Saturday, December 31, 2011

Blackburn Ruined the Birthday Party at Old Trafford

Manchester United would have to play without Rooney, but were boosted by the return of Phil Jones. David De Gea started, despite a string of impressive performances by Lindegaard. Ferguson assigned a new task for Rafael --- playing at central midfield. Valencia stayed at right back position. Danny Welbeck joined the on-fire Berbatov and Hernandez forming the attacking trio. Anderson was back from injury, being the most experienced player on the bench.

Blackburn earned an inspiring draw at Anfield behind Mark Bunn's brilliant performance. They would be missing David Dunn and Junior Hoilett. Petrovic would protect the backline led by Samba with N'Zonzi. Rochina and Formica would be the primary support for Yakubu.

Play of the Game
Manchester United: In 62th min, United was piling on the pressure. Off a poor clearance by Pedersen, Valencia made a direct run past Henley and grabbed the assist when his cross was converted by Berbatov's to put United to level.

Blackburn: Mark Bunn had ensured Blackburn heading back to the dressing room at half time with a lead. Two minutes from half time, he flied to his left to push away Nani's shot. A moment later, Hernandez closed range shot from tight angle was blocked again by the well-positioned goalkeeper.

Key Moment
·         Manchester United was in full control for the first 15 min, but a clumsy foul by Berbatov on Samba in the box had changed the story. When Yakubu scored the penalty, it looked like Manchester United would suffer like Liverpool.

·         Rafael played uncomfortably without the protection of the sideline. He could not provide cover for the attackers with his poor positioning. Ferguson terminated the experiment in 2nd half by putting Anderson in, undoubtedly a better midfielder. Rafael rejuvenated in his favourite position right back as well.

·         Yakubu gave Blackburn an unexpected 2-0 lead, when he single-handedly won the battle against the two centrebacks. Blackburn had switched off momentarily, allowing Berbatov to head in from close range to claw one back for United. The 2-0 scoreline had only sustained for merely 75 seconds.

·         In the 79th min, Grant Hanley had stunned all the United fans by capitalising on De Gea's error, who had already failed to catch a corner with authority 10 minutes ago. The young Scottish had never taken his eye off the loose ball and was rewarded with the winning goal that rescued Blackburn away from the bottom of the table.  

·         Phil Jones was denied twice by his own teammates. He connected with Berbatov's flick in the first half, but the ball came off Javier Hernandez's shot. In injury time, he fired a shot near penalty spot when the corner was punched away by Bunn, but was blocked by the tangled pair Bunn and young striker William Keane.

Steven Kean concluded his turbulent 2011 with a victory at Old Trafford  
Anecdotes
It was only around lunchtime, but Ryan Giggs' son had already fallen asleep in the first half, showing zero interest to the Manchester United side, who performed poorly without his dad.

Verdict
Manchester United
Complacency had costed United a crucial three points. Although enjoying most of the possession, there was little movement in attack and could only occasionally threaten Blackburn with Nani's long shots. The second half had improved, benefited from a more direct approach of Valencia, but De Gea had undone Berbatov's effort. Ferguson will be questioned again with his goalkeeper choice. United has also suffered from a lack of spiritual leader on the field. Hernandez has lost the sharpness, but Anderson produced an encouraging performance, which might be the only birthday gift for sir Alex tonight.

Blackburn
It must have been the most enjoyable week for Steve Kean. He certainly knows how to play against the top teams, and four valuable points might have saved his job. Nevertheless, Blackburn still has a long way to go. They have yet again given away the lead far too casually. Apart from Yakubu, they can rely on nobody in 
goalscoring. Rochina could not endure his strong early season and had been wasteful. Pedersen underperforms no matter playing as left back or central midfielder. They may need one or two January signings to strengthen the squad.

Best Performer of the Game
Yakubu. He demonstrated the perfect example of how to play against a top team as a lone striker. He did not shy away from tracking back to help linking the defence and offence. With his only chance in the game, he utilised his superior physical strength to beat the soft Carrick and soared past De Gea with a delicate finish. Hardworking as ever, he deservedly earned the Man of the Match award.

Who could do better?
David De Gea. The Spanish goalkeeper is nowhere near his compatriots, at least at this stage. While Lindegaard had showed commands both in the air and on the ground, De Gea disappointed United with another unconvincing performance. The language barrier looks as if an ongoing problem when Jones and Carrick did not seem to be connecting well with De Gea. The fans will be missing Edwin Van Der Sar even more.
The No. 1 jersey might be a bit too heavy for the 21 years old keeper 

Friday, December 30, 2011

Welcome Back Stevie G

Liverpool hoped to bounce back from the heartbroken draw vs Blackburn, but they would be missing Suarez, their leading league goalscorer. Bellamy and Downing played on two flanks to supply crosses for Andy Carroll, the former Magpies striker. Spearing started as the holding midfielder, with Steven Gerrard on the bench. Jose Enrique also played against his former team.

Newcastle ended their recent slump with a 2-0 victory over Bolton. Alan Pardew made only one change to the lineup. Attacking midfielder Haris Vuckic was given his second start of the season, joining a 5-men midfield to support the in-form striker Demba Ba. Ben Arfa, Leon Best and the Ameobis provided plenty of attacking options on the Newcastle bench.  

Play of the Game
Liverpool: Steven Gerrard capped a brilliant play in the 77th minute with his second league goal of the campaign. Henderson received Spearing's pass from the left, and laid the ball to the penetrating Gerrard. It was not the best first touch by the captain, but he still managed to send the ball past Tim Krul with his left foot to secure the lead.
Kop captain Steven Gerrard celebrates his
goal to secure a winning return
Newcastle: Demba Ba finally broke through the Liverpool defense in the 69th minute. He received a through pass from Cabaye and cleverly chipped the ball past Reina, but only saw his effort saved at goal line by Skrtel.

Key Moments
·         Newcastle led through a lucky goal when Cabaye’s header deflected off Agger's arm. It seemed to have brought Newcastle back to life, but a quick response from Craig Bellamy restored Liverpool's control of the game.

·         Downing gained the upper hand over Ryan Taylor. After interval, Alan Pardew decided to take off the full back, who was booked and slightly injured. The more defensive David Santon had quieted Downing in the 2nd half.

·         Steven Gerrard came in for the disappointing Charlie Adam in the 58th minute. He provided the quality crosses Liverpool had been missing in the 1st half and made Andy Carroll a real threat, with the best chance coming off the target man's forehead, but only to be denied by the woodwork.

·         In the 66th minute, Liverpool won a free kick after a dubious foul called on Tiote. Danny Simpson was trying to be clever, following Kyle Walker's move to protect the near post, but only attracted Carroll to physically distract Tim Krul. Ultimately it was Simpson getting into the way of Bellamy's shot and led to the goal. 

·         Williamson and Krul had nearly made the loss at Anfield even more embarrassing, when they couldn't deal with a long clearance to Carroll in injury time; Downing had blasted the loose ball straight into the stand though.

Anecdotes
Vuckic was hit in the face by Glen Johnson's clearance and raced towards the sideline. The ball fell to Jonas, which eventually passed to Ryan Taylor who crossed and brought Newcastle the lead. Vuckic was certainly overjoyed with his physical contribution as he held up his fist passionately to celebrate the goal.

Verdict
Liverpool
Kenny Dalglish employed the right game plan. Liverpool dominated the midfield and posed threat by delivering crosses from both flanks, but it was not until Gerrard came in that they started to look more threatening. Suarez's absence is still worrying, as the only weapon Liverpool has at the moment is pumping the ball onto Carroll, who always suffers from poor first touches. Spearing and Downing enjoyed a sweet night, but Henderson had still not lived up to expectation.  

Newcastle
Pardew and his Newcastle side might have been disillusioned by the draw at Old Trafford. They don't have the mentality to play defensive football at all. The midfielders were very sluggish before the goal. The full backs could not handle threat from the flanks. Obertan's reluctance to track back imposed extra pressure on Simpson. Demba Ba could hardly challenge Liverpool’s defense alone. Tiote was the only bright spot of the night. With Manchester United visiting next week, Pardew has to quickly sort out the balance of the formation. They surely play more comfortably with an attacking approach.
Magpies Coach Alan Pardew trying
to get his (right?) tactics across

Best Performer of the Game
Steven Gerrard. He had stolen Bellamy's show. The Welshman did score twice to help Liverpool overcome a one-goal deficit, but it's the captain who made a real impact. HIs lively performance off the bench had changed the game momentum and he finished off the day with an excellent goal. 

Who could do better?
Yohan Cabaye. He had struggled to follow the quick pace of this classic matchup. Although involved in the goal, Cabaye had been far from constructive and failed to orchestrate the offence. Things could have been worse when he should be sent off for a dangerous tackle on Spearing early in the 2nd half. 

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

A New Start for the New Year?

Entering the exciting January with the transfer window reopened, the Premier League team managers will be active in looking for useful addition(s) to their squads. We witnessed success of January inputs in the past: Evra and Vidic in 2005, Rodallega to Wigan in 2009, Andrei Arshavin arriving in London in the same year; and of course, there are ones that don’t work too and cost up to 50 million (you know who he is)! 
This year, Tevez has already got his suitcase packed, and Anelka is ready to enjoy some dim sums in his tenth club of his career. Here the Linesman reveals who else is likely to join them out the door next month.

1. Jermain Defoe
Having fallen behind Adebayor and van der Vaart, his January exit is further motivated by Euro 2012, a competition he has never played in as he was omitted from selection in 2004 and England couldn't qualify in 2008. Defoe is not a stranger to January transfer, having left and re-joined Tottenham in 2008 and 2009 respectively. It will be no surprise if they are going to cash out on Defoe, even though Harry Redknapp has reiterated his desire to keep him.
Potential destinations: Newcastle United, Sunderland

2. Gary Cahill
Owen Coyle has already surrendered in keeping Cahill's service. A developed centre back who is ready to shine in the top flight, Gary Cahill will also be motivated by attracting the attention of Fabio Capello, as his position in the Euro 2012 squad is already threatened by the emerging Phil Jones and Chris Smalling.
Potential destinations: Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal

3. Andrei Arshavin
He possesses the game-changing flair and finishing touch that every Arsenal fans love to see. This season, though, the Russian has found himself fallen behind Gervinho in selection and seems to have lost the passion in football as a substitute. Gervinho’s January absence may block a potential transfer, but a move back home could be hard to resist for the Little Giant. 
Potential destinations: Zenit St Petersburg, Anzhi Makhachkala
Those were the days.....
4. Nigel De Jong
The Dutch midfielder had played an important role to aid Manchester City last season to clinch the FA Cup winner and qualify for Champions League. This season, he has fallen out of Mancini's favourite as the Italian prefers a more attacking approach. With only 6 league appearances (3 starting) under his belt, it is definitely frustrating for De Jong, although Yaya Toure's absence in January would give him more playing time. Nevertheless, he may still look to elsewhere if his contract talks with Manchester City break down.
Potential destinations: Real Madrid, Arsenal, QPR (loan), Liverpool

5. Alex
He has fallen out of AVB's plan, given his lack of pace to play in the high defense line. Bosingwa was inserted as the emergent centre back in the Spurs game over him, suggesting he has no future in Chelsea. The powerful defender, though, is still at his peak age, armed with thundering long shot ability. There is every chance that he could leave England to look for regular playing time, including back to Brazil.
 Potential destinations: Arsenal, Juventus, Santos

6. Fernando Torres
Will Abramovich admit that he has spent 50 million on the wrong player? Torres showed a sign of recovery with his brilliant goal vs Manchester United, though minutes later missing an open goal. Since his goal and red card in the victory against Swansea in late September, Torres has failed to score a single league goal, even failed to enjoy the victorious moments of Chelsea, when he was spotted not celebrating after the final whistle vs Manchester City. Although Chelsea will be missing Drogba and Kalou in January, the under-fired striker is not untouchable. His huge salary pay could be the only obstacle.
Potential destinations: Barcelona (swap deal with David Villa)

7. Bobby Zamora
Martin Jol has repeatedly denied a bust-up with Zamora, insisting the forward is too jaded for selection. Surprisingly, despite the embarrassing defeat against Manchester United (which Zamora did feature for 5 minutes), Fulham showed their ability to live without him, grabbing four points from Bolton and Chelsea. It is widely believed that Zamora’s exit will only be a matter of time. Interest from Tottenham has further enhanced the possibility.
Potential destinations: Sunderland, QPR, Tottenham, Newcastle

8. Christopher Samba
The fans have seen enough, so does Samba. The Blackburn captain saved the team from relegation last season with clinical performances, which attracted Arsenal's interest this summer. After deciding to stay at Ewood Park, the only bright side that Blackburn has seen this season was the 4-3 thrilling win against Arsenal. The temptation of European football can be irresistible to pull Samba away from the team he has been for five years.
Potential destinations: Arsenal, Newcastle, Tottenham, QPR

9. Niko Kranjcar
One of the most underrated midfielders in Premier League. He followed Harry Redknapp to Tottenham in 2009 but has been displaced by Gareth Bale and Luka Modric in his favourite positions. In February, he took advantage of Bale's injury and scored two magnificent winning goals in consecutive matches, but still failed to establish himself in the team. He is desperately looking to depart in search for regular football, something the Croatia national team would be more than happy to see.
Potential destinations: Sunderland, QPR

10. Roman Pavlyuchenko
Another Spurs striker who fails to break into first team. He has enjoyed a good Europa campaign, as well as scoring the winner against Sunderland, but regular football is all he is looking for, common among participants of Euro 2012. Rumours have been everywhere, but Harry Redknapp is unwilling to let go of anyone until he has found a replacement.
Potential destinations: Anzhi Makhachkala, QPR, Lokomotiv Moscow

Who will leave? Who will stay?

Monday, December 26, 2011

Another 5-star night at Old Trafford

Ferguson's historical success in the Christmas period left the fans with no objection to sit Welbeck and Rooney on the bench. Berbatov got the nod, partnering Hernandez up front. Carrick was slotted to the centreback position, while Gibson got his first Premier League start this season as the Christmas present. Valencia played in the right back, with Lindegaard starting for the second match in a row.

Having stolen two points from Chelsea and Liverpool, Martinez fielded exactly the same lineup as previous two games. Conor Sammon was supported by Jordi Gomez and and Victor Moses, with Wigan ready to camp at least 7 people behind the midfield line. David Jones played against his former team. In their last visit at Old Trafford, Wigan had two men sent off.

Play of the Game
Manchester United: In 57th min Valencia sprinted forward with plenty of space, passing over to Berbatov, who showed his silky touch to turn the defender and powered a right foot shot to net his second goal of the match, making it 3-0.

Wigan Athletic: In 86th min, Figueroa made an accurate tackle in his own half to stop Berbatov, and brought the ball all the way to Manchester United's box. He dribbled past Carrick, but couldn't convert his brilliant run into a consolation goal for the sorrowful Wigan.
Berbatov converted the penalty with style that sealed his hat-trick

Key Moments
  •  Manchester United dominated the first 10 minutes and earned a well deserved goal. In the 7th minute, Evra skipped past Moses and Alcarez  and delivered a cross. Ji Sung Park appeared at the right place and finished the move with a calm finish past Al Habsi. 
  • It could have been 2-0 merely 15 minutes into the match. Hernandez was brought down in the box by Caldwell, although Phil Dowd disagreed. He got another penalty claim denied when he tangled up with Figueroa in the box in 2nd half. 
  • Wigan's momentum was killed by a controversial red card. Conor Sammon was sent for an early bath when his arm struck Carrick's face unintentionally. Things only got worse for Wigan three minutes later when Berbatov doubled the lead. 
  •  David Jones nearly scored against his former club. His 25-yard free kick was just wide of the post, though Lindegaard seemed to have very good eyes to judge it safe.  
Anecdotes
Phil Dowd shrugged his shoulder reacting to the Wigan's protest for the penalty in 77th minute. He must be thinking, "Not three in a row. I don't want a hairdryer for this year's Christmas present!"

Verdict
Manchester United
A pretty relaxing Boxing Day for Ferguson, even encouraged by Manchester City's draw at West Brom. Manchester United's 10 goals in 2 games have suddenly diminished their city rival's advantage in points and goal difference. Sir Alex shuffled the team with the limited squad depth, but the 11 players on field were still sharp and brilliant. Park helped United to a strong start, with fullbacks Evra and Valencia expanding the attacking dimensions and Berbatov again displayed a classy performance. United has restored the early season's magnificent attacking form.

Wigan Athletic
Martinez would be very unhappy with Phil Dowd decision that left Wigan to be one man down for two-third of the game. Wigan, though, looked very shaky on both end of the court: Alcaraz and Caldwell had been very clumsy; Giggs was found in plenty of space just outside the box at one moment for a shot to be just deflected away; Ronnie Stam's two dangerous crosses were not contested by attackers. Martinez will surely have a lot to think about before travelling to Stoke on New Year's eve.

Best Performer of the Game
Dimitar Berbatov.  He is no longer a regular starter, but there is no sign of rust. The Bulgarian once again showed the world the beauty of football, starring in the game with his wonderful skills and delicate finishing. He had earned a well-deserved hat-trick in style. An absolutely outstanding performance, capped by a rarely seen grin from the ''godfather''.

Who could do better?
Phil Dowd. The Staffordshire referee should be the happiest person after the final whistle. He had endured a difficult night at Old Trafford when his major decisions all proved to be wrong. For once he pointed at the spot confidently, Park was indeed tripped outside the box. Merry Christmas Phil.

Park was tripped undoubtedly outside the box

An Unimpressive Hat-trick from Andres Villas-Boas

Another London Derby awaited AVB and his weary side as they host Martin Jol’s Fulham at Stamford Bridge. David Luiz recovered in time to spare his manager grilling questions on his decision to keep Alex in the cold. Lampard returned to the starting lineup and Fernando Torres came in for Didier Drogba as Chelsea shuffled their limited squad in the festive fixture. Martin Jol made 3 changes from the team hammered 5-0 by Manchester United in midweek including the lively Kerim Frei.
Prior to kickoff, Fulham only managed to find the net 4 times away from home but it was Chelsea’s defensive frailty at home that was more worrying, conceding their 13th goal this season, as well as seeing their gap with the summit opening up to a potential 13 points after their 3rd consecutive 1-1 draw.

Play of the Game

Chelsea: Shortly after the break, Ashley Cole found space down the left hand side before whipping a cross to Torres inside the box; his first touch was poor but managed to hold the ball up against Hangeland before laying it to Juan Mata for a first-time shot that led to Chelsea’s only goal of the game.

Fulham: Philippe Senderos was unexpectedly driving forward into Chelsea’s half before he headed Dembele’s return pass to Bryan Ruiz on the right flank. A little piece of skill sent Ashley Cole the wrong way and Ruiz’s low cross across Cech was slid in by Clint Dempsey who otherwise had a more subtle day.
Dempsey gets the better of
Cech and David Luiz
Key Moments

·         A Fulham throw-in in Chelsea’s half in the 8th minute was nicely passed around by Dembele and Bryan Ruiz before squaring the ball to Dempsey to unleash a bouncing shot towards Cech’s right bottom corner.
·         Mata’s cross from the right side was brilliantly chested down by Fernando Torres in the 15th minute 10 yards out but his first time volley was straight at the keeper’s arms and was denied a much-needed goal to revive his disappointing Chelsea career.
·         Chelsea’s goal in the 46th minute came at the perfect time for them and Fulham’s gameplan was completely interrupted; however there were no changes to tactics to extend or protect the lead and eventually allowed Fulham to equalize shortly after 9 minutes.
·         It was Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale’s show in the last 15 minutes as he did superiorly well to fend off great efforts from Malouda, Drogba and Meireles as they continually bombarded his goal charging for a late winner.


Anecdotes
·         Replaced by Fernando Torres in the starting lineup, Didier Drogba still wanted to steal his thunder by covering everything bts his eyes on the (cold?) Chelsea bench.
·         Chelsea legend Jimmy Greaves, who scored 124 goals in 155 appearances for Chelsea, appeared at half time in a ceremony but the home crowd might have wanted more from him.

Verdict
Chelsea
Fernando Torres has had another disappointing day in front of his own fans and it’s only a matter of time before his fans, manager and chairman gets enough of him; many would be confused as Sturridge, instead of him, made way for Drogba. Despite not play playing a high line, Chelsea still failed to keep a clean sheet at home and it is worrying as AVB doesn’t seem to figure out the reason behind his defense. Is Gary Cahill going to be a solution? Doubt it. The introduction of Malouda and Drogba, as well as the liberated Meireles after Lampard came off created glimpses of hope but the vital winner did not come.

Fulham
The 5-0 loss was quickly forgotten as Fulham started the game fearlessly and confidently as Chelsea found little ways to win headers against the towering Hangeland or penetrate the organized midfield. Wingers Bryan Ruiz and Kerim Frei kept their markers busy and nervous and Dembele was just a handful. The West London team was patient in their build-up plays and dictated the tempo whenever they had possession, thanks to the evergreen Danny Murphy. Martin Jol will be more than satisfied with the mentality and morale of his team.

Best Performer of the Game
Moussa Dembele. The Belgian forward has finally adapted to the premier league this season and he was involved in both attack and defense at Stamford Bridge tonight. He danced around the field and kept the slow Chelsea midfielders chasing his heels all day. Playing behind lone striker Orlando Sa, he was also found in his own half nicking the ball away from the ineffectual Torres and closing down Bosingwa. He was unlucky not to register himself on the scoresheet as his drilled shot was just wide of the bottom corner after skipping past Romeu with style and ease.

Who could do better?
Andres Villas-Boas. His decision to start Torres and keep him on for 90 minutes had backfired with a lack of quality in the attacking force. Didier Drogba had 4 shots on target in his 20 minutes and many would wonder if the scoreline would stay the same had the Ivory Coast captain started the match. AVB’s failure to implement tactical changes after their early goal in the 2nd half was punished by a determined and persistent Fulham side shortly after. He threw on Malouda for Lampard 10 minutes later but few would understand why he would delay the introduction of Drogba by a further 10 minutes. Once again, AVB has little tendency to change formation during the game and prefers only direct substitution. It would be interesting to see how, and more importantly when he could turn things around at the bridge.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Comments on Goal.com's Premier League Team of the Season so far

Merry Christmas fellow readers!

Goal.com have recently announced their Premier League Team of the Season so far and The Linesman would like to share with all a different perspective on the starring performers on England soil.

Goal.com’s best XI:
Krul
Richards   King   Vermaelen   Enrique
Parker   Lucas
Aguero   Rooney   D. Silva
Van Persie

The Linesman’s View:

RB: Kyle Walker --> Micah Richards
Walker found himself in the starting lineup of Tottenham’s campaign after maturing from his loan at Aston Villa last season and repaid manager Harry Redknapp’s faith with a string of strong and competent performances which also earned him a call-up to the national team. His pace, physique, stamina and attacking abilities (including a 25-yard winner against Arsenal) could well be the ultimate solution to Spur’s right back position and Aaron Lennon’s best partner to date.

LB: Ashley Cole --> Jose Enrique
AVB’s horrid defence play have seen the Blues conceding 20 goals in 17 league games but it could have been worse without Ashley Cole; his tireless and committed defense at left back was often overshadowed by his porous teammates until recently when AVB (or John Terry?) decided to revert to a deeper line of defense. Cole has already amassed 5 assists to his name this season, leveling his personal career high. His consistency up and down the flank has been undoubtedly vital in reviving Chelsea’s league form.

DMC: Alex Song --> Lucas
Since returning to the starting lineup after the 3 match-ban due to his confrontation with Joey Barton, Song has provided the physical presence lacking in the Arsenal midfield. He put up consistent-as-usual performances protecting the back four and allowed Arteta to star in his playmaker role. His career best five league assists have surprisingly shared the creative burden of the team. Arsenal will be more than happy that Cameroon is not a participant of the African Nations Cup in January next year.
AMC: Juan Mata --> Sergio Aguero
Juan Mata’s debut half-season surely reminded Chelsea fans of Arjen Robben who changed the team in distinct fashion. He creates, he invents, he improvises. His 3 goals and 7 assists accounts for nearly a third of Chelsea’s goals this season and little will wonder why the summer signing could send Florent Malouda on the bench and Nicholas Anelka further eastwards. His set piece skills have also been a threat to his opponents as well as Frank Lampard’s starting berth. Already a fan favorite, Mata will be crucial in Chelsea’s 2nd half of the campaign to secure a top four finish.


Amid the Christmas joy, there are certainly more than 11 to pay tributes to, and here we shortlist 7 more......



GK: Michel Vorm                    
Another Dutch goalkeeper who starred this season after Edwin Van der Sar retired. He has helped Swansea to keep 8 clean sheets in the 17 league games, also conceding only 1 goal each to Arsenal and Manchester United. Vorm has caught 64% of the shots, even higher than the league leader goalkeeper, Joe Hart (52%). His brilliant penalty save against Wigan's Ben Watson that has earned them a point can prove to be crucial in the relegation race.   

CB: Fabricio Coloccini
He has proved that not everyone with the fluffy hairstyle would play like being controlled by a 10 year old on a Playstation. In his fourth year in England, Coloccini has shaken off the clumsiness and poor positioning he once showed. His partnership with Steven Taylor and Tim Krul has anchored the defense of the free-scoring Newcastle. Since his injury, Newcastle has given away 7 goals in 3 games, when they have only conceded 12 in 13 games before.

CB: Phil Jones
Alex Ferguson can certainly see something in this youngster when others can't. The first summer signing of the Red Devils this summer have shown his versatility, starring in centreback, right back, and recently defensive midfielder. His mis-positioning in defence is still occasionally exposed, but don't be surprised to see the 19 years old, who is being compared with Franco Baresi and Fernando Hierro, to be granted the England's captain band anytime soon.

MC: Lucas Leiva
When the spotlight is all on the expensive signings, Lucas has quietly emerged as an integrated part of Liverpool midfield. He has shown maturity on both ends of the field with his improved passing choices. The tireless Brazilian's blossoming season has come to an end with a season-ending knee injury. His absence will be sadly missed.


MC: Mikel Arteta
The skilful Spanish was signed by Arsene Wenger just before the trade deadline to replace his fellow Cesc Fabregas. He has quickly adapted to Arsenal's playing style and stabilised the team with his excellent vision, pinpointing passes and penetrating deadballs. The former Barcelona trainee will continue to push hard in the 2nd half of season for his dream of representing his country at International level in Euro 2012.

FW: Demba Ba
Stoke manager Tony Pulis may still be puzzling why he didn't sign Ba in January. The Senegal striker has put behind the poor start of his full-debut season and netted two hat-tricks, including one against Stoke. He shows his capability to play alone upfront or pairing up with Leon Best and Shola Ameobi. Alan Pardew will be in serious headache to replace the 13 goals Demba Ba has contributed to the recently struggling Teeside during the African Nations Cup.

FW: Emmanuel Adebayor
The Togo striker has surely put football over money. His height and physical strength is invaluable to the short attacking front of Tottenham; His technique and aggressiveness merge perfectly with the short-passing game that Harry Redknapp prefers. Adebayor has already contributed 9 goals and 6 assists since joining from Manchester City on loan. Tottenham fans would surely want Daniel Levy to splash the money to secure the service of the once-rival.
  

Thursday, December 22, 2011

John Terry Enjoyed the Last Laugh in London Derby

Tottenham was looking to close the gap with the Manchester duos who won with ease on Wednesday.  Bale passed the final fitness test to start, offering the pace Tottenham deadly needed with Lennon injured.  Sandro and Parker both started to anchor the midfield, while Defoe missed the game with injury.
A shocking draw at Wigan left AVB in the thought tonight, "either win or title gone". Terry will again be the focus with his off-field trouble, hoping not to be sent off for the third time in White Hart Lane. Mikel was given the surprising nod over Romeu, while Lampard was dropped behind Meireles. AVB kept the in-form frontline unchanged, with Drogba shaking off the scare of a pre-match warm up knee injury.

Play of the Game
Spurs : Sandro made a great tackle near midfield line on Sturridge, which then saw Gareth Bale sprinted down the left flank, delivering a well-placed low cross which met the long leg of Adebayor to give Spurs an early lead at 6th minute.
Chelsea: Nearly gained the lead in the 28th minute, when Bosingwa delivered a wonderful cross from the right, with the ball sailing over the head of Kyle Walker and well-chested down by Drogba, only seeing his left foot volley cannon off the woodwork.

Key Moments

  • Chelsea leveled with a controversial goal, with Ashley Cole appeared to have controlled the ball with his right arm, before delivering a cross to  Daniel Sturridge for an easy tap-in.
  • Drogba released Ramires with a through pass, but the Brazilian's shot was saved by Friedel. The 40 years old keeper was prompted for another good save 30 seconds later for a header from John Terry, which proved to be crucial to keep the scoreline at 1-1.
  • Spurs nearly went ahead despite Chelsea dominating the early 2nd half. Gallas flicked Modric's freekick to Adebayor who then scored, but was ruled out for offside, though both were clearly on-side as seen from replay. The goal would still be illegal as the Togo striker used his arm to flick the ball into the net.
William Gallas reacts to Spurs' disallowed goal
  • 6 minutes from final whistle, when the match appeared to be in stalemate, Kyle Walker bursted through the flank and created a chance for Sandro, who nearly produced another memorial goal vs Chelsea when his deflected shot was only parried over by Cech’s extended arm. A minute later, Gallas struggled to convert a tricky cross from Bale from 5 yards out.
  • Both teams had failed to clinch the match with a late winner. Ramires missed another golden chance when his unmarked header from Mata's freekick had gone well wide. Into injury time, Bale had found Adebayor in the box. His place shot had beaten Peter Cech, but was just deflected off by the desperately sliding John Terry. 
Anecdotes
Drogba was seen changing his purple boots to a yellow pair in the 20th minute. 2 mins later, his flick was handled by Ashley Cole, but wasn’t penalized by Howard Webb and eventually led to a goal. Drogba clearly had an idea which color brings him luck.

Verdict
Tottenham
They will have every reason to be disappointed with the result. The two full backs struggled to provide cover for centrebacks, with Assou-Ekotto completely switched off to allow Sturridge drifting in the controversial leveler, and Kyle Walker had nearly knocked in a cross into his own net when he lost his position to Mata. King demonstrated composure and experience when he was exposed for his lack of pace in the 2nd half when Chelsea was pushing for the leading goal. On the other hand, the midfielders showed extraordinary work rate and passing ability to hold off Chelsea, with Sandro and Bale performing exceptionally well.  

Chelsea
AVB’s midfield selection was dubious. Mikel had nearly failed to make a single successful forward pass, while Meireles didn't have his best night either. Not to mention the horrible long shots, he wasted a golden counter-attack opportunity late in 1st half, only seeing his pass intercepted easily by Modric. Ivanovic's injury casted doubt to the defensive line, but Bosingwa filled in admirably, John Terry regained concentration amidst the boos; also thanks to Mikel's injury Romeu was brought in to anchor the defense. Sturridge looked lively, particularly in the 2nd half, but Juan Mata appeared to be short of the physical strength needed in these derby games. He may want to seek advice from his former teammate David Silva.

Best Performer of the Game
Ashley Cole. Decisive and commanding as usual; he outperformed his fellow national full back Kyle Walker. He neutralized threats from Tottenham's right flank with brilliant positioning and well-timed tackles, while also producing dangerous runs down the left, eventually grabbing an assist. Another top-class performance. He is undoubtedly this country's best left back.
A professional, committed Ashley Cole with nothing
but clearing the ball in his mind
Who could do better?
Rafael Van der Vaart and Roman Pavlyuchenko. the Dutchman once again shows Harry Redknapp why he doesn't like to play on the right. He wasn't able to connect with the attackers in the passing game and never looked like threatening. Pavlyuchenko came in 2nd half for Van der Vaart, but had never got up to the tempo at all. His only contribution came in the injury time, when his pass released Bale, who then fed Adebayor but the shot was denied by Terry. 

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

18/12 QPR vs Manchester United

QPR have only managed to get one point in their last three leagues games before they host champions Manchester United at Loftus Road. With the extra incentive of reaching the top of the league since mid October, at least for a few hours, Manchester United look to extend their league winning form for the third consecutive games. Sir Alex Ferguson field an unchanged lineup against Wolves at Old Trafford.Rangers welcome Heidar Helguson back in place for Tommy Smith with former Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Philips once again deployed on the left flank opposite to Jamie Mackie.

Play of the Game
QPR : 74th minute – Substitute Adel Taarabt sneaked into United’s box and was picked up by Faurlin’s through ball only to see DJ Campbell, on for Helguson, failing to keep Taarabt’s cross down at the far post 3 yards from goal.
Manchester United: 56th minute – Michael Carrick intercepted Joey Barton’s careless square pass in United’s half before bursting through two QPR’s players with some nice footwork and drilled a low shot to Cerny’s left bottom corner to score his first goal in 70 games for the Red Devils.

Key Moments
  •        Rangers have only got 7 points from 8 home games this season and it might not be much of a shock for them to concede at home, however it is always demoralizing to concede in the first minute. On the contrary, it was a dream start for Sir Alex’s men in climbing back to the summit.
  •        Evans would had regretted heading Welbeck’s flick after Nani’s corner over the bar from two yards out with nearly half an hour gone if De Gea had not stopped Helguson’s angled shot with his foot after latching onto Bothroyd’s header minutes later.
  •       The last minutes of the first half was breathtaking for QPR fans as United had trouble clearing the ball out of their own half. Barton found Bothroyd in United’s box before his low cross across the 6-yard box was not anticipated by his teammates and that was the closest Rangers got to equalizing before the break.
  •       Jamie Mackie, who enjoyed the upper hand against Patrice Evra in the first half, did well in the 50th minute but once again his dangerous cross across De Gea was not picked up by anyone; A 1-1 scoreline would have greatly disturbed United’s game plan right after the break.
  •       In the 74th minute, QPR looked to have conjured a consolation goal when Taarabt found space in United’s box and crossed to the far post only to see DJ Campbell tipping the ball over the woodwork from 3 yards out. The momentum was lost after the miss and it was only a matter of time before United claim their third consecutive league victory.
Anecdotes
  •       Daniel Gabbidon came in late after the half-time break and QPR was forced to play with 10 men when  Rooney ran through their heart of defense before his shot was easily saved by Cerny. 
  •       QPR Owner Tony Hernandes was caught on camera allegedly twitting, perhaps a @Joey7Barton subscriber?
Verdict
QPR
The central midfielders, Faurlin and Barton, may be good passers of the ball but surely not in this match, notably succumbing to United’s compact and quick closing down.  They did not have a high work rate either, with United players losing their tails by playing simple one-twos and give-and-goes. Neil Warnock may need to contemplate reshuffling his central midfielders to offer more defensive cover if they are to improve. Substitute Taarabt had an immediate effect and should not be restricted to the QPR bench. Warnock should consider reinstating him into the starting lineup and offer the team more creativity, if Taarabt can shake off his off-court disciplinary issues.

Manchester United
Wingers Valencia and Nani were productive, hardworking and threatening throughout 90 minutes. Valencia seemed to have regained his form while Nani began to show consistency. Defenders Smalling, Ferdinand and Evans gave a strong and composed display at the back, giving their manager and fans confidence to cope with the absence of out-for-season captain Nemanja Vidic. Evra, however, was too easily beaten by Jamie Mackie in the first half and we would not be surprised if he was given the hairdryer treatment. Welbeck and Jones had also instilled pace and movement to the side which turned out to be too handful for the Rangers’ defense to handle with.

Best Performer of the Game
Michael Carrick. His vision and distribution of the ball initiated most of his team’s moves and was particularly useful in picking out the ample space in the QPR team for his teammates to intrude. His role has never been more vital since United now lack the passing range of Paul Scholes as well as match-fit midfielders.

Who could do better?
Shaun Wright-Philips. Deployed as a left winger, he never felt comfortable with the ball and rarely threatened. He never looked as menacing on the right flank during his days at Manchester City which earned him several caps for his country. His only achievement may come as winning a header against the towering Chris Smalling. Substituted shortly after the hour mark.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Man Utd's Premature Champions League Dropout

Throughout the past 15 years, no verdicts would have predicted Manchester United's exit in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Booking a place in the knockout stage has been a formality. There was no difference this year, after seeing convincing victories over their fellow Champions League contestants, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Sir Alex has always stated that 10 points would be enough for qualification. In fact, only Manchester City failed to qualify with 10 points this year.  Sir Alex was well aware of the threat from Benfica, who caused their miserable European campaign in 2005. One away point was satisfactory. While six points from Gelati was almost a guarantee, the X Factor was Basel.
Alexander Frei's first of two goals to bring Basel
within a goal with Manchester United
A strong performance in early season made Alex Ferguson reluctant to alter the first XI for Premier League. Fringe players like Carrick, Fabio, Fletcher and Berbatov were offered playing times in the European matches. The "second string" team, together with the experienced Giggs and Park, should have more than enough to outscore their opponents. Alex's faith had been well-rewarded, until Basel striker Frei magically turned the once-look easy game in Old Trafford into an embarrassing draw.

Complacency took another two home points away from United, this time by Benfica. The trip to Switzerland was far from an enjoyable skiing holiday trip. When Streller had stunned United players 9 minutes into the game, the three times finalist in the past four years looked completely toothless to fight back, with the most threatening attack coming off their opponent's boot, sarcastically.

United might have not played an under-strength squad at all in the six group matches. Nevertheless, the over-cautious formation, woeful defence, and the lack of energy and urgency have shown the failure of the backroom staff to retain the winning mentality of the team in local league. Sir Alex might have even put the weight on the wrong side between winning streak and physical fatigue of players. Clinching a place in the knockout stage, convincingly or so, brings stability and motivation to the dressing room. Fringe players can also earn pressure-less playing time to regain match fitness and confidence more effectively.
In contrast, the defending Premiership champion has never recovered since the dramatic 3-3 draw against Basel, not to mention the disastrous Manchester Derby defeat. The shocking exit in Carling Cup has also shown the lack of match sharpness of 2nd string players like Macheda, Mama Biram Diouf and Gibson.

The two Spanish giants have demonstrated the perfect example in how to clinch in the group stage. They may not have the squad depth that United has been enjoying, but having booked their places in the knockout stage before matchday 6, fielding youthful teams were more than affordable. More importantly, key players were all well-rested to prepare for the fierce fight of El-Clasico.

Manchester United might even have to show admiration, unwillingly, to their once crushed rival, Arsenal. Drawing into a tricky group with Marseille, Olympiakos and Dortmund, Arsenal produced timely performance and had reserved travel miles to Greece in the last matchday for the jaded Van Persie, Arteta, Walcott and Szczesny. Meanwhile, Manchester United has lost their captain and key defender Nemanja Vidic for the season, who only adds misery to the already sorrowful campaign.

They might have lost some millions and a spiritual leader, but focus can be regained on the Premiership, a much needed title to the potentially tragic season. The December fixtures have been relatively kind to the Red Devils, compared to their city rival, who has a back-to-back battle against Chelsea and Arsenal. All twelve points from QPR, Fulham, Wigan and Blackburn will prove to be invaluable in the tight title race. Alex Ferguson must find a way to mix in the more experienced batches, Carrick, Park and Giggs, in order to bag more convincing victories and to restore the dipping confidence of the young players. The 4-1 victory against Wolves was a much better performance, especially the partnership of Carrick and Phil Jones in the central midfield (of course, thanks to the much void Wolves defence).

In 2005, a shocking European exit was followed by ten consecutive victories. Nobody has ever doubted Alex Ferguson's managerial ability and experience. If Ashley Young, Danny Welbeck and Chris Smalling are able to show determination and persistency in their games, Manchester United is still favourites for the title.