Here is a look at 7 major title races in Europe. Although the ones chosen are not the top 7 in terms of Uefa rankings they are ordered according to the Uefa ranking of 2010 and the Uefa rank of each one is given in brackets.
1. English Premier League ( Rank - 1st )
Contenders :-
i) Manchester United ( 69 points from 31 matches ) - Looking to make it an unprecedented 4th time in a row and also surpass Liverpool as the English club with maximum league titles there is a slight suspicion this could be Sir Alex Ferguson's swansong especially if successful. Wayne Rooney's inspirational form is the other reason for bookies now rating them as the favorites.
ii) Chelsea ( 68 points from 31 matches ) - The exit from the UCL seems to have left some scars. In addition to that the well publicized scandals of leading stars like John Terry and Ashley Cole is said to have damaged the morale at the club. To that there is another problem of some of the stars coming to the end of their contracts and no agreement on a new contract in sight for them. The latest rumor is that the owner Mr. Roman Abramovich has issued an ultimatum that they must win one title at least if they all want a future at the club. Due to several such problems some are rating them as the last of the favorites at the moment but Chelsea is still very much in this title race.
iii) Arsenal ( 67 points from 31 matches ) - After 4 trophy less seasons this time fans desperately want to see some silverware won. Some are still not convinced that this squad has enough resilience in it for facing the toughest of battles but in the last few weeks they have managed to convert at least a few of the erstwhile sceptics. Can Arsene Wenger prove to the whole world that big trophies can be won without spending big money?
Outsiders :-
None since it's clearly between these 3 clubs.
2. Spanish La Primera Liga ( Rank - 2nd )
Contenders :-
i) Barcelona ( 71 points from 28 matches ) - While some say that the team is not at their world beating levels of last season all agree that Lionel Messi is indisputably the best player in the world and unstoppable on his day. Still with tough ties to negotiate in UCL and a team in which certain aspects are still not working that well, is Messi enough to take them to their 2nd successive title against deadly competition from their eternal rivals?
ii) Real Madrid ( 71 points from 28 matches ) - Perhaps the only hope Manuel Pellegrini has of saving his job after an unceremonious exit in the UCL is winning the league title. The team is in good form and is picking up points steadily. El Classico is also approaching. Can the Merengues do enough to win at least one title this season and will it be enough to save face in view of the huge transfer expenditure of last summer?
Outsiders :-
None as it is clearly a 2 horse race between the 2 eternal giants.
3. Italian Serie A ( Rank - 3rd )
Contenders :-
1) Inter Milan ( 63 points from 30 matches ) - After having given one of their best performances in Europe in recent times its ironic that Inter's form in Serie A has not been good. There are suspicions that UCL is their first priority this season. Then again a 2 legged tie against CSKA in UCL is not the kind of competition their league rivals wanted them to have at this stage. Jose Mourinho rarely loses league titles but can he lose this one?
ii) A C Milan ( 59 points from 30 matches ) - Hardly anyone except ardent fans of the club would have predicted them to be title contenders at the start of this season. Coach Leonardo deserves a lot of credit for making very good use of what can be called an aged, overused and undernourished squad. Some still don't think they are good enough to win a league title but perhaps they can capitalize on the slip ups of others.
iii) A S Roma ( 59 points from 30 matches ) - The points table suggests they are at a disadvantage but they also have the easiest run-in of all the contenders. Besides this is a squad with not just a fine first team but good bench options. Coach Ranieri could be called a weakness because he is not known for winning titles.
Outsiders :-
None as it's clearly between these 3.
4. German Bundesliga ( Rank - 4th )
Contenders :-
i) Bayern Munich ( 56 points from 27 matches ) - After a disastrous first few months when he was almost on the verge of being fired Louis Vaan Gaal's team did such an amazing turnaround that they are still alive and kicking in 3 competitions. Will the stress of too many competitions not least of which is a 2 legged tie against English powerhouses Manchester United take its toll or will their superior know how carry them to one more league title?
ii) Schalke ( 55 points from 27 matches ) - It seems Felix Magath particularly enjoys leading different teams to the Bundesliga title and that too while all the time outwardly maintaining that his teams do not have much of a chance. Perhaps he still nurses some grievances against his former employers Bayern Munich and it would double his pleasure if he could beat them to the summit just like last year.
iii) Bayer Leverkusen ( 53 points from 27 matches ) - Coach Jupp Heynckes began in such impressive fashion that one was forced to wonder whether Bayern Munich who employed him as a caretaker for the last few matches of last season should have at all let him go. However then came a not so unexpected slump from a team which was perhaps punching a little above its weight. Can the man who once won the UCL with Real Madrid lead his team to a resurgence and win the race at the death?
Outsiders :-
Maybe Borussia Dortmund but its mainly between these 3.
5. French Ligue 1 ( Rank - 5th )
Contenders :-
i) Bordeaux ( 56 points from 28 matches ) - At one time it seemed like they were destined to win another successive title but form fell and now they are only one of the contenders although arguably they still have the most chance of all. Laurent Blanc is tipped to move to a higher profile job this summer and stars like Maroune Chamakh are even more certain to depart. Can they all sign out on a high or will the European adventures take their toll?
ii) Montpellier ( 56 points from 29 matches ) - When was the last time we saw a promoted team in a title race? And can they actually win it and make history for ages? The deservingly proud coach of this unassuming club calls them the 2nd favorites in the title race after the reigning champions.
iii) Auxerre ( 55 points from 29 matches ) - Another team that's not usually seen in the title race. Are they punching way above their weight this season?
iv) Marseille ( 53 points from 28 matches ) - Their case is quite peculiar. It wouldn't be wrong to say that Marseille have played quite well this season but more often not got the desired results. Something somewhat inexplicable seems to be lacking since the squad has a good number of competent players and a more than able coach in Didier Deschamps who took Monaco to the UCL final in 2004.
Outsiders :-
Both Lyon and Lille have 51 points from 29 matches. France's all conquering team of the last decade is surprisingly far behind but can they still use their years of experience to bridge the gap completely?
6. Portuguese Superliga ( Rank - 9th )
Contenders :-
i) Benfica ( 58 points from 23 matches ) - This has been a long awaited season of joy for Benfica fans. The team has played well and done well almost everywhere. Nothing less than the league title will suffice now.
ii) Braga ( 55 points from 23 matches ) - It's quite a surprise that the greatest challenge comes from not one of the usual giants but this less known team. The gap in points is still very small which should not be forgotten.
Outsiders :-
Although Porto have only managed 47 points from 23 matches they are so used to winning this title that maybe they shouldn't be completely ruled out just yet.
7. Dutch Eridivisie ( Rank - 10th )
Contenders :-
i) Twente ( 71 points from 28 matches ) - He may have become a figure of mirth in his homeland after failing to qualify England for Euro 2008 but Steve McLaren still feels that he has a lot to offer in the coaching world not least of which would be winning a title in a country whose footballing style compared to his homeland is like chalk and cheese and that too with a lesser known club.
ii) Ajax ( 67 points from 28 matches ) - They are Holland's most successful club in Europe and some of Europe's greatest players have made their beginning here. Yet in the last few years they have been overshadowed by PSV in terms of both domestic success and European performance. With PSV not looking that strong this season can they capture the league title after a long time?
iii) PSV ( 66 points from 28 matches ) - Of course consistent giants PSV are by no means out but stuttering form in recent times does not do their fans' confidence any good.
Outsiders :-
None as it's clearly between these 3.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Reflections : Who Is The World's Greatest Manager?
Yes we have had this discussion before but in light of recent events I thought it would be a good idea to pick just 5 names who are still active and examine the strengths and weaknesses of each. While discussing strengths I will try to focus on what makes that person stand out from the rest while when discussing weaknesses I will concentrate of why this person can still not be called the very best. At the end of it I will not draw any firm conclusions and leave it open to discussion. Also please note that this is not about achievements in the last decade or any specific time period. We are looking at the entire careers of these individuals.
1. Sir Alex Ferguson :-
Strengths - 1. a one man show at ManUtd who has taken the club to unprecedented success
2. a very rich trophy haul
3. ability to build new teams from scratch after letting some of the biggest stars leave for various reasons
4. teams are more about players who are bought young and developed under his tutelage than established stars from outside
5. always promotes an attacking style of play
Weaknesses - 1. it might sound harsh but he is a slow learner. He took a long time to get settled at ManUtd and start winning trophies. It's debatable whether anyone in today's times would be afforded that kind of time.
2. took a long time to grasp the European game. For many years he was tactically outwitted in UCL till he finally learnt the ropes but once he did he became as good as anyone.
2. Guus Hiddink :-
Strengths - 1. ability to get maximum returns from minimal resources and often working so called miracles
2. the very best at going to diverse club and international environments, picking up things in double quick time and producing results almost instantaneously
3. can make teams play very stylish football but can sacrifice that readily when winning becomes a priority
4. an excellent tactician who can get the better of just about anyone in the world
Weaknesses - 1. lack of big trophies. His trophy haul is the least impressive of all in this list.
2. his critics say that he is not at his best with the biggest of teams and some even suggest that he is not the best at handling immense pressure with his best performances having invariably come with the smaller teams
3. Marcello Lippi :-
Strengths - 1. the only contemporary coach to have attained the highest echelons of success in both club and international football.
2. a very rich trophy haul in club football
3. an able tactician who can at times surprise opponents with tactics not expected from his team
4. a huge motivator who can promote bonding and team spirit like few can
Weaknesses - 1. although he can at times provide a little style his teams are often accused of being dull
2. known to take a conservative approach and not promote young players as very evident in his second tenure with Italy.
3. often said to not be able to get along with the biggest of star players to the extent of dropping them in favor of group unity
4. Fabio Capello :-
Strengths - 1. arguably the biggest winner of all since he wins where he goes and that includes diverse club environments in different countries.
2. a huge trophy haul
3. a non-nonsense disciplinarian who can set the biggest of stars straight and clean up the most difficult of environments
4. excellent in transfer market
Weaknesses - 1. the number one promoter of ugly, boring football
2. has often had poor relations with his employers leading to some undeserved sackings and rumors which harmed his reputation
3. not so successful in UCL in later years losing out to contemporaries and younger coaches
5. Jose Mourinho :-
Strengths - 1. a trophy haul which seems to be aiming towards matching those of the all time best
2. loved unconditionally by his teams and especially the key players
3. a very strong motivator who can make his team believe they can do the impossible
4. success in diverse environments
Weaknesses - 1. hated by everyone else including opposing teams, the media etc. for his consistent ill-natured comments
2. known to promote substance over style to the extent of often championing ugly football
3. at times tactically outwitted by his contemporaries but certainly not too often
4. in later years has succeeded only in teams with large transfer expenditures and the biggest of stars at his disposal
1. Sir Alex Ferguson :-
Strengths - 1. a one man show at ManUtd who has taken the club to unprecedented success
2. a very rich trophy haul
3. ability to build new teams from scratch after letting some of the biggest stars leave for various reasons
4. teams are more about players who are bought young and developed under his tutelage than established stars from outside
5. always promotes an attacking style of play
Weaknesses - 1. it might sound harsh but he is a slow learner. He took a long time to get settled at ManUtd and start winning trophies. It's debatable whether anyone in today's times would be afforded that kind of time.
2. took a long time to grasp the European game. For many years he was tactically outwitted in UCL till he finally learnt the ropes but once he did he became as good as anyone.
2. Guus Hiddink :-
Strengths - 1. ability to get maximum returns from minimal resources and often working so called miracles
2. the very best at going to diverse club and international environments, picking up things in double quick time and producing results almost instantaneously
3. can make teams play very stylish football but can sacrifice that readily when winning becomes a priority
4. an excellent tactician who can get the better of just about anyone in the world
Weaknesses - 1. lack of big trophies. His trophy haul is the least impressive of all in this list.
2. his critics say that he is not at his best with the biggest of teams and some even suggest that he is not the best at handling immense pressure with his best performances having invariably come with the smaller teams
3. Marcello Lippi :-
Strengths - 1. the only contemporary coach to have attained the highest echelons of success in both club and international football.
2. a very rich trophy haul in club football
3. an able tactician who can at times surprise opponents with tactics not expected from his team
4. a huge motivator who can promote bonding and team spirit like few can
Weaknesses - 1. although he can at times provide a little style his teams are often accused of being dull
2. known to take a conservative approach and not promote young players as very evident in his second tenure with Italy.
3. often said to not be able to get along with the biggest of star players to the extent of dropping them in favor of group unity
4. Fabio Capello :-
Strengths - 1. arguably the biggest winner of all since he wins where he goes and that includes diverse club environments in different countries.
2. a huge trophy haul
3. a non-nonsense disciplinarian who can set the biggest of stars straight and clean up the most difficult of environments
4. excellent in transfer market
Weaknesses - 1. the number one promoter of ugly, boring football
2. has often had poor relations with his employers leading to some undeserved sackings and rumors which harmed his reputation
3. not so successful in UCL in later years losing out to contemporaries and younger coaches
5. Jose Mourinho :-
Strengths - 1. a trophy haul which seems to be aiming towards matching those of the all time best
2. loved unconditionally by his teams and especially the key players
3. a very strong motivator who can make his team believe they can do the impossible
4. success in diverse environments
Weaknesses - 1. hated by everyone else including opposing teams, the media etc. for his consistent ill-natured comments
2. known to promote substance over style to the extent of often championing ugly football
3. at times tactically outwitted by his contemporaries but certainly not too often
4. in later years has succeeded only in teams with large transfer expenditures and the biggest of stars at his disposal
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Reflections : Please No More Conspiracy Theories
What is football coming to? What do we mainly end up discussing after most matches? How unlucky one of the teams were? How bad the referee and linesmen were? How many wrong decisions were given?
Firstly a human being no matter how competent cannot give correct decisions in a split second since he is not a TV camera. Secondly it is true that much more could have been done to improve the standard of officiating but for whatever reasons that has not happened. It's also true that some of the officials in charge of some of the biggest matches are simply not good enough to officiate them.
By now most of the football fans and pundits are of the view that technology must be introduced into the game so as to decrease the number of controversies. Unfortunately their plea falls to deaf years as Sepp Blatter and his team steadfastly refuse to listen.
So in such circumstances what do we end up with? More and more controversies. However that's not all. If controversies were where it ends then it wouldn't be so bad. What's much worse are the millions of conspiracy theories that are floated around? And while players say their bit once in a while the main people using such situations to their advantage are football coaches and journalists who just love to come up with one more conspiracy theory whenever they feel that their team is hard done by and choose not to notice when their team is the beneficiary of wrong decisions.
Let's look at some of the conspiracy theories floated in recent times. The case of Ireland where they were knocked out of qualification for WC 2010 due to a hand ball goal immediately comes to mind. To be honest no matter how much noise that matter made credit must be given to the Irish for not saying anything out of turn. They said that seedings before the playoffs were unfair. For those problems there is only one entity responsible and that is Fifa and Mr. Sepp Blatter. They were so careless as to not even mention in the rules that the world cup playoffs would be seeded and they invented the system for the draw for the group stage of the world cup after all the qualifying countries had been decided. Seriously if they think they can get away with even this latter act they must be presuming themselves to be pseudo dictators because any accountable person(s) in any field of work would have been ripped apart for committing a monstrosity like that. Coming back to the Irish they had a right to use the word unfair. And they never said that the hand ball decision against them was deliberate.
However most other "victims" show no such class as the Irish showed. In England the common cry sometimes heard is that Uefa President Michel Platini is French and so he naturally hates the English. No wonder English clubs are suffering so much. Even if Platini imposes economic measures to make the competition fairer it is only seen as exploitative by the bigwigs. Steps such as trying to get clubs from the so called lesser leagues to participate more effectively in UCL are not even recognized as worthy efforts.
In Italy on the other hand the standard line is we don't have enough political clout in the Uefa and so naturally we would be given less value. Why is it so easy to forget that not so long ago Serie A ruled UCL and surely clubs from other countries would have also had their complaints against decisions given in those days? So does that mean we should now conclude that Italian clubs did well in those days because they had political clout at that time and not because they had very fine teams with very fine players? So what happened? Why did they lose this "political clout"? The brutal truth which very few want to accept is that the margin between winning and losing at these levels is very fine but the results when evaluated as a whole over a reasonable period of time tend to even out in terms of luck. Looking at those results indicates that Serie A today is not on par with EPL or La Liga. Instead of trying to correct what's going wrong let's float one more conspiracy theory has become the deeply regrettable attitude of most concerned.
While on Italy just look at this irony for instance. Inter's very well known coach Jose Mourinho is continuously trying to hint in the media sometimes subtly and sometimes not so subtly that the Italian FA have something against Inter and want to bring them down. Rewind to 2007-08. At the end of the title race the comments coming out from the Roma camp were that the referees won the Scudetto for Inter. So does that mean whoever wins does so because of the referees?
England and Italy are by no means the only ones. It took just a couple of decisions to go in Barcelona's favor for the notoriously biased Madrid press to go so far as to suggest that La Liga is being manipulated in favor of the Catalans. So now that a few decisions have gone against the reigning champions, perhaps it's time for the pro-Barcelona dailies to return the favor.
And how about international football. Well Brazilians can go to a world cup such as WC 2006 more intent on having a ball than playing the ball but when they are knocked out it doesn't stop their supporters from coming up with all kinds of theories about how Brazil is being brought down to help European countries. Of course winning the world cup is Brazil's birth right and how can we deny them that.
Please don't for a moment think that we are singling out the Brazilians here. Germany, who in the past have been accused of being lucky beneficiaries of controversial decisions, had the gall to claim through their outspoken goal keeper Jens Lehmann after the Euro 2008 final how certain decisions had gone against them when the whole world had witnessed them being annihilated on the pitch by a vastly superior Spanish team.
And we must give an honorable mention to Portugal without whom this discussion just cannot be rounded off. Portugal in WC 2006 showed that it isn't wrong to break a few jaws and legs of opponents if it can help you progress in the world cup but once they were knocked out they were back with their favorite line - we are a small nation whom no one wants to see win major trophies.
The intent here is not to criticize individual club or national teams. It's merely to indicate how sorry a state of affairs this is. And with Fifa completely ruling out technology what are we in store for at WC 2010? More wrong refereeing decisions, more controversies and worst of all more such conspiracy theories.
It's understandable to feel bitter after a match which a team feels they deserved to win. Accusing the referee and pointing out specific incidents is also acceptable. However when conspiracy theories start floating it just gets a bit too murky because there is no end to them with accusations which would invariably in the recent future be followed by counter accusations. The only time an accusation of bias should be morally permissible is when you can talk purely in terms of facts such as with Ireland saying that Fifa had no right to seed teams before the playoffs began if they had not written that in the rules earlier.
As a fan and admirer of the beautiful game, if while watching a major club or international match, one is not firmly of the belief that what will happen the next minute is not known to anyone in the entire world and only time will tell the result of this encounter, then what's the point in watching football? If this game of conspiracy theories continues then eventually someone like this writer will have to give up football. You go to the beautiful game to add beautiful moments in your life but if all around it there is so much dirt then what's the point in staining your apparel?
Firstly a human being no matter how competent cannot give correct decisions in a split second since he is not a TV camera. Secondly it is true that much more could have been done to improve the standard of officiating but for whatever reasons that has not happened. It's also true that some of the officials in charge of some of the biggest matches are simply not good enough to officiate them.
By now most of the football fans and pundits are of the view that technology must be introduced into the game so as to decrease the number of controversies. Unfortunately their plea falls to deaf years as Sepp Blatter and his team steadfastly refuse to listen.
So in such circumstances what do we end up with? More and more controversies. However that's not all. If controversies were where it ends then it wouldn't be so bad. What's much worse are the millions of conspiracy theories that are floated around? And while players say their bit once in a while the main people using such situations to their advantage are football coaches and journalists who just love to come up with one more conspiracy theory whenever they feel that their team is hard done by and choose not to notice when their team is the beneficiary of wrong decisions.
Let's look at some of the conspiracy theories floated in recent times. The case of Ireland where they were knocked out of qualification for WC 2010 due to a hand ball goal immediately comes to mind. To be honest no matter how much noise that matter made credit must be given to the Irish for not saying anything out of turn. They said that seedings before the playoffs were unfair. For those problems there is only one entity responsible and that is Fifa and Mr. Sepp Blatter. They were so careless as to not even mention in the rules that the world cup playoffs would be seeded and they invented the system for the draw for the group stage of the world cup after all the qualifying countries had been decided. Seriously if they think they can get away with even this latter act they must be presuming themselves to be pseudo dictators because any accountable person(s) in any field of work would have been ripped apart for committing a monstrosity like that. Coming back to the Irish they had a right to use the word unfair. And they never said that the hand ball decision against them was deliberate.
However most other "victims" show no such class as the Irish showed. In England the common cry sometimes heard is that Uefa President Michel Platini is French and so he naturally hates the English. No wonder English clubs are suffering so much. Even if Platini imposes economic measures to make the competition fairer it is only seen as exploitative by the bigwigs. Steps such as trying to get clubs from the so called lesser leagues to participate more effectively in UCL are not even recognized as worthy efforts.
In Italy on the other hand the standard line is we don't have enough political clout in the Uefa and so naturally we would be given less value. Why is it so easy to forget that not so long ago Serie A ruled UCL and surely clubs from other countries would have also had their complaints against decisions given in those days? So does that mean we should now conclude that Italian clubs did well in those days because they had political clout at that time and not because they had very fine teams with very fine players? So what happened? Why did they lose this "political clout"? The brutal truth which very few want to accept is that the margin between winning and losing at these levels is very fine but the results when evaluated as a whole over a reasonable period of time tend to even out in terms of luck. Looking at those results indicates that Serie A today is not on par with EPL or La Liga. Instead of trying to correct what's going wrong let's float one more conspiracy theory has become the deeply regrettable attitude of most concerned.
While on Italy just look at this irony for instance. Inter's very well known coach Jose Mourinho is continuously trying to hint in the media sometimes subtly and sometimes not so subtly that the Italian FA have something against Inter and want to bring them down. Rewind to 2007-08. At the end of the title race the comments coming out from the Roma camp were that the referees won the Scudetto for Inter. So does that mean whoever wins does so because of the referees?
England and Italy are by no means the only ones. It took just a couple of decisions to go in Barcelona's favor for the notoriously biased Madrid press to go so far as to suggest that La Liga is being manipulated in favor of the Catalans. So now that a few decisions have gone against the reigning champions, perhaps it's time for the pro-Barcelona dailies to return the favor.
And how about international football. Well Brazilians can go to a world cup such as WC 2006 more intent on having a ball than playing the ball but when they are knocked out it doesn't stop their supporters from coming up with all kinds of theories about how Brazil is being brought down to help European countries. Of course winning the world cup is Brazil's birth right and how can we deny them that.
Please don't for a moment think that we are singling out the Brazilians here. Germany, who in the past have been accused of being lucky beneficiaries of controversial decisions, had the gall to claim through their outspoken goal keeper Jens Lehmann after the Euro 2008 final how certain decisions had gone against them when the whole world had witnessed them being annihilated on the pitch by a vastly superior Spanish team.
And we must give an honorable mention to Portugal without whom this discussion just cannot be rounded off. Portugal in WC 2006 showed that it isn't wrong to break a few jaws and legs of opponents if it can help you progress in the world cup but once they were knocked out they were back with their favorite line - we are a small nation whom no one wants to see win major trophies.
The intent here is not to criticize individual club or national teams. It's merely to indicate how sorry a state of affairs this is. And with Fifa completely ruling out technology what are we in store for at WC 2010? More wrong refereeing decisions, more controversies and worst of all more such conspiracy theories.
It's understandable to feel bitter after a match which a team feels they deserved to win. Accusing the referee and pointing out specific incidents is also acceptable. However when conspiracy theories start floating it just gets a bit too murky because there is no end to them with accusations which would invariably in the recent future be followed by counter accusations. The only time an accusation of bias should be morally permissible is when you can talk purely in terms of facts such as with Ireland saying that Fifa had no right to seed teams before the playoffs began if they had not written that in the rules earlier.
As a fan and admirer of the beautiful game, if while watching a major club or international match, one is not firmly of the belief that what will happen the next minute is not known to anyone in the entire world and only time will tell the result of this encounter, then what's the point in watching football? If this game of conspiracy theories continues then eventually someone like this writer will have to give up football. You go to the beautiful game to add beautiful moments in your life but if all around it there is so much dirt then what's the point in staining your apparel?
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Reflections : The Two Major International Friendlies
For whatever reason the two biggest matches of the day took place within a time gap of just 15 minutes of each other. Here are some inferences that can be drawn from each match. As both the matches were not only a clash of 2 heavyweights each but each featured one of my 2 favorite teams I couldn't help but watch both together on my laptop screen resizing both the browsers to occupy half the screen each. That means that I could not watch either match with sufficient concentration. Also the transmission was a little disturbed at times. So please be tolerant of what is written below as some conclusions can be mistaken or at least hasty. At the same time please feel free to point out the mistakes while making comments.
For the first time since taking charge of the Argentina national team Diego Maradona not only seemed to get a few things right but it also seemed like the team is going somewhere. In effect it was just one tweak that made the difference and that was making Messi play further behind as the play maker rather than a striker. This in effect changed the previously used energetic 4-4-2 formation to a more technical 4-2-3-1. Now Veron and Mascherano played deeper in midfield with the latter acting as the protector and the former a deep lying passer in the mold of Pirlo or Xabi Alonso. The play making duties previously assigned to Veron now fell on Messi's shoulders which is not only much fairer on Veron's aging legs but let's be honest which Argentina fan on earth doesn't want to see that. Messi put in a performance that was at least good enough to prove that he can and will play well for the national team if given a chance to do so. Now people in Argentina should completely stop getting after him and recognize the fact that he is their greatest hope. Playing in this position is just what the reigning world player of the year needs to aim to become the best player at WC 2010. In Higuain Argentina have a clinical striker who can make good use of any chance created. Angel Di Maria, who first came to prominence in Olympics 2008, on the left flank seems to be one of the hitherto missing links that is now in place. His ability to control the ball and move past defenders is not only great to watch but also an asset to the team. The importance of Jonas on the right flank cannot be overstated. While lacking the technical finesse of Di Maria Jonas often cuts back to help the team out defensively which is crucial. So in effect with Jonas not going forward much and Messi shifting a little to the right the formation sometimes plays out like a 4-3-3. The central defensive partnership of Demichellis and Samuel looked solid and assured even though both of them picked up a booking each. It was not a perfect performance by any means but perhaps the best performance and result under Maradona. Beating 3 time world champions Germany in their own back yard is not something to be scoffed at.
While Argentina seem to have taken a few steps forward it seems that the eternal worshipers of efficiency Germany had quite surprisingly taken a few steps back. There are quite a few problems. Team play is not developed well enough with some of the brightest talents who are new to the national setup making it look like a team in transition. Rene Adler's horrifying mistake in what was after all a high profile match means that the position of goal keeper does not look assured. The strikers have not been firing. And to add to all this the coach Joachim Loew seems to be at loggerheads with the German Football Federation. The team last night found it really difficult against a technically superior Argentina team. However Germany is not one to give up without a fight. Since they could not match their rivals in the football played they resorted to continuous tackling with a few tackles harsh enough to seriously injure players but thankfully that didn't happen. Based on last night's evidence this team does not look a world cup contender. But then it's Germany we are talking about. We can bet our bottom dollar that the Germany that shows up once the world cup starts will be vastly improved from the one of last night. However there is a lot of work to do in the next 3 months or so and who knows that better than the Germans.
It had been billed as a mismatch by some. That sounds too audacious a comment to make when two huge football powers clash. Yet those comments proved to be on the money. Not only did Spain record their first victory in France in 40 years and by a healthy 2 goal margin but they did it virtually without breaking a sweat. Spain are clearly the best passing side in the world and are simply mesmeric when in full flow. The match was killed in the first half itself with two well taken goals. There were times in the match which could be termed as what in England is called a walk in the park. In the second half Spain actually conceded possession needlessly at times, misplaced a few passes and were out-muscled off the ball at times. Yet that is hardly significant because clearly the players were conserving energy and saving themselves from injuries. There was nothing left to prove against an opponent that just wasn't in the same class and whom they are very unlikely to meet in WC 2010. With all the raging debates regarding who out of Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres should be in the starting 11, it seems that both of them will have to sit on the bench. It's too big a sacrifice for two of the world's best players but one that they must make for the larger good of the team. Del Bosque seems to have understood that Spain plays best in a 4-2-3-1. Also even in that system especially since Marcos Senna who was very impressive at Euro 2008 is no longer that fit or in form the Spain coach has decided to use 2 defensively minded midfielders instead of 1. Neither of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets have a physically intimidating presence but they are both used to this deep lying role and as a bonus are very good passers of the ball. This also makes it easier for them to interchange duties with either one staying back and the other going forward to join the attack. With this additional security the front four is simply like a symphony at its best. Another point that Del Bosque seems to have worked on is ensuring that no one in the team is indispensable. Even the very best players have a ready made replacement ready. Xavi is clearly the talisman but in his absence Fabregas is ready to play that role. Villa is perhaps the best striker in the world but Torres is very close behind. The combination of Iniesta and Silva on either flank is a pure joy but Navas and Mata are worthy replacements from the bench. Even in defense the partnership of Puyol and Pique is wonderful but there is also Raul Albiol waiting on the bench. Does this mean all the problems that I had previously pointed out have been taken care of? Not really but what's heartening is the conscious effort that has been put in trying to redress some of them. Perhaps one writer on Goal.com was right that instead of playing France, Spain should have played a physically imposing opponent to see how far they have been able to conquer their own demons. Then again let's not underestimate the significance of this victory which is another feather in the well decorated cap of the Spanish national team.
Still last night was not so much about the excellence of Spain as it was about the haplessness of France. Team work, organization and team play were conspicuous by their absence. The team was so devoid of spark that it did not look like a world cup contender but rather as a team still struggling to qualify. Last night's display will give more credence to statements that this team does not deserve to be at the world cup. One particular incident perhaps describes this performance best. Some time in the second half Spain now sitting on a 2 goal lead and playing much more carelessly lost the ball 3 times in succession but the ease with which they got it back with France unable to do anything was baffling to say the least. And while all this was going on the hot seat was occupied by a man so completely inert that there are no words left for him. Mr. Raymond Domenech made no changes for a long time even though his side was trailing by 2 goals. Once the changes came they were essentially like for like replacements with no attempt being made by the coach to change the clearly not working formation and tactics. Only Malouda seemed to have added a bit of spark and he did hit the post but it was too little too late. Going by France's display there is absolutely no reason why very competent teams like Uruguay and Mexico should not fancy their chances of eliminating the French in the group stage itself. South Africa may not be at that level yet but they are the hosts and the hosts almost invariably do well at a world cup. Of course once France is eliminated Domenech will be sacked but that's just not enough. It's only fair that the entire French Football Federation be dissolved and recreated with completely new personnel because simply put they have failed their nation. The international media had found their decision of retaining Domenech after Euro 2008 staggering and nothing has since happened to even challenge that belief.
So based on the performances and results of the last few months here's how I think the top 9 national teams should be ranked. Then again this only reflects the present and a lot can change between now and when the world's greatest sporting show actually begins.
1. Brazil
2. Spain
3. England
4. Netherlands
5. Argentina
6. Germany
7. Portugal
8. Italy
9. France
For the first time since taking charge of the Argentina national team Diego Maradona not only seemed to get a few things right but it also seemed like the team is going somewhere. In effect it was just one tweak that made the difference and that was making Messi play further behind as the play maker rather than a striker. This in effect changed the previously used energetic 4-4-2 formation to a more technical 4-2-3-1. Now Veron and Mascherano played deeper in midfield with the latter acting as the protector and the former a deep lying passer in the mold of Pirlo or Xabi Alonso. The play making duties previously assigned to Veron now fell on Messi's shoulders which is not only much fairer on Veron's aging legs but let's be honest which Argentina fan on earth doesn't want to see that. Messi put in a performance that was at least good enough to prove that he can and will play well for the national team if given a chance to do so. Now people in Argentina should completely stop getting after him and recognize the fact that he is their greatest hope. Playing in this position is just what the reigning world player of the year needs to aim to become the best player at WC 2010. In Higuain Argentina have a clinical striker who can make good use of any chance created. Angel Di Maria, who first came to prominence in Olympics 2008, on the left flank seems to be one of the hitherto missing links that is now in place. His ability to control the ball and move past defenders is not only great to watch but also an asset to the team. The importance of Jonas on the right flank cannot be overstated. While lacking the technical finesse of Di Maria Jonas often cuts back to help the team out defensively which is crucial. So in effect with Jonas not going forward much and Messi shifting a little to the right the formation sometimes plays out like a 4-3-3. The central defensive partnership of Demichellis and Samuel looked solid and assured even though both of them picked up a booking each. It was not a perfect performance by any means but perhaps the best performance and result under Maradona. Beating 3 time world champions Germany in their own back yard is not something to be scoffed at.
While Argentina seem to have taken a few steps forward it seems that the eternal worshipers of efficiency Germany had quite surprisingly taken a few steps back. There are quite a few problems. Team play is not developed well enough with some of the brightest talents who are new to the national setup making it look like a team in transition. Rene Adler's horrifying mistake in what was after all a high profile match means that the position of goal keeper does not look assured. The strikers have not been firing. And to add to all this the coach Joachim Loew seems to be at loggerheads with the German Football Federation. The team last night found it really difficult against a technically superior Argentina team. However Germany is not one to give up without a fight. Since they could not match their rivals in the football played they resorted to continuous tackling with a few tackles harsh enough to seriously injure players but thankfully that didn't happen. Based on last night's evidence this team does not look a world cup contender. But then it's Germany we are talking about. We can bet our bottom dollar that the Germany that shows up once the world cup starts will be vastly improved from the one of last night. However there is a lot of work to do in the next 3 months or so and who knows that better than the Germans.
It had been billed as a mismatch by some. That sounds too audacious a comment to make when two huge football powers clash. Yet those comments proved to be on the money. Not only did Spain record their first victory in France in 40 years and by a healthy 2 goal margin but they did it virtually without breaking a sweat. Spain are clearly the best passing side in the world and are simply mesmeric when in full flow. The match was killed in the first half itself with two well taken goals. There were times in the match which could be termed as what in England is called a walk in the park. In the second half Spain actually conceded possession needlessly at times, misplaced a few passes and were out-muscled off the ball at times. Yet that is hardly significant because clearly the players were conserving energy and saving themselves from injuries. There was nothing left to prove against an opponent that just wasn't in the same class and whom they are very unlikely to meet in WC 2010. With all the raging debates regarding who out of Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres should be in the starting 11, it seems that both of them will have to sit on the bench. It's too big a sacrifice for two of the world's best players but one that they must make for the larger good of the team. Del Bosque seems to have understood that Spain plays best in a 4-2-3-1. Also even in that system especially since Marcos Senna who was very impressive at Euro 2008 is no longer that fit or in form the Spain coach has decided to use 2 defensively minded midfielders instead of 1. Neither of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets have a physically intimidating presence but they are both used to this deep lying role and as a bonus are very good passers of the ball. This also makes it easier for them to interchange duties with either one staying back and the other going forward to join the attack. With this additional security the front four is simply like a symphony at its best. Another point that Del Bosque seems to have worked on is ensuring that no one in the team is indispensable. Even the very best players have a ready made replacement ready. Xavi is clearly the talisman but in his absence Fabregas is ready to play that role. Villa is perhaps the best striker in the world but Torres is very close behind. The combination of Iniesta and Silva on either flank is a pure joy but Navas and Mata are worthy replacements from the bench. Even in defense the partnership of Puyol and Pique is wonderful but there is also Raul Albiol waiting on the bench. Does this mean all the problems that I had previously pointed out have been taken care of? Not really but what's heartening is the conscious effort that has been put in trying to redress some of them. Perhaps one writer on Goal.com was right that instead of playing France, Spain should have played a physically imposing opponent to see how far they have been able to conquer their own demons. Then again let's not underestimate the significance of this victory which is another feather in the well decorated cap of the Spanish national team.
Still last night was not so much about the excellence of Spain as it was about the haplessness of France. Team work, organization and team play were conspicuous by their absence. The team was so devoid of spark that it did not look like a world cup contender but rather as a team still struggling to qualify. Last night's display will give more credence to statements that this team does not deserve to be at the world cup. One particular incident perhaps describes this performance best. Some time in the second half Spain now sitting on a 2 goal lead and playing much more carelessly lost the ball 3 times in succession but the ease with which they got it back with France unable to do anything was baffling to say the least. And while all this was going on the hot seat was occupied by a man so completely inert that there are no words left for him. Mr. Raymond Domenech made no changes for a long time even though his side was trailing by 2 goals. Once the changes came they were essentially like for like replacements with no attempt being made by the coach to change the clearly not working formation and tactics. Only Malouda seemed to have added a bit of spark and he did hit the post but it was too little too late. Going by France's display there is absolutely no reason why very competent teams like Uruguay and Mexico should not fancy their chances of eliminating the French in the group stage itself. South Africa may not be at that level yet but they are the hosts and the hosts almost invariably do well at a world cup. Of course once France is eliminated Domenech will be sacked but that's just not enough. It's only fair that the entire French Football Federation be dissolved and recreated with completely new personnel because simply put they have failed their nation. The international media had found their decision of retaining Domenech after Euro 2008 staggering and nothing has since happened to even challenge that belief.
So based on the performances and results of the last few months here's how I think the top 9 national teams should be ranked. Then again this only reflects the present and a lot can change between now and when the world's greatest sporting show actually begins.
1. Brazil
2. Spain
3. England
4. Netherlands
5. Argentina
6. Germany
7. Portugal
8. Italy
9. France
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