For a moment let us put ourselves into the huge shoes of Pep Guardiola. One year back he was coaching the B side. When Laporta decided to have him replace the very successful Rijkaard it was a surprising decision. A rookie was being trusted instead of one of the world's top coaches being sought. Now one year later this very same man has completed the unprecedented treble which makes it impossible to believe that it was actually his first season ever in Spanish top flight.
So while most would feel that Pep has already done enough, other teams' think tanks would spend days and nights wondering how to match up to this awesome team, Pep being the ruthless ambitious genius that he is does not think that this is the zenith. He wants to take the team to dimensions unseen before. However how do you go about improving a team which is already said to be playing football a few years ahead of everyone else? Let's look at the team position wise and see what has been improved and what can be improved.
As far as the goal keeper's position goes, it is always said with some validity that Victor Valdes is not world class. However time and again he has performed when needed for Barcelona and quite sensibly they don't see the need to replace him.
Looking at the left back now, perhaps the only player in last season's first eleven who did not convince is Eric Abidal. He just cannot match up to what Dani Alves does on the other flank in an attacking sense. So enter Maxwell - one of the most underrated players in the world today. At E5m he is not a bargain but a steal. If Hleb goes the other way on loan as part of this deal, it will make more sense from Inter's perspective. It's said that the emergence of Davide Santon caused him to leave Inter. However it's more likely that they have sold a really good player because of his problems with Mourinho. In Maxwell we have the player who will make Barcelona's left flank as strong as the right. He is a little suspect defensively but for that it's the central defense and defensive midfield which will have to be strong. Besides when it's very important to maintain a lead and see out the match, Abidal may be played instead.
As far as the right back is concerned, Dani Alves is world class without doubt. Is a backup needed? Not really because Alves has high fitness levels and others like Puyol can do an adequate job in his absence.
Now let's move to the central defense. We do have a lot of options here but the quality is a little suspect because the stalwarts are aging. Caceres hasn't cut it and will probably leave. Henrique may not be able to impress Pep enough and have to go out on loan. However the arrival of Dmitri Chygrynskiy seems imminent and with that this position will be well covered especially with Milito returning in a few months.
Moving on now to the defensive midfield, it is this position which confuses this writer most. Why is Barcelona so desperate to get Mascherano? He is probably the best pure defensive midfielder in the world today but in Yaya Toure they already have the player who could go on to become the best. If the African Cup of Nations is the reason, you surely cannot ask for a player of that quality for this reason. Besides you also have Busquets, Keita ( also away during that time ) and even Marquez as cover. This writer does not see any need for reinforcements here.
Now we come to what is the talk of the football world - the position of the central striker. We will leave aside the ethical issues of whether Eto'o deserved to be treated this way and look at the issue from a purely logical perspective. Those of us who think that David Villa was Barca's first choice are sadly mistaken. He was always the second choice. Even before the UCL final there were rumors about Barcelona being interested in Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Later an Ibra-Eto'o swap was discussed between Laporta and Moratti. However it seemed impossible to happen and that's when Barca started going after Villa. There was no way they could pay for Ibra in straight cash and Inter may not accept either. However it's quite clear that Barcelona never pursued Villa with as much motivation as they had pursued Ibra. Why? Villa is without question one of the best strikers in the world. However from Barcelona's perspective he is an improved version of Eto'o - better technically and slightly more clinical. Ibrahimovic on the other hand is key to the next dimension that Pep wants to move to. Evaluate Ibrahimovic objectively as a player and he is easily one of the brightest pure talents. Other than speed there is virtually nothing missing in his armor. Most importantly he covers all the areas which were the weaknesses of Barcelona's attack last season. He is physically strong, good in the air, can shoot from distance and has set piece ability. Besides on days when the likes of Messi and Iniesta fail to fire, Ibra's ball skills and creativity can see Barca through. Some say he will not score as many goals as Eto'o but since the Spanish league is not as defensively strong as Serie A, this may not be the case. Besides he will create a lot more for the others. Why this deal happened is anyone's guess? Valencia refused to release Villa at the price offered. At the same time something happened that seemed to indicate to Mourinho and Moratti that there was no point forcing Zlatan to stay at Inter. They showed greater class and wisdom than the management of Bayern Munich and Valencia for instance. A few may see this as an extravagant purchase but Barcelona killed two birds with one stone. Eto'o just had to leave for maintaining squad morale while Barca got the player they wanted. Now in Ibra's absence Henry will be the center forward and even Bojan will be tried at times. No extra purchase is needed.
So with this we come to the attacking midfield which here means the central midfield as well as the left and right flank. This writer sees this as the only area of concern. The first choice players here are the best in the world but where is the cover? Right now if two key players get major injuries, it could spell doom for Barca's season. At least two creative midfielders need to be bought especially with Hleb out and Gudjohnsen who any way never cut it in this team also possibly leaving. The big problem here is that the best of options such as Fabregas, David Silva and even Juan Mata will not want to come if they are not guaranteed a place in the first eleven. Even if Pep will rotate they may not start the big matches and that's something they do not want especially since this is a world cup year. Ultimately this is where the challenge now lies for Barcelona in the rest of the transfer window. They need to pick the right players and be able to get them.
In conclusion there is still a little doubt as to how Zlatan will fit into the team's style of play. Will they still play by interchanging positions continuously or will Zlatan remain glued to the center? Either way if Pep can fit him into the team and adequate cover is acquired, even six trophies don't seem impossible. What's more is this could be the most devastating attacking force, if not in history then certainly for a long time. As for Zlatan being a big match flop, this writer feels that with all the quality around, his performances and with that this perception will change.
With Real Madrid having made their galactico purchases any match featuring either of the big two of Spain just becomes unmissable. Not only are we desperately waiting for the season to start but it will be so difficult to get through five working days dreaming of what's to come during the weekend. As a Barcelona fan, one just cannot ask for more.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Who Should Barca Buy - Ibrahimovic or Villa?
Since Barcelona do not believe in unlimited spending unlike their sworn rivals Real Madrid, they can buy only one of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Villa. Let's examine the pros and cons of each choice.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic :-
Pros :-
1. A physical presence
2. Aerial ability
3. Incredible array of ball skills
4. Scores outrageous goals
5. Creates chances out of nothing
Cons :-
1. Not much of a team player
2. Doesn't track back to defend
3. Does not fit into Barcelona's system of continuous pass and move and a team like Inter which is built around him suits him best
4. Bottles it in big matches
5. Misses sitters
David Villa :-
Pros :-
1. Amazing strike rate
2. Technically very good - good passer but not extraordinary
3. Hard working team player
4. Fits wonderfully well into Barcelona's system of pass and move
5. High game intelligence - takes accurate shooting and passing decisions
6. Helps to build the attack from midfield
7. Spanish international
Cons :-
1. Not as gast as someone like Fernando Torres
2. Lacks aerial ability
3. Is not so much of a physical presence
4. Does not have extraordinary ball skills or unbelievable vision but is decent in both areas
Zlatan Ibrahimovic :-
Pros :-
1. A physical presence
2. Aerial ability
3. Incredible array of ball skills
4. Scores outrageous goals
5. Creates chances out of nothing
Cons :-
1. Not much of a team player
2. Doesn't track back to defend
3. Does not fit into Barcelona's system of continuous pass and move and a team like Inter which is built around him suits him best
4. Bottles it in big matches
5. Misses sitters
David Villa :-
Pros :-
1. Amazing strike rate
2. Technically very good - good passer but not extraordinary
3. Hard working team player
4. Fits wonderfully well into Barcelona's system of pass and move
5. High game intelligence - takes accurate shooting and passing decisions
6. Helps to build the attack from midfield
7. Spanish international
Cons :-
1. Not as gast as someone like Fernando Torres
2. Lacks aerial ability
3. Is not so much of a physical presence
4. Does not have extraordinary ball skills or unbelievable vision but is decent in both areas
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Is There Any Question Mark On Messi?
Lionel Messi is not yet 22. He is poised to win the Ballon D’or this year unless something disastrous happens ( read Argentina not qualifying for WC 2010 ). In the Ballon D’ors for 2007 and 2008, he has come 3rd and 2nd. This season he has been the star of Barcelona’s treble winning campaign. In that he has scored 38 goals and contributed 18 assists. He is the top scorer in UCL 2008-09 and is sure to be chosen the tournament's best player as well.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored 42 goals in the 2007-08 season and it was considered a monumental achievement. Messi has scored only 4 less. And I am sure his assists count is much higher. Now remember this – Messi does not have Ronaldo’s power, his ability to accurately strike powerful goals from distance, is not great in the air (that UCL final goal was an exception) and hardly ever scores from a free kick. So the only way he could have scored so many goals is by dribbling past opponents at lightning speed with breathtaking ball control, exchanging passes with team mates continuously and just sliding or chipping the ball into the goal from a wide number of angles. When you consider this carefully you will realize that we are talking about a ball player of peerless ability – right up there with the greats of football in terms of ability alone even though he has a long way to go in order to match their achievements in terms of trophies.
Yet you will hear stray comments now and then saying Messi is overrated. Where do they come from? One reason could be that he plays for such a brilliant team that he does not carry his team completely on his own shoulders. In crucial matches for Barcelona he is sometimes not the best player on the pitch as that mantle is sometimes taken up by Andres Iniesta, Xavi and even Thierry Henry such as in El Classico. Not that he is not great but that there’s sometimes someone even better than him. Messi played a big role in the UCL 2008-09 final but he was only Barcelona’s third best player after Iniesta and Xavi. Similarly he was one of the stars of El Classico but there were several others and Henry was the actual man of the match. This criticism has specially increased after the UCL semi final. It’s said Messi didn’t play a starring role there. What some people do not realize is that in every match there are at least three players man marking Messi and sometimes even four. Due to this Iniesta and Xavi get more freedom to play their natural game, not that I am trying to question their abilities in any possible way.
So what do people hold against Messi? As far as Barcelona is concerned there is a belief that he has not yet made the kind of contributions that Ronaldinho made between 2004 and 2006. This belief is not without foundation because there were times when Ronaldinho made the team look like a one man show – such was his impact when he was at his best. Yet we must not forget two things. Ronaldinho then was three years older than what Messi is now. Also the present Barcelona team has more overall quality and is more of a team than the unit Ronaldinho led to various victories.
The other comparison which is very damaging for Messi is the comparison to football’s demi god Diego Maradona. What Maradona did with Argentina 1986 is one of the most non-repeatable feats ever possible. And as for his impact at Napoli, that’s a legend in its own right. Messi, unless something strange happens, will never play for a small enough club where he can be the only star. So expecting Messi to become a Mardona even though he has executed a copy of Maradona’s goal of the century is just too much.
So what more does Messi need to do? Above all he needs to do something for his national team. Yes he almost single handedly won Argentina the Olympics 2008 gold medal but it’s not enough for such a passionate football super power. Incredibly Argentina are in danger of missing out on qualification for WC 2010. If that happens, Messi could become a hate figure in his own country. However that will not happen and then will come the question of performing at the world cup. Can Argentina win it? At the moment the bookies put them third behind Spain and Brazil. If you look at their team the goalkeeper is a sort of new comer, the defense has major problems and the midfield has virtually no top class players in their prime besides Javier Mascherano. Yes in the forwards department Argentina is blessed with riches – Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez and some others as well besides ‘The Flea’ of course. Yet can forwards alone win you a world cup? Add to that the fact that the coach is a playing legend with hardly any experience in football management and has been appointed so late that he has absolutely no time to implement his miscellaneous radical ideas. Is it fair to expect Messi to carry such a team on his own shoulders to world cup glory? Even Maradona was 26 years old when he did this and El Mesias will only be 23. So should we give him time till WC 2014 before deciding just how good he can be called when compared to the all time greats?
Cristiano Ronaldo scored 42 goals in the 2007-08 season and it was considered a monumental achievement. Messi has scored only 4 less. And I am sure his assists count is much higher. Now remember this – Messi does not have Ronaldo’s power, his ability to accurately strike powerful goals from distance, is not great in the air (that UCL final goal was an exception) and hardly ever scores from a free kick. So the only way he could have scored so many goals is by dribbling past opponents at lightning speed with breathtaking ball control, exchanging passes with team mates continuously and just sliding or chipping the ball into the goal from a wide number of angles. When you consider this carefully you will realize that we are talking about a ball player of peerless ability – right up there with the greats of football in terms of ability alone even though he has a long way to go in order to match their achievements in terms of trophies.
Yet you will hear stray comments now and then saying Messi is overrated. Where do they come from? One reason could be that he plays for such a brilliant team that he does not carry his team completely on his own shoulders. In crucial matches for Barcelona he is sometimes not the best player on the pitch as that mantle is sometimes taken up by Andres Iniesta, Xavi and even Thierry Henry such as in El Classico. Not that he is not great but that there’s sometimes someone even better than him. Messi played a big role in the UCL 2008-09 final but he was only Barcelona’s third best player after Iniesta and Xavi. Similarly he was one of the stars of El Classico but there were several others and Henry was the actual man of the match. This criticism has specially increased after the UCL semi final. It’s said Messi didn’t play a starring role there. What some people do not realize is that in every match there are at least three players man marking Messi and sometimes even four. Due to this Iniesta and Xavi get more freedom to play their natural game, not that I am trying to question their abilities in any possible way.
So what do people hold against Messi? As far as Barcelona is concerned there is a belief that he has not yet made the kind of contributions that Ronaldinho made between 2004 and 2006. This belief is not without foundation because there were times when Ronaldinho made the team look like a one man show – such was his impact when he was at his best. Yet we must not forget two things. Ronaldinho then was three years older than what Messi is now. Also the present Barcelona team has more overall quality and is more of a team than the unit Ronaldinho led to various victories.
The other comparison which is very damaging for Messi is the comparison to football’s demi god Diego Maradona. What Maradona did with Argentina 1986 is one of the most non-repeatable feats ever possible. And as for his impact at Napoli, that’s a legend in its own right. Messi, unless something strange happens, will never play for a small enough club where he can be the only star. So expecting Messi to become a Mardona even though he has executed a copy of Maradona’s goal of the century is just too much.
So what more does Messi need to do? Above all he needs to do something for his national team. Yes he almost single handedly won Argentina the Olympics 2008 gold medal but it’s not enough for such a passionate football super power. Incredibly Argentina are in danger of missing out on qualification for WC 2010. If that happens, Messi could become a hate figure in his own country. However that will not happen and then will come the question of performing at the world cup. Can Argentina win it? At the moment the bookies put them third behind Spain and Brazil. If you look at their team the goalkeeper is a sort of new comer, the defense has major problems and the midfield has virtually no top class players in their prime besides Javier Mascherano. Yes in the forwards department Argentina is blessed with riches – Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez and some others as well besides ‘The Flea’ of course. Yet can forwards alone win you a world cup? Add to that the fact that the coach is a playing legend with hardly any experience in football management and has been appointed so late that he has absolutely no time to implement his miscellaneous radical ideas. Is it fair to expect Messi to carry such a team on his own shoulders to world cup glory? Even Maradona was 26 years old when he did this and El Mesias will only be 23. So should we give him time till WC 2014 before deciding just how good he can be called when compared to the all time greats?
Is Ribery Really That Good?
First Zinedine Zidane said that Franck Ribery is better than not just Cristiano Ronaldo but also, hold your breath, Lionel Messi. Now this opinion can seem biased because Zidane is a Madridista and an ex French national. Yet it is the opinion of the greatest player of the last 15 years.
Then Marc Overmars said that Ribery is equal to Kaka. Now I really thought enough was enough. Overmars is a true Cule at heart – why would he go on championing what Madrid are saying? Besides even if Ribery is also a Barca target, his first preference is clearly Real Madrid and Barca just do not want to spend the kind of money needed.
So how much of this hype am I supposed to believe? I have to admit that I have hardly ever watched Ribery play for Bayern Munich. The last time I observed him well was in WC 2006 where he was a promising talent but did not suggest anything to justify the kind of statements that have been made above. Then I saw him in Euro 2008 where he was nothing great but then who in the French team was, least of all their “great” coach. So has he really grown leaps and bounds during his two years in the Bundesliga? It seems he has.
It’s so much now that he is the number one transfer target left in the market pushing even Zlatan Ibrahimovic to second place. The other three top targets are David Villa, Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Aguero in that order.
So where do I stand on this? First of all Ribery needs to convince me that he is as good as and in fact better than Arjen Robben not least because the latter ate him alive in their match in Euro 2008. Then he needs to convince me that he is as good as or better than Andres Iniesta (if at all that is possible for anyone). The only reason that I can think of for Iniesta not being hyped much by pundits is his relative low scoring record because other than that there is virtually nothing he can be said to be lacking. If Ribery really crosses this level, only then will I accept him to the final test – a head to head with Ballon D’or 2009 incumbent Lionel Messi.
Then Marc Overmars said that Ribery is equal to Kaka. Now I really thought enough was enough. Overmars is a true Cule at heart – why would he go on championing what Madrid are saying? Besides even if Ribery is also a Barca target, his first preference is clearly Real Madrid and Barca just do not want to spend the kind of money needed.
So how much of this hype am I supposed to believe? I have to admit that I have hardly ever watched Ribery play for Bayern Munich. The last time I observed him well was in WC 2006 where he was a promising talent but did not suggest anything to justify the kind of statements that have been made above. Then I saw him in Euro 2008 where he was nothing great but then who in the French team was, least of all their “great” coach. So has he really grown leaps and bounds during his two years in the Bundesliga? It seems he has.
It’s so much now that he is the number one transfer target left in the market pushing even Zlatan Ibrahimovic to second place. The other three top targets are David Villa, Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Aguero in that order.
So where do I stand on this? First of all Ribery needs to convince me that he is as good as and in fact better than Arjen Robben not least because the latter ate him alive in their match in Euro 2008. Then he needs to convince me that he is as good as or better than Andres Iniesta (if at all that is possible for anyone). The only reason that I can think of for Iniesta not being hyped much by pundits is his relative low scoring record because other than that there is virtually nothing he can be said to be lacking. If Ribery really crosses this level, only then will I accept him to the final test – a head to head with Ballon D’or 2009 incumbent Lionel Messi.
Predicted Top 50 For 2008-09
Goal.com is currently doing a top 50 players count down for the 2008-09 season. Already 19 players have been announced. Still felt I like predicting the 50 which will obviously include these 19.
Manchester United - Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Giggs, C.Ronaldo, Rooney
Liverpool - Reina, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard, Torres
Chelsea - Terry, Lampard, Anelka
Manchester City - Robinho
Inter Milan - Cesar, Maicon, Ibrahimovic
A C Milan - Kaka, Pato
Juventus - Chiellini
Roma - Motta
Barcelona - Puyol, Pique, Alves, Toure, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Henry, Eto'o
Real Madrid - Robben, Higuain
Sevilla - Fabiano
Atletico Madrid - Aguero, Forlan
Villarreal - Rossi
Valencia - Villa
Wolfsburg - Dzeko, Grafite, Misimovic
Bayern Munich - Ribery
Werder Bremen - Oezil
Lyon - Benzema
Bordeaux - Gourcuff
Lille - Bastos
Porto - Cissokho
Outside Europe - Veron, Donovan, Aboutrika
Manchester United - Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Giggs, C.Ronaldo, Rooney
Liverpool - Reina, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard, Torres
Chelsea - Terry, Lampard, Anelka
Manchester City - Robinho
Inter Milan - Cesar, Maicon, Ibrahimovic
A C Milan - Kaka, Pato
Juventus - Chiellini
Roma - Motta
Barcelona - Puyol, Pique, Alves, Toure, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Henry, Eto'o
Real Madrid - Robben, Higuain
Sevilla - Fabiano
Atletico Madrid - Aguero, Forlan
Villarreal - Rossi
Valencia - Villa
Wolfsburg - Dzeko, Grafite, Misimovic
Bayern Munich - Ribery
Werder Bremen - Oezil
Lyon - Benzema
Bordeaux - Gourcuff
Lille - Bastos
Porto - Cissokho
Outside Europe - Veron, Donovan, Aboutrika
Monday, July 13, 2009
World Team Of The Decade Predictions
Goal.com is currently running a series predicting the team of the decade for the top clubs, countries, leagues etc. and trying to arrive at the team of the decade. Here are my predictions in advance.
Goalkeeper - Gianluigi Buffon ( very closely followed by Iker Casillas and Oliver Kahn )
Left Back - Paolo Maldini ( closely followed by Roberto Carlos )
Central Defense - Fabio Cannavaro,
Alessandro Nesta ( there have been a lot of great defenders such as Fernando Hierro, Jaap Stam and many others but it is the two Italians that define the highest level of defensive class )
Right Back - Javier Zanetti ( very closely followed by Cafu, Lilian Thuram and Gianluca Zambrotta )
Defensive Midfielder - Patrick Vieira / Claude Makelele ( I just cannot decide between these two with Roy Keane a third option )
Attacking Midfielder - Zinedine Zidane, ( unquestionable )
Ronaldinho, ( just edges out the rest )
Cristiano Ronaldo / Kaka / Lionel Messi / Luis Figo / Pavel Nedved ( it's very tight here. Figo and Nedved have less chance. Messi will also probably miss out because his best is yet to come. So it's down to two. CRon will probably take it because of a hattrick of EPL titles in all of which he played a major part but Kaka could beat him because he won an international title )
Forwards - Ronaldo, ( unquestionable )
Thierry Henry ( it's hard to choose between many great strikers. There are several others such as Raul, Samuel Eto'o, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Michael Owen and above all Andriy Shevchenko but going for Henry because he was Arsenal's best player, has adapted well in Barcelona, won every major team honor in the game and also contributed well to his national team. However Shevchenko won a Ballon D'Or - something Henry missed out on. Owen also won this honor but slipped down after 2004. Similarly Shevchenko slipped down after 2006. Henry on the other hand continued to maintain his consistency. )
Goalkeeper - Gianluigi Buffon ( very closely followed by Iker Casillas and Oliver Kahn )
Left Back - Paolo Maldini ( closely followed by Roberto Carlos )
Central Defense - Fabio Cannavaro,
Alessandro Nesta ( there have been a lot of great defenders such as Fernando Hierro, Jaap Stam and many others but it is the two Italians that define the highest level of defensive class )
Right Back - Javier Zanetti ( very closely followed by Cafu, Lilian Thuram and Gianluca Zambrotta )
Defensive Midfielder - Patrick Vieira / Claude Makelele ( I just cannot decide between these two with Roy Keane a third option )
Attacking Midfielder - Zinedine Zidane, ( unquestionable )
Ronaldinho, ( just edges out the rest )
Cristiano Ronaldo / Kaka / Lionel Messi / Luis Figo / Pavel Nedved ( it's very tight here. Figo and Nedved have less chance. Messi will also probably miss out because his best is yet to come. So it's down to two. CRon will probably take it because of a hattrick of EPL titles in all of which he played a major part but Kaka could beat him because he won an international title )
Forwards - Ronaldo, ( unquestionable )
Thierry Henry ( it's hard to choose between many great strikers. There are several others such as Raul, Samuel Eto'o, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Michael Owen and above all Andriy Shevchenko but going for Henry because he was Arsenal's best player, has adapted well in Barcelona, won every major team honor in the game and also contributed well to his national team. However Shevchenko won a Ballon D'Or - something Henry missed out on. Owen also won this honor but slipped down after 2004. Similarly Shevchenko slipped down after 2006. Henry on the other hand continued to maintain his consistency. )
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Real Madrid's Squad Now
So after the most extravagant transfer campaign which no other club comes even close to, what else do Real Madrid need?
They have the best goalkeeper in the world and sufficient backup as well.
The central defense is now surprisingly looking strong. With Albiol and Pepe as starters, Metzelder and Garay as backups and Ramos capable of doing the role in emergencies, this is less of a concern now.
The right back role belongs to Sergio Ramos whose inconsistency has never allowed him to really justify his huge potential. Is Real really going for Maicon? I don't think so since they have other important areas to concentrate on. Cover is provided by Miguel Torres who is also cover for left back position and veteran Michel Salgado who doesn't have the legs any more but has been a true Madridista at heart for ever.
The left back role does need reinforcement. Heinze is a joke in the world of defense. Marcelo is not bad but is perhaps best as backup. Miguel Torres is another option for the same. Royston Drenthe is also there but he is mainly an attacking player and is almost sure to either be sold or go out on loan. As for the main left back, a signing is definitely needed. It's strange that Madrid seem to be going for Arbeloa who is predominantly a right back. Instead they should take a look at Inter's Maxwell amongst others.
Then comes the interesting question of defensive midfield. It all depends on what formation Real play. It seems more likely that they will go for 4-2-3-1 rather than 4-4-2. This is because if the latter is adopted then Kaka gets pushed deeper inside and there is only one defensive midfielder which could be very risky for what looks like a very attacking team. So if they play 4-2-3-1 which seems likely then they need two defensive midfielders. In this situation at least one of the defensive midfielders must be a deep lying play maker as well to ensure a smooth flow to the team's game. Lass for all his defensive qualities isn't much of a passer. Mahamadou Diarra is mainly just a destroyer. As for Gago, he is certainly more of a possession player than these two but he is found to be out of his depth in important matches and there are question marks as to whether he is good enough to play in Real Madrid's first team. That's why the club are quite justifiably chasing the unquestionable Xabi Alonso. Unfortunately Liverpool are in no mood to sell and they are trying to price him out of the market by putting a price of E50m on his head. So this could become an area of concern for Real.
Now let's look at all the attacking positions which is where most of the interest lies. Kaka is unquestionably the trequartista. Who will be his direct replacement? Perhaps if one of Sneijder or Van Der Vaart don't leave, they will play this role. Otherwise it will have to go to the veteran Guti.
The right wing is quite clearly for Cristiano Ronaldo. There probably isn't any direct replacement which is not surprising because most teams don't keep a large number of predominantly flank players in their squad. So any attacking midfielder will take his place in the team in his absence.
The much more interesting question is about the left flank. Will they persist with Arjen Robben? Current media reports seem to indicate otherwise. It seems like Ribery is the main target even though it's doubtful that they will spend another E70m on him. The other main alternative being considered is David Silva. However one does need to ask the question as to why Robben is being treated so badly. In terms of ability he is quite possibly the best pure winger in the world. Is it mainly due to his frequent injuries? Another suggestion is that his game doesn't contribute enough to the team. I believe that a good coach should be able to address that. Another reason could be that since Robben was Calderon's number one star signing, Perez wants to replace him with one of his own for political reasons.
Finally we come to the position of central striker. Real Madrid currently have 6 strikers in their first team squad. This is too much even for a team which plays with 2 strikers. The possibility of Real playing with just one striker next season looks very high based on the reasons given above. And this position will have to go to the recently signed Benzema. I would say Real Madrid have erred here. If they had just spent a little more money and got David Villa, they would have had much more assured returns. Also it's a bit harsh on Gonzalo Higuain who was possibly Real's best player last season. Is Benzema definitely better than Higuain? Perhaps is would be more fair to give them both an equal chance and see who can prove to be better. Higuain could also be used for one of the flanks at times even though it's not his natural position. When Real do play with two strikers, Benzema and Higuain may not be the ideal combination. The third choice striker would have to be the veteran Raul who will for the first time ever stop being a first team player. Real will probably not keep more than 4 strikers and so while Negredo is almost sure to leave at least on loan, one of Huntelaar or Van Nistelrooy would also be leaving. Since Benzema and Higuain are both very young, it may be a better idea to retain a veteran like Nistelrooy. Of course this would be harsh on Huntelaar since he was never given enough opportunities but perhaps he will get his due at his next club.
On the whole the big question mark remains over Pellegrini. Without doubt his achievements so far have been more than laudable. Yet he has never managed a big club before. To manage such a big team, handle huge egos ( none bigger than C. Ronaldo ), get so many new players to combine effectively into a team and deliver instant results is some challenge. Almost anyone would rate his chances of succeeding and lasting in his job for long as less than 50%.
They have the best goalkeeper in the world and sufficient backup as well.
The central defense is now surprisingly looking strong. With Albiol and Pepe as starters, Metzelder and Garay as backups and Ramos capable of doing the role in emergencies, this is less of a concern now.
The right back role belongs to Sergio Ramos whose inconsistency has never allowed him to really justify his huge potential. Is Real really going for Maicon? I don't think so since they have other important areas to concentrate on. Cover is provided by Miguel Torres who is also cover for left back position and veteran Michel Salgado who doesn't have the legs any more but has been a true Madridista at heart for ever.
The left back role does need reinforcement. Heinze is a joke in the world of defense. Marcelo is not bad but is perhaps best as backup. Miguel Torres is another option for the same. Royston Drenthe is also there but he is mainly an attacking player and is almost sure to either be sold or go out on loan. As for the main left back, a signing is definitely needed. It's strange that Madrid seem to be going for Arbeloa who is predominantly a right back. Instead they should take a look at Inter's Maxwell amongst others.
Then comes the interesting question of defensive midfield. It all depends on what formation Real play. It seems more likely that they will go for 4-2-3-1 rather than 4-4-2. This is because if the latter is adopted then Kaka gets pushed deeper inside and there is only one defensive midfielder which could be very risky for what looks like a very attacking team. So if they play 4-2-3-1 which seems likely then they need two defensive midfielders. In this situation at least one of the defensive midfielders must be a deep lying play maker as well to ensure a smooth flow to the team's game. Lass for all his defensive qualities isn't much of a passer. Mahamadou Diarra is mainly just a destroyer. As for Gago, he is certainly more of a possession player than these two but he is found to be out of his depth in important matches and there are question marks as to whether he is good enough to play in Real Madrid's first team. That's why the club are quite justifiably chasing the unquestionable Xabi Alonso. Unfortunately Liverpool are in no mood to sell and they are trying to price him out of the market by putting a price of E50m on his head. So this could become an area of concern for Real.
Now let's look at all the attacking positions which is where most of the interest lies. Kaka is unquestionably the trequartista. Who will be his direct replacement? Perhaps if one of Sneijder or Van Der Vaart don't leave, they will play this role. Otherwise it will have to go to the veteran Guti.
The right wing is quite clearly for Cristiano Ronaldo. There probably isn't any direct replacement which is not surprising because most teams don't keep a large number of predominantly flank players in their squad. So any attacking midfielder will take his place in the team in his absence.
The much more interesting question is about the left flank. Will they persist with Arjen Robben? Current media reports seem to indicate otherwise. It seems like Ribery is the main target even though it's doubtful that they will spend another E70m on him. The other main alternative being considered is David Silva. However one does need to ask the question as to why Robben is being treated so badly. In terms of ability he is quite possibly the best pure winger in the world. Is it mainly due to his frequent injuries? Another suggestion is that his game doesn't contribute enough to the team. I believe that a good coach should be able to address that. Another reason could be that since Robben was Calderon's number one star signing, Perez wants to replace him with one of his own for political reasons.
Finally we come to the position of central striker. Real Madrid currently have 6 strikers in their first team squad. This is too much even for a team which plays with 2 strikers. The possibility of Real playing with just one striker next season looks very high based on the reasons given above. And this position will have to go to the recently signed Benzema. I would say Real Madrid have erred here. If they had just spent a little more money and got David Villa, they would have had much more assured returns. Also it's a bit harsh on Gonzalo Higuain who was possibly Real's best player last season. Is Benzema definitely better than Higuain? Perhaps is would be more fair to give them both an equal chance and see who can prove to be better. Higuain could also be used for one of the flanks at times even though it's not his natural position. When Real do play with two strikers, Benzema and Higuain may not be the ideal combination. The third choice striker would have to be the veteran Raul who will for the first time ever stop being a first team player. Real will probably not keep more than 4 strikers and so while Negredo is almost sure to leave at least on loan, one of Huntelaar or Van Nistelrooy would also be leaving. Since Benzema and Higuain are both very young, it may be a better idea to retain a veteran like Nistelrooy. Of course this would be harsh on Huntelaar since he was never given enough opportunities but perhaps he will get his due at his next club.
On the whole the big question mark remains over Pellegrini. Without doubt his achievements so far have been more than laudable. Yet he has never managed a big club before. To manage such a big team, handle huge egos ( none bigger than C. Ronaldo ), get so many new players to combine effectively into a team and deliver instant results is some challenge. Almost anyone would rate his chances of succeeding and lasting in his job for long as less than 50%.
Barcelona's Transfer Campaign
If we look at the historic treble winning Barcelona team, at first glance it would seem that there are very few flaws. However if you look carefully you will realize that the team's hopes can be badly dented if there are even a couple of injuries. The biggest problem is that the replacements for the first team players are nowhere near as good in several positions. A good example would be that Iniesta played in the UCL final when he was not fully fit since after that he could not even make it to Spain's Confederations Cup squad. Yet if Iniesta had not played, would Barcelona have won UCL?
The goalkeeper position is secure. Valdes may not be considered world class and is probably considered only the 5th best Spanish goalkeeper after Casillas, Reina, Palop and Lopez. However time and again he has done the job for Barcelona whenever needed and the team as well as the management rely on him. The replacements are not good enough to challenge him but capable of performing basic duties.
The right back position is unquestionably Dani Alves'. However there is just no replacement for him. That's why when Alves is not available Puyol has to shift to the right back position even though he is not a specialist there. This is not a very welcome situation. Yet it doesn't seem as if the club will attempt to correct it this summer. At best they are trying to use Victor Sanchez from their cantera for backup for this position.
The left back position is of even greater concern. Eric Abidal has failed to convince but will still remain first choice. He too has no replacements now. At least Barca are trying to get a left back but they want to get him very cheap. That's why Inter's Maxwell who could have been easily available has been ruled out. The current target is Deportivo's Filipe Luis but even his asking price seems to be too high.
The central defense is also an area of concern. Puyol is getting older and is becoming more susceptible to mistakes. Yet at the moment he is likely to be first choice. Marquez at a similar age is suffering from even worse form. He has been offered only a one year extension which he is reluctant to accept. Pique is promising but his over-commitment towards attack at the cost of defense can cost his team at times. Other than that we have Gabi Milito who there is no report about when he will be back. Caceres does not seem to be at Barca's level. The new signing Henrique may be good but is very inexperienced. He could even go on a loan deal. Quite clearly at least one centre back is needed if not more.
Then let's talk about defensive midfield. Surprisingly this is the area they most seek to reinforce even though this is probably where they are most well covered. Yaya Toure is brilliant and could become a top top player in this position soon. Thankfully his contract has been extended. Then we have Busquets who has been picked up from the cantera and has shown great promise - still not so much of a physical presence but a good possession player. Finally we also have Seydou Keita who while nowhere near Toure can still get the job done. It seems he is now Guardiola's third choice. Yet he is content to be a squad player which is good for the team. Then why is Barcelona so desperate to sign Mascherano? They say it's because of the African Cup of Nations in January. If that's the case they need to sign a mediocre utility player as backup to Busquets and not a master like Mascherano. Any way Liverpool are asking for E50m and that should hopefully be the end of the matter.
Then comes another area of concern. Who can replace Xavi or Iniesta if either were to get injured? At the moment there is only Gudjohnsen who is not at 5% of their level. Sometimes Keita is asked to play this role. Suffice it to say that a serious injury to even one of them at the wrong time can spell doom since there is virtually no cover.
Is there any cover for Henry's position? Well they are trying out Hleb who hasn't really fitted in but will probably be given another chance. There is also Pedro who is developing. Yet in important matches if Henry is not available the tendency is to move Iniesta to that position leaving the attacking midfield a little short on creativity.
What about Messi's position? There seems to be no cover defined. The same players who cover for Henry's position are expected to do that for Messi's position as well.
The most controversial discussion has been saved for last. What about the central striker? The relations with Eto'o are now badly spoilt. I would like to put equal share of the blame on both the club and the player. The player does have attitude and off field problems. There are suggestions that he is not as good as he looks at Barcelona because there are far too many creators helping him out. Yet it cannot be denied that he is a born goal scorer. Also he works very hard for the team. Whatever his off field behavior may be, his on field efforts can rarely be criticized. He has been a part of all of Barca's triumphs in recent seasons - 2 UCL, 3 La Liga. He scored the opening goal in both the UCL finals that Barca won. So he does deserve to be treated better. It wasn't wrong for Barca to hand him a two year extension without any increase in pay because at least 3 players are more valuable than him - Messi, Iniesta and Xavi. However they took a long time to make him that offer. Besides they made statements indicating that they were ready to sell him without first making him this offer. This coupled with the incessant media reports have really severed the relations between the club and the player. Is there a way back? It's hard to see but if Eto'o were to sign the extension, things could be brought back to normal. On the other hand if he insists on staying without signing so that he can leave on a free transfer next summer, he will be doing neither himself nor the club any favors. Barca are known to be strict about this and he could even be ostracized from the squad like Saviola was although he will probably not suffer as much as poor Saviola because of what he has contributed to this team over the years. Still unless he signs the extension it's better for all that he leaves this summer.
Looking at the above situation, signing a central striker is Barca's number one priority now. David Villa is more than ideal. He is possibly the world's best striker. At least his return of goals justifies that because it's even superior to Eto'o's. And if we just leave speed aside he is as good or perhaps even better than Torres. So what's the hitch? The money as always. Valencia are trying to extract maximum cash from this sale and they cannot be blamed for that given their financial situation. At the same time it must not be forgotten that Villa has been an incomparable loyalist among the world's top players - always 100% dedicated and never causing even one problem for his club. Since he is now 27 years old, if he were to say that he wants to move to Barca to fulfill his ambitions, Valencia just should not stand in his way. However Barca must also be ready to pay them well because we are talking about one of the world's best players in a market that's already become inflated due to one Mr. Florentino Perez.
In case the David Villa deal doesn't work out Barca are almost sure to go for Diego Forlan. This isn't that good an option but it's not a bad short term arrangement either. After all in the current situation the club cannot risk being dependent on Eto'o. In case Eto'o does sign an extension we are still a bit short and have to look at the African Cup of Nations issue as well. In such a situation Henry may me moved to the centre with someone else taking his place on the left. Also there is Bojan who while very talented is still something of a greenhorn.
In conclusion what surprises us somewhat is a club as big as Barcelona having won so many trophies has such a limited transfer budget. It seems like it's not that they don't have money but rather it's against their policy to overspend. They believe in getting maximum people from their cantera. While this policy is very commendable, it can cause problems at least in the short term. Looking at the fact that Barca will play 6 competitions next season and also that Real Madrid have spent so much money, the situation may seem a bit apprehensive to a loyal Barcelona fan. However Barcelona have shown that their model is successful and should be able to continue along those lines without necessarily seeing too much immediate success. Since Xavi is already 29 years old, they have their sights firmly set on Fabregas to come and take his place most probably next summer. Another instance of this limited spending is that they could not chase Ibrahimovic and Ribery for long and will have to drop their quest for Mascherano too. Even Silva is expensive for them and so they are now looking at Juan Mata for the role of a competent backup player.
Ultimately all my hopes rest on one factor - please get me David Villa. Not only is he unbelievable quality, his attitude is exemplary, he is Spanish and since he hasn't won major club trophies he will keep the squad motivated even though some others may have the feeling that they have already won everything which to be honest they probably have - at least in club football.
The goalkeeper position is secure. Valdes may not be considered world class and is probably considered only the 5th best Spanish goalkeeper after Casillas, Reina, Palop and Lopez. However time and again he has done the job for Barcelona whenever needed and the team as well as the management rely on him. The replacements are not good enough to challenge him but capable of performing basic duties.
The right back position is unquestionably Dani Alves'. However there is just no replacement for him. That's why when Alves is not available Puyol has to shift to the right back position even though he is not a specialist there. This is not a very welcome situation. Yet it doesn't seem as if the club will attempt to correct it this summer. At best they are trying to use Victor Sanchez from their cantera for backup for this position.
The left back position is of even greater concern. Eric Abidal has failed to convince but will still remain first choice. He too has no replacements now. At least Barca are trying to get a left back but they want to get him very cheap. That's why Inter's Maxwell who could have been easily available has been ruled out. The current target is Deportivo's Filipe Luis but even his asking price seems to be too high.
The central defense is also an area of concern. Puyol is getting older and is becoming more susceptible to mistakes. Yet at the moment he is likely to be first choice. Marquez at a similar age is suffering from even worse form. He has been offered only a one year extension which he is reluctant to accept. Pique is promising but his over-commitment towards attack at the cost of defense can cost his team at times. Other than that we have Gabi Milito who there is no report about when he will be back. Caceres does not seem to be at Barca's level. The new signing Henrique may be good but is very inexperienced. He could even go on a loan deal. Quite clearly at least one centre back is needed if not more.
Then let's talk about defensive midfield. Surprisingly this is the area they most seek to reinforce even though this is probably where they are most well covered. Yaya Toure is brilliant and could become a top top player in this position soon. Thankfully his contract has been extended. Then we have Busquets who has been picked up from the cantera and has shown great promise - still not so much of a physical presence but a good possession player. Finally we also have Seydou Keita who while nowhere near Toure can still get the job done. It seems he is now Guardiola's third choice. Yet he is content to be a squad player which is good for the team. Then why is Barcelona so desperate to sign Mascherano? They say it's because of the African Cup of Nations in January. If that's the case they need to sign a mediocre utility player as backup to Busquets and not a master like Mascherano. Any way Liverpool are asking for E50m and that should hopefully be the end of the matter.
Then comes another area of concern. Who can replace Xavi or Iniesta if either were to get injured? At the moment there is only Gudjohnsen who is not at 5% of their level. Sometimes Keita is asked to play this role. Suffice it to say that a serious injury to even one of them at the wrong time can spell doom since there is virtually no cover.
Is there any cover for Henry's position? Well they are trying out Hleb who hasn't really fitted in but will probably be given another chance. There is also Pedro who is developing. Yet in important matches if Henry is not available the tendency is to move Iniesta to that position leaving the attacking midfield a little short on creativity.
What about Messi's position? There seems to be no cover defined. The same players who cover for Henry's position are expected to do that for Messi's position as well.
The most controversial discussion has been saved for last. What about the central striker? The relations with Eto'o are now badly spoilt. I would like to put equal share of the blame on both the club and the player. The player does have attitude and off field problems. There are suggestions that he is not as good as he looks at Barcelona because there are far too many creators helping him out. Yet it cannot be denied that he is a born goal scorer. Also he works very hard for the team. Whatever his off field behavior may be, his on field efforts can rarely be criticized. He has been a part of all of Barca's triumphs in recent seasons - 2 UCL, 3 La Liga. He scored the opening goal in both the UCL finals that Barca won. So he does deserve to be treated better. It wasn't wrong for Barca to hand him a two year extension without any increase in pay because at least 3 players are more valuable than him - Messi, Iniesta and Xavi. However they took a long time to make him that offer. Besides they made statements indicating that they were ready to sell him without first making him this offer. This coupled with the incessant media reports have really severed the relations between the club and the player. Is there a way back? It's hard to see but if Eto'o were to sign the extension, things could be brought back to normal. On the other hand if he insists on staying without signing so that he can leave on a free transfer next summer, he will be doing neither himself nor the club any favors. Barca are known to be strict about this and he could even be ostracized from the squad like Saviola was although he will probably not suffer as much as poor Saviola because of what he has contributed to this team over the years. Still unless he signs the extension it's better for all that he leaves this summer.
Looking at the above situation, signing a central striker is Barca's number one priority now. David Villa is more than ideal. He is possibly the world's best striker. At least his return of goals justifies that because it's even superior to Eto'o's. And if we just leave speed aside he is as good or perhaps even better than Torres. So what's the hitch? The money as always. Valencia are trying to extract maximum cash from this sale and they cannot be blamed for that given their financial situation. At the same time it must not be forgotten that Villa has been an incomparable loyalist among the world's top players - always 100% dedicated and never causing even one problem for his club. Since he is now 27 years old, if he were to say that he wants to move to Barca to fulfill his ambitions, Valencia just should not stand in his way. However Barca must also be ready to pay them well because we are talking about one of the world's best players in a market that's already become inflated due to one Mr. Florentino Perez.
In case the David Villa deal doesn't work out Barca are almost sure to go for Diego Forlan. This isn't that good an option but it's not a bad short term arrangement either. After all in the current situation the club cannot risk being dependent on Eto'o. In case Eto'o does sign an extension we are still a bit short and have to look at the African Cup of Nations issue as well. In such a situation Henry may me moved to the centre with someone else taking his place on the left. Also there is Bojan who while very talented is still something of a greenhorn.
In conclusion what surprises us somewhat is a club as big as Barcelona having won so many trophies has such a limited transfer budget. It seems like it's not that they don't have money but rather it's against their policy to overspend. They believe in getting maximum people from their cantera. While this policy is very commendable, it can cause problems at least in the short term. Looking at the fact that Barca will play 6 competitions next season and also that Real Madrid have spent so much money, the situation may seem a bit apprehensive to a loyal Barcelona fan. However Barcelona have shown that their model is successful and should be able to continue along those lines without necessarily seeing too much immediate success. Since Xavi is already 29 years old, they have their sights firmly set on Fabregas to come and take his place most probably next summer. Another instance of this limited spending is that they could not chase Ibrahimovic and Ribery for long and will have to drop their quest for Mascherano too. Even Silva is expensive for them and so they are now looking at Juan Mata for the role of a competent backup player.
Ultimately all my hopes rest on one factor - please get me David Villa. Not only is he unbelievable quality, his attitude is exemplary, he is Spanish and since he hasn't won major club trophies he will keep the squad motivated even though some others may have the feeling that they have already won everything which to be honest they probably have - at least in club football.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)