liverpool: Steven Gerrard is once again their main player and he was involved in every move. New signings Torres and Babel look menacing with their pace, intelligence and skill. Overall, they did not perform as well as the score would suggest as Villa made a good account of themselves in the 2^nd half, but managed to grind out a result. Can only improve from here.

Arsenal: Excellent movement off the ball and work-ethic. Jens Lehmann still proves to be a liability, and the lack of a leading figure up-front meant an attack that lacked direction and finishing. Eduardo could solve that problem, but it is too early to predict. Should have done better against a side like Fulham, but a win is a win.

Tottenham Hotspur: Needs a lot of work on the training ground if they are serious about breaking into the big four. Darren Bent looks like an absolute waste of money, Even Rose Wallace looked more promising than him. Needs King presence in defense badly as Anthony Gardner is not up to the mark. Expect them to come out blazing in their next match.

Team of the Week:

Sunderland. What a way to start off the season. Holding their own against a club that was supposed to have a stroll in the park against them; even managing to snatch a last gasp winner. Credit to Roy Keane for instilling patience, discipline and spirit in a side that lacks quality on paper. If they keep playing the way they did for the rest of the season, he will have more to smile and clap about.

Player of the Week:

It was a close fight between Steven Gerrard and Paul McShane, but the result that Sunderland got and the role he played in that victory left me no choice but to name McShane. Disciplined and strong, he played his role out to perfection as Berbatov was left evidently frustrated. Could be a one off performance from him, but let’s hope he proves us wrong. Smile son, you are on camera!

Goal of the Week:

As a consolation, Stevie G’s extraordinary free-kick that won the game for Liverpool late against Villa comes in as goal of the week.

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It will be a hectic week for me as there are mid-week games as well as games on the coming weekend. Will try to keep up with the action, and pen my thoughts. Till then...

BPL Game Week 1

2007-08-10T14:46:00.000+08:00

Here we are boys and girls, the time of the year is finally here. Weekends will no longer be uneventful as the new season heralds its arrival. For every game week, this space will preview (a maximum of) 3-4 games that I would call “Games of the Week”. The preview will include team news and updates, head-to-heads, possible lineups and score predictions.

To start off the season, we will ponder the fortunes of 6 teams, all of whom would be looking for a good start to European dreams, or survive the relegation nightmare.

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Sunderland vs Tottenham Hotspur

Team Updates:

Keano has made numerous purchases this pre-season but what he has in numbers, he lacks in quality. His best buy would probably be Kieran Richardson whose experience with WBA’s relegation battle a couple of seasons back would prove very useful indeed. Breaking the bank to purchase a goalkeeper, especially when the real need is quality in defense and up-front, leaves many perplexed. Being able to land Mido would be a major coup but one concern will be the relationship that would develop between the two of them. If he manages to rub off his winning mentality and no-nonsense style to the team, Sunderland may very well survive the drop.

Many have come out and predicted that this is the season where Spurs chances of a 4^th place finish is at it brightest. Having a good mix of experience and youthful exuberance, I would have to agree. How Jol manages his team and keeping the talent in the team happy with his squad rotation will be vital to the club’s success this season. A real exciting force going forward, scoring goals will not be a problem. If Younes Kaboul forms a stiff partnership with King and justifies his billing; while Kevin-Prince goes royalty on opponents, there is no reason why Tottenham won’t do well this season. A good result in their first game will be an excellent morale booster for a club with a mission this season.

Sunderland Probable Line-up: Craig Gordon, Greg Halford, Paul McShane, Nyron Nosworthy, Ross Wallace, Liam Miller, Dean Whitehead, Kieran Richardson, Dickson Etuhu, Daryl Murphy, Michael Chopra

Tottenham Probable Line-up: Paul Robinson, Pascal Chimbonda, Rocha, Michael Dawson, Younes Kaboul, Didier Zokora, Jermaine Jenas, Tom Huddlestone, Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane, Darren Bent

Head-2-Head

English Premier Sunderland 1-1 Tottenham 12-02-2006

English Premier Tottenham 3-2 Sunderland 03-12-2005

English Premier Tottenham 4-1 Sunderland 08-02-2003

English Premier Sunderland 2-0 Tottenham 10-11-2002

English Premier Tottenham 2-1 Sunderland 02-03-2002

Score Prediction: Sunderland 0-1 Tottenham

Final Notes: I believe Spurs will dominate the game but will be only able to put one away as the gears are not fully oiled. Sunderland will be physical and make it very tough for Spurs. It will be interesting to see if Sunderland can shut out the lethal Spurs strike-force and hold on for a draw.

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West Ham vs Manchester City

Team Updates

Sven is looking to add even more players as his pre-season transfer frenzy will only seem to only end when Thaksin’s wallet is empty. Mark Bresciano almost became his 9^th signing but last minute disagreement between the clubs meant a collapse in the deal. Well I can tell you that guessing the first eleven for City is like throwing a dagger blindfolded. Sven is well-known for his tinkering style of management and you will never know what he has under his sleeve. The players he has at his disposal are a real exciting bunch, with Bianchi, Bojinov and Gelson topping the list. The impressive players on paper will take time to be a team and a draw here will be a good result for the Sky Blues.

Curbishley ain’t no dead-fish in the transfer window as well, adding 5 signings this season to his couple of others last season; Craig Bellamy, Freddie Lujngberg and Julien Faubert ranking in as his stellar purchases. His first eleven will however be slightly more predictable, especially in defense and midfield where squad rotation will only be done when tactically necessary. They look very dangerous going forward which will be vital as their defense looks untested, this we can wait and see.

West Ham Probable Lineup: Robert Green, Lucas Neil, Matthew Upson, Anton Ferdinand, George McCartney, Freddie Ljungberg, Luis Boa Morte, Scott Parker/Lee Bowyer, Matthew Etherington, Craig Bellamy, Dean Ashton/ Bobby Zamora

Manchester City Probable Lineup: Andreas Isaksson, Micah Richards, Nedum Onuoha, David Dunne, Javier Garrido, Geovanni Deiderson Mauricio Gomez, Gelson Fernandes, Martin Petrov, Elano Blumer, Rolando Bianchi, Valeri Bojinov

Head-2-Head

English Premier West Ham United 0-1 Manchester City 30-12-2006

English Premier Manchester City 2-0 West Ham United 23-09-2006

English Premier West Ham United 1-0 Manchester City 15-04-2006

English FA Cup Manchester City 1-2 West Ham United 20-03-2006

English Premier Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United 16-10-2005

Score Prediction: West Ham 3-2 Manchester City

Final Notes: Will be a close affair with lots of goals as both defenses are unproven and relatively new playing together. I see the Hammers edging in front because of home ground advantage.

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Aston Villa vs Liverpool

Team Updates

Martin O’Neil is still looking for a couple more signings to add to his worryingly thin squad, especially in defense. He possesses quality that would need to stay fit throughout a grueling season in order to launch a serious League or Cup run. I suspect he is looking at reaching Europe through a Cup backdoor. An excellent man-manager and motivator, he has lots of work to do if his squad remains the same. His strongest asset is the solid midfield pairing of Stiliyan Petrov and Nigel Reo-Coker. The youthful Ashley Young, Luke Moore and Gabriel Agbonlahor all look good in pre-season and I expect them to spearhead the Villa offense, playing off John Carew or Marlon Harewood.

The perennial League underachievers the past decade, Benitez has no excuses this season. His heftily assembled squad smacks of quality all round and it is about time they make a real challenge on the League title. The array of talent in the squad this season is arguably as good as what Manchester United and Chelsea has. He can mix and match his options going forward as per tactically required and I believe that the defense will be as stingy as ever, if Pepe Reina keeps his antics locked away. Many see Torres as the answer but I beg to differ, as I believe it will once again be Steven Gerrard pushing the team forward while everyone else plays their bit part role. A good result in this first game is absolutely vital.

Aston Villa Probable Line-up: Stuart Taylor, Wilfred Bouma, Olof Mellberg, Gareth Barry, Gary Cahill, Stiliyan Petrov, Nigel Reo-Coker, Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, John Carew, Patrick Berger/Luke Moore

Liverpool Probable Line-up: Pepe Reina, Steve Finnan, John Arne Riise, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres, Jermaine Pennant, Ryan Babel, Dirk Kuyt

Head-2-Head

English Premier Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool 18-03-2007

English Premier Liverpool 3-1 Aston Villa 28-10-2006

English Premier Liverpool 3-1 Aston Villa 29-04-2006

English Premier Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool 05-11-2005

English Premier Liverpool 2-1 Aston Villa 15-05-2005

Score Prediction: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

Final Notes: Villa’s quality going forward should be able to come up with one goal, especially when their pace gets behinds the defense. Liverpool should come through and stamp their intentions for the season Will Torres score on his debut? Will Reina perform another memorable clowning performance? The more questions we have, the more eagerly anticipated the match is.

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The other matches for this game week will see Sam Alladyce kicking off his time at Tyneside at the club he left for Newcastle last season, Bolton. Derby will start their fight for survival against a Portsmouth side looking to display their European credentials. Everton and Wigan will try to show the other directions to relegation. Blackburn will hope to build from last season’s achievements as they visit Middlesbrough. The Young Guns will start their campaign at home to relegation hopefuls Fulham. Chelsea’s injury-ridden squad faces a Birmingham side raring to make an impression this season. And champions Manchester United will look to show Steve Coppell that he has to read up a little more if he were to guide Reading to safety.

BPL (Week 0) - Community Shield Preview

2007-08-05T15:24:00.000+08:00

After months the wait is finally over, the Barclays Premier League is about to have its curtain raiser tonight - The FA Community Shield. Some may call it the cursed Shield as the winners very seldom go on to win the League. Here is a short presentation on my feelings and thoughts on the proceedings tonight. Both teams are barely done with their pre-season preparations and would probably view tonight's match as another warm up.

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CHELSEA

The list of injuries may have shorten somewhat but several notable players like Ballack will not see any action tonight. What is interesting is whether Mourinho will play a 4-4-2 formation or a 4-3-3. With the former we will probably get to see Shevchenko starting at the expense of Mikel, and the latter he will probably come on as a substitute along with Robben and possibly Pizarro, Ben-Haim or Sidwell. Players to watch for tonight will indefinitely be Didier Drogba and Florian Malouda. Boasting a sound defense and forward-line spearheaded by the Ivorian, Chelsea will look to inflict a psychological blow on the Red Devils.

Probable Lineup:

Cech, Terry, Carvalho, Ferreira, A. Cole, Lampard, Mikel, Makelele, Malouda, J. Cole, Drogba

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MANCHESTER UNITED

The mood of pre-season will seem even more obvious in the Red camp as they will probably not field their best 11 since many are injured or lack match-fitness. The real test comes in defense in trying to handle the likes of Drogba, Malouda and Joe Cole. Always looking excellent going forward, I will expect United to field a 4-5-1 formation that plays on the swift counter. Rooney and Ronaldo will take turns being the lone man up-front while the latter will probably be handed the free-role that he played with such devastation last season. Substitutes that I would expect to see play a part in the proceedings include O’Shea and Nani.

Probable Lineup:

Van der Sar, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Brown, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Rooney

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The competitive spirit in both teams will overshadow the pre-season atmosphere, but don't expect either team to push themselves too much. Chelsea could possibly edge Manchester by the odd goal, and I see both teams scoring at least one. For the sake of the neutrals, I hope this will not turn out to be a bore-fest.

BPL Pre-Season Preview (5)

2007-08-04T11:53:00.000+08:00

1. Chelsea
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2. Manchester United
3. Liverpool
4. Arsenal
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5. Tottenham
6. Newcastle
7. West Ham
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8. Manchester City
9. Blackburn
10. Aston Villa
11. Bolton
12. Portsmouth
13. Birmingham
14. Middlesbrough
15. Everton
16. Sunderland
17. Reading
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18. Fulham
19. Wigan
20. Derby

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Here is my prediction on how the table will look like at the end of the season, give and take a couple of places. Relegation places will probably be keenly contested from 15th to 19th place. Europe should be a close race from 10th to 6th place. The coveted 4th Champions League slot will also be an area of interest. 3rd place is more or less certain but could come close to 2nd place. Barring any distractions or unforseen circumstances, 1st place should be wrapped up by Chelsea with 2-3 games to go.

Coming up tomorrow, a preview on the season's curtain raiser - the Community Shield.

BPL Pre-Season Preview (4)

2007-08-02T01:24:00.001+08:00

Tottenham Hotspur

Player Watch:

1. Dimitar Berbatov: Forward

- Kinda expected isn’t it? Scoring 23 goals in 49 games for Spurs last season, he was more or less the only fixture upfront as Defoe and Keane were rotated. Tall and lanky, he possesses brilliant skill and balance for someone of his physique. Could move on to a bigger club next season if Spurs underachieve this season.

2. Younes Kaboul: Defender

- Bought at £7million, the French U-21 skipper has to justify his price and billing. Much needed purchase to add depth in a position that has only two other decent players in Ledley King and Michael Dawson. Could dislodge Dawson from the first team if he shows more pace and composure than him.

3. Robbie Keane: Forward

- He is not a fixture in the first-team but delivers every time he plays. Highly intelligent, mobile and often comes up with brilliant goals and assists. Possesses decent leadership qualities as well and is capable of driving the team forward through both words and actions. I personally rate him very highly.

Lacks: Creative midfielder

Strengths: Speed on the wide, intelligence while going forward.

Prediction: Will make it a very close race for 3^rd/4^th place.

Reasons: Excellent first team that only lacks creativity from the middle of the park, Didier Zokora (or recent acquisition Boateng) has to step up and be counted. Squad rotation system employed by Jol may not be worth while but he has to keep the whole stable of players happy.

Chicken Soup for the Team: Needs consistency on the road

Parting Shot: Has a real exciting bunch of young players, but the lack of experience and leadership could pose a problem. To dare, however, is to do.

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Arsenal

Player Watch:

1. Robin van Persie: Forward

- The man to lead the frontline for Arsenal next season. Could be too heavy a responsibility but he will relish it. A Thierry Henry without the charisma and leadership. Lacks the presence to operate alone but Adebayor could help out there. Needs to stay fit for Arsenal to make a serious challenge for Champions League

2. Cesc Fabregas: Midfielder

- He is only 20 but will already be making his 4^th season appearance for the Gunners, simply amazing. Plays like a seasoned veteran, could be the man to lead the team to greater heights if Arsenal manages to keep him and Arsene Wenger. Not much can be said, just watch him play and you will know what I mean.

3. Eduardo da Silva: Forward

- The Official Henry Replacement Guy. Has massive boots to fill, and his diminutive size could deceive. A goal scoring machine at club and international level, his goals will be much needed if Arsenal were to compete for the top places. The physicality of the English game should not be a problem.

Lacks: Experience, leading figure upfront

Strengths: Speed and off-the-ball movement

Prediction: Will make it a very close race for 3^rd/4^th place.

Reasons: Youthful team may not be able to concentrate throughout games or for entire season, Jens Lehmann’s temperament and inconsistency, lack of leading figure up front

Chicken Soup for the Team: Experience is sorely needed, especially up front. Cesc may have something to say about that though…This is a team for the future, but could spring some surprises now.

Parting Shot: Has to look for a new first team goalkeeper soon. The challenge for the club is to retain the services of Fabregas and Wenger.

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Liverpool

Player Watch:

1. Steven Gerrard: Midfielder

- Ever tireless and dangerous going forward, he is obviously Liverpool’s key man next season. He needs to stay fit if Liverpool were to challenge the top 2 places. Excellent at what he does, he is a lad with very very few shortcomings. Will be interesting to see where he fits in Benitez’s new game plan.

2. Andriy Voronin: Forward

- He has made an impression in pre-season with solid performances, but is yet to be proven. Has upstaged big name and big money signings Babel and Torres, grabbing the headlines, and he was acquired free. There will be stiff competition for first team places next season, but each has their own strengths and would be tactically employed accordingly.

3. Xabi Alonso: Midfielder

- This midfield maestro pulls the strings for the team. Suspect on the tackle but can devastate opposition defenses with his pinpoint visionary passes. Quite an obvious favourite of Benitez.

Lacks: Depth in defense, needs another winger to service the likes of Torres and Crouch. A team/manager that is required for Premier League success.

Strengths: World-class backbone.

Prediction: 3^rd/4^th place is more or less secure. Can they challenge the top 2? Unlikely…

Reasons: Reina’s inconsistency, lack of defensive cover in times of injury

Chicken Soup for the Team: Another centre-defender will come in very handy. If Torres lives up to his big name, the gap between 1^st and 3^rd may not be that far after all.

Parting Shot: I rate Momo Sissoko quite highly and if he were applied more often in matches, could make a difference. The question is where do you put the rest of the stunning midfield players? If Rafa Benitez has improved on his tactics employed in the Premier League, or decides to be more focused on the domestic front, things may be different.

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Chelsea

Player Watch:

1. John Terry: Defender

- Superb balance for someone as big and tall as he is, excellent in the air. Reads the game extremely well, which makes up for his lack of acceleration (I believe Alex has been brought in precisely for this shortcoming in the Chelsea defense). He however has a hard time dealing with quick players. His leadership is one of the cornerstones of success for Chelsea.

2. Didier Drogba: Forward

- I rate him as the best out-and-out forward in the league. Strong, good in the air, skilful and fast, you can’t get any better than that. He adds an intelligent element into his game by riling up/throwing opponents off their game; however his antics can sometimes get overboard and ends up getting himself into trouble. World-class player that is very well employed by Mourinho.

3. Petr Cech: Goalkeeper

- Another one in the top 5 goalkeepers’ league. His absence last season was one of the reasons for Chelsea’s inconsistency. His massive frame between the posts is as intimidating as you can get. Remaining brave in his challenges despite a horrific injury last season speaks volumes of his professionalism.

Lacks: Ball winners especially when it is Lampard and Ballack in the centre of midfield, cover for full-backs.

Strengths: Excellent defense, experience at the highest level both on and off the pitch.

Prediction: Will push Manchester United to the limit this season and could very well pip them to the title.

Reasons: A strong first eleven coupled with adequate depth in key positions

Chicken Soup for the Team: Cover for wide positions in defense will do the team’s quest for glory on all fronts much good

Parting Shot: Shevchenko has a lot to prove this season and I expect him to do just that.

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Manchester United

Player Watch:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo: Forward

- Speedy, skilful, strong in the air blah blah blah…Has everything you ever need in an attacking player, never mind the fact that he cannot defend for nuts, he has Hargreaves to do the job for him. One interesting potential flashpoint is how he would react if Anderson and Nani put in similarly brilliant performances this season. If he has matured, this will be healthy competition. If he hasn’t, this could be cause for concern.

2. Owen Hargreaves: Midfielder

- I was very reluctant to include him in this list. Big price comes with big responsibility and to fill Keano’s shoes is no easy task. He has a hell of a lot to prove to the world and is someone I consider to be over-rated. I hope he proves me wrong. United’s season could rest on the amount of faith Sir Alex puts in him.

3. Anderson & Nani: Midfielders

- I feel it is apt to place both of them together, as the 2 of them will probably for the focus of comparison throughout the season. Both cost £17million, were U-21 stars and are currently full internationals, quick and skilful and both speak Portuguese. Being able to withstand the physicality of the English game would determine if either would be a success. Their arrival will lift the attacking responsibilities that Rooney and Ronaldo shouldered for last two seasons.

Lacks: Cover in defense and in goal

Strengths: Formidable counter-attacking style, creativity and innovation when going forward

Prediction: It will be much tighter this season and could possibly be edged out by Chelsea at the very end.

Reasons: Questions in defense that were evident last season has not seemed to be solved. Van der Sar’s public announcement that he feels he is not at the top of his game and could retire at the end of the season is worrying.

Chicken Soup for the Team: They will have to score more than they concede especially against the top teams. Are you paying attention Nani, Anderson…Tevez?

Parting Shot: The timing which the Tevez issue is solved is crucial to United’s performance next season. The sooner the better, and if it drags on past the start of the season, he may only be able to establish himself in the team at the later third of the season which may be too late.

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Spurs could make the race for the 2 Champions League spots very exciting and the onus is on Arsenal and Liverpool to keep ahead of them. I still feel Manchester United and Chelsea are way ahead of Arsenal and Tottenham, but if Liverpool places more priority on domestic success this season, thing could get really interesting at the top. My heart tells me Manchester United, but my head says Chelsea. To find out what I think the end-of-season table will probably look like, stay tuned for the next and final installment on the Barclays Premier League Preview where I will make my predictions and place myself in the line of fire. Please be gentle, I'm fragile...

BPL Pre-Season Preview (3)

2007-07-31T12:36:00.000+08:00

Manchester City

Player Watch:

1. Gelson Fernandes: Midfielder

- This midfield anchor-man is only 21 years of age and at £4 million it already looks like a major coup by Sven. Combative and energetic, he is also the skipper for the Swiss U-21 side. It will be real exciting to see how he does this season

2. Nedum Onuoha: Defender

- This versatile defender can operate on any side of the defense but is most comfortable at centre-back. Had put in reasonable performances for club and country at U-21 level but has not been able to be a main-stay as a result of frequent injuries. Would be a force to be reckoned with if he were fully fit. Is a definite asset in City’s quest for Europe.

3. Rolando Bianchi: Forward

- It was a touch choice between highlighting him and Geovanni. Bianchi only came up tops because he is something City had not had for a long time, a pure goal-getter. Notching up 18 goals last season for Atalanta, he is looking to do the same for the Sky Blues; the only difference is this time it is not for survival but for Europe.

Lacks: Depth in Defense

Strengths: Good mix of youth and experience, Big name manager and owner

Prediction: Will be making a strong case for a UEFA Cup slot

Reasons: Solid purchases in pre-season (In Thaksin’s own words, “When you buy a boat you will also need to buy the engine.” Well he certainly did!)

Chicken Soup for the Team: They may need another centre-back as cover for injuries

Parting Shot: They have quality all round and look good enough for Europe next season. Affairs outside the field however, could be a distraction.

********

Aston Villa

Player Watch:

1. Nigel Reo-Coker: Midfielder

- The effervescence of youth is embodied in his performances on the field. Does not make his slight frame a disadvantage, he gets stuck in with the rest of them. Will be interesting to see how he is molded and employed by a better manager.

2. Stiliyan Petrov: Midfielder

- Had a mediocre first season but seems to have adapted nicely into the team as shown in his pre-season performances. Possesses great vision and sublime touches. I am expecting much more from him next season and I am pretty sure he will deliver.

3. Martin O’Neil: Manager

- Yes, he is only the 2^nd manager I have highlighted so far, but trust me he is one of the best in the business. Excellent player management and temperament for the job, he is someone who can bring a team to the next level single-handedly. Appointing him was the best move Randy Lerner ever did, and coming from a land that plays soccer, it is shockingly astute.

Lacks: Depth in General

Strengths: Excellent manager, good pace up front

Prediction: Will be making a strong case for a UEFA Cup slot

Reasons: Besides the manager, the backbone of the team is sound as well.

Chicken Soup for the Team: Should be still in the market for a couple more players, which is essential if they are serious about Europe.

Parting Shot: I still do not understand why they bought Marlon Harewood, but before I criticize, let’s see how he does next season.

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Bolton

Player Watch:

1. Christian Wilhelmsson: Midfielder

- I have always been a big fan of his hairstyles, but that aside, he is a fantastic acquisition. Speedy and experienced, he will add fresh options to Sammy Lee for wide positions already boasting El-Hadj Diouf, Stelios Giannakopoulos, and Ricardo Vaz Te. This is where Bolton’s strength lies.

2. Nicolas Anelka: Forward

- Ok he is The Incredible Sulk, but he seems to be enjoying his time at Bolton. He is Bolton’s main threat up front and is one player I have always admired. His main problem is asserting himself in the game more consistently as he is prone to drift into the peripherals of matches. Will be disastrous if Bolton loses him.

3. Jussi Jaaskelainen: Goalkeeper

- Entering his 9^th season at Bolton, he is the mainstay between the posts. Another one of those I rate as top 5 goalkeepers in the League. Able to stay focused throughout the match, but does have rare lapses of concentration.

Lacks: Replacement for Ben-Haim

Strengths: Brilliant Wingers

Prediction: Could be challenging for Europe, but unlikely.

Reasons: The lost of Big Sam is a factor, along with questions that could be asked in the centre of defense.

Chicken Soup for the Team: If the new purchases can fill the void left by Ben-Haim, then all could be smooth sailing for Bolton, and if Sammy Lee gets it right.

Parting Shot: Talk of Anelka trotting away from Bolton is worrying and as Yakubu is to Middlesbrough, Anelka is to Bolton.

********

Newcastle

Player Watch:

1. Joey Barton: Midfielder

- Big Sam is building another Bolton in Newcastle and Joey Barton = Kevin Nolan. Although he trumps Nolan in movement and speed, he loses out in terms of temperament and hence leadership qualities. Could prove to be a double-edged sword for Newcastle.

2. Mark Viduka: Forward

- Once again, Kevin Davies = Mark Viduka. But Viduka has better ball skills and is more experienced. Although lacking in pace, the role he should be employed in would mean no necessity for that. Would be interesting to see who he is paired with.

3. Shay Given: Goalkeeper

- Another one into the list of Top 5 Goalkeepers in the League. Excellent shot-stopper but conceded quite a few last season as he was playing with the twin terrors Boumsong and Bramble. The centre of defense is still not proven and he could end up as their lifesaver once again.

Lacks: Proven Centre-Backs

Strengths: Sam Alladyce, variety of options up front

Prediction: Would be challenging for a spot in Europe

Reasons: Big Sam is experienced enough to know what is needed and the Magpies look menacing going forward.

Chicken Soup for the Team: The new defense will have to sort themselves out and protect Given if they were to stand a chance to reach Europe

Parting Shot: The recently underachieving Magpies see Alladyce as their messiah to send them back into Europe and I would not bet against that.

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West Ham

Player Watch:

1. Craig Bellamy: Forward

- L’Enfant Terrible is now at the Hammers ready to make a nuisance of himself, but this time it is for the opposition. Energetic and dogged in nature, Bellamy will be a thorn in the opposition’s defense. Always felt he is a good player without the sagas on and off the field, I hope he will prove me right this season.

2. Julien Faubert: Midfielder

- The most exciting buy for West Ham this season. At 24 years of age, he has made a bold move to the Barclays Premier League, defying national team coach Domenech who called his move “unspeakably stupid”. I beg to differ as joining this league will improve a player’s capacity for physicality. Explosive and seasoned at his age, he is one player I’m all excited to see in action.

3. Anton Ferdinand: Defender

- Had an inconsistent season but the lad’s only 22 and can only get better. Will be looking to see if he stamps his authority with solid and consistent displays this season. Maybe a few tips from his elder brother may do the trick.

Lacks: Depth up front, a partner for Ferdinand

Strengths: Good first team midfield and attack that will cause problems for anyone (Chelsea and Man U included)

Prediction: Should be challenging for a place in Europe, if perhaps they can score more than they concede!

Reasons: If the team is able to gel, they will be extremely dangerous going forward and could very well score more goals than they concede.

Chicken Soup for the Team: Eggert Magnússon should also look at strengthening the Hammer’s defense with his shit-loads of money.

Parting Shot: Forget the Tevez saga; West Ham has a good team in their own right. Always had a soft spot for them…go Hammers!

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I would say the weakest team of the lot would have to be Bolton after losing Alladyce, and not having a good enough team on paper they may struggle to make an impression in the quest for UEFA. Next in line would be Aston Villa, whose lack of depth in the squad is worrying. However I wouldn’t be surprised if O’Neil makes a couple more signings before the start of the season to shore up their deficiencies. Newcastle, Manchester City and West Ham I would say all stand an equal chance for the final 2 to 3 UEFA Cup slots. It is precisely this tight competition that would make the coming season the most exciting in years. Next up, the top 5 teams and I know you know who they are.

Congratulations Iraq

2007-07-29T23:07:00.000+08:00

The Final of the AFC Asian Cup 2007 has just ended and Iraq clinched their first ever title with a 1-0 victory over favourites Saudi Arabia. The 1^st half was a cautious affair from both sides and the match was about to fall into a bore-fest when the 2^nd half lightened up proceedings. In a game of few chances, it was inevitable that Iraq’s match winner came from Younis Mahmoud in the 72^nd minute after lax defending from the Saudis from an Iraqi corner. Saudi’s tepid attempts at getting an equalizer came to naught and the match ended 1-0 to the Iraqis.

Iraq began the match on a 4-5-1/ 4-2-3-1 formation. They were 4-5-1 when they did not have the ball, and when they won possession, they switched into a 4-2-3-1. This was the winning formula as they outnumbered the Saudis in midfield and very often won the 2^nd ball. They looked a little toothless going forward in the 1^st half, the 2^nd was much better as their playmaker Hawar Mulla Mohammed came out of his shell and orchestrated the show. But my Man-of-the-Match is definitely anchor-man Qusay Munir who ran his guts out and protected the back-four magnificently. His strength and dynamism in the middle of the park outshone the weary Saudis. Out-hustled and out-muscled, the Saudis were eventually beaten by the team with more hunger and desire.

The tactics of Iraq meant that there was very little time for Abdulrahman Al Qahtani to make the early passes to the wingers to cross for Yasser Al Qahtani to attack, or a quick ground pass for Malek Maaz to pounce through. It was not just a tactical victory for Jorvan Vieira or a physical and tactical triumph for the players, but also a well needed emotional boost for a country ravaged by war and religious divide. Once again, congratulations to Iraq, Champions of the AFC Asian Cup 2007.

BPL Pre-Season Preview (2)

2007-07-27T11:38:00.000+08:00

Middlesbrough

Player Watch:

1. Jonathan Woodgate: Defender

- Had an impressive 2006/2007 campaign on loan from Real Madrid to fill the void left when Gareth Southgate turned manager before signing on a permanent deal. Is good enough for an England call-up but his proneness to injury will be cause for worry for club and country.

2. Ayegbeni Yakubu: Striker

- Has always been their main threat in attack with his strength and relative pace. Will be their main goal-getter if Tuncay Sanli is not able to live up to his billing. Could be tempted by a move to a better club as Middlesbrough is likely to underachieve this season.

3. Jeremie Aliadiere: Forward

- The only reason he is in this is because it will be interesting to see if he can prove himself here, as he will be given regular playing time as compared to his time in Arsenal. Hanging around Henry, Van Persie and Bergkamp should have done some good to him. Time will tell.

Lacks: Poor away performance (could be down to manager), depth of squad

Strengths: Quality of first team

Prediction: Tough call, could be challenging for a UEFA Cup place or scrapping for relegation

Reasons: Inexperience of manager as proven last year

Chicken Soup for the Team: His experience last season could have done some good for Southgate. It is the time to prove himself

Parting Shot: The entire season rests on two issues – whether they can hold on to Yakubu, and if Southgate has improved.

********

Birmingham

Player Watch:

1. Olivier Kapo: Midfielder

- Vastly experienced player at 27 years old, he can operate on the flanks or in the middle. His time at Juventus and Auxerre will prove to be invaluable. The question is whether he can withstand the physicality of the English game.

2. Radhi Jaidi: Defender

- A proven player at Bolton, he will be their stalwart at the back. Big, powerful and strong in the air, he is very adept for the English game. His only short-coming is his inability to deal with pacy/nippy forwards.

3. Fabrice Muamba: Midfielder

- The engine of the team. Had an impressive season that resulted in Birmingham’s promotion and him being name Young Player of the Year. The England U-19 international will be moving onto a higher standard of play and it will be interesting to see if he can make a name for himself.

Lacks: Safe pair of hands between the posts

Strengths: Good manager, solid backbone of team

Prediction: I see a good season ahead of them. Europe could be a possibility if the players can put good performances together

Reasons: Good mix of experience, youth and good management

Chicken Soup for the Team: Nothing much to be improved upon relative to the players they have on paper and the manager. They just need to build a working team.

Parting Shot: Carson Yueng’s boasts of Champions League maybe far fetched, but UEFA could be a possibility in the near future if the club moves in the right direction. Mido and Ghaly’s possible arrival could be the catalyst for a UEFA spot.

********

Portsmouth

Player Watch:

1. David James: Goalkeeper

- At 37 years of age, he is certainly no oldie. Has proven time and time again he can be a saviour in his own right, but is prone to silly mistakes (which I must admit, has toned down quite a bit). Impressive in the pre-season Barclays Asia Cup tournament and if he can bring on that sort of performances into the new season, it will be a good one for Portsmouth.

2. Sol Campbell: Defender

- Man-mountain aka Judas is contemplating a starting place in the England setup. He forms part of a reasonably sound back-four that could be the key towards Portsmouth’s success. Commanding and experienced, he has to work well with Distin for Portsmouth to make any European challenge.

3. Lomana LuaLua: Forward

- His languid style often leaves defenders in a daze, and has popped up on a few occasions to come up with brilliant match winners. His strength is his innovation, but his weakness is his inconsistency. Portsmouth forward-line is already quite power-packed but it will be a definite added bonus if LuaLua can be a consistent innovator.

Lacks: Pure goal-getter, could materialize in David Nugent

Strengths: Good defense

Prediction: Their inconsistency, especially away from home, makes it a tough call. But I would have to say that on paper, they are good enough to compete for a UEFA Cup place.

Reasons: Solid defense, and good team on paper. But inconsistency could undo them.

Chicken Soup for the Team: Being able to replicate the performances in training onto the football pitch especially when away from home.

Parting Shot: Once again a very good team on paper, but they have to sort out the inconsistency before they want to look at bigger things.

********

Everton

Player Watch:

1. Joseph Yobo: Defender

- The only notable player in the entire defensive setup. Is arguably too good for a team like Everton. Had good performances last season but to put the entire defense on his (albeit) broad shoulders is asking too much.

2. Tim Cahill: Midfielder

- Always popping up to score important goals, this Aussie is the Dennis-the-Menace of Everton. His movement around the pitch makes him a hard man to pick up throughout the match, and it is very often when the opponent loses focus is where he scores the all important goal. Has to avoid injuries if he wants to make a substantial impact.

3. Andy Johnson: Forward

- He seems to be taking up the mantle left behind by the older and much slower Michael Owen. Good pace and off-the-ball movement and has more creativity than Owen when it comes to one-on-one situations with defenders, could work on his finishing to make himself a complete article.

Lacks: A proper defense, depth in the forwards department

Strengths: Home games, tradition

Prediction: Would most likely be scrapping for survival

Reasons: Slow and ageing defense may not be able to keep up with the speed of the modern game

Chicken Soup for the Team: Purchase defenders, David Moyes HAS to improve.

Parting Shot: If David Moyes delivers another mediocre season, it could be time for him to move on as he is unable to deliver to a club with rich tradition.

********

Blackburn

Player Watch:

1. Brad Friedel: Goalkeeper

- I would rate him top 5 goalies in the Barclays Premier League. Was a vital figure in Blackburn’s push for a UEFA Cup slot last season and will surely be a key figure for the next campaign.

2. Morten Gamst Pedersen: Midfielder

- The creative force in the team who is also a deadball specialist. Was missing for a sizable portion of the season and his fitness would be vital this time round as Rovers aim to make in 2 European seasons in a row.

3. Maceo Rigters: Forward

- Exciting times for this young man who can only benefit from playing under Mark Hughes and together with Benni McCarthy. Had brilliant performances in the U-21 Championships and is definitely one to look out for this season for Rovers.

Lacks: Pace in defense

Strengths: Going forward

Prediction: Would most probably end up around 10^th place.

Reasons: They have not progressed in comparison to West Ham, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Bolton and Newcastle and would probably lose out to them. Formidable forward-line is not reciprocated in defense which I feel would ultimately be their undoing.

Chicken Soup for the Team: Has a good set of midfielders that could help make up for their weaknesses.

Parting Shot: Sparky would have to sort out his defensive shortcomings or it will be a Europe-less season for him.

*********************

My belief is that this season will see close battles from 19^th to 15^th place, from 14^th to 6^th place, 3rd to 5th place and for the Championship. This bunch just makes up the thrilling fight for a UEFA Cup slot and it will be a great battle. The weakest of the 5 teams discussed here is Everton and it will be unlikely that they would be much of a feature for a place in Europe this season and could even be involved in the relegation dog-fight. My picks of the lot is definitely Portsmouth and Birmingham who both have impressive teams on paper. If they can sort this potential into good team displays, UEFA could be beckoning.

Next up, the 5 teams that will probably make a strong challenge for UEFA Cup slots next season. Till next time, keep it real.

Do You Know (2)

2007-07-24T09:52:00.000+08:00

Who holds the unique record of having scored hat-tricks in all 4 football divisions in England, the Premier League, the FA Cup, League Cup and at international level?

Are you ready for the answer? It's Robert Earnshaw. Yes, the bucktooth Ronaldinho lookalike that I heavily criticized in the first BPL preview is actually the holder of this interesting record. I still think he ain't good enough though.

BPL Pre-Season Preview (1)

2007-07-22T23:26:00.000+08:00

Alright here goes. The first section on the preview of the teams participating in the Barclays Premier League next season. In the first installment of this series, we shall take a look at the teams who I feel will be involved in the relegation battle. Here goes…

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Reading

Player Watch:

1. Nick Shorey: Defender

- Needs to be more influential in the team if he is to live up to his England call-up.

2. Leroy Lita: Forward

- Pace and physique can cause problems. Could move on to a bigger club next season if Reading is relegated or shows to have no ambition.

3. Seol Ki-Hyeon: Attacking Midfielder

- Needs more games. Inexplicable why he had so few games after performing brilliantly in the first part of the season.

Lacks: Holding Midfielder.

Strengths: Home fans

Prediction: Mostly likely one of the 3 relegated but could be close.

Reasons: Lack of general quality as compared to the other clubs who were behind them last season, the loss of Sidwell with no capable replacement.

Chicken Soup for the Team: Purchase more quality subject to club’s attractiveness (which is low).

Parting Shot: The honeymoon’s over and you’re back to where you belong, fighting for survival.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Fulham

Player Watch:

1. Antti Niemi: Goalkeeper

- Will be in the thick of action as Fulham should be doing most of the defending throughout the season.

2. Michael Brown: Midfielder

- My honest opinion is that he will be more of a problem than an asset. A shock to see him named skipper by Lawrie Sanchez as he is highly volatile and unfocused on the job at hand, very often getting involved in petty offences and red-card worthy tackles. The kind of player that can destroy a team; not the opponents but his own. (Edited - A move to Wigan looks imminent, looks like they will REALLY go straight down)

3. Zat Knight: Defender

- A solid physical presence in defense but prone to errors. Has good physique and pace relative to that. Needs to show a bit more assertiveness on the pitch to make up for his lack of awareness and experience. Should move to a better club if he wants to improve.

Lacks: Goalscorer

Strengths: None notable.

Prediction: Will be competing against Reading for the 3^rd relegation spot.

Reason: General lack of quality that has not been made up for in the transfer market in pre-season.

Chicken Soup for the Team: Al-Fayed to pump in more cash for better purchases in the transfer market. Hire a proper manager, someone who can name Michael Brown as skipper is as daft as you can get.

Parting Shot: Has slightly more squad depth than Reading but quality is still left wanting unless players can play beyond themselves.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Derby

Player Watch:

1. Steve Howard: Forward

- Derby’s top scorer last season with 19 goals in all competitions. Big, tall and physical. May not be able to keep up with the pace of the game at the age of 32.

2. Robert Earnshaw: Forward

- Derby broke the bank to sign this nippy buck-tooth at £3.5 Million, shows how much quality they have invested in general. Buying someone that looks like Ronaldinho, is worth 20 times less and plays at 10% his ability ain’t exactly enough.

3. Andy Todd: Defender

- Very experienced player who once has stints in Blackburn, Charlton, Middlesbrough and Bolton. Such top-flight experience will prove to be crucial as he tries to shore up the Ram’s backline in their bid to avoid relegation

Lacks: Quality all-round

Strengths: None notable.

Prediction: The League Championship is almost a surety.

Reason: General lack of quality that has not been made up for in the transfer market in pre-season, especially in midfield.

Chicken Soup for the Team: A Miracle (LOL)

Parting Shot: The backbone of the team is present, but the rest of the team lacks general quality and pace. May not be able to keep up with the speed of the modern game.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Wigan

Player Watch:

1. Henri Camara: Forward

- The brightest spark on the field for a relatively mediocre team. His abilities warrant a place in a better team. Could be their life-saver.

2. Titus Bramble: Defender

- Simply unfathomable. Bumbling Bramble can only mean trouble. God save the Latics. Nothing much to say here…

3. Leighton Baines: Defender

- England U21 regular with a bright future. Another of those that could move on to a better club to advance his career. (Edited - Sunderland looks to sign him now. Looks like a good deal for the Black Cats)

Lacks: Commanding centre-back

Strengths: Good depth and variety in the forward line

Prediction: Will be involved in the relegation dog-fight

Reason: Other than Chris Kirkland and Baines, the defense looks frail. Especially if Bramble is a feature. (Edited - They are going to sign Michael Brown, good luck)

Chicken Soup for the Team: Taking the game to teams and not sit back and defend. They have enough quality up front to cause problems, and enough potential problems at the back.

Parting Shot: Will the absence of Arjan de Zeeuw prove to be pivotal in Wigan’s fortune this season?

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Sunderland

Player Watch:

1. Dean Whitehead: Midfielder

- Not exactly the most graceful player, but he gets the job done. Disrupting the opposition’s rhythm, he is not the best at what he does, but it is sufficient.

2. Michael Chopra: Forward

- Has a brilliant goal record but has yet to cement himself in the top flight in his time at Newcastle. This season could be the opportunity to make his name.

3. Roy Keane: Manager

- Ok he is not a player. But his presence in the dressing room makes him the 12^th player on the field. His never-say-die attitude and winning mentality has rubbed off on the players as seen in the Black Cats’ amazing run-in to promotion. Mark the dates of your calendar when Sunderland faces Manchester United and Chelsea as they should pan out as interesting encounters.

Lacks: Activity in the transfer market to improve quality especially in centre-midfield/defence. (Edited - Sunderland is looking to add Leighton Baines to the squad. Looks like a good move)

Strengths: Manager

Prediction: Will be involved in the relegation dog-fight

Reason: Lack of quality

Chicken Soup for the Team: Procuring the services of 2 quality/experienced centre-back and/or midfielders would go a long way to helping them avoid relegation.

Parting Shot: How much can a manager’s presence lift his normally ordinary team performance?

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

I feel Derby is the weakest of the lot and are more or less going back down next season. The next two places will be keenly contested by Reading, Wigan and Fulham. Sunderland have an outside chance of relegation but Keano may just do enough to guarantee another season in the top flight for the Black Cats.

Coming up soon, a preview on the next 5 teams that I feel would probably be sandwiched between the European pretenders and League Championship potential. They could go either way. Tune in to find out more.

Like it's Christmas

2007-07-18T10:45:00.000+08:00

The pre-season is a time of merry shopping and this one is no different. What I find interesting is, the clubs who are tradtitionally not big spenders are spending like Christmas came early. Exact figures are hard to obtain as many transfers have their value undisclosed. Below is a few of the busier clubs in the market.

1. Tottenham
They have spent at least £29.5m with further spending expected.

2. West Ham
Total estimated spending so far is at least £20.5m with further expenditure expected.

3. Bolton
They have made 6 purchases so far, of which 3 have their value undisclosed.

4. Portsmouth
Made one signing worth £7m, with 2 more undisclosed

This puts the minimum expenditure for these 4 clubs at £15m. This is a spillover effect from 2 circumstances. Firstly, for clubs like Spurs and Bolton, they have the economic benefits of being in Europe while Portsmouth and West Ham have rich owners. Secondly, the recent change of television and sponsorship rights meant that each Barclays Premiership League (BPL) club is gifted a hefty sum of £50m at the start of this season (little wonder why Sheffield United is going to court over this).

The BPL is certainly showing itself to be the most cash-rich league in the world and the club's spending power has certainly moved on from the days where the Big Four (Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool & Arsenal) were the only big spenders. The only problem now is that with the money, can they attract the talents? Only time will tell but I can tell you that this up-coming season is going to be its most exciting judging from the players that have been signed so far.

In the weeks leading up to to the Community Shield and the League's first game, I will do articles on selected teams as some sort of preview. Till then, happy shopping.

Never Be Beck

2007-07-12T23:10:00.001+08:00

David Robert Joseph Beckham has just landed in The City of Angels to embark on a new (and possibly last) stage of his career as a footballer. He may not be the best footballer around, but he has a face that ranks amongst the most recognisable in the world. Evidence of his marketability is obvious in the fact that Real Madrid made more than £300million during his four years at the club, which I think is simply amazing. The combination of good looks, having a specialised football skill, excellent work ethic and his wife all played a part in his career path. Let's discuss each individual points and their relevance.

Beck Then
First things first, I am not going to attempt in providing a wordy article on his career history. For those who are really interested u can Wiki it. I will however pick up from his time at his first professional club, Manchester United. He made his Premiership debut in the 94/95 season against Aston Villa alongside the other members of Fergie's Fledglings. They lost the game 3-1 with Becks scoring. This was the start of a highly successful time at United. Despite his Mickey Mouse voice, his good looks and floppy-hair made him the poster boy plastered all over the rooms of pimply teenage girls.

What transpired from his time at United was his work ethic, professionalism and penchant for perfection, which we will see time and time again. He spent extra time in training perfecting his dead ball accuracy, and this will be his selling point on and off the field. These qualities led him to be the choice skipper for England even though he did not possess any prominent leadership qualities. Much of those qualities grew on him as he took to the field in his new role. Many have said that his captaincy was as much a marketing decision as it was a footballing one.

Ham & Spice and All Things Nice
Then the first turning point arrived. He met Victoria Caroline Adams aka Posh Spice in November 1996. What followed was a two-year whirlwind courtship that resulted in one child, then one marriage in 1999, an appearance on the Ali G show, a zillion pictures, quite a few tattoos, two more children, about 16 hairstyles, an OBE and quite a few red carpets.

The most important thing however is Posh herself. She is his link to the entertainment industry, and she is someone with shrewd marketing and business acumen. My guess is that it was her who suggested a move to glamourous Madrid for the sake of his pride and his brand, and her preference; it was not just because of a flying boot to his head. It is very likely too that his move to LA Galaxy was sanctioned by her as well. We will come to that later. Becks certainly wears the panties in this relationship.

The Real Deal
Moving to Real Madrid in 2003 sparked many to comment that having the skills he had, he would not be able to adapt to the flowing style of Spanish football, which involve moving around with the ball rather than launching long balls forward, as is done in the Premiership. Evidently, he struggled and had more yellow cards than assists.

This downward spiral continued as England was knocked out in the Quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup, Sven left and McClaren took over. He was stripped of his international captaincy and dropped from the squad. To be honest, even I felt this was the right decision on the part of McClaren as I thought he was not good enough. Capello also dropped him from the first-eleven at Madrid and everything looked grey and gloomy for Becks.

This was when he came out and proved everyone wrong. Winning back his place in both teams as a result of sterling performances when given the chance, he was back at it again. The only pity was, he had already signed for LA Galaxy by then, which I consider a step down.

Morphing Abilities
Becks proved his professionalism and work ethic time and time again and none was more obvious, or more admirable than the fact that he manage to change and alter his game to make himself a better player despite his limitations skill-wise. When he was at United, he was a typical winger WITHOUT the ball skills and pace. He needed to receive the ball on the wing open and unchallenged so that he could cross the ball well. At Real he was used in the middle and on the flanks and initially both were unsuccessful. However he changed the way he played - running into space earlier as an option to pass, not holding on to the ball long, receiving the ball with his back facing goal more often rather than wanting to turn and push the ball forward, and maintaining the accuracy of his crosses and free kicks. By adding more intelligence to his play, he has turned out to be a holding midfielder with unique abilities, and far cry from who he was as a winger with no pace or ball-skills.

His presence on the field meant opposition would be wary to give away free kicks, this meant that skilful players on his team will have more space on the ball and could create more havoc as a result. Having refined his playing style to be able to compete with the best in the world, he moves to US-and-A to play a game called soccer.

Beck to the West Coast

Why soccer? These are the plausible reasons I can think of…

1. Hollywood for Posh for obvious reasons.

2. Education for his kids. First choice was UK but after Manchester he will never play for another Premiership team again. US-and-A will be the next best choice.

3. Mad amounts of money to be earned.

4. The decision was made at a point in time when people thought he was not able to compete at a highly competitive and intensive level; hence he could play soccer but not football.

Personal Notes

I used to think he was a useless player with good looks, and I believe many people thought so. He has certainly proved me wrong, and I am a converted fan. It is sad that he is now going to play soccer instead of football. We shall now see if he is able to maintain his place in the England team and if soccer will do him any good.

Adieu, adieu, remember him...He may never be Beck.

Do You Know (1)

2007-07-12T01:58:00.000+08:00

Here is a little footy trivia for you.

Who was the first player to score a hat-trick in the revamped English Premier League which has been in place since 1992?

Well the answer is Eric Cantona. The game was Leeds United vs Tottenham Hotspur which ended 5-0 to Leeds, on 25th August 1992. This is certainly befitting of a man I would call the first iconic figure in the Premiership that was mass marketed globally. Subsequently, the likes of Alan Shearer (who is the younger ever player to ever score a hat-trick on his debut at 17 years 240 days for Southampton, and also owns the record of most Premiership goals at 260), David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Gianfranco Zola all made a name for themselves, and the League.

Leeds went on to win the first ever Premiership, in a competition that was soon to be dominated by the next team Cantona played for, Manchester United.

Alright that is the snippet for tonight, till next time, cheerio!

Bull's, Cock or Hawkeye?

2007-07-10T00:41:00.000+08:00

Ok here is the story, the Premier League is set to test Hawkeye technology in football with a view to remove doubts over goalline decisions. This system is already in its advanced testing phase with tennis, as seen in the recent Wimbledon tournament. The English FA is looking to add certainty to goalline controversy with the help of technology.

What do I think about all this? I would say toss off! What makes football the most watched sport in the world is its uncertainty! The draw-point is really the cliche of the ball being round.

Controversy not only feeds the appetite of the fans, but also gives the media something to stir up and serve to the audience. Losing uncertainty will only add boredom to an already mechanized and routine world that we live in. Sport is one of the few arenas left for people to enjoy creativity, ingenuity and innovation in a non-technological sense.

Who creates these controversies and the emotional roller-coaster ride in the first place? Players with their simulations and antics, referees with their mistakes and astuteness. Fans are kept emotionally high-strung and unstable as a result, not to forget the story-hungry media that is always on the lookout for anything news worthy. The story that is football is made exciting with controversy.

The nature of the game requires the discretion and judgement of the referee, who runs the game and makes the calls. Removing this element may not decrease the well-rooted fan support and firm media coverage, but it will certainly dull the kaleidoscope of emotions that football brings to its fans.

This is the success story of football. Players are human, referees are human, fans are human, please don't dehumanise the very human element that makes the sport what it is today. Say Cock-eye to Hawkeye!

Edited - I thought of a way to at least try to make it more interesting. In Wimbledon you have 3 tries to use the Hawkeye. If the call is yours, your number of attempts will not be decducted but if the call is not, you will be deducted one try.

For football, maybe if the call is yours, the goal stands. If it is not, the other team will get a 1/2 ball advantage, meaning a draw would not be enough in this instance. This perhaps could help make the use of technology more interesting.

It's Called Football, Not Sucker

2007-07-10T00:15:00.000+08:00

I decided to write this quick note after I tried Goggle-ing for some football related information. My key words were - football and hawkeye. The results were Iowa Hawkeye football team, American Football. You know what I am getting at...

I would just like to say, football is FOOTBALL, not SOCCER. Football should remain football for two simple reasons. Firstly, football was had its laws standardized in 1863, whereas the American game with no name (in my opinion) has its roots sprouting in 1871. First come, first serve, first right of redemption.

Secondly, can anyone tell me which of the two sports is the most watched and generates the most money in the world? Nuff said.

The American game does not even resemble the name it took, and same goes to the new name they gave to football, soccer. Seriously, W.T.F.

So please, for fuck's sake, it is FOOTBALL and not SUCKER. Go find another name for YOUR dumbass sport that only YOU watch. Thanks.

Now onto football and goaline technology.

Man, You Loaning Tevez?

2007-07-07T03:25:00.001+08:00

The news is out and about. Manchester United is seeking to land Carlos Tevez on a 2 year loan deal with first option to buy. Few things come to my mind.

1. By loaning instead of buying, United give themselves a 2 year window to sort out the irregularities then would obviously come with any transfer deal to do with Tevez. This would also give time for the massive sandstorm that is already surrounding the Tevez saga to settle.

2. My initial thoughts was that United would actually be in the market for an out-and-out striker in the mould of recent Anfield acquisition Fernando Torres. If Tevez's services are acquired, United would be primed to further strengthen their already formidable and swift counter-attack style of play. They will not need a goal-getter if that is the plan, when they have various options moving forward on the break.

3. Will he be able to adapt? Well he already has fellow Argentine international Gabriel Heinze plowing up and down left-field, someone who (I wouldn't be surprised as this is not the first time Sir Alex has used such methods to acquire players) would act as chaperon and even be egging him to join United. He has proven to be strong and tough enough to endure the physicality of the English game with his time at West Ham. I would think he should be able to fit in nicely, provided no surprises are sprung, and no tantrums are thrown.

Anyway this is all speculation till he actually arrives. Exciting times for United fans as he will join Portuguese sensation Nani, Brazillian sorcerer Anderson, and English workhorse Owen Hargreaves in a youthful United side looking to claim the title of Fergie's Fledglings II.

Reflections (hate to say I told you so)

2007-07-06T02:07:00.000+08:00

1. Nothing better than for Tevez to go to the club who has the most 'live' games a season to showcase himself. MAN UNITED!

2. Torres to the Premiership? Nuff' said! Fiery Fernando or Tepid Torres, we shall see.

3. Henry leaving the Premiership? Well he already is a household name, no need for anymore advertising. He is his own brand.

Iron Clad Hammers

2007-07-04T00:47:00.000+08:00

In an announcement made by the English FA earlier this evening, Sheffield United’s appeal against West Ham’s punishment for fielding ineligible players during Premier League games which aided in their relegation dog-fight, was duly thrown out. It did not come as a surprise, to me at least. Other than the obvious reasons of the complications in re-ordering next season’s fixtures, I have a theory of my own.

1. M.O.N.E.Y

Well it is the same reason all over again isn’t it? The £5.5million fine they suffered is peanuts compared to the USD$2.2 billion estimated net worth of Eggert Magnússon. That monetary potential that the Hammers currently possess, can be equated as their capability to compete in an increasingly money driven game. Not much can be said about The Blades on that.

2. Marketing Potential

The Hammers are more recognizable in recent times with the likes of Paolo Di Canio, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Jermain Defoe all donning their jerseys in the late 90s onwards, and more recently Tevez, Reo-Coker, Lucas Neill, Anton Ferdinand. This could translate into a more marketable team playing in a branded league. Sheffield United on the other hand has Keith Gillespie as their most recent and famous player. Not forgetting the fans who witnessed their glory days, may they rest in peace.

3. Tourism

This may seem a weird reason. West Ham in the bustling city of London, Sheffield has her woods and parklands (how sad, she is not even listed on few UK tourism websites). A vibrant London with Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham AND West Ham form part of city life, where football plays an integral part. Sheffield, well she has her beauty, but not the commercialized beauty that mass tourism thrives on.

For the sake of the bigger picture, West Ham has secured their Premiership status...for now.

Here’s some statistics below to help put numbers to the words.

West Ham

Location: London

Stadium Capacity: 35,500

Best League Finish: 3^rd

FA Cup Wins: 1964, 1975, 1980

Cup Winners Cup: 1965, 1976(losing finalist)

Intertoto Cup: 1999

Chairman: Eggert Magnússon

Sheffield United

Location: Sheffield (North of London)

Stadium Capacity: 32,609

Best League Finish: 1898(1st)

FA Cup Wins: 1899, 1902, 1915, 1925

Chairman: Terry Robinson

The Blades were simply hammered into the ground in this fiasco. West Ham’s place in next season’s Premiership you could say is more or less iron-clad.

Bet You Didn't Know That!

2007-07-03T00:18:00.001+08:00

Many football clubs have sponsorship deals with bookmakers. This looks like a conflict of interest, to me at least. Should they even be allowed in the first place? I’ll leave you to make up your own mind.

Sports Betting Sponsorships as of 2006-2007 Season

Arsenal - Paddy Power

Aston Villa - 32red.com

Blackburn Rovers - Bet24.com

Bolton Wanderers - Betfred

Charlton Athletic - Ladbrokes, Paddy Power

Chelsea - Ladbrokes, Coral

Everton - Littlewoods Gaming, Coral

Fulham - Coral

Liverpool - Paddy Power

Manchester City - Totalbet

Manchester United - Betfred

Newcastle United - Bet365

Portsmouth - Ladbrokes

Sheffield United - Ladbrokes

Tottenham Hotspur - Mansion

Watford - Ladbrokes

West Ham - Ladbrokes, Pinnacle

Wigan Athletic - Tote Plc

That is 18 out of the 20 teams in the Premiership. Here’s more…

Real Madrid - Bwin

Recreativo Huelva - Interweten

Espanyol - Interweten

AC Milan - Bwin

Palermo - Sportingbet

Udinese - Eurobet

These are just a few of the countless other sport bookmakers who sponsor football teams. Interestingly, the Spanish and Italian teams that I have listed either did very well or did very badly this season...

Bet you didn’t know that!

A Consolidated Power

2007-06-30T15:37:00.000+08:00

When asked to name the big leagues in the world, invariably leagues like the English Premiership, Primera Liga, Italian Serie A and perhaps the German Bundesliga will be there or thereabouts. However, there seems to be a marked power shift in the world of football. The Premiership is now the premier league to play in. You may disagree, but here is some food for thought.

About ½ the globe (2.59 billion) tunes in from 204 countries to the matches played in the Premiership.. The rights to air the matches on TV, radio and internet mediums auctioned in at £2.7billion over 3 years (of which part would be shared among the 20 clubs in the top flight). It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this league is the most marketed, and marketable, and enjoys the greatest exposure.

One example on its effects can be seen in the recent Carlos Tevez transfer uncertainty. His advisor Kia Joorabchian has come out in public to admit that Tevez would rather stay in the Premiership, turning down a move to Italian giants Inter in the process. Let’s dissect this incident

M.O.N.E.Y

He may not be the highest paid, but the media coverage Tevez will receive in the Premiership could raise his marketability. This could be in terms of (future) sponsorship deals, better (future) contracts, higher value on the transfer market. This kind of exposure should lead to such snowballing effects, provided he plays reasonably well and makes a name for himself. Tevez already did, by securing West Ham’s top flight status in the last season. I would guess this is one of the reasons he left Corinthians for the Premiership in the first place, and could account for his desire to stay.

Safe Haven

UK is well known for its education and welfare systems. This is an excellent place for someone (with a family or looking to have one) to settle in, especially if the foreigner comes from a turbulent background; even if he wasn’t, just having the UK as an option to move to is advantageous. This is one attraction that playing in the Premiership provides.

The British Pound

One of the strongest and most stable currencies in the world, the British Pound is a relatively safer bet. Earning wages in this currency brings stability, along with the other values that the Pound possesses.

There could be other reasons, but these seem to me as being the most obvious. What this would entail is the consolidation of the Premiership as the premier league to be playing in, attracting the best players from around the world. Perhaps not everyone would like to live in wet and grey UK, or be able to perform or withstand the physicality of the English game, but the attraction will only snowball. More a platform for marketing than for football, the economically conscious agents of the best players in the world cannot help but take notice of this gold pot.