Wednesday 29 April 2015

Champions League Semi Finals 2015

With the most prestigious prize in club football up for grabs in just over a months time, there can be no room for error if any of the four teams want a chance at playing on the grand stage in Berlin. Surprise package Juventus face the holders Real Madrid, while the glamour tie sees Pep Guardiola return to the Nou Camp for the first time since his departure.

Juventus face a very difficult tie and one that not many people will fancy them to progress. Expect a similar game to the one when Real faced Atleti, where the visitors set up to try and not concede, while showing minimal impotence on the ball. Ultimately a lapse in concentration handed the game to Real, however Juve have a similar options in defence. Giorgio Chiellini has been a stalwart for the Turin side and Italy for years as has Bonucci, while Angelo Ogbonna is an able replacement when called upon. If the Italian champions want to progress, then they will have to take any chances that fall their way.

The flanks will be where Real find the majority of their success. Patrice Evra is aging and while he can bring good experience to the side, he is prone to switch off in crucial stages, (see Manchester United's quarter final second leg match at Bayern Munich last year for evidence). Similarly Stephan Lichtsteiner loves to bomb forward, but can sometimes be caught out of position because of this. Credit where credit is due, he generally repels any attack when it comes his way. I doubt that Allegri will grant him permission to be offensive against the current champions. This game could be another case of patience for Madrid and one of discipline for The Old Lady.
 
The second tie sees Pep Guardiola return to the stadium in which he made his name as a manager. Barcelona are probably the most in form side in Europe, having won their last four matches and not lost since late February. They possess one of the most frightening attacking trios in Europe, yet Bayern have one of the best managers in the modern era. In the last meeting between the sides, Bayern ran riot with a 7-0 annihilation over two legs in the 2012/2013 semi finals. On paper, this has everything to be a great contest with top class content on show, however I think it will interesting to see how two teams which heavily rely on possession match up against each other.

It is evident that both will get chances, so it will be a case of who will be able to be the most clinical. The midfield battle will be vital and will be the deciding factor in who wins the tie. Andres Iniesta was superb in the second leg of the last round, while former Barca man, Thiago Alcantara is finding form after a long lay off. Busquets and Rakitic will both play vital roles for Barcelona in attempting to break up the Bayern attacks. Likewise, Xabi Alonso will do the same for the Germans. It's undoubtedly the tie of the round and whoever wins this, may be favourites to go on and lift the trophy.

We may not have an exciting round of games in our hands, but they are intriguing nonetheless. For me I think that Juventus can pull off a shock victory, while Pep's hunt for European glory will continue as Barcelona will go through to face the Old Lady in the Berlin.

Thursday 23 April 2015

The Most Wanted Man in Europe

The news that Jurgen Klopp was resigning at the end of the season has shocked everyone and has left Dortmund fans significantly disappointed after he was backed by higher powers after a horrific start to the season.
 
The 47 year old has confirmed that he will take a year out, before pursuing on another adventure, most likely in England, due to the man himself admitting that he won't need to learn the language. It was a massive judgement call by the German manager, and he will now have the decision as to where he will venture in the next year. He has been linked to many English and European jobs in the past and these rumours will only intensify after his recent decision. Here are some sides that could be in with a chance of securing him as their future boss.
 
Napoli
When appointed in 2013, Rafa Benitez was expected to continue the improvements the Neopolitan club made under Walter Mazzari the four years previous. After the sale of Ezequiel Lavezzi in 2012 and Edinson Cavani in 2013, Benitez was expected to invest wisely and improve Napoli's fortunes in the Serie A. He brought talents such as Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon from Real Madrid and Dries Mertens from PSV for a combined total of €60m so far during his tenure as well as numerous other acquisitions. Benitez brought Coppa Italia glory last season as well as the Super Cup in August. Many have predicted that Benitez will be relieved of his duties in the summer if he does not show any improvement on last years 3rd place finish. Currently. they have been unable to topple Juventus at the top, who are running away with the league. Recent developments may have convinced the Neopolitan board to take a punt and attempt to bring Klopp to Naples.

Real Madrid
Although having delivered the long awaited La Decima to the Bernabeu, Carlo Ancelotti is walking a tight rope onboard the fickle Real Madrid coach. It was reported that winning the Champions League was his saving grace last season, having been disappointing in the league with finishing behind Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Madristas don't take kindly to a season without silverware, and while they may look at his past exploits and ignore this season, a second season will not be accepted in the Spanish capital. Currently sitting 2 points behind Barcelona in the table and through to the semi finals of the Champions League, Ancelotti is in a healthy position, but so much can happen between now and the end of the season. I'm not sure whether Klopp would want to take on the challenge of managing Real Madrid, after all, winning trophies by playing attractive football is the only way to safe guard your job. Even at that, it's no guarantee that it will be a long term post.

Arsenal
Gooners have been calling for a Wenger replacement for the past few years. Minus the barren years, Wenger has been a terrific servant to Arsenal Football Club and I am almost certain that Klopp will be high on their list of possible successors. Arsenal will definitely need to show the same faith in Klopp that the Dortmund board did during the tough spell at the beginning of the season. If things get tough, and it will, another question would be whether the fans will keep backing the German? It was no secret that the Gunners have pursued Klopp in the past, and it really would not surprise me if the board has made an informal approach for the former Mainz and Dortmund man for the end of next season.

Manchester City
Having one the league for the second time in four years last season, many expected Pellegrini and City to kick on and try achieve some European glory. This was not the case, instead, they were dumped out in the first leg by Barcelona after, in hindsight, it looked as if Pellegrini had got his tactics wrong. City lie in fourth position, disappointing by the high standards set by the board and fans. It seems as if Pellegrini has served his time in Manchester and his time could reach an abrupt end once the season concludes. While Klopp is currently available, rumour has it that Pep Guardiola is the name mentioned at the Etihad. Still at Bayern, Pep will not leave for another season at the very least. Will City take a punt with Klopp or will they wait for Guardiola? I would probably say the latter is the most likely.

Liverpool
Last, but certainly by no means least is Liverpool. While I don't think Liverpool should part with Brendan Rodgers for any reason, it is a must to be included. Klopp would fit perfectly with Liverpool, considering the youth prospects he nurtured in Dortmund. With Liverpool having a decent number of young talent progressing through their ranks and poor results in the league may convince the American owners to part with Brendan Rodgers. Klopp isn't the only one wanted by Kopites, Rafa 'the Gaffa' Benitez is also remembered in Merseyside for his tremendous work with the side in the 2000s. Currently at Napoli, he would also be welcomed back at Anfield.

I can't assume that Klopp will have any difficulties in finding his new job, with guiding Dortmund to 2 league titles and leading them to the 2013 Champions League Final. However whether he will be as successful at his new club as he was in Germany is a completely different matter. He has confirmed that he will have a 'sabbatical' before hopefully returning to management in the summer of 2016.

Wednesday 22 April 2015

Chicharito fires Real Madrid into the Semi Finals

Real Madrid pursue a second consecutive Champions League title, while Arda Turan's dubious red card halts Atleti's progress

Manchester United loanee Javier Hernandez, will have put his face in the shop window tonight with his very late winner that he scored the goal to send Los Blancos into the last four.

Despite several changes, Real Madrid were able to dominate the opening 20 minutes, but were unable to breach the typically disciplined Simeone side. Atleti did have their share of pressure, with Koke and Griezmann finding holes in behind the defence.

With the half time whistle blowing when the game remained scoreless, it was a game that wasn't very exciting, but fascinating nonetheless. Gamez had a shot saved by Casillas, while Ronaldo scuffed one wide before firing straight at Oblak when he really should have done better. Atleti conceded fouls to break up the game and frustrate Madrid and it was certainly working for the visitors.  

The second half started at a frenetic pace with Hernandez pulling a glorious chance across the face of the goal. The visitors were swinging balls into the box, but Real's defence dealt with them. Ramos found himself unmarked inside the box after a Ronaldo cross, but was unable to steer the ball to either side of Oblak. Likewise, a Koke header was straight at Casillas.

The tie swung in the favour of the Royals when a high foot from Arda Turan earned him a second yellow card. Real were able to make the extra man count, when Ronaldo squared the ball to Chicharito to give Real their first victory over Atleti this season.

Real Madrid's title defence continues as they march into the semi finals at the dispense of their city neighbours.

Man of the Match
I thought both Godin and Miranda had exceptional games, but my man of the match has to go to the match winner, Javier Hernandez. He ran every lost cause and was rightly rewarded with the winning goal.

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Barcelona v Paris Saint Germain in 300 words

It was definitely a case of ‘job well done’ for Barcelona as they stroll into the semis through a first half brace from Neymar.

Barcelona dominated the opening stages of the match courtesy of quick passing and disciplined pressing when PSG had the ball in their own half. They were duly rewarded for their efforts with the first goal on the night when captain, Andres Iniesta embarked on a mazy run beating three straggling defenders before releasing Neymar who scored with a high degree of finesse.

Iniesta was pulling all the strings in Catalonia, as if the ball was a magnet at his feet, while the influential Ibrahimovic for PSG was barely mentioned. The second goal came just after the half hour mark, and it was only a matter of time before the third arrived.

In the second half, it was probably to be expected that it would be a non-event, and that is exactly what the first 15 minutes were. A good chance fell to the Parisians through Verratti, but his shot skewed wide.

Javier Pastore never got into the game and the Argentinian was a main factor in why the Parisians were never able to maintain a solid spell of possession. He misplaced 15 passes and a poorly timed pass that would have played Cavani through, typified his and his team’s performance.

For Barcelona, the second half could be described as a ‘professional job’ but they took their foot off the gas and lost all accuracy when Iniesta was replaced at half time. Messi had a chance to overtake Ronaldo in the goal-scoring charts on the stroke of full time but his shot sailed just wide.

Barcelona smothered PSG in midfield and walk into the semi-finals for the 8th time in the last ten years.

Man of the Match

My man of the match has to be Andres Iniesta. For 45 minutes he patrolled the midfield, orchestrating, and created the opening goal of the night. Notable mentions also have to go to Javier Mascherano and Sergio Busquets.

Thursday 16 April 2015

FA Cup Semi Final Preview

A momentous occasion for four clubs approaches at the weekend. A trip to Wembley for the FA Cup Semi Final. Featuring Liverpool, Reading, Aston Villa and Arsenal, all sides have had vastly different seasons.

On Saturday, The Gunners from North London will make the short trip across to take on Reading. On of the inform teams in the Premier League, they will be clear favourites to progress to the final. Having won nine out of the last ten league games, Arsenal are eyeing a second place finish above current champions, Manchester City with a 5 point gap being established at the weekend. As for Reading, they have been less than inspiring in the Championship but find themselves 11 points outside the relegation zone and with nothing to play for in the league. This will mean that they can put all their eggs in one basket in the hope of another trip to Wembley come the end of May.

En route to the semi final, Reading disposed of giant killers Bradford in the previous round, while beating teams such as Derby County, Cardiff City and Huddersfield on their way to the final. Most of the teams are placed higher in the league than themselves, indicating that they have played their share of quality opposition. Although the Arsenal match will be the first time they take on a Premier League team, they will take confidence from results gained in other matches. Arsenal faced a trip to Old Trafford in the previous round and where able to come out on top in a tactical encounter. Brighton and Hull were also defeated on their journey.

It's a tie that Arsenal will be expected to win and one that I think they will duly deliver. Another boost for Arsenal is that Jack Wilshere is citing this match as his return to football after another injury lay off. I think Arsenal's form and class will overshadow a gutsy Reading performance as they march onto their second consecutive FA Cup final.

Liverpool and Aston Villa occupy the second semi final that will be played on Sunday. After the sacking of Paul Lambert in the middle of February, newly appointed Tim Sherwood brought on a new style of play, effectively utilising Aston Villa's potent attacking options. He has created a sense of optimism that wasn't at the club in the concluding days of the Lambert era. The sheer joy and jubilation was evident at the final whistle of the quarter final match where Villa defeated West Brom at Villa Park. The club has been going through a testing few years and this trip to Wembley will provide a perfect back drop to banish dire memories of a substandard league campaign.

Similarly Liverpool will be expecting to defeat the Villains on Sunday at Wembley. Having enjoyed an indifferent season with highs and lows, a trip on Steven Gerrard's birthday to the final will certainly be a way to end the season on a high as well as a celebration one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League era as his career in the North West draws to an end. Another performance from Jordan Henderson similar to the one that helped defeat Newcastle United on Monday night.

Mario Balotelli blows hot and cold and Rickie Lambert has never had a chance since he moved from Southampton in the summer. Sterling has been embroiled in contract controversy over the past few weeks and will be likely to start. I would like to see Rodgers field the same attacking options as he did against Newcastle as they were able to forge an abundance of chances, and on another day, Liverpool would have been out of sight by half time.

Sherwood has improved Villa's side since he his appointment, and with the attacking brand of football, his side will definitely pose Liverpool some problems. I still think that Liverpool will have enough to overcome the challenge and progress to their first final since their defeat against Chelsea in 2012.

Both ties will be enthralling encounters, and each underdog will look to Bradford and Middlesbrough for inspiration in defeating a superior side. This is the FA Cup and we have already had our fair share of cup shocks. Who says we won't be discussing another on Monday morning?

Friday 10 April 2015

Manuel Pellegrini and Manchester City

You would struggle to find anyone in the UK that would have thought Manchester City were trailing Manchester United going into the return derby. Both sides will want the bragging rights, but the game is the most important to Manuel Pellegrini.

Last May, Pellegrini was enjoying life, Capital One Cup in the bag followed by the league title. Many predicted this year to be a two horse race with Chelsea pipping City to the title and it looked like this was the case up until the New Year. Since then, City have lost 4 games, including 3 last month and have picked up just 18 points in the league - that's 8 less than their City rivals.

Rumours are flying about that Pellegrini is on his last legs at the Etihad. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Looking at last season, City should have had the title wrapped up in a present early. They had a far superior squad to Liverpool and Jose didn't seem interested in winning the league. Instead, they faltered and nearly handed the title to their North West rivals. The Premier League win papered over the cracks of a season that could have gone a lot worse.

Champions League is again, a major worry for Manchester City fans. This season was another year where they failed in the last 16 stage to Barcelona. Pellegrini will point to dodgy decisions made by the officials, however his tactical naivety cannot be ignored. In both years, they played in a 4-4-2 formation, suicidal when playing Barcelona who base their game on possession. Barcelona had the extra man in midfield and a comfortable first half, before Pellegrini decided to change, low and behold, City began to grow into the game and had chances. The damage was already done and a positive result in the Nou Camp seemed an impossible task.

The match on Sunday is a must win. A loss could see Liverpool move within 4 points of City, providing they secure maximum points at Newcastle. Manchester United have hit a run of form, with notable victories over Tottenham, Liverpool and Aston Villa. A win may not save Pellegrini's job, but it will go along way to banish nightmares of the poor results they have received over the last couple of months.

 City cannot allow United to dominate the midfield and this means playing 3 in the centre of midfield. United's duo of Carrick and Herrera are excellent at finding the passes in order to unlock defences. City will have to contend with the threat posed my Rooney up front, but more importantly, Fellaini in the hole behind the captain. A player like Yaya Toure or Fernandinho should have the power to deal with this threat, but as teams have found out in the past, you cannot underestimate the threat of Marouane Fellaini. Up front, Aguero is a match winner although has had his injury problems of late while David Silva can thread a ball through the eye of a needle.

Vincent Kompany has not been at his best this season for the blue side of Manchester, yet he is such an influential player. City feel much more secure at the back when he is on the pitch. When on the sidelines, City have to rely on the often eccentric Eliaquim Mangala, whom it seems they have severely overpaid for and Martin Demichelis who has seen better days. Mangala may prove his worth, but at the moment he is a long way off it and City are suffering. With Kompany an injury doubt, this could spell more trouble for City.

Looking onto the summer, City could go on a spending spree, buying players such as Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Jack Wilshere. The media has constantly criticised City for their lack of young, English talent and this option would be an attempt to rectify it. While this is only one of the many transfer rumours in full flight at this time of year, it is all wrong. Buying English talent is a costly business and only recommended if the results are a safe bet. It would be wise for City to look elsewhere and take the criticism on the chin.

I am a fan of Jordan Henderson as he is a proper leader of men and an excellent box to box midfielder, however he, like the others, would command a monumental fee. Jack Wilshere hasn't fulfilled his potential and even at the age of 23, injuries may hamper his progress further. As for Raheem Sterling, he is a hot prospect however City shouldn't spend an obscene amount of money when he is at such a young age.

No matter what happens on Sunday, Pellegrini could find himself looking for a new job in the summer. I would tip Carlo Ancelotti to replace him, as he could find himself unemployed if he doesn't grant Florentino Perez with more silverware. It may not be judgement day for Pellegrini, but the reaper is approaching and could be on his doorstep by 7pm on Sunday evening.

Wednesday 1 April 2015

The Time to Shine for the Old Lady

For all their domestic dominance in Serie A, Juventus have been less than impressive in Europe over recent years. Now however, they have received a favourable draw, and could find themselves in their first semi-final since the 2002/2003 season.

Leading the Serie A by fourteen points with ten games to go, I'm sure Massimiliano Allegri is pretty confident that the Scudetto is staying in Turin and has the luxury of concentrating their efforts elsewhere. Having won the last 3 Serie A titles under fan favourite Antonio Conte, the value of domestic silverware is waning and Allegri will be hoping to restore Juventus back to the European Stage.

There is no reason why the Old Lady can reach a semi-final with a quarter final tie against Monaco. Fresh from a riveting win over Arsenal, The principality club will offer stiff opposition, not to be underestimated, as the Gunners found out in the previous round. From the first leg it was evident that the pace they have in Anthony Martial and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco are devastating when playing on the counter attack and the unpredictability that Berbatov brings will ask Juve questions that need to be answered.

The away leg first will suit the Ligue 1 side better meaning that they know what they have to do when in the home leg. For Juventus they will have to combat the pace on the flanks, through Stephan Lichsteiner and Patrice Evra. Defensively, The Turin side are solid, particularly in the league, only conceding 14 goals in 28 games domestically. Not only this season, but over the past years, Juve have had an excellent defence, compared to those of the top European sides.

Similar to Juventus, Monaco also have an exceptional defence. Coach Leonardo Jardim has transformed the defence, particularly with Aymen Abdennour at the heart. The Tunisian was a star performer in the Arsenal tie and constantly put his body on the line for his club. The defence was well organised as Alexis, Welbeck, Oxlade-Chamberlain or Walcott never faced any one on ones. If Juventus' midfield can isolate Tevez or Morata with a defender, they will have the beating of them. With Juve likely to have most of the ball, they should hope to play the ball to the feet of Tevez and look for Morata to feed off him.

At home, I expect Juventus to record a positive result. In the league they have a near flawless record, blemished by the odd draw. Since October 2010, they have only lost twice, once on penalties in the Super Cup against Napoli in late December and the second in the Coppa Italia tie versus Fiorentina at the beginning of March. This is a phenomenal record, regardless of the quality of teams in the league. Monaco will find it very hard to leave Turin with a draw, never mind a precious victory.

In the away leg, if they get a good result at home, then Juventus can return back to their stereotypically defensive side that epitomised Italian football for many years. It's a risky strategy, but with the defensive prowess of the Old Lady, I wouldn't be surprised if they were able to pull this off. Monaco seemed comfortable sacrificing possession to Arsenal - they had 43% at the Emirates and 30% at home - so expect Pogba, Pirlo, Vidal and co. to dictate the tempo of the play. A victory for Juve would pose a difficult situation for Monaco as they may have to negate their defensive duties in search of a goal. This would suit Juve, particularly through the speed of Tevez, Morata and Lichtsteiner. 

Up front, they also have a bite. Carlos Tevez has proven a useful signing, scoring 16 goals. Alvaro Morata has edged out Fernando Llorente over the last few weeks, as he offers more mobility. Llorente is often used as a go to man whenever they are in great need of a goal. His height and physicality allows the wide men to swing balls into the air, and he often delivers.

The Madrid derby will undoubtedly overshadow this, but I look forward to this just as much. Juventus adopt a 4-3-3 formation instead of the standard 3-5-2/5-3-2 that we were used to seeing during the Conte era. A 4-3-3 will match up against Monaco, who play a similar formation. Lichsteiner loves to get forward on the right, and this could be somewhere which Monaco may be able to exploit.

While Paul Pogba was an icon during previous season, his exploits this year have only added to his value. The young Frenchman is their linchpin and he will be at the centre of any European success in the next few years. Similarly, they have Kingsley Coman, a young attacker, highly rated in the Juve ranks. We know Tevez can unlock any defence as we know, and the defence is solid. It’s written in the stars for Juventus FC.

I would tip Juventus to progress to the semi-finals, as Monaco are a relatively young team, and this could be one step too far for the French side. As for the semis, I’m not convinced they are able to compete at the top level against the European elite. This is a massive opportunity for Juventus and Turin will be bouncing when Les Monegasques visit on the 14th April.