A few minutes ago an EPL match finished with one of the most extraordinary and unpredictable results this season has shown. Chelsea who are almost invincible at home and it's a credit for even the biggest of teams to get even a draw at Stamford Bridge have been defeated by a club whose aim is to make the top 4 after ages and that too beaten quite comfortably. This match and result seems significant in more ways than one. Let's make a list of what conclusions we can draw from it.
1. The EPL title race seems to have been reopened. Just a few weeks back most of us were of the view that the EPL title is almost destined to head to Chelsea but at this point in time that has become quite debatable. It's more like a three horse race now. Chelsea have been hit by a number of problems - some which have always been there but not been specifically pointed out and some which have come quite unexpectedly. They have been struggling in away matches and for it now to be shown that they can be vulnerable at home as well does them no favors. The injury to goal keeper Cech means Hilario now has to be in goal for a month or so. To most he does not appear to be good enough to face up to the biggest of matches. Has Chelsea erred by keeping a weak number 2 and letting Carlo Cudicini leave? Then the defense is looking increasingly less convincing with each match. Terry has been making too many mistakes in the last few matches. Some say this is due to his well known personal problems but whatever the reason it's costing the team and he is too big a name to be dropped. With both Ashley Cole and Zhirkov out the left back position is a problem. Michael Essien is a huge miss in central midfield with John Obi Mikel not looking good enough most of the times. There is a slight lack of both creativity and cutting edge in the attack. Joe Cole coming back is good news for them but without him there is a lack of creativity. Anelka too seems to have gone a little into his shell after an excellent start to the season. Chelsea are still league leaders but ManUtd are just one point behind. The latter are short of world class players and are also not without their injury problems but they have two huge aces up their sleeve - the red hot Wayne Rooney and the master Sir Alex Ferguson who in the last few years has given a tutorial on just how a club should handle injury problems. And Arsenal has been gifted the kind of chance that they would be stupid not to take full advantage of. Arguably a team with better overall attacking prowess or at least creativity than the other two they need to win at Stoke today which is easier said than done but it will put them just 3 points away from the top. They have a comparatively easier run of fixtures after that. With Fabregas running the team every time they need Arshavin to come back to his world class best. With that and some other basic problems such as the goal keeper and the central striker which need to be handled at least to an extent Arsenal must now go all out for the title.
2. As a separate point let's discuss just what the title would mean to each team. There is mainly one reason for Carlo Ancelotti, who has a more than decent claim to be called the best manager in UCL in a long time, to sometimes not be considered when a list of the world's best coaches is made. And that is quite obviously the lack of league titles. One Serie A title in eight years at Milan is just not good enough. He is more than expected to win EPL this time because on paper Chelsea have the best squad of all. Besides not doing that would mean giving a chance to biggest adversary Mourinho to claim that only he can win the title in his very first year in England. To ManUtd it means the chance to fulfill Sir Alex's long cherished dream to overhaul Liverpool as the club with the most league titles in England as they are tied right now. Besides four league titles in a row is unprecedented in England and it's also a chance for Rooney to establish himself as not just the best player in England but right up there with the very best in the world. And what of Arsenal who have gone 4 years without any trophy and 5 years without the title. Winning EPL would mean Arsene Wenger answering all his numerous critics and showing that success can be got without spending big money. And since Arsenal is out of both the cups this really is their best chance to win a trophy with UCL being that much more competitive and unpredictable.
3. My apologies that I haven't yet talked about the team that needs to be lauded for such a huge achievement. ManCity have lost all chances to win a trophy this year. Indeed after the FA Cup exit there was even talk of sacking Roberto Mancini. However no matter how much a trophy would mean it's arguable that a top 4 finish in the EPL and then capitalizing it to make the group stages in UCL after what has to be called an eternity would mean even more to the club. Now sitting on 4th place with a game in hand this is the least this club needs to aim for. The 4th place race in England is arguably even more exciting than the title race. However there is more to this victory. It's been an excellent day for Mancini who has made himself safe in the hot seat for some time. What's more he's once more put one over his old rival Ancelotti. And it's been a little less than 20 years since ManCity won a league game at Stamford Bridge. Even more ManCity have now done the double over Chelsea after more than 50 years. We can only imagine the kind of joy their supporters would be feeling now. Mancio has written his name in the club's history and taken a place in the supporter's hearts with this result.
4. Let's also talk a little about ManCity as a team and their players. Shay Given was arguably their purchase of the decade or some such thing. Reliable whenever he is needed and extraordinary at times how Arsenal could do with a goal keeper like that. The defense is still not fully convincing but it is showing signs of improvement having benefited from getting to know the Italian way from Mancini. The problem area remains the midfield which is not even up to the mark in England leave alone the world. More aptly it's the biggest weakness of the entire team that they are a poor passing side that just cannot keep the ball. One touch, two touches and after that the third player just has to play a long ball that may or may not end up at the right place. The team's confidence of playing on the ground is really low. The attack though is a different story. Even after letting Robinho go and having a Santa Cruz struggling for fitness ManCity do have a lot at their disposal. Adebayor, if he can keep his temper in check and his attitude under control, can be a real handful for defenses and can score goals at a steady pace. Yours truly takes pride in saying that this summer he said quite clearly that Carlos Tevez is that single player that can take ManCity to the next level. And it does look possible this season or soon after that. With his work rate, skills, intelligence, strength ( both physical and mental ) and finishing the Argentine really is the talisman of this side that they cannot do without. And finally a word about who its fair to say has been a very underrated player throughout his career - Craig Bellamy. We are not saying he is world class but he is a very competent player for sure. He has pace, the ability to run with and without the ball, can tirelessly work for the side and is well capable of scoring goals with commendable shooting ability. At times it's worth wondering why Benitez let him go. Yes Torres had just been purchased but with the kind of mediocrity Benitez stuffs his Liverpool squad with, he could do much worse than Bellamy. Any way the Welshman is now at just the right club and more than deserves a place in the starting 11.
5. Let's end with one more look at Chelsea's troubles but from a different perspective. Among all the 8 UCL ties whose first legs have been played the bookies rate the one between Chelsea and Inter as the most finely balanced. They do however still rate Chelsea as the favorites. Jose Mourinho who will be serving a long touchline ban in Serie A still gets enough reason to rejoice because this match proves that there are enough chinks in Chelsea'a armor for the 'Special One' to exploit. So what happens if Inter do get the better of Chelsea? And to add to that Chelsea cannot claim the EPL title either? Will Ancelotti be shown the door and Chelsea returns next season with a new coach for the umpteenth time? Well your guess is as good as mine. One point worth considering is that they cannot get Guus Hiddink back since he has committed to Turkey and bringing Mourinho back would mean Roman Abramovich having to lower his ego. All we can do at the moment is wait and watch.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Reflections : Inter Milan vs. Chelsea
It was said to be the biggest tie of the UCL round of 16 for 2009-10. It was also meant to be a personal battle between Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho. What we got in the end was not a spectacle in terms of the football played but still an exciting game with several unpredictable moments.
The start itself was quite sensational. A well worked team move by Inter was finished off with aplomb by Diego Milito. John Terry was at fault for the goal but it was a very good finish showing why Milito should be ranked with the very best strikers in the world today if he is not already given that status. It was also a message to Diego Maradona that if he does not take El Principe to WC 2010 he would be committing harakiri.
Then onwards Chelsea dominated possession in the first half and Inter were content to sit back a little and soak up the pressure. However when Inter did get possession they launched very quick attacks which looked a wee bit more precise than the ones Chelsea launched and Inter's rearguard also looked that much more reassured than Chelsea's. Chelsea did have several shots at goal and even on target but mostly from long distances. Drogba's shots did look dangerous though including one free kick he took. The reason Chelsea could not get players close to Inter's goal was a very commendable performance by Inter's back line. Lucio needs to be singled out for not only speed of feet but more importantly his ability to read the game. Also the ageless warrior Javier Zanetti playing as left back this time was yet again very good doing all of helping out his central defenders, adding an extra midfielder in the pitch and of course running along the flanks to launch attacks. This is another player who Maradona should just not leave out because no matter where he plays he can and will make a difference.
Inter had a really good chance to double their lead when the ball fell to Samuel Eto'o and Chelsea's defenders were slightly away from him. Unfortunately the Cameroonian's touch let him down and the chance was wasted. In all Eto'o didn't have a good game. Other than this missed chance he did take a few decent touches but did not look sharp or clinical enough especially considering he was that one sure shot world class player Inter had been proud to acquire this summer.
The came a moment of controversy when Diego Milito went down in the box. It's not very clear whether there was any contact on him but even if there was it was slight and Milito did exaggerate it. He was booked for that but this will remain a talking point.
A much bigger moment of controversy and more came right at the end of the first half. Chelsea had a very strong claim for a penalty because from a throw in Salomon Kalou had caught the Inter defense napping and had raced towards their goal only to be fouled by Walter Samuel very close to the goal mouth. The replays clearly show both the defender's hand and his leg making contact with the attacker. The referee was far away from the incident and waved play on without consulting the linesman. Needless to say this will remain the biggest talking point in the match and how a penalty for Chelsea at that stage could have altered the complexion of the match and consequently the tie.
The second half began and continued in much the same way. Just when the game seemed like it was settling down Chelsea scored almost out of the blue. A decent long shot by Kalou who did play a part in several important moments hit Julio Cesar's hand when he was trying to save it but the goal keeper who is currently known as one of the world's best did the unexpected by pushing it into his own net while trying to keep it out. 1-1 and Chelsea were back in it.
However just when it seemed it would be one more of the sorry European stories for Inter and Chelsea would show what a powerful European team they are Inter got one more goal. A rebound from Chelsea's penalty area was struck so wonderfully by Esteban Cambiasso using such great technique that Petr Cech had no chance. 2-1 and Inter in the driving seat once again. And before we forget Mr. Maradona this is another player who you should not ignore and Walter Samuel as well.
However a 2-1 win in a home leg is by no means a safe result and could even arguably be called an even result. Knowing this a bit too well Mourinho decided to gamble especially seeing that Chelsea's rearguard which had Malouda playing as a makeshift left back did not look very convincing. He threw on Balotelli to replace Thiago Motta when Motta had actually had quite a decent game going one on one with Michael Ballack and giving him a tough time both offensively and defensively. Mourinho was encouraged to go for the jugular even more when Petr Cech suffered a major injury and had to be replaced by Henrique Hilario. He finally replaced Eto'o who had arguably been one of Inter's worst players on the night with the exciting Balotelli.
After this the action promised much with both sides wanting one more goal but nothing much happened. There was a really good shot by Lampard which Cesar saved well and Zanetti prevented the Chelsea players from having any chance with the rebound.
So it ended 2-1 and one has to say it is fantastically poised.
This has got to be one of Inter's best performances in a UCL knock out match or even in a UCL match against top class opposition in many years. This team was completely unrecognizable from the team that faced Manchester United last year in the first leg at the same stage at home, got battered in the first half and were very lucky not to concede a goal. Overall Mourinho's teams are nothing if they don't have character and this team certainly showed enough of it.
Can Inter finally make their mark in Europe? Can Mourinho put one over his old club? During the last few days the Special One has put on a garb of friendliness towards Chelsea. Well it would be worth reminding that immediately after leaving his post as Chelsea manager Mourinho had proclaimed that if he ever met Chelsea he would absolutely knock them out. A 2-1 lead is not a big one and can easily be overturned even by a 1-0 result. However there is another side to it. If Inter score first at Stamford Bridge one would have to call them favorites for the tie because Mourinho sure has the capability to shore up the rearguard enough so as not to concede two goals in ninety minutes. Chelsea will at least be worried. Will their continuous dominance as a powerful UCL team be met by a somewhat surprising early exit? Only time can answer all these questions and one just cannot wait for the second leg.
What would it mean to Inter if they can progress to the quarter finals? Well literally everything. Finally they would have made something of a mark in Europe and Mourinho would have to be considered one of the best managers of the modern era if he is not already considered that by some people. What's more is that they will feel such a surge of confidence that they would be well capable of beating any team. In fact after this anything less than winning the UCL title would be seen as a disappointment. Also it's worth mentioning that even though Inter have been domestically dominant for the last few years they have still been a bit surprisingly outperformed by an aging Milan side in UCL. This time Milan is very unlikely to go through against ManUtd. So it would also be time to put one over their city rivals while also keeping them away from the Scudetto in what is once again becoming a somewhat open race for the Serie A title.
The start itself was quite sensational. A well worked team move by Inter was finished off with aplomb by Diego Milito. John Terry was at fault for the goal but it was a very good finish showing why Milito should be ranked with the very best strikers in the world today if he is not already given that status. It was also a message to Diego Maradona that if he does not take El Principe to WC 2010 he would be committing harakiri.
Then onwards Chelsea dominated possession in the first half and Inter were content to sit back a little and soak up the pressure. However when Inter did get possession they launched very quick attacks which looked a wee bit more precise than the ones Chelsea launched and Inter's rearguard also looked that much more reassured than Chelsea's. Chelsea did have several shots at goal and even on target but mostly from long distances. Drogba's shots did look dangerous though including one free kick he took. The reason Chelsea could not get players close to Inter's goal was a very commendable performance by Inter's back line. Lucio needs to be singled out for not only speed of feet but more importantly his ability to read the game. Also the ageless warrior Javier Zanetti playing as left back this time was yet again very good doing all of helping out his central defenders, adding an extra midfielder in the pitch and of course running along the flanks to launch attacks. This is another player who Maradona should just not leave out because no matter where he plays he can and will make a difference.
Inter had a really good chance to double their lead when the ball fell to Samuel Eto'o and Chelsea's defenders were slightly away from him. Unfortunately the Cameroonian's touch let him down and the chance was wasted. In all Eto'o didn't have a good game. Other than this missed chance he did take a few decent touches but did not look sharp or clinical enough especially considering he was that one sure shot world class player Inter had been proud to acquire this summer.
The came a moment of controversy when Diego Milito went down in the box. It's not very clear whether there was any contact on him but even if there was it was slight and Milito did exaggerate it. He was booked for that but this will remain a talking point.
A much bigger moment of controversy and more came right at the end of the first half. Chelsea had a very strong claim for a penalty because from a throw in Salomon Kalou had caught the Inter defense napping and had raced towards their goal only to be fouled by Walter Samuel very close to the goal mouth. The replays clearly show both the defender's hand and his leg making contact with the attacker. The referee was far away from the incident and waved play on without consulting the linesman. Needless to say this will remain the biggest talking point in the match and how a penalty for Chelsea at that stage could have altered the complexion of the match and consequently the tie.
The second half began and continued in much the same way. Just when the game seemed like it was settling down Chelsea scored almost out of the blue. A decent long shot by Kalou who did play a part in several important moments hit Julio Cesar's hand when he was trying to save it but the goal keeper who is currently known as one of the world's best did the unexpected by pushing it into his own net while trying to keep it out. 1-1 and Chelsea were back in it.
However just when it seemed it would be one more of the sorry European stories for Inter and Chelsea would show what a powerful European team they are Inter got one more goal. A rebound from Chelsea's penalty area was struck so wonderfully by Esteban Cambiasso using such great technique that Petr Cech had no chance. 2-1 and Inter in the driving seat once again. And before we forget Mr. Maradona this is another player who you should not ignore and Walter Samuel as well.
However a 2-1 win in a home leg is by no means a safe result and could even arguably be called an even result. Knowing this a bit too well Mourinho decided to gamble especially seeing that Chelsea's rearguard which had Malouda playing as a makeshift left back did not look very convincing. He threw on Balotelli to replace Thiago Motta when Motta had actually had quite a decent game going one on one with Michael Ballack and giving him a tough time both offensively and defensively. Mourinho was encouraged to go for the jugular even more when Petr Cech suffered a major injury and had to be replaced by Henrique Hilario. He finally replaced Eto'o who had arguably been one of Inter's worst players on the night with the exciting Balotelli.
After this the action promised much with both sides wanting one more goal but nothing much happened. There was a really good shot by Lampard which Cesar saved well and Zanetti prevented the Chelsea players from having any chance with the rebound.
So it ended 2-1 and one has to say it is fantastically poised.
This has got to be one of Inter's best performances in a UCL knock out match or even in a UCL match against top class opposition in many years. This team was completely unrecognizable from the team that faced Manchester United last year in the first leg at the same stage at home, got battered in the first half and were very lucky not to concede a goal. Overall Mourinho's teams are nothing if they don't have character and this team certainly showed enough of it.
Can Inter finally make their mark in Europe? Can Mourinho put one over his old club? During the last few days the Special One has put on a garb of friendliness towards Chelsea. Well it would be worth reminding that immediately after leaving his post as Chelsea manager Mourinho had proclaimed that if he ever met Chelsea he would absolutely knock them out. A 2-1 lead is not a big one and can easily be overturned even by a 1-0 result. However there is another side to it. If Inter score first at Stamford Bridge one would have to call them favorites for the tie because Mourinho sure has the capability to shore up the rearguard enough so as not to concede two goals in ninety minutes. Chelsea will at least be worried. Will their continuous dominance as a powerful UCL team be met by a somewhat surprising early exit? Only time can answer all these questions and one just cannot wait for the second leg.
What would it mean to Inter if they can progress to the quarter finals? Well literally everything. Finally they would have made something of a mark in Europe and Mourinho would have to be considered one of the best managers of the modern era if he is not already considered that by some people. What's more is that they will feel such a surge of confidence that they would be well capable of beating any team. In fact after this anything less than winning the UCL title would be seen as a disappointment. Also it's worth mentioning that even though Inter have been domestically dominant for the last few years they have still been a bit surprisingly outperformed by an aging Milan side in UCL. This time Milan is very unlikely to go through against ManUtd. So it would also be time to put one over their city rivals while also keeping them away from the Scudetto in what is once again becoming a somewhat open race for the Serie A title.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Reflections : Top 20 Transfers Of The Winter Transfer Window
The January transfer window has just closed. While it is never as exciting as the summer transfer window at times acquisitions in January do make a difference to the club's season. Here is a list of the top twenty transfers that happened in this window. Please add others which you think were equally or even more noteworthy but have been missed in this list. The list is presented in reverse order of significance in the sense either the importance of the player to the club or the importance of the player to his national team or the profile of the player in general.
20. Tremendous youth prospect Keirrison who was purchased by Barcelona last summer and then loaned to Benfica has now moved to Fiorentina. At Benfica he saw negligible game time. At Fiorentina it's difficult to say whether his situation will improve. Adrian Mutu's failed drug test means the possibility of a long term ban. The Viola has not signed any other forward. Could this mean that Keirrison will see more minutes? Could it also mean that he may get to play in the UCL?
19. Due to some injured and several other poorly performing midfielders Juventus have pinned some of their hopes on recently signed Antonio Candreva who has been procured on loan from Udinese. He is said to be a talented young midfielder but it's too much to ask of him to make much of a difference to the floundering season that the Old Lady is currently having.
18. Inter Milan tried hard to sign a midfielder this winter especially a midfielder who could give them some extra physical presence. The stalwarts such as Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso are still going strong but age is not on their side. Inter had almost signed Manuel Fernandes from Valencia but the deal feel through due to a failed medical. They then went after Lazio rebel Christian Ledesma but Claudio Lotito proved too stubborn to convince even though some feel that he has risked squad morale in times when Lazio is facing a relegation dogfight by retaining Ledesma who it's almost guaranteed will not play at all this season. Then Inter tried for Palermo's Fabio Simplico but the negotiations took time and nothing could be settled in the given duration. So finally they went for Kenyan international McDonald Mariga who has arrived from Parma on a co-ownership deal.
17. Error prone central defender Phillipe Senderos who had a big hand in Arsenal's elimination from UCL 2007-08 in the quarter final at the hands of Liverpool and who has since then not been able to inspire any confidence from Arsene Wenger has been loaned to Everton.
16. South African international striker Benni McCarthy who has not been a regular in the national team for some time but on whom the nation still pin their hopes has moved from Blackburn to West Ham where he would naturally expect to see much more playing time.
15. In a story that shocked quite a few people Tottenham Hotspur captain Robbie Keane was loaned to Celtic on transfer deadline day. A few years ago Keane along with Dimitar Berbatov formed a deadly striking duo at Spurs. When his form was at its peak Rafa Benitez decided to bring him to Liverpool and amidst accusations of tapping Tottenham released him. Keane could never make it at Anfield. Some say that he was never good enough to play for a top club while others say that Benitez did not use him properly. After just half a year he was sold back to Tottenham where manager Harry Redknapp even made him the club captain. Once again he was in the starting lineup this time being paired alongside Jermaine Defoe. However Keane's form continued to fall and he was eventually replaced in the starting lineup this season by Peter Crouch. Despite this his manager openly praised him in the media for showing exemplary professionalism. It has now been said that Keane was so desperate for regular playing time that he decided to move on any way.
14. Former Chelsea and Barcelona forward Eidur Gudjohnsen who has had a disastrous six months at Monaco has now moved to Tottenham Hotspur. His arrival may have had something to do with the departure of Keane.
13. In another bizarre twist Arsenal have signed ex-player and veteran central defender Sol Campbell on a free transfer. Seems even an aged Campbell is a better bet than Senderos for 'The Professor'.
12. When at Juventus Tiago said that he was not able to play well because the league is very tactical making it too difficult for him. So he has now moved to Atletico Madrid since in the Spanish league technique counts much more than tactics and he hopes to show that he is much better technically than he is tactically.
11. Hitherto almost unknown Argentine forward Alejandro 'Chori' Dominguez who lit up the group stage of the UCL this season with some inspiring performances has moved to Valencia from his previous club Rubin Kazan. It remains to be seen how much game time he will get when competing against the likes of David Silva, Juan Mata, Pablo Hernandez, Joaquin and even the injury prone Vicente but this is a talent to keep an eye on for sure.
10. You may be thinking that Juventus fans can nowadays barely muster a smile. Well at last they have found some reason to make an attempt at a half smile at least. Error prone left back Cristian Molinaro who had become something of a figure of mirth in Serie A has moved to Stuttgart. Now consider this. In the second round of the UCL Molinaro will be coming up against one Mr. Lionel Messi who incidentally plays on the right flank. That "duel" should provide some extra entertainment to the viewers if nothing else.
9. Former Barcelona prodigy Giovanni Dos Santos who was hardly seeing any playing time at erstwhile club Tottenham Hotspur still managed to play a vital role in his country Mexico's world cup qualification campaign. Now he has done both himself and his national team manager Javier Aguirre a big favor by moving on to Galatasaray to join his former manager Frank Rijkaard under whom he is likely to see a good amount of playing time. This has got to one of best transfers of this window from a player's perspective.
8. Amantino Mancini made a good name for himself when playing at Roma. In a UCL knock out tie he even scored a memorable solo against Lyon. Yet after his move to Inter his career seemed to have stagnated. It's not that easy to understand what exactly went wrong because in spite of being in the same league and playing in virtually the same position as before he was unable to make any sort of impact. Jose Mourinho's proposed 4-3-3 system did not work with Ricardo Quaresma also proving a flop. Once Mourinho gave up this system game time proved very scarce for Mancini and he could make little use of whatever negligible time he got. So he is now trying his luck at not very far away but in the red and black half of the same city.
7. Thomas Hitzlsperger has become quite a regular name in Joachim Loew's Germany team. Surprisingly he has been unable to hold down a first team place at Stuttgart. Germans have for years hardly moved to Italy. Yet this German has done just that by joining Lazio in order to ensure that he is chosen for WC 2010 but he must pull his socks up for the relegation dogfight that he has now got into.
6. Veteran star Argentine striker Hernan Crespo has returned to Parma from Genoa. Parma is the club where Crespo first shone in Europe and then moved to Lazio in what was then one of the costliest transfers. Crespo says that he's trying hard to get a place in the Argentina squad for WC 2010. His task is not made easier by the fact that Argentina probably have more top class forwards than any other country in the world.
5. Still in name he is captain of the French national team but Patrick Vieira has hardly been called up in recent times mainly due to extended injury spells. Frustrated at not seeing enough game time at Inter Milan Vieria in a last throw of the dice has moved to mega rich Manchester City. He may still find it hard to replace the likes of Nigel De Jong and Garreth Barry in the heart of City's midfield but the traditional Italian conservatism of manager Roberto Mancini may see him be used to close out games. Also Mancini may look up to Vieria in games which become more like battles. Needless to say Vieria's main aim is to make it to WC 2010.
4. For long Roma has cried out for a classic number 9 target man striker. For quite some time Franceso Totti who is actually a brilliant second striker was forced to play this role. Now with the signing of Luca Toni on a free from Bayern Munich where he had a major fall out with manager Louis Van Gaal Roma have got just what they wanted. Toni is desperate to make it to Italy's squad for WC 2010 but his form in recent years has not warranted a place for him. It's now up to him to perform well enough to combat the not so tough competition from his rivals and we can be sure that from his side Luca will do his very best.
3. Celebrity veteran footballer David Beckham has once again joined A C Milan on a season long loan from L A Galaxy like he did last season. He hopes to make enough of an impression on England boss Fabio Capello so as to bag a place in the WC 2010 squad. Last season Beckham surprised all but his most ardent fans by performances of such quality that he even displaced the mercurial but indisciplined Brazilian Ronaldinho from the first team. This season it will be more difficult for him because Ronaldinho now has a settled place on the left flank while Beckham's right flank place belongs to young Alexandre Pato who it can be said offers more to the forward line than the veteran can. Still Becks should be making some substitute appearances at the very least.
2. It's too early to say whether this is the shrewdest acquisition of this winter but Goran Pandev who somehow got his contract with Lazio rescinded has since arriving at Inter Milan already showed enough to suggest that he is first team material in a top club and can even endanger the place of superstar striker Samuel Eto'o. Could Pandev have a major role to play against Chelsea in the UCL? Let's wait and watch.
1. Let's end with one that is a win-win for all. Robinho about whom Der Kaiser has said that he is best fit to play in a circus has moved to club Santos in his native Brazil to "suck his thumbs" if we quote what a Goal.com editor recently wrote. Jokes aside Robinho is very serious about ensuring a place in Brazil's WC 2010 squad and preferably even first team and for that his priority is playing time. For Manchester City's no-nonsense manager his lack of commitment had become a serious concern. He had not done enough to be an unquestioned first teamer unlike Carlos Tevez whose work rate if compared to Robinho would seem like comparing chalk and cheese. Mancini offered a rotational position in the team to Robinho at best which he refused. Mancini does not mind his move too much since he now feels that he is able to maintain squad unity and morale better especially because City are very serious about trying to bag a top four place in the EPL after ages.
20. Tremendous youth prospect Keirrison who was purchased by Barcelona last summer and then loaned to Benfica has now moved to Fiorentina. At Benfica he saw negligible game time. At Fiorentina it's difficult to say whether his situation will improve. Adrian Mutu's failed drug test means the possibility of a long term ban. The Viola has not signed any other forward. Could this mean that Keirrison will see more minutes? Could it also mean that he may get to play in the UCL?
19. Due to some injured and several other poorly performing midfielders Juventus have pinned some of their hopes on recently signed Antonio Candreva who has been procured on loan from Udinese. He is said to be a talented young midfielder but it's too much to ask of him to make much of a difference to the floundering season that the Old Lady is currently having.
18. Inter Milan tried hard to sign a midfielder this winter especially a midfielder who could give them some extra physical presence. The stalwarts such as Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso are still going strong but age is not on their side. Inter had almost signed Manuel Fernandes from Valencia but the deal feel through due to a failed medical. They then went after Lazio rebel Christian Ledesma but Claudio Lotito proved too stubborn to convince even though some feel that he has risked squad morale in times when Lazio is facing a relegation dogfight by retaining Ledesma who it's almost guaranteed will not play at all this season. Then Inter tried for Palermo's Fabio Simplico but the negotiations took time and nothing could be settled in the given duration. So finally they went for Kenyan international McDonald Mariga who has arrived from Parma on a co-ownership deal.
17. Error prone central defender Phillipe Senderos who had a big hand in Arsenal's elimination from UCL 2007-08 in the quarter final at the hands of Liverpool and who has since then not been able to inspire any confidence from Arsene Wenger has been loaned to Everton.
16. South African international striker Benni McCarthy who has not been a regular in the national team for some time but on whom the nation still pin their hopes has moved from Blackburn to West Ham where he would naturally expect to see much more playing time.
15. In a story that shocked quite a few people Tottenham Hotspur captain Robbie Keane was loaned to Celtic on transfer deadline day. A few years ago Keane along with Dimitar Berbatov formed a deadly striking duo at Spurs. When his form was at its peak Rafa Benitez decided to bring him to Liverpool and amidst accusations of tapping Tottenham released him. Keane could never make it at Anfield. Some say that he was never good enough to play for a top club while others say that Benitez did not use him properly. After just half a year he was sold back to Tottenham where manager Harry Redknapp even made him the club captain. Once again he was in the starting lineup this time being paired alongside Jermaine Defoe. However Keane's form continued to fall and he was eventually replaced in the starting lineup this season by Peter Crouch. Despite this his manager openly praised him in the media for showing exemplary professionalism. It has now been said that Keane was so desperate for regular playing time that he decided to move on any way.
14. Former Chelsea and Barcelona forward Eidur Gudjohnsen who has had a disastrous six months at Monaco has now moved to Tottenham Hotspur. His arrival may have had something to do with the departure of Keane.
13. In another bizarre twist Arsenal have signed ex-player and veteran central defender Sol Campbell on a free transfer. Seems even an aged Campbell is a better bet than Senderos for 'The Professor'.
12. When at Juventus Tiago said that he was not able to play well because the league is very tactical making it too difficult for him. So he has now moved to Atletico Madrid since in the Spanish league technique counts much more than tactics and he hopes to show that he is much better technically than he is tactically.
11. Hitherto almost unknown Argentine forward Alejandro 'Chori' Dominguez who lit up the group stage of the UCL this season with some inspiring performances has moved to Valencia from his previous club Rubin Kazan. It remains to be seen how much game time he will get when competing against the likes of David Silva, Juan Mata, Pablo Hernandez, Joaquin and even the injury prone Vicente but this is a talent to keep an eye on for sure.
10. You may be thinking that Juventus fans can nowadays barely muster a smile. Well at last they have found some reason to make an attempt at a half smile at least. Error prone left back Cristian Molinaro who had become something of a figure of mirth in Serie A has moved to Stuttgart. Now consider this. In the second round of the UCL Molinaro will be coming up against one Mr. Lionel Messi who incidentally plays on the right flank. That "duel" should provide some extra entertainment to the viewers if nothing else.
9. Former Barcelona prodigy Giovanni Dos Santos who was hardly seeing any playing time at erstwhile club Tottenham Hotspur still managed to play a vital role in his country Mexico's world cup qualification campaign. Now he has done both himself and his national team manager Javier Aguirre a big favor by moving on to Galatasaray to join his former manager Frank Rijkaard under whom he is likely to see a good amount of playing time. This has got to one of best transfers of this window from a player's perspective.
8. Amantino Mancini made a good name for himself when playing at Roma. In a UCL knock out tie he even scored a memorable solo against Lyon. Yet after his move to Inter his career seemed to have stagnated. It's not that easy to understand what exactly went wrong because in spite of being in the same league and playing in virtually the same position as before he was unable to make any sort of impact. Jose Mourinho's proposed 4-3-3 system did not work with Ricardo Quaresma also proving a flop. Once Mourinho gave up this system game time proved very scarce for Mancini and he could make little use of whatever negligible time he got. So he is now trying his luck at not very far away but in the red and black half of the same city.
7. Thomas Hitzlsperger has become quite a regular name in Joachim Loew's Germany team. Surprisingly he has been unable to hold down a first team place at Stuttgart. Germans have for years hardly moved to Italy. Yet this German has done just that by joining Lazio in order to ensure that he is chosen for WC 2010 but he must pull his socks up for the relegation dogfight that he has now got into.
6. Veteran star Argentine striker Hernan Crespo has returned to Parma from Genoa. Parma is the club where Crespo first shone in Europe and then moved to Lazio in what was then one of the costliest transfers. Crespo says that he's trying hard to get a place in the Argentina squad for WC 2010. His task is not made easier by the fact that Argentina probably have more top class forwards than any other country in the world.
5. Still in name he is captain of the French national team but Patrick Vieira has hardly been called up in recent times mainly due to extended injury spells. Frustrated at not seeing enough game time at Inter Milan Vieria in a last throw of the dice has moved to mega rich Manchester City. He may still find it hard to replace the likes of Nigel De Jong and Garreth Barry in the heart of City's midfield but the traditional Italian conservatism of manager Roberto Mancini may see him be used to close out games. Also Mancini may look up to Vieria in games which become more like battles. Needless to say Vieria's main aim is to make it to WC 2010.
4. For long Roma has cried out for a classic number 9 target man striker. For quite some time Franceso Totti who is actually a brilliant second striker was forced to play this role. Now with the signing of Luca Toni on a free from Bayern Munich where he had a major fall out with manager Louis Van Gaal Roma have got just what they wanted. Toni is desperate to make it to Italy's squad for WC 2010 but his form in recent years has not warranted a place for him. It's now up to him to perform well enough to combat the not so tough competition from his rivals and we can be sure that from his side Luca will do his very best.
3. Celebrity veteran footballer David Beckham has once again joined A C Milan on a season long loan from L A Galaxy like he did last season. He hopes to make enough of an impression on England boss Fabio Capello so as to bag a place in the WC 2010 squad. Last season Beckham surprised all but his most ardent fans by performances of such quality that he even displaced the mercurial but indisciplined Brazilian Ronaldinho from the first team. This season it will be more difficult for him because Ronaldinho now has a settled place on the left flank while Beckham's right flank place belongs to young Alexandre Pato who it can be said offers more to the forward line than the veteran can. Still Becks should be making some substitute appearances at the very least.
2. It's too early to say whether this is the shrewdest acquisition of this winter but Goran Pandev who somehow got his contract with Lazio rescinded has since arriving at Inter Milan already showed enough to suggest that he is first team material in a top club and can even endanger the place of superstar striker Samuel Eto'o. Could Pandev have a major role to play against Chelsea in the UCL? Let's wait and watch.
1. Let's end with one that is a win-win for all. Robinho about whom Der Kaiser has said that he is best fit to play in a circus has moved to club Santos in his native Brazil to "suck his thumbs" if we quote what a Goal.com editor recently wrote. Jokes aside Robinho is very serious about ensuring a place in Brazil's WC 2010 squad and preferably even first team and for that his priority is playing time. For Manchester City's no-nonsense manager his lack of commitment had become a serious concern. He had not done enough to be an unquestioned first teamer unlike Carlos Tevez whose work rate if compared to Robinho would seem like comparing chalk and cheese. Mancini offered a rotational position in the team to Robinho at best which he refused. Mancini does not mind his move too much since he now feels that he is able to maintain squad unity and morale better especially because City are very serious about trying to bag a top four place in the EPL after ages.
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