So the breaking news is out: Wayne Rooney has indicated to Sir Alex Ferguson that he wants to leave Manchester United. And after that, there is no turning back.
Ferguson has left the door open for Rooney to change his mind - a clear sign he is a valuable asset that United would prefer to keep - but, really, Ferguson would not have publicly announced Rooney's feelings if he reckoned there was a realistic chance he would have a change of heart. And Ferguson has not got many of these wrong over his 24 years at United.
I'm not going to pretend, as a United fan, that I am not disappointed by the news. Rooney was far and away our best player last season. He is still, perhaps alongside Gerrard and Joe Cole, one of the most naturally gifted players England has. But I am not as crushed as one might expect. Losing Ronaldo was more of a bitter pill to swallow.
For Rooney is a player off-form. His first touch throughout the World Cup and into this season, highlighted once more against West Brom on Saturday, has been awful, and his influence on the team's play minimal. But great players, as Rooney undoubtedly is, get over bad patches of form, don't they?
I'm sure Rooney will resurrect his career. He is, after all, only 24. Most players - on average - reach their peak around 26/27. So surely United would be mad to let him go.
Contrary to Phil McNulty (who I'm probably mad to argue with), I think Rooney has become a liability. As Ferguson said today, the United fans on Saturday were, stuck at 2-2 with the Baggies, chanting for Rooney to be introduced: "it put pressure on the team and it didn't do any good for the team." And, as Ferguson is well aware, the team is what matters.
Beckham in 2002 had become as big as United, perhaps even the game of football, and was as much of a celebrity as sportsman. Ferguson sold him off for a 'bargain' £24 million. He was past his best (but still a fantastic player at the time) but, more, he had to go for dressing-room harmony. His departure saw the likes of Giggs, Solskjaer, Fletcher and - eventually - a young Cristiano Ronaldo step out of his shadow. It took the team several seasons to adjust to his absence, such was his worth to them, but they came out stronger.
Roy Keane. The heartbeat of the midfield. Made some comments that Ferguson did not like - Keane was trying to take over his spot (so it seemed). Gone. We can look back to the likes of Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis, as players whose egos saw them dumped by the manager.
Ruud van Nistelrooy is perhaps a case more akin to Rooney's. While not going as far as to contradict his manager, Ruud did seem dissatisfied with some decisions. And like Beckham before him and Ronaldo and now Rooney after him, the Dutch striker became the main hope of the fans (myself included). But United, at this point, were not an effective team. Summer of 2006, van Nistelrooy is sold. Summer of 2007, United have won the league, playing a fluid attractive game using the pace and power of Rooney, Ronaldo, Saha and Giggs, ably fed by Carrick and Scholes.
Rooney is one player. Fans and - crucially - teammates cannot look to him to carry the team through. That is what happened last year, and it ended - by United's high standards - in failure. Having one player who has a great season is hugely helpful, but 11 or 18 men playing to a high standard is immeasurably better. Chelsea won the league last year because most of their key players were on top form when it mattered. Drogba was the star, but he was capably supported by Lampard, Anelka, Malouda, Essien, Ashley Cole...
My recommendation? Offload Rooney before his value plummets even more than it is now bound to do. Where he goes is no real concern to me, as long as it isn't to those noisy neighbours in blue. But get £20-30 million for him (I'm assuming he regains some form; at the moment I wouldn't pay £2 million for him!). Then use that money wisely.
United have a good core of strikers. Berbatov has started this season brilliantly and Hernandez has devastating pace and an instinct for goal. Owen is still a handy option for some games. The jury is out on Macheda and Welbeck, but they've generally performed when given the chance - time will tell.
What United need is what they've needed since Ronaldo left - an attack-minded midfielder with the skill, creativity and desire to drive the whole team forward and create chances for Berbatov, Hernandez, Owen, etc to gobble up. I would love for the rumours linking United with Wesley Sneijder to be true. He is the sort of player to add spark, creative genius, pizzazz. Look at what Rafael van der Vaart has done for Tottenham.
Scholes and Giggs have only a few seasons left at the most. They will be missed more than Rooney. They live and breathe United. They have kept their talking on the pitch, so are adored by Ferguson. Their passion for the game is rare, and United will have to spend big to come close to replacing that. Oh, and getting a goalkeeper when van der Sar also goes to collect his bus pass.
Why does Rooney need United? Because he needs Ferguson. The managerial master has sculpted Rooney from talented teenage prodigy into world-class star. With star status has come media attention. And Rooney is no master of PR.
What makes Ferguson a great manager is - like Arsene Wenger - he will back his players to the hilt. If they agree to adopt the United philosophy of winning with style and work-rate, he will defend his players no matter what the press and other managers hurl at them.
And Rooney needs that. Off-form and in the news for all the wrong reasons, he is becoming a scapegoat for England's incompetence. He can got to Madrid, or Man City. Nowhere will he get the same level of support.
Ferguson's interview with manutd.com is hugely revealing:
"I said to him, ‘Just remember one thing: respect this club.’ I don’t want any nonsense from you, respect your club... we’ve done everything we can for Wayne Rooney, since the minute he’s come to the club. We’ve always been there as a harbour for him. Any time he’s been in trouble, the advice we’ve given him... But you do that for your players, not just Wayne Rooney. That’s Manchester United. This is a club which bases all its history and its tradition on the loyalty and trust between managers and players and the club. That goes back to the days of Sir Matt. That’s what it’s founded on. Wayne’s been a beneficiary of this help, just as Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and all the players have been. That’s what we’re there for."
That stinks of feeling let down; more than that, betrayed. Ferguson has clearly been hurt by the Rooney farce.
The reference to "Sir Matt" is an interesting one. Sir Matt Busby, manager, mentor and father-figure to George Best, among others. Now Rooney cannot hope to have the natural ability and flair Best had, but the situation is similar. Talented player, who becomes a celebrity and can't handle it. The manager - Ferguson and Busby - protects his player as far as he can, even if it jeopardises his own integrity. Then master and apprentice part ways. Best's career went down the plug-hole. It would be a great shame if Rooney's went the same way, but it is not an impossibility.
When, not if, Rooney leaves United, the club will continue. They have recovered from losing better players than Rooney. Yes, the club is vulnerable now, but evolving and meeting new challenges is what United are about.
Club, manager and player will suffer from this whole affair. But if one of them is to come out the winner, it won't be Rooney.
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Cheer up, Connacht... a Magners' League Preview
12 teams, 4 play-off spots, 1 Grand Final, 1 winner. Who will set the Magners' League alight this season? Rather than a preview as such, I've profiled all 12 teams and given a verdict on each.
Aironi Rugby
City: Viadana/Parma/Reggio Emilia (Italy)
Stadium: Stadio Luigi Zaffanella (capacity: 5,500) and Stadio Giglio (29,546)
Best finish: N/A
Last season: N/A
Head coach: Franco Bernini (Italy)
Captain: Quintin Geldenhuys (Lock, Italy)
Star man: Marco Bortolami (Lock, Italy)
Other notable players: Salvatore Perugini (Prop, Italy), Pablo Canavosio (Scrum-half, Italy), Julien Laharrague (Wing, France), Kaine Robertson (Wing, Italy)
Pre-season: no idea...
Verdict: As a totally new club, they are an unknown quantity. Viadana, who make up a large part of the franchise lost all six games in last year’s Heineken Cup. They will need to be strong in the forwards to avoid embarrassment. A season of struggle, I fear.
Benetton Rugby Treviso
City: Treviso, Veneto (Italy)
Stadium: Stadio Comunale di Monigo (6,700)
Best finish: N/A
Last season: N/A
Head coach: Franco Smith (South Africa)
Captain: Antonio Pavanello (Lock, Italy)
Star man: Luke McLean (Full-back, Italy)
Other notable players: Leonardo Ghiraldini (Hooker, Italy), Simon Picone (Scrum-half, Italy), Andrea Mercato (Fly-half, Italy), Joe Maddock (Wing, New Zealand)
Pre-season: no idea...
Verdict: Last year’s Heineken Cup campaign saw one (shock) win, against Perpignan. But the squad looks weak, and I think any result other than last place would be happily accepted.
Cardiff Blues
City: Cardiff (Wales)
Stadium: Cardiff City Stadium (26,828)
Best finish: 2nd (2006-07 & 2007-08)
Last season: 5th
Head coach: Dai Young (Wales)
Captain: Paul Tito (Lock, New Zealand)
Star man: Jamie Roberts (Centre, Wales)
Other notable players: Gethin Jenkins (Prop, Wales), Martyn Williams (Flanker, Wales), Dan Parks (Fly-half, Scotland), Leigh Halfpenny (Wing, Wales)
Pre-season: wins against Exeter (26-21) and Newport Gwent Dragons (19-3)
Verdict: The Amlin Cup winners of 2010 go into this season looking for a place in the top four (the play-off positions), having just missed out last time. They are strong throughout the team and, if Dan Parks can recreate his Glasgow magic, the play-offs are a realistic target.
Connacht Rugby
City: Galway (Ireland)
Stadium: Galway Sportsgrounds (5,500)
Best finish: 9th (2003-04)
Last season: 10th
Head coach: Eric Elwood (Ireland)
Captain: John Muldoon (Flanker, Ireland)
Star man: Fionn Carr (Wing, Ireland)
Other notable players: Sean Cronin (Hooker, Ireland), Robbie Morris (Prop, England), Ian Keatley (Fly-half, Ireland), Gavin Duffy (Full-back, Ireland)
Pre-season: losses against Harlequins (40-7) and Saracens (22-5)
Verdict: Very much Ireland’s fourth team, Connacht have made no great signings and have also lost their experienced head coach Michael Bradley. The appearance of the Italian teams might give them hope of not finishing bottom for a change.
Edinburgh Rugby
Edinburgh (Scotland)
Murrayfield (12,464 of 67,800)
Best finish: 2nd (2008-09)
Last season: 6th
Head coach: Rob Moffat (Scotland)
Captain: Roddy Grant (Flanker, Scotland)
Star man: Tim Visser (Wing, Netherlands)
Other notable players: Ross Ford (Hooker, Scotland), Mike Blair (Scrum-half, Scotland), Phil Godman (Fly-half, Scotland), Chris Paterson (Wing/Full-back, Scotland)
Pre-season: loss against Bath (49-21) and win against London Irish (19-17)
Verdict: Edinburgh will hope to consolidate last year’s relative success with a similar squad. Tim Visser is one to watch, as he scored more tries than anyone else in the division. Should be around the midway point again, probably just missing out on the play-offs.
Glasgow Warriors
Glasgow (Scotland)
Firhill (10,887)
Best finish: 3rd (2009-10)
Last season: 3rd
Head coach: Sean Lineen (Scotland)
Captain: Alastair Kellock (Lock, Scotland)
Star man: Max Evans (Centre, Scotland)
Other notable players: John Barclay (Flanker, Scotland), Johnnie Beattie (Number 8, Scotland), Chris Cusiter (Scrum-half, Scotland), Graeme Morrison (Centre, Scotland)
Pre-season: losses against Sale (23-22) and London Wasps (36-17)
Verdict: They remain a strong unit but the losses of Thom Evans (injury) and - especially - Dan Parks (to Cardiff) will hit them hard. Parks was the man they depended on for many of their points and, unless adequately replaced, Glasgow are very unlikely to repeat the top-four finish of last season.
Leinster Rugby
Dublin (Ireland)
RDS Arena (18,500)
Best finish: Winners (2001-02, 2007-08)
Last season: 2nd
Head coach: Josef Schmidt (New Zealand)
Captain: Leo Cullen (Lock, Ireland)
Star man: Brian O’Driscoll (Centre, Ireland)
Other notable players: Jamie Heaslip (Number 8, Ireland), Jonathan Sexton (Fly-half, Ireland), Gordon D’Arcy (Centre, Ireland), Rob Kearney (Full-back, Ireland)
Pre-season: losses against London Wasps (41-6) and Leicester (37-14)
Verdict: Poor pre-season form cannot take away from a squad rich in talent and international experience. O’Driscoll still has the ability to turn games on an instant and is ably supported by some of the stand-out Irish internationals. Should make top four (unless distracted by European competition) and are contenders to win it – they’ll be hungry to avenge the defeat by the Ospreys after finishing top of the league.
Munster Rugby
Limerick/Cork (Ireland)
Thomond Park (26,500) & Musgrave Park (8,300)
Best finish: Winners (2002-03, 2008-09)
Last season: 4th
Head coach: Tony McGahan (Ireland)
Captain: Paul O’Connell (Lock, Ireland)
Star man: Paul O’Connell (Lock, Ireland)
Other notable players: John Hayes (Prop, Ireland), Tomas O’Leary (Scrum-half, Ireland), Ronan O’Gara (Fly-half, Ireland), Doug Howlett (Wing, New Zealand)
Pre-season: loss against Leicester (17-13) and win against Gloucester (15-10)
Verdict: The team remains strong up front and has sprinklings of quality throughout the back line. I just wonder if European priorities, international call-ups and ageing legs (O’Gara, Howlett, etc) will cost Munster. They ought to make the top four again, but there’s certainly stiff competition to overcome first.
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport (Wales)
Rodney Parade (12,000)
Best finish: 3rd (2003-04)
Last season: 7th
Head coach: Paul Turner (Wales)
Captain: Tom Willis (Hooker, New Zealand)
Star man: Aled Brew (Wing, Wales)
Other notable players: Luke Charteris (Lock, Wales), Robert Sidoli (Lock, Wales), Joe Bearman (Flanker, England/Wales), Ashley Smith (Centre, Wales).
Pre-season: win against Cornish Pirates (27-11) and losses against Worcester (45-10), London Irish (33-20) and Cardiff Blues (19-3)
Verdict: An inexperienced-looking squad could well be set to struggle this year. A few bright individuals aside, they’ll do well to match the 7th place of last year. Might do best when other teams’ stars are on international duty.
The Ospreys
Swansea (Wales)
Liberty Stadium (20,500)
Best finish: Winners (2004-05, 2006-07, 2009-10)
Last season: Winners
Head coach: Scott Johnson (Australia)
Captain: Alun Wyn Jones (Lock, Wales)
Star man: Tommy Bowe (Wing, Ireland)
Other notable players: Jerry Collins (Flanker, New Zealand), Ryan Jones (Number 8, Wales), Shane Williams (Wing, Wales), Lee Byrne (Full-back, Wales)
Pre-season: wins against Ospreys Regional XV (58-22) and Leeds (31-28) and loss against Gloucester (24-14)
Verdict: Joint favourites alongside Leinster, the Ospreys are hoping to be the first team to retain the title. I actually think they just have the edge on the Irish squad-wise, with such quality in the backs to exploit the solid platform built by the equally-capable forwards. It is possible that they could go all-out trying to become the first Welsh team to win the Heineken Cup (they have a squad capable of it), but even so should make the top four and then, who knows.
The Scarlets
Llanelli (Wales)
Parc y Scarlets (14,870)
Best finish: Winners (2003-04)
Last season: 9th
Head coach: Nigel Davies (Wales)
Captain: Matthew Rees (Hooker, Wales)
Star man: Stephen Jones (Fly-half, Wales)
Other notable players: David Lyons (Number 8, Australia), Jonathan Davies (Centre, Wales), Regan King (Centre, Australia), Sean Lamont (Wing, Scotland)
Pre-season: loss against Gloucester (26-6) and wins against Worcester (43-14) and Exeter (24-20)
Verdict: The Scarlets will look to put last season’s abysmal effort behind them. But they just don’t have the quality that the Ospreys or Blues have and – even with Stephen Jones’ dependable kicking – will probably fall short of the top half.
Ulster Rugby
Belfast (Northern Ireland)
Ravenhill (12,800)
Best finish: Winners (2005-06)
Last season: 8th
Head coach: Brian McLaughlin (Ireland)
Captain(s): Rory Best (Hooker, Ireland), Chris Henry (Number 8, Ireland)
Star man: Simon Danielli (Wing, Scotland)
Other notable players: BJ Botha (Prop, South Africa), Stephen Ferris (Flanker, Ireland), Ruan Pienaar (Scrum-half, South Africa), Andrew Trimble (Wing, Ireland)
Pre-season: losses against Bath (26-14) and Harlequins (24-0) and win against Leeds (19-16)
Verdict: My team. Last season was a mix of the sublime and the substandard. They do, though, look like putting together a decent squad, with young talents coming through - watch out for Jamie Smith in particular. Is it too soon for them to really challenge? Yes. Top half probably their limit – any improvement on 8th again would be hugely welcomed.
First fixtures:
Glasgow v Leinster (3rd September, 19.05 k.o.)
Ulster v Ospreys (3rd September, 19.05 k.o.)
Connacht v N. G. Dragons (4th September, 17.30 k.o.)
Cardiff v Edinburgh (4th September, 18.30 k.o.)
Benetton Treviso v Scarlets (4th September, 19.05 k.o.)
Munster v Aironi (4th September, 19.30 k.o.)
Saturday, 28 August 2010
The draw of European football...
Thursday saw the draw for the Champions' League (CL) group stages, which threw up a number of interesting ties, reunions and historical parallels.
I'll look at each group, giving my initial impression on the teams in them and who might progress to the knock-out stage, where true champions are made.
Group A is headlined by current holders INTER MILAN. They have largely retained the squad that won them the treble last season, barring Mario Balotelli. Julio Cesar remains a top goalkeeper, Sneijder pulls the strings in midfield and Eto'o and Milito are always going to pose a threat up front. It is the defence that makes them so successful, though. Maicon, Lucio, Samuel and Zanetti (with the likes of Chivu, Cordoba and Materazzi able deputies) is simply the best back four you will find in club football. They didn't look it against Atletico Madrid on Friday, mind. The big departure is that of manager Jose Mourinho. Rafa Benitez won the jackpot by leaving a failing Liverpool for the Italian and European champions. He'll have a tough task to retain both of them, and if he can't keep the standards of defending close to being as meticulous as Mourinho's, it'll be nigh on impossible. They should win this group, though.
WERDER BREMEN finished third in the Bundesliga last year. Their key men include Per Mertesacker, Torsten Frings and striker Marcus Rosenberg. But they have lost their exceptional playmaker Mesut Ozil, and so begins a period of adaption to his departure. The manager, Thomas Schaaf, has won Bremen one league title and four domestic cups in his time, and they have plenty of European experience, notably reaching the UEFA Cup final in 2009. So they are certainly capable of qualification, but they need someone to step up into Ozil's boots to see it through.
TOTTENHAM at last gained that lucrative fourth spot in the Premiership, and eventually saw off Swiss team Young Boys to make it into the group phase. Harry Redknapp is a very experienced manager, albeit not in Europe. I think he might just have the guile to guide Spurs through Group A, though he really does rely on key players staying fit (and not losing to teams like Wigan!). King and Dawson are crucial, as are the attacking quintet of Lennon, Modric, Bale, Crouch and Defoe. They might just need to score quite a few goals, as recently Gomes has looked a little more shaky between the posts.
FC TWENTE complete the group - how will they fare without Steve McLaren? Their new manager is Michel Preud'homme, formerly a Belgian goalkeeping great and winner of the Belgian league while manager at Standard Liege. But the CL will test him to the limit. As players go, the Costa Rican forward Bryan Ruiz was their top-scorer last year, filling the boots of Blaise N'Kufo admirably. Other notables include David Carney, Denny Landzaat and Bernard Parker. They might spring a surprise or two, but I'm not expecting them to make it to the last 16.
In Group B we have LYON, semi-finalists last year and runners-up in Ligue 1. It marked a quite successful season for manager Claude Puel, after the shambles of the season before. They have an exciting squad, containing the likes of Kim Kallstrom, Yoann Gourcuff and the lethal Lisandro Lopez, plus defensive steel in captain Cris and 'keeper Lloris. In beating Real Madrid last season, Lyon demonstrated ability to beat Europe's elite; this season they'll be hungry for more big performances.
BENFICA, Portuguese champions, also come in off a good 2009-10 season. As well as domestic success, they reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League, eventually losing to Liverpool. Manager Jorge Jesus has an excellent squad to pick from, containing as it does the likes of Luisao, Fabio Coentrao (who had an impressive World Cup), Pablo Aimar and Oscar Cardozo (top-scorer in the Portuguese league). They have signed midfielder Nicolas Gaitan but lost di Maria to Real Madrid and Ramires to Chelsea. Those are big losses. How they cope will decide whether they progress from Group B.
SCHALKE were runners-up to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga last year. Felix Magath has managed them since July last year (having had valuable CL experience with Bayern); now he has began shaping his squad as he likes. Out have gone Westermann and Kuranyi, in have come Metzelder, Sarpei and Raul. If Raul can show a little of the old magic and Neuer continues his World Cup form in goal, Schalke might just be in with a shout of making it.
HAPOEL TEL-AVIV are Israeli champions but massive underdogs in this group. They do have some UEFA Cup experience in recent years and have won three ties to get this far (including against Red Bull Salzburg). But with Ben Sahar (former Chelsea youngster) the pick of the names in the squad, expect Nigerian 'keeper Vincent Enyeama to be busy. Even if he repeats his World Cup heroics, I can't see Hapoel progressing.
MANCHESTER UNITED had, in many ways, a season to forget last year. So close to the big prizes, but ultimately falling short. Too much reliance on Rooney and a series of defensive crises cost United when push came to shove. Had they beaten Bayern Munich, I imagine they would have made it to the final. What then, no one knows. But this season holds a little more promise. In Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling we can see potential successors to Rio Ferdinand. Fletcher and Scholes look effective in midfield, while Nani and Berbatov (and the exciting Hernandez) have stepped up their game so far. Group C is by no means an 'easy' group, but United can win it without playing their best - that has to come later in the competition.
VALENCIA will be reeling from losing the talented David Silva and, particularly, David Villa, their top-scorer in each of the last five seasons. Manager Unai Emery took them to sixth then third in his seasons in charge. He will need captain David Albelda and winger Juan Mata to perform consistently to progress here, never mind do well again in La Liga. I think they might just have enough though.
Man Utd v the Scottish champions. Yawn. Ah well, RANGERS deserve to be here, being the best team in Scotland by some distance. They need - unlike in last year's CL disaster - to make Ibrox a tough place to go, as their away form is never great in Europe. Walter Smith is a very experienced manager and the likes of Allan MacGregor, Steven Davis and Kenny Miller can match many teams in this competition. I just wonder if a threadbare squad and their pretty poor disciplinary record will cost them.
BURSASPOR complete Group C. Nicknamed the 'Green Crocodiles', they are the Turkish champions. But they have never been in the CL, last participating in European competition in 1986! Their strength is their offence (the main striker being Sercan Yildirim) but aren't bad at the back, led by captain Omer Erdogan. They are, thus, something of an unknown quantity. We should never write off Turkish sides, but I'd be surprised to see them make much impact.
La Liga winners BARCELONA headline Group D. Pep Guardiola is now less of a rookie in management and knows he has to add steel to his side that succumbed to Inter last season. Hence Mascherano has come in, though Yaya Toure and Rafael Marquez have left. Thierry Henry has also gone, though bringing in David Villa means that's no real loss. The man is a goal-scoring machine and, with Xavi, Iniesta and Messi supplying him, he could really take the CL by storm just as he did the World Cup. A canter to victory in Group D, then.
PANATHINAIKOS are led by Nikos Nioplias, who coached them to the Greek title and cup. They shouldn't trouble Barcelona, but players like Boumsong, Gilberto Silva, Karagounis, Govou and Cisse aren't to be written off just because they are older now. They bring invaluable CL experience - enough, I think, to get them to the last 16.
FC COPENHAGEN have, under Stale Solbakken, won the SAS Ligen the last two years. They do look dangerous going forward, with Gronkjaer, Santin and N'Doye the main offensive players. How their defence will cope against the fluent Barcelona and the solid Panathinaikos will decide their fate, though. Getting out of the group looks a step too far for them again.
RUBIN KAZAN are one team Barcelona probably didn't want to see again for a while. Like Copenhagen, they have won two consecutive (Russian) league titles, guided by Kurban Berdyev. Last season's European adventure, the high point being their 2-1 win at the Nou Camp, ended at the hands of Wolfsburg in the Europa League. Obafemi Martins has come from Wolfsburg to Rubin Kazan, and Berdyev will hope he can score the goals that last season's goal-getters Aleksandr Bukharov and Alejandro Dominguez put away. Being Russian champions, it'd be foolish to dismiss them from progressing. Second or third in the group, I reckon, their fate stemming from the ties against Panathinaikos.
Group E contains the team aiming to go one better than last year, BAYERN MUNICH. Led by ultra-experienced Louis van Gaal and with a team containing Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller, they ought to progress with ease. Those are players - Ribery probably excepted - who had excellent World Cups. Muller in particular has made himself a world star almost overnight. Will there be more pressure on him? Definitely. Can he live up to the hype? How he does will help shape Bayern's campaign.
ROMA, second in last year's Serie A and also Coppa Italia finalists, are likely to present Bayern's biggest challenge. Claudio Ranieri has proved there is more to his management style than 'tinkering'. He has experience in the latter stages of the CL with Chelsea and will want to prove a thing or two to Roman Abramovic in the competition. The spine of the team is also very promising: Doni in goal, Juan at centre-back, De Rossi providing midfield muscle and Vucinic and Totti doing the damage up front. They should make the final 16 without too many worries, potentially threatening Bayern for top spot.
FC BASEL were coached to a domestic double by Thorsten Fink last season. His European experience comes as a player with Bayern Munich; he is still a manager finding his feet. How his team will do is anyone's guess. Basel have often exceeded expectations in the CL. Their 'keeper is captain Franco Costanzo - capable but eccentric. Strikers Marco Streller and Alexander Frei have to rise to the occasion, as the defence and midfield looks unspectacular and probably not enough to trouble Bayern or Roma.
CFR CLUJ won the Romanian league and cup under the experienced Italian, Andrea Mandorlini. They actually defeated Roma in their own stadium in the 2008-09 CL, as well as securing a home draw with Chelsea. They are unlikely to progress, but with Juninho Pernambucano in their ranks, giving away free-kicks close to your own goal is inadvisable against Cluj - don't rule out another shock or two.
CHELSEA, English champions, have another crack at the CL title. Bad luck, bad refereeing and John Terry's balance have cost them before (though last season Inter deservedly beat them). Ancellotti knows how to win the competition and has got his team playing devastating attacking football. They should certainly win this group, but the latter stages will be the real test for a shaky Terry and unproven Alex at centre-back.
Joining Chelsea in Group F are French champions MARSEILLE. Didier Deschamps is proving himself to be as accomplished a manager as he was player. They look strong throughout the team, with captain Steve Mandanda in goal, a solid defence with the likes of Gabriel Heinze and a midfield headlined by Cameroon's Stephane Mbia. Up front they have two up and coming Frenchmen, Loic Remy and Andre-Pierre Gignac. There is certainly promise there, and I think we could see the team grow in confidence and stature if boosted by progressing.
The main risk to a Chelsea-Marseille top two is probably SPARTAK MOSCOW. Valery Karpin got them to second in the Russian league last time out. As with all Russian teams, expect good organisation and effective counter-attacks. One to watch out for is the Brazilian Welliton, Spartak's top-scorer in the league last season, so opposition defences will be primed to stop him. Also of interest is Irish winger Aiden McGeady, signed from Celtic for £9.5 million. A great talent, can he realise his potential at Europe's top table?
ZILINA are the Slovakian champions, but have never made it to the CL group stages before. Despite that achievement, manager Pavel Hapal couldn't get his side into the Europa League proper last year, succumbing to Partizan Belgrade. This season has already seen a challenging qualification process overcome (especially against CL-experienced Sparta Prague), though I think a lack of quality in the squad will be decisive here.
Group G stands for 'giants of the game'. First up, AC MILAN. Last season they were third in Serie A and got to the last 16 of the CL, before being routed at Old Trafford. Leonardo has vacated the managerial hotseat, replaced by Massimiliano Allegri (got Cagliari to 12th last year). Lack of CL experience may cost his team and Allegri his job (we know what certain Italian clubs are like!), but a team containing Thiago Silva, Andrea Pirlo, Ronaldinho, Alexandre Pato and Marco Borriello has a great chance of getting through this group. Tactical naiveity and continually-ageing legs could get in the way, though the signing of Ghana's World Cup star Kevin Prince-Boateng ought to spruce up the midfield.
Next giant is REAL MADRID. Jose Mourinho is in town, as Real look for the special touch to oust Barcelona as Spain's top team. And he has spent the cash made available for him, bringing in Ricardo Carvalho from old team Chelsea, Argentine winger Angel di Maria and German midfielders Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil. Mourinho is the man to sort out Real's defensive issues. Is he the right one to promote the attacking flair Real's board and fans demand? Probably not, but if he brings them silverware, he'd be likely to get away with it, at least for another season. They have the squad capable of winning the CL, never mind getting to the last 16, as long as they gel quickly enough.
The trio of giants is completed by AJAX, runners-up in the Dutch league to FC Twente by a point. To get here they have knocked out PAOK and Dynamo Kiev - impressive enough. Martin Jol is a manager with European knowledge, having led Tottenham into a few UEFA Cup campaigns. His sides are not known for being water-tight in defence though, and I think Milan and Madrid will have the quality to punish that. Ajax's strength is definitely going forward, led by now-controversial Uruguyan Luis Suarez (scored 35 of Ajax's 106 goals in the Eredivisie last season). Madrid should cope with that, though (especially with Mourinho at the helm). Milan? I foresee close, exciting games, but Milan will probably just about make it.
AUXERRE must be feeling hard done by. Third in Ligue 1 and they get those three for group opponents. Manager Jean Fernandez will have to set his team up to defend well and look to hit their opponents on the break or from set-pieces, not having the exceptional players the other three have. The key man for them is Benoit Pedretti, their captain and playmaker. They have a chance of third if one of the big three has a poor campaign, but I reckon that's the limit for them.
Finally, Group H. This is ARSENAL's group, as they aim to put last year's mauling by Barcelona (specifically Lionel Messi) behind them. This season so far has shown promise, with Theo Walcott beginning to demonstrate a killer instinct and 'footballing brain' besides his electric pace. Cesc Fabregas' decision to stay is also a boost. The defence, as (it seems) always, is open to question, but Vermaelen and Koscielny could form a decent partnership in front of Almunia (or Schwarzer?). Once Robin van Persie is back to full fitness, he might continue this season where he left off the last. My group winners, easily.
SHAKHTAR DONETSK have had a successful couple of seasons. Under Mircea Lucescu, they won the last ever UEFA Cup in 2009 and then the Ukrainian league last season. Experienced in European competition as they are, they could be a threat. Their squad is filled with low-key Brazilian talents (but, hey, they're Brazilian); the stand-out names are two Croatian players. Their captain is the experienced right-sided midfielder Darijo Srna, and he has been joined by compatriot Eduardo from, coincidentally, Group H opponents Arsenal. Shakhtar will be a strong team here and they will fight it out with Braga for second.
BRAGA come in to the CL on a second-placed finish in Portugal. Their manager Domingos Paciencia has brought in some new recruits, including the veteran goalkeeper Quim and forward Rodrigo Lima. Cameroonian Albert Meyong was their main man up front last year, with 12 goals in their league campaign. They cannot be written off here, having knocked out Celtic then Sevilla (with Lima coming off the bench to score a hat-trick in the second leg). Could trouble Arsenal, but more likely to be battling for second place.
PARTIZAN BELGRADE are definite underdogs in this group. While they are Serbian champions, their manager Aleksandar Stanojevic has only been in the business three years and their squad does not compare to the riches of their Group H opponents. They did defeat Anderlecht (on penalties) to get here, and one name to look out for is Cleverson Gabriel Cordova (or Cleo, if you prefer), the Brazilian striker who has scored eight goals in this year's CL qualification campaign alone. How will he do in the real competition? He will need to, for Partizan to have much chance of scoring success.
I think that's quite enough. Next blog: Magners' League preview.
I'll look at each group, giving my initial impression on the teams in them and who might progress to the knock-out stage, where true champions are made.
Group A is headlined by current holders INTER MILAN. They have largely retained the squad that won them the treble last season, barring Mario Balotelli. Julio Cesar remains a top goalkeeper, Sneijder pulls the strings in midfield and Eto'o and Milito are always going to pose a threat up front. It is the defence that makes them so successful, though. Maicon, Lucio, Samuel and Zanetti (with the likes of Chivu, Cordoba and Materazzi able deputies) is simply the best back four you will find in club football. They didn't look it against Atletico Madrid on Friday, mind. The big departure is that of manager Jose Mourinho. Rafa Benitez won the jackpot by leaving a failing Liverpool for the Italian and European champions. He'll have a tough task to retain both of them, and if he can't keep the standards of defending close to being as meticulous as Mourinho's, it'll be nigh on impossible. They should win this group, though.
WERDER BREMEN finished third in the Bundesliga last year. Their key men include Per Mertesacker, Torsten Frings and striker Marcus Rosenberg. But they have lost their exceptional playmaker Mesut Ozil, and so begins a period of adaption to his departure. The manager, Thomas Schaaf, has won Bremen one league title and four domestic cups in his time, and they have plenty of European experience, notably reaching the UEFA Cup final in 2009. So they are certainly capable of qualification, but they need someone to step up into Ozil's boots to see it through.
TOTTENHAM at last gained that lucrative fourth spot in the Premiership, and eventually saw off Swiss team Young Boys to make it into the group phase. Harry Redknapp is a very experienced manager, albeit not in Europe. I think he might just have the guile to guide Spurs through Group A, though he really does rely on key players staying fit (and not losing to teams like Wigan!). King and Dawson are crucial, as are the attacking quintet of Lennon, Modric, Bale, Crouch and Defoe. They might just need to score quite a few goals, as recently Gomes has looked a little more shaky between the posts.
FC TWENTE complete the group - how will they fare without Steve McLaren? Their new manager is Michel Preud'homme, formerly a Belgian goalkeeping great and winner of the Belgian league while manager at Standard Liege. But the CL will test him to the limit. As players go, the Costa Rican forward Bryan Ruiz was their top-scorer last year, filling the boots of Blaise N'Kufo admirably. Other notables include David Carney, Denny Landzaat and Bernard Parker. They might spring a surprise or two, but I'm not expecting them to make it to the last 16.
In Group B we have LYON, semi-finalists last year and runners-up in Ligue 1. It marked a quite successful season for manager Claude Puel, after the shambles of the season before. They have an exciting squad, containing the likes of Kim Kallstrom, Yoann Gourcuff and the lethal Lisandro Lopez, plus defensive steel in captain Cris and 'keeper Lloris. In beating Real Madrid last season, Lyon demonstrated ability to beat Europe's elite; this season they'll be hungry for more big performances.
BENFICA, Portuguese champions, also come in off a good 2009-10 season. As well as domestic success, they reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League, eventually losing to Liverpool. Manager Jorge Jesus has an excellent squad to pick from, containing as it does the likes of Luisao, Fabio Coentrao (who had an impressive World Cup), Pablo Aimar and Oscar Cardozo (top-scorer in the Portuguese league). They have signed midfielder Nicolas Gaitan but lost di Maria to Real Madrid and Ramires to Chelsea. Those are big losses. How they cope will decide whether they progress from Group B.
SCHALKE were runners-up to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga last year. Felix Magath has managed them since July last year (having had valuable CL experience with Bayern); now he has began shaping his squad as he likes. Out have gone Westermann and Kuranyi, in have come Metzelder, Sarpei and Raul. If Raul can show a little of the old magic and Neuer continues his World Cup form in goal, Schalke might just be in with a shout of making it.
HAPOEL TEL-AVIV are Israeli champions but massive underdogs in this group. They do have some UEFA Cup experience in recent years and have won three ties to get this far (including against Red Bull Salzburg). But with Ben Sahar (former Chelsea youngster) the pick of the names in the squad, expect Nigerian 'keeper Vincent Enyeama to be busy. Even if he repeats his World Cup heroics, I can't see Hapoel progressing.
MANCHESTER UNITED had, in many ways, a season to forget last year. So close to the big prizes, but ultimately falling short. Too much reliance on Rooney and a series of defensive crises cost United when push came to shove. Had they beaten Bayern Munich, I imagine they would have made it to the final. What then, no one knows. But this season holds a little more promise. In Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling we can see potential successors to Rio Ferdinand. Fletcher and Scholes look effective in midfield, while Nani and Berbatov (and the exciting Hernandez) have stepped up their game so far. Group C is by no means an 'easy' group, but United can win it without playing their best - that has to come later in the competition.
VALENCIA will be reeling from losing the talented David Silva and, particularly, David Villa, their top-scorer in each of the last five seasons. Manager Unai Emery took them to sixth then third in his seasons in charge. He will need captain David Albelda and winger Juan Mata to perform consistently to progress here, never mind do well again in La Liga. I think they might just have enough though.
Man Utd v the Scottish champions. Yawn. Ah well, RANGERS deserve to be here, being the best team in Scotland by some distance. They need - unlike in last year's CL disaster - to make Ibrox a tough place to go, as their away form is never great in Europe. Walter Smith is a very experienced manager and the likes of Allan MacGregor, Steven Davis and Kenny Miller can match many teams in this competition. I just wonder if a threadbare squad and their pretty poor disciplinary record will cost them.
BURSASPOR complete Group C. Nicknamed the 'Green Crocodiles', they are the Turkish champions. But they have never been in the CL, last participating in European competition in 1986! Their strength is their offence (the main striker being Sercan Yildirim) but aren't bad at the back, led by captain Omer Erdogan. They are, thus, something of an unknown quantity. We should never write off Turkish sides, but I'd be surprised to see them make much impact.
La Liga winners BARCELONA headline Group D. Pep Guardiola is now less of a rookie in management and knows he has to add steel to his side that succumbed to Inter last season. Hence Mascherano has come in, though Yaya Toure and Rafael Marquez have left. Thierry Henry has also gone, though bringing in David Villa means that's no real loss. The man is a goal-scoring machine and, with Xavi, Iniesta and Messi supplying him, he could really take the CL by storm just as he did the World Cup. A canter to victory in Group D, then.
PANATHINAIKOS are led by Nikos Nioplias, who coached them to the Greek title and cup. They shouldn't trouble Barcelona, but players like Boumsong, Gilberto Silva, Karagounis, Govou and Cisse aren't to be written off just because they are older now. They bring invaluable CL experience - enough, I think, to get them to the last 16.
FC COPENHAGEN have, under Stale Solbakken, won the SAS Ligen the last two years. They do look dangerous going forward, with Gronkjaer, Santin and N'Doye the main offensive players. How their defence will cope against the fluent Barcelona and the solid Panathinaikos will decide their fate, though. Getting out of the group looks a step too far for them again.
RUBIN KAZAN are one team Barcelona probably didn't want to see again for a while. Like Copenhagen, they have won two consecutive (Russian) league titles, guided by Kurban Berdyev. Last season's European adventure, the high point being their 2-1 win at the Nou Camp, ended at the hands of Wolfsburg in the Europa League. Obafemi Martins has come from Wolfsburg to Rubin Kazan, and Berdyev will hope he can score the goals that last season's goal-getters Aleksandr Bukharov and Alejandro Dominguez put away. Being Russian champions, it'd be foolish to dismiss them from progressing. Second or third in the group, I reckon, their fate stemming from the ties against Panathinaikos.
Group E contains the team aiming to go one better than last year, BAYERN MUNICH. Led by ultra-experienced Louis van Gaal and with a team containing Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller, they ought to progress with ease. Those are players - Ribery probably excepted - who had excellent World Cups. Muller in particular has made himself a world star almost overnight. Will there be more pressure on him? Definitely. Can he live up to the hype? How he does will help shape Bayern's campaign.
ROMA, second in last year's Serie A and also Coppa Italia finalists, are likely to present Bayern's biggest challenge. Claudio Ranieri has proved there is more to his management style than 'tinkering'. He has experience in the latter stages of the CL with Chelsea and will want to prove a thing or two to Roman Abramovic in the competition. The spine of the team is also very promising: Doni in goal, Juan at centre-back, De Rossi providing midfield muscle and Vucinic and Totti doing the damage up front. They should make the final 16 without too many worries, potentially threatening Bayern for top spot.
FC BASEL were coached to a domestic double by Thorsten Fink last season. His European experience comes as a player with Bayern Munich; he is still a manager finding his feet. How his team will do is anyone's guess. Basel have often exceeded expectations in the CL. Their 'keeper is captain Franco Costanzo - capable but eccentric. Strikers Marco Streller and Alexander Frei have to rise to the occasion, as the defence and midfield looks unspectacular and probably not enough to trouble Bayern or Roma.
CFR CLUJ won the Romanian league and cup under the experienced Italian, Andrea Mandorlini. They actually defeated Roma in their own stadium in the 2008-09 CL, as well as securing a home draw with Chelsea. They are unlikely to progress, but with Juninho Pernambucano in their ranks, giving away free-kicks close to your own goal is inadvisable against Cluj - don't rule out another shock or two.
CHELSEA, English champions, have another crack at the CL title. Bad luck, bad refereeing and John Terry's balance have cost them before (though last season Inter deservedly beat them). Ancellotti knows how to win the competition and has got his team playing devastating attacking football. They should certainly win this group, but the latter stages will be the real test for a shaky Terry and unproven Alex at centre-back.
Joining Chelsea in Group F are French champions MARSEILLE. Didier Deschamps is proving himself to be as accomplished a manager as he was player. They look strong throughout the team, with captain Steve Mandanda in goal, a solid defence with the likes of Gabriel Heinze and a midfield headlined by Cameroon's Stephane Mbia. Up front they have two up and coming Frenchmen, Loic Remy and Andre-Pierre Gignac. There is certainly promise there, and I think we could see the team grow in confidence and stature if boosted by progressing.
The main risk to a Chelsea-Marseille top two is probably SPARTAK MOSCOW. Valery Karpin got them to second in the Russian league last time out. As with all Russian teams, expect good organisation and effective counter-attacks. One to watch out for is the Brazilian Welliton, Spartak's top-scorer in the league last season, so opposition defences will be primed to stop him. Also of interest is Irish winger Aiden McGeady, signed from Celtic for £9.5 million. A great talent, can he realise his potential at Europe's top table?
ZILINA are the Slovakian champions, but have never made it to the CL group stages before. Despite that achievement, manager Pavel Hapal couldn't get his side into the Europa League proper last year, succumbing to Partizan Belgrade. This season has already seen a challenging qualification process overcome (especially against CL-experienced Sparta Prague), though I think a lack of quality in the squad will be decisive here.
Group G stands for 'giants of the game'. First up, AC MILAN. Last season they were third in Serie A and got to the last 16 of the CL, before being routed at Old Trafford. Leonardo has vacated the managerial hotseat, replaced by Massimiliano Allegri (got Cagliari to 12th last year). Lack of CL experience may cost his team and Allegri his job (we know what certain Italian clubs are like!), but a team containing Thiago Silva, Andrea Pirlo, Ronaldinho, Alexandre Pato and Marco Borriello has a great chance of getting through this group. Tactical naiveity and continually-ageing legs could get in the way, though the signing of Ghana's World Cup star Kevin Prince-Boateng ought to spruce up the midfield.
Next giant is REAL MADRID. Jose Mourinho is in town, as Real look for the special touch to oust Barcelona as Spain's top team. And he has spent the cash made available for him, bringing in Ricardo Carvalho from old team Chelsea, Argentine winger Angel di Maria and German midfielders Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil. Mourinho is the man to sort out Real's defensive issues. Is he the right one to promote the attacking flair Real's board and fans demand? Probably not, but if he brings them silverware, he'd be likely to get away with it, at least for another season. They have the squad capable of winning the CL, never mind getting to the last 16, as long as they gel quickly enough.
The trio of giants is completed by AJAX, runners-up in the Dutch league to FC Twente by a point. To get here they have knocked out PAOK and Dynamo Kiev - impressive enough. Martin Jol is a manager with European knowledge, having led Tottenham into a few UEFA Cup campaigns. His sides are not known for being water-tight in defence though, and I think Milan and Madrid will have the quality to punish that. Ajax's strength is definitely going forward, led by now-controversial Uruguyan Luis Suarez (scored 35 of Ajax's 106 goals in the Eredivisie last season). Madrid should cope with that, though (especially with Mourinho at the helm). Milan? I foresee close, exciting games, but Milan will probably just about make it.
AUXERRE must be feeling hard done by. Third in Ligue 1 and they get those three for group opponents. Manager Jean Fernandez will have to set his team up to defend well and look to hit their opponents on the break or from set-pieces, not having the exceptional players the other three have. The key man for them is Benoit Pedretti, their captain and playmaker. They have a chance of third if one of the big three has a poor campaign, but I reckon that's the limit for them.
Finally, Group H. This is ARSENAL's group, as they aim to put last year's mauling by Barcelona (specifically Lionel Messi) behind them. This season so far has shown promise, with Theo Walcott beginning to demonstrate a killer instinct and 'footballing brain' besides his electric pace. Cesc Fabregas' decision to stay is also a boost. The defence, as (it seems) always, is open to question, but Vermaelen and Koscielny could form a decent partnership in front of Almunia (or Schwarzer?). Once Robin van Persie is back to full fitness, he might continue this season where he left off the last. My group winners, easily.
SHAKHTAR DONETSK have had a successful couple of seasons. Under Mircea Lucescu, they won the last ever UEFA Cup in 2009 and then the Ukrainian league last season. Experienced in European competition as they are, they could be a threat. Their squad is filled with low-key Brazilian talents (but, hey, they're Brazilian); the stand-out names are two Croatian players. Their captain is the experienced right-sided midfielder Darijo Srna, and he has been joined by compatriot Eduardo from, coincidentally, Group H opponents Arsenal. Shakhtar will be a strong team here and they will fight it out with Braga for second.
BRAGA come in to the CL on a second-placed finish in Portugal. Their manager Domingos Paciencia has brought in some new recruits, including the veteran goalkeeper Quim and forward Rodrigo Lima. Cameroonian Albert Meyong was their main man up front last year, with 12 goals in their league campaign. They cannot be written off here, having knocked out Celtic then Sevilla (with Lima coming off the bench to score a hat-trick in the second leg). Could trouble Arsenal, but more likely to be battling for second place.
PARTIZAN BELGRADE are definite underdogs in this group. While they are Serbian champions, their manager Aleksandar Stanojevic has only been in the business three years and their squad does not compare to the riches of their Group H opponents. They did defeat Anderlecht (on penalties) to get here, and one name to look out for is Cleverson Gabriel Cordova (or Cleo, if you prefer), the Brazilian striker who has scored eight goals in this year's CL qualification campaign alone. How will he do in the real competition? He will need to, for Partizan to have much chance of scoring success.
I think that's quite enough. Next blog: Magners' League preview.
Monday, 16 August 2010
Premiership Week One Round-up
Well, I'm just back from the pub, having watched Manchester United-Newcastle, which completed Premiership weekend numero uno. In this blog I'm going to pick out a few things in some of the key games.
It's very difficult (never mind foolhardy) to draw conclusions from one game, but there were undoubtedly positive signs for Bolton and Wolves, less so for West Ham and Everton.
The first game I'm going to comment on in a bit more depth is Wigan-Blackpool. The visitors' 4-0 win sent shockwaves through the league. I, like many others, could see no result for Blackpool this season other than relegation. We cannot get carried away, but as Ian Holloway is a gem of a manager (especially in the quote-producing variety), looks like his team can play a bit too. Their newly-promoted enthusiasm and drive was too much for Wigan, capitalising on mistakes ruthlessly. Not many sides will defend as badly as Wigan on Saturday, but it's a good precedent to begin with. Marlon Harewood will look a steal on a free transfer if he can play as he did in the first match, while Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Charlie Adam undoubtedly have class. The next game, a trip to Arsenal, may be a reality check. Make no bones about it, it was a fabulous start for the Seasiders, but Holloway and Adam will have to work much more magic to keep them up.
As for Wigan, what a disaster. The losses of Bramble and Scharner look to have left the defence looking clueless. The midfield was out-fought and was devoid of ideas. Positives: there are some. First, Chris Kirkland is too good a 'keeper to have many more nightmare days like Saturday. If he hits better form, his defence will gain in confidence. Secondly, the new striker Mauro Boselli looked threatening with the few chances he got. If he can strike up a productive partnership with Hugo Rodallega, Wigan have a chance. They will certainly have to improve for this Saturday, when Chelsea come to town. Otherwise a cricket score is on the cards.
Tottenham and Manchester City had the chance to strike an early blow in the potentially fraught race for the top 4. What did we learn? First, Tottenham are, at the moment, the better team in terms of fluidity and understanding. However, they're still let down by a poor chances-to-goals ratio that threatened to derail last year's push for fourth. Do they still need that 'final piece of the jigsaw' up front?
In Spurs' defence, the main reason they didn't score was one Joe Hart, the biggest positive for City. He looked confident, composed and pulled off some stunning saves, notably from Defoe and Assou-Ekotto. In front of him, City still look like a group of individuals. David Silva looked bright enough, but the likes of Tevez and Wright-Phillips failed to sparkle. If they gel as a team, Man City could prove a match for anyone. But if not, and I wouldn't be surprised to see squad in-fighting, another year of 'what might have been' is in store.
Liverpool-Arsenal was controversial and varied between pulsating and dull as ditchwater, from what I've heard (I've only seen the goals and the sending-offs). Joe Cole was possibly unlucky but, unintentional or not, it was a nasty tackle. Overall, Liverpool fans can hope for much more than last year - their ten men scored, clung on and nearly won it. Their squad also looks stronger, with the likes of Poulson, Wilson and Ngog/Torres as handy options.
Arsenal, though, must do better. Without Fabregas in the midfield, they lacked direction. Almiunia made another mistake, beaten at his near post, and the links to Mark Schwarzer grow stronger with each slip-up. New centre-back Laurent Koscielny has given them a defensive headache for the next game after his red card - I still maintain they are very weak in that position. Once Fabregas returns and van Persie is fit and firing, though, Arsenal should be back to rights. Don't forget that Rosicky, Walcott, Song, Vela, etc are excellent options to have on the bench. Walcott and Rosicky came on and made their impact felt on Sunday. That has to continue for Arsenal to have a successful season.
Saturday evening saw Chelsea crush West Brom, as the champions put their indifferent pre-season form behind them in the best possible way. Their 4-3-3 formation caused the Baggies no end of problems, with Drogba and Malouda particularly lethal. The defence was not tested, though, and that will be one area under scrutiny this season, with Terry's troubles and Carvalho's departure. Nor will Drogba, Lampard, et al find teams as easy to break down as a shell-shocked West Brom.
Those Baggies fans can take some heart in that Chelsea destroyed a good Aston Villa team at Stamford Bridge last year, and they don't have to play teams as deadly as the Blues every week. Nonetheless, they have to learn how to defend freekicks much, much better. And if something as basic as that is not right, the whole defensive set-up can be questioned. Their midfield (with Brunt and Dorrans the key men) looks promising, but without a decent defence, the Baggies will boing back down again.
Lastly, Monday's game, Man Utd-Newcastle. United were never going to match Chelsea, but got a comfortable win without hitting close to top form. A few players stood out. Jonny Evans didn't put a foot wrong and his positional sense was excellent; might he at last fulfil his potential as Ferdinand's successor alongside Vidic. The central midfield pairing of Fletcher and Scholes were both terrific. Fletcher was everywhere - his growing reputation as a box-to-box midfielder was rewarded with a well-taken goal. Fletcher and Scholes swapped responsibilities in going forward and sitting back to often devastating effect. Scholes the magician demonstrated his awesome passing range and awareness all night. Up front for United was a stark contrast. Rooney looked short on confidence, control and, fundamentally, that killer instinct. Berbatov, though, was brilliant. He dropped deep looking for the ball, helped construct the team's play, tracked back and took his chance when the old Berbatov might have tried crossing and wasting the opportunity. So lots of positives. But, besides Rooney's issue is another to be sorted out - defensive lapses (Carroll's 10th-minute chance in particular) and concentration blackouts almost as disturbing as Joey Barton's moustache. Fergie will look to iron those out, as better teams would punish them.
Newcastle can take good points from the game. It was not a humiliation of a result - they were always expected to lose. Up until Berbatov's goal, Newcastle matched the hosts in most areas. Through Carroll, they had the game's best chance. They look strong from set-pieces, and on the counter-attack, with Carroll's aerial ability and Gutierrez's strong running. The defence looked shaky, but not catastrophically so. They might just have a good chance up against Aston Villa in the next game, at St James' Park.
It's very difficult (never mind foolhardy) to draw conclusions from one game, but there were undoubtedly positive signs for Bolton and Wolves, less so for West Ham and Everton.
The first game I'm going to comment on in a bit more depth is Wigan-Blackpool. The visitors' 4-0 win sent shockwaves through the league. I, like many others, could see no result for Blackpool this season other than relegation. We cannot get carried away, but as Ian Holloway is a gem of a manager (especially in the quote-producing variety), looks like his team can play a bit too. Their newly-promoted enthusiasm and drive was too much for Wigan, capitalising on mistakes ruthlessly. Not many sides will defend as badly as Wigan on Saturday, but it's a good precedent to begin with. Marlon Harewood will look a steal on a free transfer if he can play as he did in the first match, while Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Charlie Adam undoubtedly have class. The next game, a trip to Arsenal, may be a reality check. Make no bones about it, it was a fabulous start for the Seasiders, but Holloway and Adam will have to work much more magic to keep them up.
As for Wigan, what a disaster. The losses of Bramble and Scharner look to have left the defence looking clueless. The midfield was out-fought and was devoid of ideas. Positives: there are some. First, Chris Kirkland is too good a 'keeper to have many more nightmare days like Saturday. If he hits better form, his defence will gain in confidence. Secondly, the new striker Mauro Boselli looked threatening with the few chances he got. If he can strike up a productive partnership with Hugo Rodallega, Wigan have a chance. They will certainly have to improve for this Saturday, when Chelsea come to town. Otherwise a cricket score is on the cards.
Tottenham and Manchester City had the chance to strike an early blow in the potentially fraught race for the top 4. What did we learn? First, Tottenham are, at the moment, the better team in terms of fluidity and understanding. However, they're still let down by a poor chances-to-goals ratio that threatened to derail last year's push for fourth. Do they still need that 'final piece of the jigsaw' up front?
In Spurs' defence, the main reason they didn't score was one Joe Hart, the biggest positive for City. He looked confident, composed and pulled off some stunning saves, notably from Defoe and Assou-Ekotto. In front of him, City still look like a group of individuals. David Silva looked bright enough, but the likes of Tevez and Wright-Phillips failed to sparkle. If they gel as a team, Man City could prove a match for anyone. But if not, and I wouldn't be surprised to see squad in-fighting, another year of 'what might have been' is in store.
Liverpool-Arsenal was controversial and varied between pulsating and dull as ditchwater, from what I've heard (I've only seen the goals and the sending-offs). Joe Cole was possibly unlucky but, unintentional or not, it was a nasty tackle. Overall, Liverpool fans can hope for much more than last year - their ten men scored, clung on and nearly won it. Their squad also looks stronger, with the likes of Poulson, Wilson and Ngog/Torres as handy options.
Arsenal, though, must do better. Without Fabregas in the midfield, they lacked direction. Almiunia made another mistake, beaten at his near post, and the links to Mark Schwarzer grow stronger with each slip-up. New centre-back Laurent Koscielny has given them a defensive headache for the next game after his red card - I still maintain they are very weak in that position. Once Fabregas returns and van Persie is fit and firing, though, Arsenal should be back to rights. Don't forget that Rosicky, Walcott, Song, Vela, etc are excellent options to have on the bench. Walcott and Rosicky came on and made their impact felt on Sunday. That has to continue for Arsenal to have a successful season.
Saturday evening saw Chelsea crush West Brom, as the champions put their indifferent pre-season form behind them in the best possible way. Their 4-3-3 formation caused the Baggies no end of problems, with Drogba and Malouda particularly lethal. The defence was not tested, though, and that will be one area under scrutiny this season, with Terry's troubles and Carvalho's departure. Nor will Drogba, Lampard, et al find teams as easy to break down as a shell-shocked West Brom.
Those Baggies fans can take some heart in that Chelsea destroyed a good Aston Villa team at Stamford Bridge last year, and they don't have to play teams as deadly as the Blues every week. Nonetheless, they have to learn how to defend freekicks much, much better. And if something as basic as that is not right, the whole defensive set-up can be questioned. Their midfield (with Brunt and Dorrans the key men) looks promising, but without a decent defence, the Baggies will boing back down again.
Lastly, Monday's game, Man Utd-Newcastle. United were never going to match Chelsea, but got a comfortable win without hitting close to top form. A few players stood out. Jonny Evans didn't put a foot wrong and his positional sense was excellent; might he at last fulfil his potential as Ferdinand's successor alongside Vidic. The central midfield pairing of Fletcher and Scholes were both terrific. Fletcher was everywhere - his growing reputation as a box-to-box midfielder was rewarded with a well-taken goal. Fletcher and Scholes swapped responsibilities in going forward and sitting back to often devastating effect. Scholes the magician demonstrated his awesome passing range and awareness all night. Up front for United was a stark contrast. Rooney looked short on confidence, control and, fundamentally, that killer instinct. Berbatov, though, was brilliant. He dropped deep looking for the ball, helped construct the team's play, tracked back and took his chance when the old Berbatov might have tried crossing and wasting the opportunity. So lots of positives. But, besides Rooney's issue is another to be sorted out - defensive lapses (Carroll's 10th-minute chance in particular) and concentration blackouts almost as disturbing as Joey Barton's moustache. Fergie will look to iron those out, as better teams would punish them.
Newcastle can take good points from the game. It was not a humiliation of a result - they were always expected to lose. Up until Berbatov's goal, Newcastle matched the hosts in most areas. Through Carroll, they had the game's best chance. They look strong from set-pieces, and on the counter-attack, with Carroll's aerial ability and Gutierrez's strong running. The defence looked shaky, but not catastrophically so. They might just have a good chance up against Aston Villa in the next game, at St James' Park.
Thursday, 12 August 2010
Premiership transfers part 2
It was definitely an interesting start to the football league season, with hyped-up teams like Middlesbrough, Norwich and Southampton all falling to defeat. But back to business: in my last blog I looked at the transfer activity of the Premiership clubs from Arsenal to Manchester City. Now to complete the job.
City’s arch-rivals Manchester United have been building for the future. Mexican striker Javier Hernandez looks a great buy, with pace to burn and natural scoring ability (even with his face!). But Sir Alex Ferguson has already hinted that Hernandez is too similar a player to Wayne Rooney to play alongside him. But with Hernandez, Owen and Macheda all eager to step in, Rooney and Berbatov know they need to perform. Chris Smalling from Fulham is a handy defensive option, but also one for the future, as his performances for the Cottagers last season indicated he has a fair way to develop. And now the Portuguese striker known as Bebe has signed from Vitoria Setubal: from the Homeless World Cup to Old Trafford is some story, but I reckon we’re unlikely to see too much of him this year. Zoran Tosic, the Serbia winger, has departed; as has Ben Foster. A promising ‘keeper, it was a shame the way he imploded at times last year. Nothing wrong with letting him go, I think, but I’m still surprised no other ‘keeper has been signed – if van der Sar and Kuszczak were to pick up injuries (stranger things have happened), United would be in a pickle. All in all, Sir Alex is largely asking the same squad to win back the title. Is that enough?
Most football neutrals are delighted to see Newcastle back, for the fun and the drama they bring to the league. They dominated the Championship like few before them, but there is undoubtedly a step up, so transfer activity is essential. After the signings of Dan Gosling from Everton and James Perch from Nottingham Forest, two players to bring youthful energy and drive to that midfield, Newcastle secured Sol Campbell on a free transfer. This came just as it was revealed that centre-back Steven Taylor would miss several months of the season, undoubtedly a blow. Campbell’s best playing days might be passed, but he brings leadership and experience, be it on the pitch or in training. His (and the likes of Steve Harper, Kevin Nolan and Peter Lovenkrands’) Premiership nous might just prove vital. Newcastle’s only outgoings have been two released players, the veteran Nicky Butt and the much less experienced Fabrice Pancrate.
Stoke will be looking for another solid finish under the capable Tony Pulis. They don’t need to make wholesale changes, so haven’t. Midfielder Florent Cuvelier has arrived from Portsmouth on loan, plus goalkeeper Carlo Nash from Everton on a free. The big signing, though, is £8 million striker Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland. A formidable physical presence up front, he might just be perfectly suited to Stoke’s very direct style of play. Players on their way out include defender Andy Griffin and goalkeeper Steve Simonsen. It looks to me like Stoke have come out of the transfer window very well so far, so their fans are certainly entitled to optimism.
As for Sunderland, Steve Bruce looks like building a successful Premiership side. Darren Bent has been a wonderful signing for them, and if he can reproduce last season’s form, the Black Cats can look forward to an exciting year. One new addition is talented Paraguayan midfielder Cristian Riveros, who will want to carry his good World Cup form into the Premiership. There have been a number of defensive signings: goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, Argentine defender Marcos Angeleri from Estudiantes and three centre-backs already known to Premiership fans – Titus Bramble from Wigan and the loans of John Mensah (from Lyon) and Nedum Onuoha (from Manchester City) – undoubtedly pleasing captures for Bruce. Mensah was immense at times for Sunderland last year, and is another who had a good World Cup. On the way out has been striker Daryl Murphy (to Celtic on a free), but certainly the bigger loss is that of tough-tackling Lorik Cana, who signed for Galatasaray. Goalkeeper Marton Fulop, stuck behind Craig Gordon in the squad, has moved on to Ipswich. And now Kenwyne Jones has moved to Stoke, there will be even more pressure on Bent to get crucial goals. The loan signing of promising Danny Welbeck from Manchester United should soften the blow.
Tottenham have made just the one signing: Brazilian midfielder Sandro. They’ve kept all their key players from last year (Adel Taarabt has gone to QPR, where he was on loan last season), including Robbie Keane, returning from Celtic with renewed confidence after an excellent spell there. Spurs’ forward line is a match for pretty much anyone in the league, and in Luka Modric have a real gem of a playmaker. The defence is more of a concern, with Michael Dawson about the only experienced centre-back fit on a regular basis. With one eye firmly on European football (assuming they reach the group stages), will they be strong enough to hold off the challenges of the stronger Liverpool, Manchester City, even Everton?
West Bromwich Albion are back again. Keeping Graham Dorrans appeared their biggest priority this summer – they have, so far, resisted West Ham’s interest. New signings (a must for promoted sides) include defenders Gabriel Tamas from Auxerre and Pablo Ibanez from Atletico Madrid and versatile midfielder Steven Reid free from Blackburn. In the last few days they have also captured goalkeeper Boaz Myhill from Hull, a very useful addition, as is left-back Nicky Shorey from Aston Villa, who also adds much-needed Premier League experience. All looks good for West Brom, then? Actually, no. The losses of midfielders Borja Valero, Jonathan Greening and Robert Koren appears to leave the Baggies short in that area. The dependence on the admittedly capable pairing of Dorrans and Chris Brunt to supply their strikers, not to mention a questionable defence, may be their undoing.
West Ham have been relatively strife-free after Avram Grant’s appointment as manager. Robert Green, Matthew Upson and, most importantly, Scott Parker are still there, only the forward pair of Ilan and Franco leaving. Coming in are potentially very useful squad member. Midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger has been on the fringes of the Germany squad and has Premiership experience with Aston Villa. £4 million signing Pablo Barrera is capable of adding spark to that midfield as he does for Mexico. Frederic Piquionne has joined from Lyon; performing relatively well in the Portsmouth horror-show last year, he could certainly pinch a few useful goals. Tal Ben-Haim also follows Grant from Portsmouth, and should provide much-needed defensive steel and experience. I think this West Ham team is certainly capable not only of survival but surprising a good few people too.
Wigan just about made it last year. This season could be even more difficult. Roberto Martinez has brought in striker Mauro Boselli from Estudiantes, creative midfielder James McArthur from Hamilton and defenders Antolin Alcaraz and Ronnie Stam from Club Brugge and FC Twente respectively. While Rodallega remains a threat up front and the likes of Diame and Figueroa are solid players, I wonder if the loss of Titus Bramble and the releases of Richard Kingson, Paul Scharner and Mario Melchiot might deprive Wigan of some of the grit gained by seasoned campaigners needed to survive.
Mick McCarthy has done well this transfer window. Defender Jelle Van Damme has been brought in, as well as Steven Mouyokolo from Hull. Also from Hull comes Stephen Hunt – the Irish midfielder has the skill and persistence to cause Premiership defences problems. Also in attack comes in Scottish centre-forward Steven Fletcher from Burnley. Impressive for the eventually-relegated Clarets, Fletcher will hope to form a potent partnership with Kevin Doyle. Striker Chris Iwelumo has gone to Burnley and midfielder Andrew Surman to Norwich, neither too much to worry about. Looking at the Wolves squad, I wouldn’t expect anything spectacular, but a relatively solid defence (Jody Craddock crucial in there) and the goals of Doyle (and Fletcher?) should keep Wolves safe from the drop.
Bring on the Premiership 2010-2011!!
Friday, 6 August 2010
Premiership transfers, part 1
With the UEFA Cup qualifiers in full swing and the Football League season opening up this evening with Norwich facing Watford, the summer break from the sport is over. It’s not like there was a World Cup on, was there?
The Community Shield match takes place this Sunday, the curtain-raiser for a new Premiership season. Rather than make lots of foolhardy predictions for that said championship, this blog (and the next) will look at the transfer activity of the clubs who will compete in it, as that goes a long way to deciding trophies, league position and, for a good few, survival or relegation. There are, of course, several weeks to go of wheeling and dealing, but who has done best in this context of varying financial concerns and new squad rules?
Arsenal’s key signing so far has been striker Marouane Chamakh from Bordeaux. He has performed well in Ligue 1 and could be an effective foil for Robin van Persie, or another option in harder times. He’ll need to adapt to the English game quickly, especially with the injury to Nicklas Bendtner and the sales of Eduardo and Merida. Also going out of Arsenal are two central defenders, Sol Campbell and Philippe Senderos. The signing of little-known Laurent Koscielny is unlikely to be enough – either some Wenger younglings have to step up to partner Thomas Vermaelen (with the release of William Gallas), or another signing or two will be attempted. Arsene Wenger should also sign another goalkeeper to challenge Manuel Almunia. The link to Fulham’s Mark Schwarzer is not without reason – Almunia has had his fair share of howlers in the past few years. The most crucial ‘transfer’, however, is captain Cesc Fabregas – his confirmation today that he will remain Gunners captain is a huge boost ahead of a challenging season.
Aston Villa are yet to make any signings, despite releasing Wilfred Bouma and Marlon Harewood. Their starting eleven is among the best in the league, but their tiring legs saw them finish poorly again last time out. Goalkeeping is no concern, but Martin O’Neill has to address the defence. Luke Young almost joined Liverpool, which would have left Villa barely any options. Cueller and Collins are currently injured, and Dunne picked up a knock in the friendly against Valencia. More options, therefore, are a must. The midfield could take a couple of new faces (especially if/when James Milner joins Manchester City) – though Mark Albrighton looks an exciting prospect – and the forward line perhaps some help too, though this is not as great a concern.
For Birmingham, the aim is to avoid the ‘second-season syndrome’ that has plagued the likes of Reading and Wigan in recent times. The owner’s money has been put to good use, with the recruitment of the Serbia giant Nikola Zigic from Valencia, midfielder Enric Valles and paradoxical goalkeeper Ben Foster from Manchester United. Foster is without doubt a fine shot-stopper, but appeared to suffer from stage fright when given his chance at Old Trafford. At St Andrews, it could be a very different story – while he’ll struggle to live up to Joe Hart’s wonderful spell there, I think he’ll start rebuilding his reputation as one of England’s best young keepers. Zigic provide another option to a side who scored relatively few goals last term, as target-man and goal-scorer to help Benitez and Jerome. The men going out (Carsley, Vignal, Queudrue, and McSheffrey) probably wouldn’t have made much impact, though McLeish might want to ensure he still has enough cover in defence.
Blackburn have bought no-one as yet, not that they need to. Keeping the men who achieved last year’s mid-table finish is the priority, which they have done, with the exception mainly being Steven Reid to West Brom, hardly a great loss.
Blackpool, certainly a candidate to go straight back to the Championship, have also brought in no new players. They have trimmed their squad of players likely to be on the fringes of the squad (the likes of Bouazza and Martin), but I would argue they need to get in up to half a dozen new faces to have much of a chance against England’s best.
Bolton’s Owen Coyle has done well for himself. He’s cleared out a few fringe players (like Hunt and Vaz Te) and made some excellent signings. Martin Petrov was gained at a very cheap price and will add a spark of creativity to the attack. Ivan Klasnic was a threat up front last season and his permanent signing is a definite boost – he’ll need more goals to justify his place, though. Robbie Blake comes from Coyle’s old club Burnley and will add another option to the above two (plus Taylor, Lee, Davies, etc) going forward. Marcos Alonso, a left-back, was signed from Real Madrid. Coyle was delighted by his capture, though how much he’ll feature this season is debatable. He had little game-time at Madrid, but must have shown something for the La Liga giants to bring him on board. Just not enough to convince them to keep him. Then again, remember that young Spaniard Gerard Pique? What happened to him again?
Chelsea are entitled to stick with what they have, as Premiership and FA Cup holders. Whether swapping Joe Cole for Yossi Benayoun proves sound business, only time will tell. He looks likely to bell be joined, however, by Benfica’s Brazilian midfielder Ramires. He performed well when called on by Dunga at the World Cup, and could fill in the gap in defensive midfield that Mikel has struggled to plug in the absence of Michael Essien. Losing Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack on free transfers might deprive the Blues of useful squad members, not that those two would view themselves in that way. In Ancelotti’s shoes, I would be looking for a little more defensive cover, but really that’s about it.
Everton are looking to bolster a squad that struggled when a few key members were injured at the start of last season – but if they go into this one as they finished the last, Everton’s fans will be delighted. The capture of Jermaine Beckford from Leeds could be a masterstroke, though Beckford is yet to prove his ability on the biggest stage. Oh, except that one. There are a couple more new names (like Joao Silva and Jan Mucha) for us to get to know, though again it will be the likes of Howard, Baines, Arteta, Pienaar, Cahill and Saha who will decide Everton’s league placing. The loss of Dan Gosling might pain the Toffees in the future, but that is yet to be seen.
Philippe Senderos and Jonathan Greening are Fulham’s summer signings, the latter completing a permanent move to Craven Cottage after his loan spell from West Brom. Like Blackburn, Fulham have been looking to keep the personnel who got them to the UEFA Cup final. Unfortunately for them, that hasn’t extended to the manager, Roy Hodgson. But Mark Hughes is more than proven at this level and will be out to show Manchester City why they shouldn’t have sacked him. Fulham knew before the summer that young defender Chris Smalling was off to Old Trafford, so have had plenty of time to look out for new defensive cover. Senderos may well be joined by a couple of new names; Hughes will also be looking for someone to provide spark up front (Zamora is not guaranteed to be successful again), hence the link to Craig Bellamy.
Liverpool have made the equivalent of four brilliant transfers: the manager Hodgson, experienced and a steady hand at the wheel of what, last season, was less sinking ship as a vessel dragging itself along the seabed; Joe Cole, a great free transfer from Chelsea, who possesses oodles of skill and creativity; then the keeping of the world class pair of Gerrard and Torres. Gerrard will want to demonstrate last season’s poor showing was a one-off – he was, arguably, England’s best player at a dismal World Cup, and remains an attacking midfielder any side in the world would love to have. Torres had a torrid time in South Africa but, once at full fitness, is more than capable of shredding Premiership defences like he used to. Forward Milan Jovanovic and centre-back Danny Wilson are likely to be introduced slowly, but are good squad players to have. Benayoun, of course, has gone, as has Albert Riera; one much more of a loss than the other! Mascherano has been angling for a move and, assuming someone snaps him up, Hodgson will have another position to fill (or can Lucas demonstrate some ability worthy of a Brazilian?); but so far so very good for the Reds. Or should I make that, ‘The Reds. Trademark of the Chinese Government’?
Manchester City haven’t half been splashing the cash in order to finally get that top-four place. On paper, they should be well on their way. Replacing Petrov, Garrido and Bojinov with four World Cup stars is a good start. Jerome Boateng played his part in a highly impressive German side, though like many full-backs his age, looked promising going forward and a little naive when defending. Aleksandar Kolarov will have a £17 million price-tag to justify, and provide stiff competition for Wayne Bridge. Solid and experienced Yaya Toure joins from Barcelona to play in front of his brother Kolo; I would say Gareth Barry (awful at the World Cup) will be hard-pressed to get in a team featuring two of Toure, de Jong and Vieira. Looking further forward, David Silva is an exciting addition, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him struggle. He has gone off the boil a little in the past couple of seasons (compared to a stunning few years) for Valencia and barely featured in Spain’s World Cup triumph. Adapting to the pace and physical nature of the Premiership will prove a challenge. I can’t see him having the impact of countrymen Fabregas and Torres in this league. Despite these new faces, City have struggled pre-season (four defeats out of five) and I remain unconvinced by Roberto Mancini’s ability to mould a team out of talented individuals. He knows the time is ticking on his time at Eastlands. He needs these new players (and Given, Tevez, Adebayor and the returning Robinho) to win success, or he’ll follow Hughes out the door. Is looking for Milner and Balotelli a sign of desperation?
I’ll discuss the second half of the Premier League teams in the next blog, coming very soon!
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