Incompatibility

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

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

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

Up yours, Mike.

The Window Closes; Clamped Shut and Stifling

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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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

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

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?

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

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

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.