A weakened Tottenham Hotspur narrowly defeated Crystal Palace at Wembley today, grabbing the must-win game on a late goal by Heung Min Son. It was an unimpressive victory by Tottenham that easily could have come very different had it not been for the heroics of their goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, given his first ever start due to injuries to Hugo Lloris and Michel Vorm. With the win Spurs move equal on points, for now, with second-placed Manchester United.
Besides the surprise start by the Argentine goalkeeper, Spurs were also without Dele Alli. Harry Kane, though in the starting 11, was clearly not at full strength either and made way for Fernando Llorente in the second half. Harry Winks appeared to pick up a knock in the first half and was pulled at halftime for Moussa Dembele. Update: Winks twisted his ankle and could miss England’s friendlies, the Evening Standard reports. That substitution did pay immediate dividends as Spurs were able to take the initiate right after the restart.
It wouldn’t last. Serge Aurier, back in the starting lineup after Kieran Trippier was so impressive against Real Madrid at midweek, gave the ball away and Palace nearly scored on the counter. It was not the first such error by Aurier, who was bailed out by Gazzaniga on both occasions. Indeed there is a strong case for the Argentine as man of the match in this one.
Spurs finally got the goal off a bit of a scramble in the Palace penalty area. When the ball came to Son at the edge of the 18-yard box, he placed a superb shot into the right corner of the net. Crystal Palace never really threatened after that. They do deserve credit for a strong defensive game, particularly in the first half when they frustrated Tottenham. Spurs were clearly not at their best; missing Alli, with Son playing poorly until his goal (several misplaced first touches) and Christian Eriksen still a ways off from peak Eriksen. Danny Rose, given his first start since return from injury, got better as the game wore on and was able to launch several attacks on the left flank. His return will give Spurs’ offense the additional threat on that side of the pitch. Ben Davies is a nice player, perfectly fine for the Wales national team, but he simply cannot produce that element.
In the end Spurs get the required win, but not without a not insignificant struggle. Palace did not look like relegation fodder and can be expected to move up the table if their form continues. Tottenham now have new injuries to worry about. No sooner are Rose and Dembele fit that Alli and (perhaps) Kane and Winks go down. Kane would obviously be the biggest blow so that is one situation Spurs fans will be monitoring very closely. Perhaps the two-week international break comes at a good time for Spurs then. They looked like they needed the rest.
Headlines:
Tottenham brought back down to earth — Independent
Second half Son strike gives Tottenham three points — Cartilage Free Captain
Son strikes as Tottenham squeeze past Crystal Palace — ESPNFC
Spurs win, but clash reveals continuing problem for Mauricio Pochettino — Metro
Gazzaniga emotional after impressive debut — Goal.com
Gazzaniga heroics backed up by Son strike - FourFourTwo
Five talking points — Mirror
Five things you missed — Daily MailTwitter reacts to Dele Alli’s stunning girlfriend — The Sun
Son spares Spurs’ blushes after Zaha spurns golden chance — Telegraph
Son strike seals laboured Tottenham win over Crystal Palace — Guardian
Paulo Gazzaniga and Wilfried Zaha the pick of the bunch at Wembley — Independent player ratings
Mousa Dembele sums up Tottenham's week in four-word tweet; Harry Kane among teammates to also comment — HITC
Do you like this format of match report with the links at the end? Let us know in the comment section!
Nov 5, 2017
Subpar Spurs eke out victory they absolutely needed over stubborn Palace: match report and link roundup
at
09:30
0
comments
Oct 27, 2017
With Kane out, Poch will need tactical masterclass for Spurs to succeed at Old Trafford
Tottenham Hotspur face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday in a battle for second place in the Premier League. With Harry Kane out injured it will take all of Mauricio Pochettino's tactical guile to outwit Jose Mourinho's carefully laid plans to park the bus.
Yes, we expect Mourinho to park the bus even with Kane now officially ruled out. Because that's what Mourinho does. It may be rooted in his failure to make it as a player, but whatever its cause we don't expect Mourinho to deviate from it now. So an element of surprise is needed. In their last league game against Liverpool, Spurs' 5-3-2 lineup shocked Juergen Klopp's defense into submission in minutes. Klopp, far all his charms, is nothing of the defensive mastermind that Mourinho is. Or even close. In fact, Klopp is looking more and more like a decidedly average manager in general. But let's leave Liverpool and their latest savior alone for once as they've suffered enough recently.
The point is, after Tottenham's successes against Real Madrid and Liverpool (we're not talking about the Carabao Cup here, sorry) Mourinho will now be expecting a 'WTF' Spurs lineup -- probably even more so without Kane. That element of surprise is gone. And with Kane out, so too is the option of really going for the jugular to reinstate shock and awe. One vision had Poch trotting out three strikers: Heung Min Son on the left, Kane in the middle and Fernando Llorente on the right. That's out the window. Instead, a lot of the responsibility for Spurs' attacking game falls to Dele Alli. Tottenham will again seek to exploit the width of the pitch as they did against Liverpool, aiming to catch United's slow defenders off guard. That will be a more difficult order than it was against the likes of Dejan Lovren. But it could still work. United's defense is not 1970 vintage Inter Milan. In fact, it's pretty average. Eric Bailly is really the only defender of true quality and with Victor Lindelof, Man U may have their very own Lovren in training.
But Bailly remains questionable for this match. Phil Jones is expected back from injury, so United will likely not have to go with Lindelof. Still, even without Kane Spurs' attack will present problems for this Man United defense. Son, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen can make quick work of the likes of Jones and Chris Smalling if given the space. Mourinho knows this so his gameplan will likely depend on throttling Spurs' midfield play, but here too his options are limited without Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick, also injured. The alternative, to attack, is simply not Mourinho's style, regardless of what Martin Keown says. Man U might need the win more, but fear of losing at home is more paramount at this stage. So expect Mourinho to risk little.
This is where Pochettino needs to get creative, again, with his wide players. Starting Serge Aurier on the left against Liverpool was a masterstroke. An even better alternative is Danny Rose, fit enough for 60 minutes of Carabao Cup duty at midweek (which we said we wouldn't talk about. But mentioning it is okay). Keep Aurier on the right and have the two wingbacks push up aggressively. The back three of Jan Vertonghen, Davinson Sanchez and Toby Alderweireld have proven they are capable without much support from the defensive midfield -- though Eric Dier is also healthy and available for that. Without Pogba, United's creative attacking duties appear to be falling to Jesse Lingard. That worked out fine in the Carabao Cup (okay, mentioning it again), but Spurs are better than Swansea City. Further bolstering the midfield battle in favor of Spurs will be Moussa Dembele, also healthy again, and ready to start according to some reports. This leaves Victor Wanyama as the only other absence for Tottenham, unless you count Eric Lamela of course, but he's been injured (or something) since the Obama administration.
In the end it probably won't be enough. This unfortunately has the look of another tactical stalemate match, not unlike United's visit to Anfield a few weeks ago. A lot of that depends on Spurs' ability to break through Man U's defense in the early stage of the match. The opening minutes will set the tone. Again, the element of surprise is largely gone and without Kane there may simply not be enough quality in Tottenham's attack to strike the early blow. Expect a scoreless draw from this one.
at
03:18
2
comments
Oct 24, 2017
With Koeman gone, Everton stand to benefit. Too much quality in this team
Everton fired Ronald Koeman yesterday, cutting ties with the man once seen as the Barcelona manager in waiting. It was widely expected and not much of a surprise in the end. Everton have been a shambles all season even after spending $150 million on new players over the summer, according to figures compiled by our friends at Transfermarkt.com. There are other statistics that speak to Koeman's ineptitude, with the Royal Blue Mersey blog listing just 10 of them. To quote Abraham Lincoln, it was altogether fitting and proper that Koeman was fired.
Everton have been an embarrassment, especially considering their aspirations from the preseason, but there is reason to believe things will change for the better with a new man in charge. It needs to start with some kind of tactical consistency. Koeman trotted out a different formation almost every game and started players at different positions or not at all, with seemingly little rhyme or reason. Then he was quick to make halftime substitutions, just to add a little more unpredictability to the mix. Picking a formation, sticking to it, and deciding on a "spine" of about six or eight starters at key positions will be a first priority for interim manager David Unsworth. Simply doing that may not produce results itself, but it will put the team in a good position for the undeniable talent in its ranks.
Much has been said and written about Everton's inability to replace Romelu Lukaku and how the team's ills emanate from it. That's a little simplistic. Lukaku is a prolific goalscorer but it's hard to see how even he would be able to bag goals this season with all the confusion in the lines behind him. Luckily Everton have players who can provide service to a deep-lying forward. The problem is they have too many of them. Morgan Schneiderlin, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Nikola Vlasic, Davy Klaasen, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and that's not counting Wayne Rooney or the injured Ross Barkley or out-on-loan Kieran Dowell. Decide who the creative force is in attacking midfield and then make somebody like Rooney or DCL play at striker. That will undoubtedly leave somebody frustrated for lack of playing time and desperate for a move out of Merseyside during the January transfer window. Fine, let that player leave. Especially if it's an attacking midfielder as Everton have too many already. Once the midfield is able to generate chances (and again there is enough talent for it to do so consistently) then it doesn't really matter who is putting the balls in the net. Even an aged Rooney is good enough.
Everton's defense is in decent shape already. Go ahead and laugh. Of the 18 league goals conceded this season, 12 were from a combination of Tottenham (the fifth-best team in the world, according to us, 3-0 victors at Goodison Park on Sept. 9), Manchester United (4-nil victors on Sept. 17) and Arsenal (5-2 last weekend). Here too Koeman's mixing and matching did Everton no favors. Nor did his undying devotion to Ashley Williams. Because other than the 33-year old Welshman, the facts again speak to quality players. Jordan Pickford is a superb goalkeeper and future number one for England. Michael Keane, signed from Burnley this summer, was a bright spot until a recent loss of confidence, in no small likelihood manager-related. Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines are perfectly capable, just on the wrong side of 30. Mason Holgate, on the other hand, is not. The 21-year old has only started once at centerback this season, a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth on Sept. 23. He did not play in either of the three lopsided losses mentioned earlier. It might be worth giving him another shot in a back three. If not him then Cuco Martina or Muhamed Besic could be given a shot. The point is, though Everton's defense is thin thanks to injuries to Seamus Coleman and Ramiro Mori, they do have options here as well.
Managing these options will be Unsworth's jobs for now. Perhaps the 44-year old will be given a chance to win the position on a full-time basis. More likely Everton will target a big-name replacement, somebody like Carlo Ancelotti or Thomas Tuchel with whom they have reportedly already made contact. Lack of Champions League football might be a bit of an ask for managers of those reputations, but Everton have the players and the budget to make this a compelling offer. Either way, they will likely be alright by the end of the season. Not top-five, but certainly solidly mid-table.
at
01:18
0
comments
Oct 22, 2017
Spurs beat up on Liverpool, making us look like idiots
But we're glad to be idiots on the day. (For the uninitiated: our official prediction for this game was a scoreless draw, a score which didn't even hold up for five minutes). It was a tremendous performance by Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium. An absolute clinic by the lads in the white shirts who should have rightfully put the game out of sight in the first 25 minutes. As it were, it took a Dele Alli goal on the stroke of halftime to reassert a two-goal advantage and effectively decide things. Spurs will take it. So will their supporters, me included. After almost five years of frustration against Liverpool, a compelling victory that puts Tottenham firmly in the top three in the Premiership table and potentially sets them up as the main title challenger to Manchester City this season.
We knew before this match that Liverpool's defense was poor. But we didn't quite know the extent. Dejan Lovren had one of the more pathetic performances you'll ever see from a Premiership defender. At times it looked like he was playing for Spurs. It was a joke, except no Liverpool supporters are laughing. Neither was the master of Gegenpressing, Juergen Klopp, who pulled the Croatian defender for Oxlad-Chamberlain midway through the first half. Gegen means against in German so maybe the concept calls for going against your own team. If so, Liverpool executed beautifully.
Credit Mauricio Pochettino again for rolling the dice with his 'WTF' lineup, same as he did in Madrid at midweek. When the starting eleven were announced, nobody even knew where people would line up. Was Aurier on the right or left? Where would Eriksen, Alli and Son play? (The latter hopefully not at left wingback again, as he did rather disastrously on one occasion last season). It took a deep dive on social media to at least answer the Aurier question.
It turns out Son was Spurs' most advanced player for most of the early stages of the game. Eriksen was on the right wing, with Alli on the left flanking Harry Winks. Maybe it was Son's positioning that threw off Lovren and the other Liverpool defenders on Tottenham's first goal. Whatever the reason, Lovren looked completely lost, but credit Trippier for a gutsy pass and Harry Kane for persevering until the ball was in the back of the Liverpool net. Less than five minutes were played. Just a few moments later, Spurs got their second goal, effectively achieving what Germans call the Vorentscheidung. Lovren was again at fault, this time whiffing on a header that put Kane and Son in on goal. Punditarena.com has some excellent analysis of both goals, complete with video.
at
13:15
0
comments
Oct 21, 2017
Mourinho calls out ManU players' attitudes after loss at Huddersfield. Has he already lost the locker room?
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has made absolute no secret of his distaste for the team's attitude leading to its surprising loss to Huddersfield last night. The question is not only why the players had such poor attitudes (wouldn't that be at least partially instilled by the manager?) and if they have already stopped responding to Mourinho's methods. More on that in a bit. It's first worth going to the primary source on this to see exactly what Mourinho did and did not say because a lot has already been written about it and not all of it may capture the context correctly.
Mourinho's initial reaction below. He first says he doesn't want to be "critic with my players with you." Regarding the mistakes that led to Huddersfield's two goals, Mourinho says "I would be very unfair if I point the finger at the players involved." He concedes the better team won and that "honestly, I think we deserve the punishment of defeat":
Harsh words perhaps, but so far no mention of attitude. In the postgame press conference, Mourinho begins along the same lines, but mentions the team's attitude for the first time. "They beat us on attitude," he said. "When you lose a match on attitude, that's really bad." Mourinho then mentions an individual player, Ander Herrera by name. "I heard that Ander Herrera in the flash interviews saying the attitude and the desire was poor. Oh my god, when a player says that and when a player feels that, I think they should all go to the press conference and explain why, because I can't explain."
For the record, below is audio of one Herrera flash interview where he says Huddersfield "played with more passion than us the first 30 minutes." No mention of attitude, though it may be implied. There may be other interviews that Mourinho was referring to. If somebody has a link to one please supply it in the comments.
Mourinho in the full press conference also says he can't remember a friendly match "where our attitude was so poor." He said he didn't want to anticipate the players' reaction to the loss. "I feel really disappointed and if I was a Manchester United supporter...I would be really disappointed because you can play and lose football matches because the opponent had more quality than you. You cannot lose football matches because the opponent had better attitude than you."
So there you have it. A manager calling out his player for criticizing the team's attitude, but then agreeing with the player that attitude was at fault for the loss. The manager appealing to the fans and saying this is unacceptable. Who creates a team's attitude? Doesn't the manager set the tone? The players have free will as individuals but if they all, without exception, have the same (poor) attitude, then likely some external force is causing it. Something like their manager.
All of which makes it look like Mourinho's methods are not working. Of course, there could be other forces working on the players as a collective whole and causing their poor attitude. Something outside of Mourinho's control. But Mourinho controls a lot at Man United. At this point the question at least deserves to be asked whether he has already lost the dressing room.
at
23:16
2
comments
Oct 20, 2017
Sorry Spurs Fans: We Probably Won't Beat Liverpool
File this one under posts I will be very happy to be wrong about. But a Tottenham Hotspur victory over Liverpool in Sunday's marquee Premier League matchup is looking very unlikely indeed. So, fellow Spurs fans, it is probably a good idea for us to temper our expectations, as giddy as we might be after this week's impressive showing at the Bernabeu. There are a number of reasons for this:
Start with history. Past performance is not always a reliable indicator of future results, as any investor will tell you. But if there's a pattern, well, then there's a pattern. Historically, Liverpool have won or drawn almost two-thirds of these matches, according to data compiled by 11v11.com: the tally now reads 80 wins for Liverpool and 47 for Spurs with 41 draws. The recent history has been even more in Liverpool's favor; it's been almost five years since the last time Tottenham won this matchup. You have to go back to the first term of the Obama administration, to Nov. 28, 2012 when Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale scored in a 2-1 victory at White Hart Lane. Since then it has been seven Liverpool victories and three draws. Most recently, in February, Reds beat us 2-0 at Anfield in one of Spurs' worst performances of the entire season.
Which is the other part of this: Not only do Liverpool play us tough, but we invariably play poorly in these matches. During one three-game stretch in 2013 and 2014, Liverpool won by a combined 12-0 (consecutive victories of 5-nil, 4-nil and 3-nil). Some of that overlapped with the season Liverpool bottled competed for the title, but still. And then there's the Wembley factor. While we aren't buying any of this Wembley hex talk, it is undeniable that, domestically at least, Tottenham simply do not play well at their temporary home. Perhaps it's how the size of the pitch is affecting our pressing game, as Danny Higginbotham points out here. Whatever the reason, something ain't working.
Spurs have had the benefit of weak teams visiting Wembley to get off the schneid and impress with an offensive performance to remember: Swansea, Burnley and Bournemouth were the last three opponents and suffice it to say we're still waiting for the goals to flow in any number. (For the record, Swansea was a scoreless draw, Burnley finished 1-1 when we gave up a late equalizer thanks to Kieran Tripper and while Bournemouth was our first ever league victory at Wembley, it was by the narrowest of 1-0 margins. Against a team firmly ensconsed in the relegation zone). The lack of goals is only the most apparent problem. The greater concern is the inability to create bonafide chances. Something is missing in the attacking third of the pitch, a final link in the chain appears to have been removed from Spurs' attacking play at White Hart Lane last season. Dele Alli is trying to do too much, in too many places, at too many times. His connection with Harry Kane, which at times was almost telepathic last year, is nowhere near as fluid. Christian Eriksen, too, has been uninspiring at various points -- nowhere more so than against Real at midweek, where he was the one negative in an otherwise masterful performance by the team.
Liverpool, of course, are beset by their own problems. Some of them, ironically, may stem from the same cause as Spurs', namely being forced to dial back the pressing game. And of course much has been said and written about Liverpool's poor defense, and justifiably so. Whether this is the fault of Juergen Klopp or some other factor is a conversation best left for a different day. But surely Reds' defense is better than Swansea's or Bournemouth's? If Spurs are unable to create real chances against these clubs, can they really be expected to accomplish this task against Liverpool? Maybe this will finally be the week the Tottenham attack finds its groove and shows the prowess it has displayed away from home? But it may not be smart to make that bet. The U.K. bookmakers all have Liverpool as strong favorites to win. Oddsmakers can be, and often are wrong of course, but they set their odds for a reason. Set pieces have been Liverpool's downfall but here too Spurs have yet to find their groove. Of the 17 goals scored in league play this season, we can recall just two coming from set pieces (Alli's off of a corner versus Burnley and Eriksen's against West Ham. Please let us know if you recall others). And Liverpool's defense was vastly improved in their last game against Man United. We unfortunately can't see them giving up more than a goal or two to Spurs tomorrow. Not with the way things have been going.
Okay, so might a draw be in the offing? The bookies have a draw even less likely than a Spurs victory. But Klopp has never won a competitive match at Wembley. Liverpool's attack is as impressive as their defense is underwhelming, but Tottenham have arguably the best backline in the league (maybe even in all of Europe) and good defense typically beats good offense. Plus Sadio Mane is out injured. Reds beat up on poor Maribor in midweek Champions League action but were unable to break down a stubborn Manchester United defense (and midfield. And, well, everything since Jose Mourinho parked the bus) last weekend. Liverpool have scored more than one goal in a match just once since August -- a stretch of games that included Burnley and Newcastle. Spurs have everybody healthy defensively, probably even Danny Rose (though probably not for the full game). Cartilage Free Captain expects Heung-Min Son and Dele Alli to start for Spurs with Trippier rotating into Serge Aurier's spot at right wingback, but this is very much an 'A' Spurs squad that will take the pitch. For these reasons a draw may be more likely than oddsmakers are anticipating. We predict Tottenham 0, Liverpool 0.
Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated Sadio Mane's first name.
at
20:43
2
comments
Apr 13, 2014
Lucky Liverpool Remind Us Why The Premiership Race is Far From Over
Liverpool got a lucky winner at Anfield today to defeat Manchester City 3-2 and inch closer to their first league championship in 24 years. It was a spirited victory for Brendan Rodgers' men on an emotional day when Anfield marked the quarter century anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. If Reds can "hold serve" and win their remaining four games, they will rightfully look back on this match as one of the deciding moments of their first championship campaign of the Premiership era.
at
20:46
3
comments
May 20, 2012
Chelsea FC: The Best Team on the Planet
In the end it's just that simple. Chelsea FC, the team that for two thirds of the 2011-2012 season could do little right, did just enough to defeat Bayern Munich yesterday and claim their first-ever Champions League (or equivalent) trophy.
In so doing, Blues take the throne of club soccer and the unofficial title of best team in the world. It is a dubious distinction for a side that (according the the Premiership table at least) is just the third-best in London and lost two of its last five matches this season--to go along with various transgressions earlier in the campaign (in a 17-game stretch dating to December 17, Chelsea managed just six victories. The wins came against Wolves, QPR, Sunderland, Portsmouth, Bolton and Birmingham City). Still, Chelsea deserve both honors: the Champions League trophy and "best team in the world" moniker. For the following reasons:
1. While Chelsea were certainly not the best club throughout 2011-2012, it's where you finish that counts. After all, we are calling them "the best team in the world RIGHT NOW." It's hard to argue, after defeating Barcelona over 180 minutes and Bayern Munich over 120 (plus penalties), that Blues could not defeat any team in the world at present. Yes, even Premier League champions Manchester City who beat them on the field of play as recently as March 21.
2. Results matter. Clearly Chelsea's style leaves a lot to be desired. At its worst it is a throwback to the 1990s Italian defensive bulwark stuff, which makes sense since that's when Roberto di Matteo plied his trade as a player. That's a shame, but winning ugly is still winning. And how exactly would you expect somebody to play on opponents' grounds in the latter stages of a winner-take-all tournament? Also, Chelsea have this attacker, Didier Drogba, who would be completely alien to Italian national teams of any era, and this not just for superficial reasons. In fact, the entire soccer world has never quite seen anything like Drogba. Most strikers are short, spry fellows. Few have the prowess for finishing and nose for the goal like DD does. Which brings us to the next point...
3. Didier Drogba. This is ultimately what sets Chelsea apart. The 34-year old Ivory Coast international combines an innate scoring ability and imposing physical presence with nerves of steel and a clamoring for the biggest moments of the biggest games. Soccer is a team game and you need 11 guys to do the job and do it well. In that sense, Drogba is merely a role player. It just so happens that his role is to score goals and as a pure goalscorer it could be argued that Drogba is among the very best to ever play the game. Or at least among recent generations: More clutch than Romario and Ronaldo, more prolific than Maradona (as a goal scorer), more imposing than Lineker. We all rave about Messi's brilliance and rightfully so, but on the field of play, over 180 minutes, Drogba's Chelsea got the better of Messi's Barca (see item 2 above: "results matter").
4. Who's their competition for best club in the world? Start with the league champions first: Man City are branded by having exited the Champions League in the group stage. Juventus? Didn't play in Europe this season so we can't take them seriously. Real Madrid? Lost to Bayern in the Champions League semis. Montpellier? No way. Porto? Looked horrible against Man City in Europa League action.
Does this mean the Champions League winner automatically gets the "best club in the world" title? Not always, though in recent years it's hard to argue against the winners. You'd have to go back to 2005 and the legendary "miracle of Istanbul" to find a club (Liverpool) that was not the best in the world at that time. But that's another argument for another day.
at
11:59
0
comments
Apr 11, 2012
More Than a Lifeline for Man City
Apparently, anointing Manchester United as English Premier League champions was a bit premature after all. Because after today's results, the gap between first-placed Man United and second-placed Manchester City is a mere five points.
There are five games left, including an uber-crucial Manchester derby (pronounced dar-bee) on April 30. In other words, there is everything left to play for.
If you're surprised at this turn of events, you're surely not alone. Forty-eight hours ago, Man United appeared to be in cruise control to repeat as champions and capture their fifth Premiership title in the last six years (and eighth in the last 13, if you're counting that far back). City had just imploded at the Emirates after dropping points at home against Sunderland the week prior. Roberto Mancini's men didn't seem capable of anything, even beating a 13th-placed club, much less by four goals to nothing. Yet that's exactly what happened today, as Citizens dropped West Bromwich Albion by 4-0.
More surprising still was United's loss to Wigan today, less than two days after looking so superior to Queens Park Rangers, whom Latics are battling for relegation (interestingly enough, QPR won today as well and like Wigan are clear of the drop zone, at least for now). It's unlike Sir Alex Ferguson to let his team become complacent so close to the end of the season, even with an eight point lead. With City having the edge in goal difference and the April 30 derby match taking place at Eastlands, Red Devils nation has reason to be worried.
If there's a bright spot for Man U, it's that City have the tougher schedule the rest of the way. The Sky Blues visit Newcastle, who will likely playing for a spot in the Champions League, on the penultimate matchday. City also play at 10th-placed Norwich (it's pronounced Norridge), while United play only one game away from Manchester, at Sunderland, on the last day of the season. Man U's other matches are against Aston Villa, who are crap, and Swansea, who are fading fast, having lost their last four in a row.
Still, it's not out of the question that United will drop points once or even twice, in addition to losing the derby match. The next couple of matchdays will be crucial. If City drop points in either of their next two games, at Norwich and Wolverhampton, while United take the maximum from theirs, it will in all likelihood be over. If the opposite happens, the April 30 grudgematch will take on an even greater significance. Either way, it's going to be tense. So buckle up!
at
17:47
0
comments
Feb 15, 2012
English Clubs Just Aren't Very Good This Year
It's an off year for English football. Despite all the money and hype, amid all the allegations of racist abuse and "handshakegate"s and other drama, English teams have consistently come up short in international competitions.
Take Arsenal. Here is a team that sit fourth in the English Premier League, which is good enough to make the UEFA Champions League next year. Other than one embarrassing display at Old Trafford in late August, Gunners have looked fully capable of hanging with the best teams in England.
Today, against AC Milan in the first elimination round of this year's UCL tourney, Gunners looked more like a youth side taking on the senior club -- or if you prefer a U.S.-centric comparison, the JVs facing the varsity. Either way, it wasn't pretty. Arsene Wenger's men were outplayed, outhustled and overwhelmed by the rossoneri, going down 4-0 in a game that frankly didn't look that close. The teams really didn't look like they belonged on the same pitch at the same time. Milan's pace was far faster, their passing crisper, their marking tighter. They made better runs in attack. Their goalkeeping was better. This was Arsenal's worst-ever defeat in European competition and one that, barring a miracle in the return leg, will leave them with nothing but the FA Cup and fourth place in the Prem to play for.
And it's not just Arse, either. Neither Manchester club (currently 1-2 in the Premiership) made it out of the group stage of this year's Champions League. That's just embarrassing considering the payroll disparities between the Mancunians and their group stage opponents, particularly in Man U's case (Otelul Gulati and FC Basel? Really?).
Or take the Europa League. Tottenham Hotspur were drawn into a group with teams from Ireland, Russia and Greece (Greece!) and couldn't even finish second. This is a club, Spurs, that are supposed to have a realistic shot at winning the league in the first time in (what might as well be) centuries. Birmingham City and Fulham didn't make it out of their groups either. I know there's a big gap between those clubs and the ones at the top of the Premiership table, but come on. Interestingly enough, the team with the toughest Europa League draw, Stoke City, actually qualified for the elimination round.
All of which begs the question: is this just a one year anomaly we are looking at? Or is the sun finally setting on the Premiership empire? Time will tell, but the signs are ominous. Last year's Champions League finale showed us just how far the gap has widened between the best team from Spain and its English counterpart. This year's Champions League and Europa League group stages demonstrated that English clubs at the very least play down to the level of inferior opponents, if they can indeed be called that. Today we saw that the fourth-placed Premiership side were little more than target practice for the top team in Italy.
What is the cause of this? That is another topic for another day but suffice it to say that it can't be economic, given all the petro and oligarch cash that has flooded the Premiership in recent years. That would mean that the players are certainly still world class. What about the coaching? We can sing the praises of Sir Alex and Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp and others, and deservedly so, but maybe, just maybe their counterparts on the continent have overtaken them. Arsenal especially just seem to lack something this season that could suggest Wenger has lost his magic touch. Do English teams maybe have a handicap when it comes to fitness levels? Have they gotten sloppy with their defending? These things deserve a look. Stay tuned.
at
18:32
3
comments
Jan 26, 2012
With Tim Ream, Bolton's Defense Gets Some Sorely-Needed Help
I watched Ream closely the last two seasons at Red Bull and actually met with him a few times. He is humble, polite and well-spoken, a demeanor that (surprisingly perhaps for an American defender) is reflected in his appearance on the pitch. In his position in central defense, the St. Louis native is calm and collected. What he lacks in size and speed (again unusual for an American soccer player, much less one who was just acquired by a Premiership team) he makes up for in positioning, tackling skills and ability to read the game. His passing is underrated.
So the English press will certainly find a lot to like about the 24-year old (he turns 25 in October) and his midwestern levelheadedness. At Red Bull, he and his fiancee lived in a modest apartment and took public transport home from matches (true story, I ran into him once).
Still, Bolton should be advised against expecting a savior. In New York (actually New Jersey), Ream had the benefit of being a virtual unknown who wasn't even selected in the first round of the Major League Soccer draft. He had an entire preseason to get acquainted with his teammates and competition--with nobody watching, as MLS is essentially ignored by major media outlets. Additionally, Ream was a late bloomer who had not even been capped at any youth levels. So it's not even accurate to say expectations were low--there were no expectations. Quite literally: none.
At Bolton things will be a lot different. For one, there are the shoes of Gary Cahill to fill. And while the transfer fee of $2.75 million is chump change for the Man Citys and Chelseas of the world, it is a not insignificant amount for a club like Wanderers. Obviously the competition will be much fiercer. Premier league clubs have some of the best attackers on the planet in their ranks. An entirely different stratosphere from the guys who ply their trade in MLS.
Also, Ream's game is not flawless. There is the aforementioned lack of speed and strength, which could be lethal in a league as fast as the Premiership. Also, in his sophomore season in particular he suffered several mental lapses, which caught the ire of teammate Rafa Marquez. While the Mexican international is a notorious hothead whose views were denounced by coaches and teammates, they were not without merit, and Ream even admitted as much. There can also be concern about how much, if any "upside" there is left in a soon-to-be 25-year old defender whose professional experience is limited to North America and who has not always impressed in his few appearances with Jurgen Klinsmann's national side.
The stakes at the Reebok are great. With 19 points from 22 matches, the 17th-placed Trotters have no margin for error. This from a club that has conceded a league-worst 47 goals so far this season (and that was with Cahill). Two of the team's next four fixtures are against Chelsea and Manchester City. So Bolton don't only need Ream, they need him at the top of his game ready to contribute immediately. While there is reason to believe Ream will develop into a bonafide Premier Leaguer in time, that may be expecting a little too much.
at
18:20
0
comments
Feb 5, 2010
The new power structure in English football
Yes I called it football, which I assure you has absolutely nothing to do with my desire to attract search engine traffic from outside the U.S.
Anyway, it is clear that the era of the "big four" in the English Premiership is over almost as quickly as it started. In its wake a three-tiered structure has emerged. Only, it's not quite as clear cut as the previous one. That is largely due to the fact that the new pecking order is still shaking out, which is very much the nature of the beast. Whenever there is a change in power structure, be it political, artistic or in more important areas of life, a period of upheaval is all but inevitable. Such is the situation we find ourselves in at the start of the new decade in the English Premier League.
How has this three-tiered power structure taken hold thus far? Let's take a look:
1. The top tier: Manchester United and Chelsea
This one's pretty easy. Man U and Chelsea have dominated the Premiership the past five years, during which time they have held a stranglehold on the league trophy. During the big four era, which we're defining as 2003 to 2009 (none of the big four finished outside the top five during this stretch), Arsenal and Liverpool figured into the title chase as well. That is no longer the case this season. It actually hasn't been the case in some time where Arsenal is concerned. Since 2005, when Gunners finished second, they have finished fourth three times and third once (in 2008). So Arsenal, though a splendid team, can no longer be viewed in the same class as the "elite two". By contrast, one could make the case that Arsene Wenger's side dominated the Premiership for the period before that: Between 1998 and 2005 Arsenal finished first or second every year, capturing three trophies. They remain the only team to go undefeated over the course of a Premiership season (in 2003-2004). We don't expect anybody to match that feat anytime soon, if ever. Or at least not in our lifetimes. The last team to do it before Arsenal were Preston North End in 1889.
As for Liverpool, they only finished second two times last decade. And we all know what's been going on this season (though at the time of this writing they were somewhat miraculously back in fifth place).
The argument that Arsenal and Liverpool have lost touch because of economics holds no water in my view. Yes, Reds are saddled with debt and Gunners might not flash the cash as often or with as much gravity as Chelsea. But both clubs have spent impressive sums on acquisitions in the past year, as the names Andrey Arshavin and Alberto Aquilani attest. Besides, who did Chelsea sign in the January transfer window? What about Man United, who have been sellers (Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez) more than buyers the past year?
The decline of Liverpool and Arsenal is not a result of economics but of mismanagement. With the North London side it appears a case of Wenger being a bit too full of himself and his methods. Sure, Arsenal's style of play is entertaining but it's also finicky. Better defense is needed and a little brawn to go with the finesse would do wonders. With the Merseysiders, it's a clear case of Rafa Benitez' incompetence. Not so much in managing a game (though there too) but more in putting the talent he acquires to proper use.
So Reds and Gunners are no longer in the top tier. But as we'll see they aren't in the second tier either.
2. The middle tier: Aston Villa, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City.
Under its new owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Man City can outspend literally anybody, but it hasn't done them much good yet. That is finally starting to change after Mark Hughes was justifiably shown the door in December. Since Roberto Mancini took over from the Welshman, Citizens have won eight of 10 games and moved up to sixth in the standings. They are equal on points with fifth-placed Liverpool but have two games in hand. So Manchester City could make a move for fourth place, the spot currently occupied by Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs have had a solid season after two traumatic campaigns that saw them fall out of the Champions League contention they previously occupied. But Spurs are not an elite team by any means. They have a terrible record against the top three teams in the league and are probably at least two big signings away from being able to contend. Then again, so are a lot of teams. Like Aston Villa, who flirted with third place for a long time last season before falling off the pace. Or Everton, who have not lost a league match this year. Villa and Everton lack the financial resources of City or even Spurs, but they make up for it with two of the best minds in the game. If either David Moyes or Martin O'Neill were English one of them would have gotten the call to manage the Three Lions a long time ago. But England's loss is the Premiership's gain. If Everton had Man United's money, David Moyes would be Alex Ferguson. Come to think of it, he's kind of the obvious heir apparent to Sir Alex at Old Trafford should the old boy step down (dude's 68 years old. It can't be that much longer now).
Together, the Man City-Villa-Spurs-Everton quartet occupy a type of purgatory in the EPL. They aren't good enough to compete with the big boys but aren't bad enough to have to worry about relegation. They may make forays in one direction or the other, and may manage a top three finish one of these years if everything goes exactly right. But mostly, this is who they are. The one possible exception is Man City, who could be seen as favorites to finish third next season now that they have proper leadership.
3. The lower tier: Everybody else (except Liverpool and Arsenal).
Speaking of purgatory, Liverpool and Arsenal aren't in this group either. They're better than that, obviously. They're probably better than the mid-tier clubs as well, though they may not always show it. For now, the fates of these two teams can simply not be determined. It may be another year before they take their spots in the pecking order.
There isn't really much that can be said about the lower tier teams. They are almost without exception wholly uninteresting. Even Fulham, who have been the best of the bunch the past season and a half or so, can be painful to watch sometimes. Each of these clubs may have one or two players who stand out. But once they are fully established, a richer club in England or Europe snatches them up. Though that too is increasingly rare. For the most part these teams trade players with each other. Unable to afford the big talent, they are forced to settle on the bargain bin. Which explains why, no matter how skilled their manager, they are doomed to the Premiership's equivalent of the third estate.
Sure, some will make forays into the top eight from time to time. Others will be relegated. They're essentially interchangeable parts, though every now and then somebody will come around and really stink it up (like Derby County a few years ago or Pompey earlier this season). But for the most part there is very little that separates these teams. On any given day any one of them could beat another one.
In fact, who's to say this pertains just to the bottom 12 Premiership clubs? Are the likes of Hull City and Pompey and Burnley really that much (or at all) better than Newcastle or West Bromwich Albion or Nottingham Forest? I'd have to watch more of the Coca Cola Championship to say for sure, but I have a feeling the difference is negligible.
So there you have it. The new power structure in English football. Get used to it, because it will probably be here for a while.
Photo taken from Independent.co.uk without permission.
at
17:30
0
comments
Aug 5, 2009
Another Yank striker to join the EPL
In a move that will officially announced tomorrow, 19-year old U.S. Men's National Team striker Jozy Altidore (follow him on Twitter. While you're at it follow Soccer-Source on Twitter) will join Hull City of the English Premier League. Altidore's current club, Villareal, for reasons yet obscure do not see a need for the 6'3 player. Nor did Xerez, a lower division Spanish club who was Altidore's loan destination last season.
Expect things to be different at Kingston. Phil Brown's side are hurting for forwards and the EPL fits Jozy's game like a glove. Having watched him up close when he was with the New York Red Bulls from 2006 to 2008, we can say this with utmost confidence.
Altidore is a beast of a young man (and we mean this in the nicest way possible) who has no problem using his substantial size to his advantage. But he's also quick on his feet and technically sound for a player of his size. Admittedly, his left foot needs work, but he makes up for it with his savvy, energy level and what the French call "a certain I don't know what"--a sixth sense for sniffing out and capitalizing on goal-scoring opportunities that all great strikers are blessed with but which nobody can seem to quantify. Not surprisingly given his physical stature, he is strong in the air and scores many goals off headers.
Additionally, Altidore is a joy to watch. He dominates opposing defenders (not just Major League Soccer slackers either, as anybody who saw the U.S. bitchslap defeat Spain in the Confederations Cup semifinals can attest. Altidore scored a goal in that one). He's the type of player you as a spectator just have to watch, even when he doesn't have the ball.
At 19 years old there's no telling how good he can be (especially if he develops a left foot). He could become the first Yank to win a scoring title in the EPL. Who knows, he may even lead Hull to Europe some day (though probably not this year. Let's not get ahead of ourselves).
Bottom line: We expect great things from this move and Hull City fans have every reason to as well.
at
14:14
0
comments
Feb 5, 2009
Soccer Source midweek mash-up: Red carnage
As you all probably know by now, Liverpool lost their FA Cup tie to cross-town rivals Everton yesterday. That hurts Reds' chances in the Soccer Source Top 25 fo sho, but the more significant impact is the loss of Steven Gerrard, who left the pitch only 16 minutes into Wednesday's game. "Stevie G" will miss three weeks with the injury, it was reported today.
This is obviously a very harsh blow for Reds. How harsh? For starters, their Premiership chances--tenuous to begin with--may have been flushed down the drain with this news. Especially the way Man U has been playing and especially with the team's schedule in the weeks ahead. Furthermore (I don't think I've used that word since high school by the way) Rafa Benitez' side now have to be seen as the clear underdogs in their Champions League match-up with Real Madrid (the first leg takes place Feb. 25 in Madrid. No way Gerrard will be ready by then). Real has reeled off six wins in a row, conceding only one goal in the process. To be sure, Reds have surprised people before, especially in Europe. Last year at this time they were in far more distress than they are now and they beat a team, Inter Milan, that was widely viewed as the best in the world at the time.
While we're on the subject of Spain, Barcelona had a surprisingly tough time of it against Malaga in their Copa del Rey semifinal, not getting a second goal until the 73rd minute at the Bernabeu. They lead 2-0 at time of this posting. We may update this later, though probably not. Sevilla beat Bilbao 2-1 in the other semifinal. These fixtures are played over two legs. There was an interesting cup tie in Italy as well, where Juventus beat Napoli in the quarterfinals of the Coppa Italia. Juve took the game in overtime, 4-3. They had lost their last two games before this one. France had midweek cup action as well. Second-placed Girondins Bordeaux, a team we have recently taken a liking to via our Top 25 rankings, won at Paris Saint Germain (a team we were just starting to consider for a spot in said rankings) by 3-0. They'll face Vannes (who? No clue) in the finale.
What about the Copa Libertadores? Thought you'd never ask. That sound you hear from Mexico are Pachuca fans wailing after their team was eliminated by Universidad de Chile. Elsewhere, the favorites (chief among them Estudiantes and Palmeiras) advanced. These are the final qualifying matches. The Copa Libertadores groups are now pretty much set. Finally. If you thought qualifying for the Champions League could be a drawn out process, you should check out what some of these teams have to do. The Mexican clubs have a whole separate tournament just to determine their league's participants.
at
16:11
0
comments
Dec 26, 2008
Soccer Source Boxing Day breakdown
We still aren't quite sure what Boxing Day is or where it comes from, nor do we know when and how it became associated with playing a full slate of games in the English Premiership. We just know we like it. Not only do Boxing Day games provide invaluable entertainment, they get you out of another post holiday tradition, which is inter-family fighting (come to think of it, maybe that's where the holiday got its pugilistic origins? That might just be the best explanation we've heard yet).
Where were we? Oh right, the Premiership games! The biggest of the bunch was undoubtedly the one that was played last. We're talking about the Aston Villa v. Arsenal match up, of course, where the fourth- and fifth-placed teams in the EPL faced each other at Villa Park. It was an entertaining and contentious affair. Villa owned the first half but Gunners were the only team that scored in the first 45 minutes. They went ahead 2-0 early in the second half and had several chances (one ball off the post) for a third goal that would have put the game out of reach. Instead, Villa got a break from the referee---the linesman, actually, who saw a foul inside the box where television replays were unable to pick anything up--and usurped the opportunity to narrow the deficit to 2-1 and get themselves back in the game. Martin O'Neill's team pushed and pushed and a finally in stoppage time got the equalizer from Zat Knight. Even still, the result flatters Arsenal who were outplayed for just about the entire match. Villa maintain their hold on fourth place, while Gunners are now 10 points behind leaders Liverpool and for all intents and purposes out of the title chase. From the looks of it they'll have a fight on their hands to even qualify for the Champions League spots. They host Pompey Sunday in another vital game. Villa face Hull City, which shouldn't present much of a problem seeing how they performed today (losing 5-1 to Man. City).
Earlier in the day, the favored clubs all won, some easily (Chelsea 2, WBA 0; Liverpool 3, Bolton 0) others less so (Man United 1, Stoke City 0 on a late goal by Carlos Tevez). But don't be sad if you missed them; we'll do the whole thing again with a full slate of games on Sunday!
Photo taken from Eurosport/Yahoo without permission.
at
14:34
0
comments
Aug 25, 2008
The tragedy of Stevie G
For those of you not familiar with Martin Samuel - and I'm guessing that since most readers are Yanks, it's a high percentage - do yourselves a favor and read his musings on Steven Gerrard. Samuel is the best English soccer columnist at work today, and while the The Times sometimes makes it hard to find his articles, you should try to check him out as often as possible. (His four-line summary of Arsenal buying Silvestre is perfect.)
As for Stevie G, the thought here has long been that he is the most overrated English footballer since, well, since America's favorite English footballer. If Stevie G is so great then why, 10 years into his career, are we still debating his best position? Yes, he's won games single-handedly; the argument is not that he's not a good player, but that he's still far from being a great one. At the moment, all his so-called greatness ensures is that he's in danger of being known as the greatest player never to win a title.
--Smoods
at
07:46
1 comments
Aug 15, 2008
Transfer review part 2: The transfers that did happen
Now that we’ve skated past the deals that didn’t happen, let’s take a look at the ones that did.
The big four
Chelsea signed three Portuguese internationals, Deco, Jose Boswinga and, of course, Big Phil Scolari. Boswinga was terrific in Euro 2008 and looks like adding the pace and attacking verve to the right back slot that Chelsea already have at left back. Chelsea scored 65 goals in the league last season, compared to Manchester United’s 80 and Arsenal’s 74. Paulo Ferreira is a fine right back, but he does lack something going forward. That’s how good Chelsea are – they buy fullbacks to improve their goal-scoring prowess.
Deco is one of the classiest players in world football. It’ll be interesting to see if his smallish stature and languid playing style translate to the English game. But there’s not many players in the modern age who’ve won two Champions League, and for good reason. If he fits right in, he could win the Premiership almost single-handedly, so influential is he to a team.
But that could be asking a lot. Until the arrival of a certain Mr Torres of Liverpool, foreign players, especially those from Latin countries, tended to take at least one season to acclimate to the hurly-burly world of English football. It shouldn’t come as a surprise if Deco starts well and slowly fades as the season goes on.
And what of Scolari? Well, who knows? This is a man who’s never coached at the European club level. He’s an unknown in this arena, and while deserves respect for his international record, to argue right now that his presence guarantees Chelsea the title is a little extreme. (Though that could prove to be the case.)
As for the second division of the Big Four category, both teams made one big buy. Arsenal signed the latest player to be labeled as The Next Zidane, and while it’s too early to say that, he does look lick-smackingly good.
One does wonder, though, how on earth Arsenal snapped up such a promising player for so cheap.
But will Nasri compensate for the loss of Flamini and Hleb? Even if he does, that won’t be enough—don’t let the final table fool you. Despite finishing four points behind Man Utd, Arsenal were a distant third last season. And even if Nasri flourishes in his first year in England (doubtful—see above), Arsenal will still have to rely on youngsters such as Denilson, Aaron Ramsey, Carlos Vela and Theo Walcott—all of whom are under 21 (Nasri himself turned 21 in June)—to carry them to the title. The betting here is that Chelsea and Man Utd will be too strong this season, but watch out for Wenger’s team in the 2009-2010 season.
And so we come to Liverpool. When they signed Robbie Keane, one could plausibly make the argument that here was as signing that could propel the Reds to their first title in nearly 20 years. Oh, how times change. And if you’re a Liverpool fan, look away now, because you won't like this. With the Gareth Barry’s move in tatters and Rafa seemingly on the brink, it’s hard to see how the club gets it act together this year. (Though credit should go to them for the Keane signing—he and Torres could be the most potent partnership in Europe this year.)
The rest
A consensus view seems to be forming that the best team outside the top four will be either Tottenham Hostpurs or Portsmouth. Everton, last year’s 5th team, have had a terrible summer, with no signings and the sale Andy Johnson. Meanwhile, though Aston Villa did actually signing a player who’s not a middling Premiership performer, Martin O’Neill’s signings do leave a lot to be desired (Luke Young, please stand up). The club has steadily progressed under O’Neill, but at some point he’s going to have to take the shackles off and sign a player with real flair.
That’s not a problem for Spurs, who could become the neutral’s favorite team to watch this season. They’ve added to a promising core—Woodgate, Bale, Hutton, Jenas, Lennon, Huddlestone—with some very exciting players in Luca Modric, Giovanni dos Santos and, of course, David Bentley. They should prove too strong for a Portsmouth team whose main signing this summer was Peter Crouch—a good player to be sure, but hardly talented enough to take the team that finished 8th up a level.
The rest of the rest
Blackburn Rovers and West Ham seem to have gone backwards this summer, with the former replacing Brad Friedel with Paul Robinson in goal and Mark Hughes with Paul Ince in the dugout. West Ham’s summer has been even less exciting and productive, with Bobby Zamora out and some fullback coming in. The most exciting YouTube clip of a Newcastle player in the off-season was not anything that happened at Euro 2008, but Joey Barton on a night out, while the excitement of Manchester City’s GBP19m purchase of Brazilian striker Jo and hiring of Mark Hughes, considered to be among the best young managers in England, is now firmly a thing of the past.
Finally, a word for Roy Keane at Sunderland. Having bought lots and lots of fair-to-poor players last summer in a panicky (though ultimately successful) effort to make sure they survived their first year in the Premiership, he’s been more considered this year, adopting what you might call an Uber-O’Neill strategy—solid Premiership players, but exciting, inspired players. Two of the new recruits, Steed Malbranque and El Hadji Diouf are arguably the most talented players to ever play for Sunderland. Bravo, sir.
Smoods is a proper Brit and sometime contributor to the Soccer Source. He can be reached at smoods@americansoccernews.net
at
18:36
4
comments
The transfer window that wasn't
By Smoods, proper Brit.
Welcome to the first of many postings on Soccer Source dedicated to English Premier League. I’ll be doing what I can to help our esteemed site host and bring a truly British flavor to the site. Without further ado, let’s start the first part of our two-part review of the transfer business this summer.
Unfortunately, this post won’t be as interesting as it could have been had Cristiano Ronaldo, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Emmanuel Adebeyor, Kaka, Robinho, Dimitar Berbatov all got their wish and left their clubs. Then, we’d be looking forward to how Manchester United were going to cope without their most prolific player, what Arsenal and Chelsea were going to do without their attacking spearheads and how the Premiership had truly arrived as the world’s best league after luring the World Player of the Year.
Instead, we had a rare show of club power after years of seeing playing power grow. The biggest clubs locked horns with their star players, and with other top clubs, and managed to hold their ground. Why the change? It’s hard to pinpoint one common reason (readers, please let us know what you think).
The theory here is that coincidence has mingled with personal greed this summer. Coincidence in that different factors have been at work in pushing each club to keep hold of their assets. Ronaldo’s failure to get his move to Spain is not so surprising when one realizes that Sir Alex Ferguson has never sold a player he wanted to keep (though the circumstances surround Andrei Kanchelskis’ transfer remain unclear). And after their messy and spiteful divorce from Jose Mourinho, was it likely that Chelsea would sell Frank Lampard to Inter Milan? Meanwhile Arsenal, having already lost Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini, could ill-afford to have another first team player leave this summer.
As for personal greed, there is a thought that many of the players pushing for a move to another club were simply blackmailing their clubs into giving them a higher salary. Cynical, you say? Well, articles about Robinho, motives attributed to Adebayor and comments from those close to Kaka suggest that money may be a large motivating factor. And let’s not forget that after a summer of posturing, Frank is now the highest paid player in the Premiership. If this is the case, then it’s fair to say the players were never really serious about leaving—they just wanted more money. Club power indeed.
(In Drogba’s defence, his decision to stay despite a lack of a new contract suggests that his desire to leave was prompted by his anger at Mourinho’s sacking, rather than more base motives.)
So will we see any of these stars changing clubs? Despite Peter Kenyon’s bullish statements, it still seems unlikely that Robinho will move. But Berbatov’s transfer to Manchester United appears as good as done.
And, with respect to Tottenham fans, that move is the one switch of all those mentioned that also makes complete footballing sense. Unlike the other players, Berbatov is not at one of Europe’s top clubs, and he isn’t playing regular European football. Berbatov is clearly a player who should be appearing in the Champions League every season, and while Spurs seem on the right track, they’re still a ways from that. It’s understandable that, as he enters his prime (he’ll be 28 mid-season), he wants to play regularly in Europe’s top event. This is a guy who’s already played in one Champions League final, don’t forget.
Later on Friday, we’ll analyze that moves that were actually made, and a Premiership preview is coming Saturday.
Meanwhile, please let me know what kind of things you’d like to see as part of this site’s coverage of English football.
--Smoods
Smoods is a proper Brit and sometime contributor to the Soccer Source. He can be reached at smoods@americansoccernews.net
at
00:06
0
comments
Feb 23, 2008
Saturday Summary, Feb. 23: A Gruesome Day For Gunners
You hate to see scenes like this on the soccer field and when it's the result of an intentional challenge by an opposing team's player it makes the whole thing even worse. I'm not going to provide any video links to Martin Taylor's vicious tackle of Eduardo da Silva. You know where to find them if that's your thing. Arsene Wenger has called for Taylor to receive a lifetime ban and for once I agree with him. The incident cast a dark cloud on what was otherwise a solid effort by Birmingham City and James McFadden at St. Andrews. Obviously Eduardo is lost for the season and also for the Euro championships that very well could have been a stage for his arrival as a soccer superstar. The 2-2 tie could also have wide-ranging consequences in the Premiership title hunt, as Man United's smackdown of Newcastle allowed Sir Alex' men to pull within three points of Gunners.
It was a dark day for the Fulhamericans as well, who were unlucky to lose to West Ham United in the first of two London derby matches this weekend. (The bigger one, of course, is at Wembley tomorrow). There is also another on tap for Wednesday, when Spurs and Chelsea play a rematch in EPL play. Here is how the London derby league looks going into tomorrow:
GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | |
Arsenal | 8 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 9 | 22 |
Chelsea | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
Tottenham | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 14 | 9 |
West Ham | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
Fulham | 8 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 18 | 2 |
Besides being in serious and acute danger of being relegated from the Premiership, this also concludes Fulham's London campaign for the season. Maybe they'll be replaced by Charlton (I don't count Watford, a more solid candidate for promotion, as a London club). Unless Chelsea win both games with Spurs over the next week, Arsenal will clinch the "league." And West Ham? Alan Curbishley's men are ninth and could very well make Europe next season. The sixth- through eighth-placed teams are all even on 44 points. Hammers have 40.
Elsewhere, there was excitement in the Bundesliga, where Bayer Leverkusen beat Schalke to move into third place (Hamburg SV will displace them if they beat top-of-the-table Bayern Munich tomorrow, but that game is played in Bavaria, where HSV have barely won in the past 30 years). Werder Bremen, who had played so well in recent weeks, lost at Eintracht Frankfurt, who are now quietly seventh, which is I think the highest they've been in a generation. But the biggest Bundesliga game is still on tap tomorrow.
I don't know how this happened, but there were eight goals in a Serie A game today. I could have sworn there were entire weeks where there weren't eight goals in all of Serie A back in the catenaccio days. Torino and Parma were the teams in question and they shared the spoils in a 4-4 draw. Roberto Stellone (no relation to Sylvester, I don't think) and Andrea Gasbarro both had braces for Torino and Parma, respectively. In the other Serie A game today, Juventus are losing at Reggina.
Finally, the remaining Champions League representatives from Greece and Turkey both suffered setbacks in their respective leagues today. Fenerbahce Istanbul, who are neck-and-neck with Galatasaray in the Turkcell Super Lig lost at home to Bursaspor, a mid-table side. What is even more shocking is that this was Fener's first loss at home--in all competitions--this season. Olympiakos, meanwhile tied their game at PAOK Saloniki today. They still lead the Super League by two points over Panathinaikos, who play tomorrow.
Photo taken from Guardian.co.uk without permission.
at
16:05
0
comments
Feb 9, 2008
Saturday Summary, Feb. 9, 2008: The (Relative) Calm Before The Storm
Today's games can be viewed as the "opening act" for tomorrow's top-of-the-table crackers in England and Germany. Those games (the Manchester derby, Chelsea-Liverpool and Bayern-Werder) will be discussed at length later, but there was plenty to hold our attention until then:
Today's top game in the German Bundesliga featured third-placed Leverkusen against fourth-placed Hamburg SV. The visitors from Hamburg struck first, on a goal by Rafael van der Vaart (yes he's still there) but the home side knotted things up after 60 minutes. The tie doesn't help either team in their campaign for Champions League spots. The two sides are equal on points, with fifth-placed Schalke (they too play tomorrow, in the Revierderby with Dortmund) and Karlsruhe (it's pronounced Karls-rooh) two points in arrears.
Okay so Michael Bradley didn't have a very good game for the U.S. national team at midweek, but he picked right up where he left off with his club team, Heerenveen. The Dutch Eredivisie side were down a goal at halftime of their clash with table-toppers PSV Eindhoven, but Bradley scored the equalizer on 52 minutes. Thanks to the point Heerenveen move back into second place (for the time being. Third placed Ajax play tomorrow).
Poor Barcelona. No sooner does it look as though they were poised to close the gap with their arch rivals and take first place from Real Madrid that they drop crucial points today. Granted the game at Sevilla was not an easy undertaking and Barca are fortunate to come away with the point as they trailed until Xavi's goal in the 76th minute. But Real can pad their lead to eight points if they beat Valladolid at the Bernabeu tomorrow.
Finally, in the Premiership, the top two sides in action (fourth-placed Everton and fifth-placed Aston Villa) both won, which only increases the pressure on Liverpool, who now sit sixth but with two games in hand. After Should Liverpool lose tomorrow's game at Stamford Bridge they will have nearly two weeks to ponder their predicament, as they have FA Cup duty next week and a visit from Inter Milan for the CL Round of 16 the following Tuesday.
at
17:35
0
comments