Manuel Neuer (6)

Maintained yet another clean sheet, but didn’t have much to do.

Dante (5.5)

Barely felt his presence on field. Wasn’t his fault though, Bayern hardly had any defending to do.

Jerome Boateng (6)

Again, no work for him to do. However, made one good interception late on as Schalke searched for a consolation.

Philipp Lahm (5)

Didn’t go up ahead as he always does. As a defender, he too had a quiet game.

Franck Ribéry (6.5)

Kept Schalke on their toes. Got the ball rolling by winning the penalty.

Javi Martínez (6)

Wasn’t able to dominate the midfield as he always does. Pushed forward a little and kept good possession of the ball.

Arjen Robben (6.5)

Should’ve had a goal to his name. Had a brilliant game and set up Gomez for the fourth goal.

D. Alaba (8)

A brace to his name, Alaba was definitely the star of the game.

Bastian Schweinsteiger (7.5)

Scored the second goal with a beautiful free kick. Helped to set up the fourth with a great dinked ball over the top of the defence.

Toni Kroos (5.5)

Neat and tidy in possession, before being given a rest for the last 20 minutes.

Mario Gomez (6)

Had a decent second half – set up Alaba’s second goal and scored one of his own.

Rafinha – Didn’t have much to contribute.

Diego Contento – Brought on in the last few minutes; again nothing to contribute.

Luiz Gustavo Dias – Made one good tackle in the 18 minutes while he was on field.

Timo Hildebrand (4)

One good save in the first half denied Ribery of his goal, but after that, couldn’t do much to stop the other shots from going in.

Benedikt Höwedes (3)

The Ribery-Alaba combo kept him on his feet and couldn’t do much to stop them.

Christoph Metzelder (2.5)

Couldn’t do anything to stop the Bayern front-line from scoring.

Joel Matip (3)

Torrid game for him too. Couldn’t do much to stop Bayern from scoring.

Sead Kolasinac (3)

Gave away the free-kick due to which Schweinsteiger scored.

Michel Fernandes Bastos (3.5)

Made a half-decent effort which hit the side-netting, and a comical scooped free kick which went well over.

Marco Höger (2)

Conceded the penalty which led to the first goal and was booked in the second half.

Jermaine Jones (4)

Did his best to quell the Bayern attacks, but they seemed to be too good for him.

Tranquillo Barnetta (3)

Barely touched the ball.

Roman Neustädter (3)

Could not keep up with the multitude of Bayern attacks as the Bavarians’ midfielders surged forward.

Teemu Pukki (4)

Did his best to chase down every ball, but so much of the match was played in his own half, he could not make an impact.

Raffael - Didn’t have much to contribute.

Edu - Barely touched the ball.

Jefferson Agustin Farfán – Wasn’t fit, couldn’t keep up while playing.

FC Bayern Munchen

Bayern Munich has always given its fans the feeling that they are right there with the top clubs and they belong there. And there’s enough proof to support their claim. Currently, they stand First in the Bundesliga, 9 points clear of Bayern Leverkusen and 12 points clear of defending champions, Borussia Dortmund.

The 2011-2012 season was rather disappointing for a Bayern fan, what with Bayern losing out on the Bundesliga title and losing to Chelsea in the Champions League Final. However, this season, as the statistics suggest, things might just turn out differently for the Bavarians.

Read on as we take you through 5 of the top games Bayern’s played this year, and mind you, they haven’t won all of them!

1. FC Bayern Munich 7 – 0 Basil (13 March, 2012 – Round 16, Second Leg, Champions League)

A record breaking victory over FC Basel 1893 saw Mario Gomez score the fastest four-goal haul in the competition. Having already scored seven on Saturday against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, Bayern were brimming with confidence and soon set about eradicating Basel’s first-leg lead. Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller scored the other 3 goals and saw Bayern Munich sail smoothly into the next round.

2. Borussia Dortmund 1 – 0 FB Bayern Munich (11 April, 2012 – Bundesliga)

Robert Lewandowski was the star in this game. The first half of the game was pretty exciting, but devoid of any goals. Both teams needed to win this game, and Bayern was well aware of the fact that a loss would inch Dortmund closer to the title and that’s exactly what happened. Bayern were awarded a penalty kick in the 82^nd minute and Robben stepped up to take it, but Weidenfeller saved his shot. Lewandowski hit the bar as Dortmund went on the counter, and despite the late drama, the match ended 1-0 in favour of Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Check out Lewandowski’s goal, a brilliant finish!

3. FC Bayern Munich 2 – 1 Real Madrid (17 April, 2012 – Semi-Finals, First Leg, Champions League)

We make another visit to the Champions League games – this one being an absolute shocker. Franck Ribery  scored the opener for the hosts in the 17^th minute, giving Bayern the lead. Initially, Bayern looked ruffled but soon regained their composure and set about restoring their lead. The second half saw Real Madrid capitalize on a misjudged clearance by David Alba and Mesut Özil duly leveled from close range. Tension gripped everyone at the Munich Arena, but a close-range strike from Mario Gomez in the 90th minute gave FC Bayern München the narrowest of advantages in their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid CF.

Sorry Real Madrid fans, but that Gomez strike definitely deserves to be rewatched!

4. Real Madrid 2 – 1 FC Bayern Munich (25 April, 2012 – Semi-Finals, Second Leg, Champions League)

Despite losing this game, Bayern still advanced to the finals of the Champions League, which was a huge achievement for them! Madrid was pretty dominant from the start, with Ronaldo winning a penalty in the 6^th minute and scoring another in the 14^th. Arjen Robben earned the visitors a penalty and netted it successfully, thus leading Bayern Munich to a 3-1 win via the penalty shootout.

Watch the final moments of the game and Bayern Munich’s well deserved victory –

5. Bayern Munich 1 – 1 Chelsea (Champions League Final)

This was probably one the most memorable games in the Bavarian calendar. Bayern Munich dominated the game but were unable to convert any of their chances into a goal, until Thomas Muller headed in a beautiful shot with 7 minutes remaining on the clock. Didier Drogba leveled in the 88^th minute, sending both teams into extra time and penalties. No one can beat the Germans when it comes to penalties, but no one said the Germans don’t always score on penalties!

Relive that epic penalty shoot-out once more –

Dear Arsene Wenger,

I still want to believe in you, trust me I do. Over the past years, you’ve shown me how important you are to Arsenal and the game. You’ve made us realize that not having you around affects everyone – right from the players to the fans. There is only one Arsene Wenger, and we love him.

But you do realize that with every passing game that we lose, people are starting to lose faith in you, don’t you? The ‘Wenger-Out’ brigade is spreading its wings everywhere and fans are thinking twice before saying anything in your favor.

Was this what you wanted Arsene? Is this how you had envisioned your Arsenal to look like after all these years?

I know this isn’t true. So why don’t you prove us wrong? Why don’t you show us who Arsene Wenger truly is and to what great heights he can take this beautiful club to?!

You’re the ‘Le Professor’ – one who’s always remained aloof, distant from the media spotlight and professional. We all respect that, for no one really wants their manager to be prancing around delivering useless sound bytes.

Are you deliberately keeping quiet so that no one raises fingers on Ivan Gazidis? He’s not worth it, and you know it!

We’re not really asking you to spend millions on new players; we’re asking you to get us what’s essential for us to succeed. We all want what’s best for the club.

All those people out there on Twitter are expressing their views about how you should retire “gracefully” and let someone with experience take over our club; but is that the solution to all our problems? They know it as well as you do – it isn’t.

But change is required. Either in the way we play or the way the club is managed. Everything around us is changing – The Premier League is changing, Football is evolving, WE are changing. Arsenal needs to keep up with the happenings around.

And that fails to happen.

Season after season we’re still where we are. Fighting for a place in the top 4, losing games which are extremely important, not signing decent enough players and missing out on trophies we could win.

As fans, yes, we are disappointed. We expected more, and we aren’t getting that.

But we’ve still got your back Arsene, at least I do.

I’ll continue watching every game and support my Gunners. I’ll continue fretting and worrying over every loss, every new signing. So will most of us. That’s what we do. Sometimes it’s like we can’t help it.

You know Arsene, finishing 4^th isn’t exactly what we have in mind. We want to win a trophy, and I’m not saying you don’t want to win it either; but as fans, we’re more desperate.

You’ve been saying troubling things lately. You said in October that finishing fourth is like winning a trophy. It’s not. We want real trophies.

Our best players keep leaving. That’s not acceptable. We want to watch them play in Arsenal colors for years to come. We don’t want to watch them win trophies with teams we can’t stand. It hurts to see our players fueling title runs in unfamiliar colors. It hurts a lot.

Sometimes, we play beautiful football. Sometimes, things seem fine. Other times, it all feels horribly wrong. We are, above all, inconsistent. Inconsistency is a sure sign of mediocrity.

We know it isn’t entirely your fault, but someone has to take responsibility. We don’t really know what’s going on in the minds of the board members, but what we do know that we need to spend BIG money to get a TOP, TOP, TOP player!

You were the reason why I fell in love with this beautiful game. Don’t let me down, Arsene. It’s all I’m asking of you. Our Arsenal isn’t boring, isn’t weak, isn’t a loser. We’re strong, we’re determined and we’re the Gunners!

We’re all in this together, Mr. Wenger. Let’s do this, NOW!

Thank you for everything and I hope to see you around for another 15 years.

Your fan,

Amerta.

Virat Kohli has been chosen for the Polly Umrigar Award for being India’s top international cricketer in 2011-12. Daring, tough and fiercely talented, Virat Kohli is one of the emerging faces of Indian cricket‘s next generation.

The BCCI issued a press release stating that Kohli will be awarded with a trophy and a cheque for Rs. 5 lakh. Virat had previously won the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award.

Kohli has had a decent run of games and his efforts were paid off and Kohli was handed over the vice-captaincy of the Indian team ahead of the 2012 Asia Cup.

Sachin Tendulkar will also be honoured for completing 100 international centuries at the BCCI Annual Awards ceremony to be held in Mumbai on November 21.

V.V.S. Laxman, who retired from international cricket in August, will also be felicitated at the function to be held at the Chambers Terrace, Taj Mahal Palace and Tower.

The award ceremony will also posthumously felicitate other Indian cricket legends such as – Vijay Merchant, Vijay Manjrekar, Dattu Phadkar, Vinoo Mankad, Ghulam Ahmed, M.L. Jaisimha and Dilip Sardesai.

The next-of-kin of each of these individuals will receive a trophy and cheque for Rs. 15 lakh.

The ceremony will also witness former India captain Sunil Gavaskar receiving the prestigious Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award. The award comprises a trophy, citation and cheque for Rs. 25 lakh.

12 men? Sounds good to him!

Former Manchester United defender Henning Berg is of the opinion that if a team goes four goals down, they should be allowed to bring on another player – meaning a 12^th man.

It’s a rather novel yet crazy-sounding idea, but the Norwegian Football Association seems to be hugely in favor of it.

Henning Berg was quoted saying, “It’s a good rule that will lead to more even matches. It’s no fun to lose 17-0. It’s no fun to win 17-0 either.”

Sounds pretty intriguing and would be interesting to see how a 12 man team works, but a couple of questions come to my innocent mind.

1. If the losing team brings on the 12^th man and IF miraculously they happen to bounce back and the game goes into extra time, will the 12^th man be allowed to take penalties?

2. What if a player from the losing team gets Red carded, the “12^th man” doesn’t really help the cause, does it?

And then there’s the concern about substitutes – if you’re actually allowed to bring on another player, should you be allowed to substitute your players?

Kjetil Rekdal, Berg’s defensive partner for the national team had his reservations about this idea.

“It can be positive to get more [people] active, but it can be negative if you destroy or punish those who are better,” he told the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang.

While it would be exciting to see how a 12 man team plays against a team that’s already up by 5 goals, it would also be important to see how fair this rule would be on the opposite team.

What do you think?

The Name is Fabiański…Łukasz Fabiański !

Arsenal against Manchester United, one of the most awaited clash of the season for a hardcore Gooner like me. I was all excited and eagerly waiting for the match, that was touted by many as “The revenge game” for the earlier defeat at the hands of Man Utd at old Trafford. There was still 5 odd hours to go for the match and the anxiety was getting the better off me, so I began reading “Viera: My Autobiography”, which was my birthday present and began recalling those epic encounters between these two teams at the beginning of the millennium. But soon the tiredness and anxiety took its tool and I fell asleep.

“Arteta passes to Wilshere who then passes it to Fabianski who’s in the box who dribbles it and shoots – GGOOOAAAAALL!!! Fabianski scores the winner for Arsenal. The young striker looks to be on fire and Arsenal have beaten Manchester United with an absolute stunner!”

 And with that I woke up!!

Phew.. It was just a dream. Pretty weird one considering Fabianski played as a striker. I mean really goalkeeper as a striker? But dreams do get weird at times. So I switched on the TV to get the latest news and preview on the match as the game was still an hour odd away. But what I saw just blew me over :

“Lucas Fabianski, Arsenal’s goalkeeper turned striker is surely making a huge impact on the field. The Polish goalkeeper who was brought to Arsenal in 2007, has played many-a-games safe-guarding the Gunners’ goal and despite being called Mr. Butter-fingers for letting in a few easy goals, Fabianski never lost hope. And now he has been awarded with a new contract, making him one of the club’s main strikers.” I heard the news reporter say…

The Football Pundit accompanying him quipped, “With Wojciech Szczesny being brought on, expectantly, Fabianski’s role reduced. Arsene Wenger didn’t want to sell him off as he served as a resourceful back-up when Szczesny was out injured. And a good thing he didn’t! Players like Lucas have often been left on the bench and to help them grow, and boy, has he grown! But albeit into a striker.”

 Earlier that day: Wenger sat down with the board members.

“I think we must offer Lucas Crapianski a new deal. He’s been a very co-operative team mate and is always around whenever we need him. If the rest of you agree, I shall call him this evening and give the papers to sign.”

Naturally, the board members agreed – it’s always easier than signing a new player anyway!

“You called for me Boss?”

“Aah, yes! Crapianski, err, I mean, Fabianski. Come in my boy. I’ve some good news for!”

“Good? How good? Like you’re sending me out on loan or are you giving me money to leave?!”

“No no. We’ve got a new deal to offer you. In fact, we’re offering you a new contract. You know how bad injuries are at the moment and how we’re always short on players. Hence, we’ve decided to offer you a contract as a striker at the club.”

“Striker?! (Baffled look) Are you sure Boss? That this is my contract and you haven’t gotten me mixed up for Arshavin?”

“Not one bit! So would you like to play for Arsenal as a striker?”

“Hell yeah! Score a few goals, bash up players who scored against me.”

“Good. Your first game is tomorrow against Manchester City. See you at the grove.”

“Super! Bring on Mr. Nasri. Can’t wait to see his face when he sees me there! Bwahahahahaha!”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Big Match Day – Arsenal vs. Manchester United

Starting Line-ups – Arsenal – Szczesny, Djourou, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Ramsey, Song, Arteta, Fabianski, Van Persie, Henry

Manchester United – Lindegaard, Smalling, Jones, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Nani, Rooney, Scholes

I still could not believe Fabianski was lining up with RvP and Henry!

All eyes were on Lucas Fabianski to see if he could beat the United defense and score for the Gunners. He’s apparently been in top form this season and already had 17 goals to his name in the reserve league, making him the top-scorer in the reserves. (How the hell did we miss that?)

If Arsenal could win this match today, they would go fifth on the League table, only 2 points behind Chelsea and would be a serious contender for the coveted Champions league spot.

Can Arsenal win? Will Crapianski prove to everyone that he is indeed, not crap? (yeah…even after scoring 17 goals for reserves, we doubt that!) Will Sir Alex Ferguson’s experienced men lose to Arsene Wenger’s youngsters?

Kick-off

The players of each side look terrifying. It’s a do or die match for both of them, however we all know who’s got a point to prove!

Szczesny looking alert in his goal – Valencia passes the ball to Giggs who goes forward with it passing it to Rooney who can score an easy one, but wait! Why has he stopped? Everyone stops to see Thierry Henry and Paul Scholes chatting away in the centre of the field.

 Scholes – “It’s been so long that I haven’t seen your face.”

Henry – “Tryna be strong, but the strength I have is washing away.”

Scholes – “It won’t be long, before I score a goal”

Henry – “But I’ll hold you, squeeze you and won’t let you go through me!!”

*Both men grin at each other*

Well, it’s nice to see this friendship, but not in the middle of the game! Okay, back to the game.

Rooney missed that chance and while everyone was busy staring at the two legends, Fabianski took advantage of the moment and headed towards United’s goal. Unfortunately for him, Lindegaard was present and the two of them began blocking each other. Did Lucas forget he’s supposed to be scoring?

Lindegaard – “Mate, how’d you play so farking well? Seen ya in the goal…awesome!”

Lucas – “It’s all about making the right moves, my boy. You’ll learn with time :D”

And in the very next moment something unimaginable happened. FABIANSKI SCORED!!!!! Lindegaard was left with his mouth gaping while Arsenal celebrated their hero’s goal against Manchester United.

Back in the Dressing room during half-time –

Sir Alex Ferguson, “Boys, what is happening out there? Scholes, you’re talking to Henry, really? And…and…cough cough cough…blaahh..splatter”

 “Shitz, he iz choking on hiz chewing gum! Get a doctor!! Or maybe not..” – Some one said from outside the United dressing room and disappeared. No guesses as to who said that ;)

Second half kicks-off.

An early goal by Fabianski in the first half has given Arsenal the edge over United. Can they maintain their lead? Or will United bounce back?

Suddenly there’s a noise on the pitch and Mertesacker and Koscielny are arguing.

Kosh – “I’m a better partner for Vermaelen. Keep your eyes off him!”

Mert – “Nope! VermaSacker! Remember? I am the big name!”

And obviously taking advantage of this Rooney scores. Szczesny raises his arms in despair, but there’s no one listening to him, as usual!

No more fiascos and the game enters the final 3 minutes of stoppage time. The score reads as Arsenal 1 – 1 Manchester United.

Lucas Fabianski decides it’s his time to be the man of the moment. After his goal, he has tried getting close but the Smalling-Jones duo has done a good job of keeping him out.

Last minute of the game

Arteta passes to Wilshere who then passes it to Fabianski who’s in the box who dribbles it and shoots – GGOOOAAAAALL!!! Fabianski scores the winner for Arsenal. The young striker looks to be on fire and Arsenal have beaten Manchester United with an absolute stunner !! (deja vu?)

ARSENAL Wonnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

*Thud*

And with that I suddenly felt a Bump on the back of my head…and everything went blank. I was still rubbing the back of my head as I surveyed the surrounding with groggy eyes. And after a minute or so it started getting clear to me, I HAD FALLEN ASLEEP! And the hurt at the back of my head was merely from me falling down from the sofa, where I had apparently dozed off while reading the book!!

 I checked at the watch and it was just 5 mins from Kick Off. I quickly scrambled up and switched on the channel only to see the players from both teams lining up for the KO. (And no, there was No Fabianski in the Lineup… not even as a striker!)

To my relief everything was normal, and here we were minutes away from kick off to one of the most awaited matches of the season, but I just could not get the dream out of my head.

Fabianski as a striker? Is that possible?

Can he really be that good and that prolific?

We might never know.

Just then the cam zoomed in on the Arsenal bench and there was Lucas Fabianski, sitting in the dugout with a sly grin on his face, which almost felt as if he knows. As if he knew what my dream had been and maybe he knew what he could do if played as a striker..who knows?! :D

Disclaimer: This post is a work of fiction and is completely fun intended.

All these rumors about Arsene Wenger being interested in Hugo Lloris ‘just because Wojciech Szczęsny had a bad Euro seem utter tosh!

Do we really need him?

Yes, Lloris is at his prime and that is a big thing for a 25 year old. He’s performed exceptionally well at Lyon and the time has come for him to step out of his comfort zone and test himself in more dangerous waters. With Olympique Lyon President, Jean-Michel Aulas ready to sell Lloris ‘at the right price’, a number of clubs have pricked up their ears and efforts in a hope to secure this young goalkeeper.

Arsenal, obviously are one of the three clubs who are interested in signing Lloris. The other two being Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. For Lloris to choose either of these two, seems rather unlikely; but then again, it depends on the money offered.

With Manuel Almunia having been released and Lukasz Fabianski looking for a move away from the Emirates, Lloris could certainly be a perfect fit for Arsenal.

But do the Gunners need a goalkeeper like Hugo Lloris? Especially now, when Szczesny is improving and will only get better.

 Bringing Lloris on board, means Szczesny will have to be benched! But does he deserve that considering the way he’s performed for Arsenal last season? He has had his hiccups and has made mistakes, but so have the others. If an experienced and well-bred goalkeeper like Lloris joins the Gunners, Szczesny will definitely be benched for maximum games, thus deterring his progress. And according to me, he doesn’t deserve that.

A keeper like Lloris can never be kept as a ‘back-up’; he needs play-time and considering his expertise on field and the way he holds together the Lyon defence, Wenger can never even think about benching him.

Arsenal does need an efficient back-up goalkeeper to Szczesny. Someone who can fill in the young Poles’ shoes and provide the Gunners with the same stability and confidence. Though coming up with Lloris as a backup keeper can certainly challenge Szczesny’s claim to the starting lineup. So where does this leave our Sir Chesney, the one who’s pulled us out of sticky spots, one too many times?

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/07/03/hugo-lloris-to-arsenal-whats-the-hype-or-the-need/feed/ 7 796521 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/06/15/player-ratings-spain-vs-republic-of-ireland/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/06/15/player-ratings-spain-vs-republic-of-ireland/#comments Fri, 15 Jun 2012 07:09:44 +0000 Amerta http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=358759 Spain crushed Ireland with a 4-0 win, condemning them to an early exit from the tournament. Torres, who received much criticism for his profligacy in the opening match scored a brace and proved to his critics that he can still score important goals.

Iker Casillas (7)

Didn’t have much to do in the entire game. However, saved a couple of shots made by the Irish to maintain a clean sheet.

Alvaro Arbeloa (6.5)

He hardly threatened and provided his side with some much needed width and helped to stretch the Irish defence with his overlapping runs down the right flank.

Gerard Piqué (6.5)

Performed well in the air and spent more time in the opposing half, adding a helping hand to Spain’s attack.

Sergio Ramos (6)

Didn’t have much to do as Pique went forward more. He read the game well and provided help when needed.

Jordi Alba (6)

Pushed forward far more than he could, but O’Shea’s resilience meant he was not utilised as much as Arbeloa on the other flank.

Sergio Busquets (6.5)

Pressed quickly without possession, had very little defending to do.

Xavi Hernandez (7.5)

Strong influence over the team. Connected the defence to the midfield and the midfield to the attack.

Xabi Alonso (64′ Off) (6.5)

Didn’t really contribute much, considering how Xavi and Iniesta were controlling the game for the Spanish but did manage to fire off a few threatening long-range shots.

David Silva (7.5)

Had a lively start, but struggled to be as creative as he is for Manchester City. Assisted Torres’s second goal.

Andres Iniesta (80′ Off) (7.5)

Was a constant threat throughout the match. He played a crucial part in his side’s second goal, volleying in a fierce shot which Given found impossible to save.

Fernando Torres (72′ Off) (8)

Wasted two crucial opportunities against Italy, but totally lived up to everyone’s expectations today. Two fantastic goals kept him in the spotlight until he was taken off.

Javi Martinez (64′ On) (6)

Martinez was unable to make the most of the opportunity to shine for Spain as he struggled to really get into the game and make an impact. Also picked up a yellow for a challenge on Whelan.

Cesc Fabregas (72′ On) (7.5)

Fabregas came on in the last quarter of the game and played his role as an impact substitute by scoring Spain’s fourth with an empathic finish.

Santi Cazorla (80′ On)

Shay Given (6.5)

Despite some of the saved he made, Given should’ve performed better. Torres’ first goal probably could’ve been avoided and also the time when he punched the ball to Silva who drove it straight into the goal.

John O’Shea (5)

The Sunderland defender allowed his direct opponent too much time and space on the ball and was guilty of losing possession in his own half.

Sean St Ledger (6)

Tried his best to keep the Spanish out of his end. Was good with aerial challenges, but was often beaten for pace by Torres and Iniesta.

Richard Dunne (7)

He had an immense first half, but his team-mates let him down. Made a few well-timed challenges and put his body in the line of the Spanish fire to block many shots.

Stephen Ward (2)

Had a terrible game and was at fault for three of the four Spanish goals. He looked out of his depth and let down his team-mates.

Damien Duff (6.5)

Duff did very well in the first half and led most of Ireland’s counter-attacks. Despite being a primarily attacking player, he could also be often found in his own penalty box working hard to defend for the team.

Keith Andrews (6.5)

Showed some attacking intent at the start of the game and tested Casillas with a stinging drive from range. However, he was not given enough support by his midfield partner Whelan and was overrun by the Spanish midfield.

Glenn Whelan (80′ Off) (4.5)

If compared with Spain’s attacking midfield, Whelan was completely out of the zone. He offered too little support to his midfield partner Andrews and was found out of position on many occasions.

Aiden McGeady (5)

Did not do enough in either attack or defence to help his team. Failed to offer Ward sufficient cover and whenever he did get on the ball his contribution was not good enough.

Simon Cox (45′ Off) (4.5)

Apart from a good shot in the opening period of the game which tested Casillas, Cox was virtually invisible in the first half.

Robbie Keane (6)

Did the best he could as Captain, but failed to offer much in the way of an attacking threat.

Jonathan Walters (45′ On) (5)

Substituted for Simon Cox, Walters conceded several unnecessary fouls by barging into the Spanish players.

Paul Green (80′ On) 

Stephen Andersen (6.5)

He had a mixed game. Saved Ronaldo’s shot well, but could’ve done better with saving the shots from Postiga and Varela. Will have to up his game against Germany.

Lars Jacobsen (7.5)

Had an excellent game, dealt with Ronaldo well when he attacked down left and looked dangerous when going forward. His great cross into box set up his team’s second goal.

Simon Kjaer (6)

Struggled with his defense and provided Portugal with the opportunity to score their second goal.

Daniel Agger (6)

The Danish captain made quite a few good challenges, but it wasn’t enough to ensure a win for his team. He was good on the ground, but his aerial tackles lacked class.

Simon Poulsen (5.5)

Struggled with marking Nani who managed to get past him many times. He later passed the ball directly to Postiga to set up a counterattack that could easily have ended in a goal.

William Kvist (6.5)

Played a major role in the Danes midfield, ensuring maximum ball possession for Denmark. Also, he came within inches of equalising with a long-range blast.

Niki Zimling (off 16′) (6)

Didn’t have much to do and was pulled out with an injury early on into the game. Is a solid midfielder and will be missed in the next game if his injury proves serious.

Dennis Rommedahl (off 60′) (6.5)

Gave Coentrao the runaround early, but sustained a knock to his ankle and was substituted.

Christian Eriksen (7)

Covered plenty of ground, and was much better than against Netherlands. Failed to create much of an impact though, but still remains a player to look out for.

Michael Krohn-Dehli (off 90′) (7.5)

The hero in the Netherlands match provided the perfect set-up for Bendtner’s goal, helping Denmark to 2-1. Troubled Pereira at times, but could have asserted himself more.

Nicklas Bendtner (8)

The Arsenal striker was anonymous for forty minutes but he was at the right place and the right time and scored two important goals for the Danes. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to secure a win for Denmark.

Subs

Jakob Poulsen (on 16′) (6)

Poulsen was rash with his challenges and earned a card for his efforts.

Tobias Mikkelsen (on 60′) (6)

Mikkelsen rarely did anything to cover up for Rommedahl’s absence and it was a poor outing for the midfielder.

Lasse Schone (on 90′)

Rui Patricio (6)

Didn’t have much to do during the entire game and there was little he could do to stop both of Bendtner’s shots. Made a good but regulation save from a long-range Eriksen shot.

Joao Pereira (6)

Pereira lacks Jose Bosingwa’s attacking flair and he wasn’t able to really curb Krohn-Dehli’s advances down the left.

Bruno Alves (7)

Was rather effective in curbing the Danish attack, but it could’ve earned him a needless caution.

Pepe (7.5)

He cleared every loose ball and made some strong tackles. Also scored Portugal’s goal when he rose high to power home a corner from Joao Moutinho in the 24th minute. He was however culpable for Bendtner’s second goal as he jumped a fraction too early and was unable to head Jacobsen’s swerving cross away.

Fabio Coentrao (7)

Had a quiet game, showing few glimpses of his ability going forward, until his run down left set up the winning goal.

Raul Meireles (off 84′) (6.5)

Played one good ball to Nani early, but wasted many others. The Chelsea man is now in danger of being suspended after picking up a silly yellow card.

Miguel Veloso (6.5)

Started well and delivered several fantastic balls into the box from open play and set pieces but had less impact as the game wore on.

Joao Moutinho (7)

Was instrumental with his passing and set pieces, and it was his corner that set up Portugal’s first goal.

Nani (off 89′) (7.5)

Probably Portugal’s best player of the night. Made some astute passes into the middle and he helped Postiga get his goal with a neat layoff.

Cristiano Ronaldo (5.5)

Took some shots at the goal, but somehow never managed to score one of the most easiest of goals. The Portugal captain even had two one-on-one opportunities against Andersen but as always on the international stage, he floundered miserably.

Helder Postiga (off 64′) (6.5)

Postiga frustrated Ronaldo as he didn’t make the right runs to combine with his captain, although he made no mistakes with a simple tap-in to score his side’s second goal.

Subs

Nelson Oliveira (on 64′) (6.5)

The striker failed to add anything of substance to the Portuguese attack although he probably was a little rusty as he hasn’t been afforded plenty of game time.

Silvestre Varela (on 84′) (8)

The Porto winger made an instant impact as he latched onto Coentrao’s cross and scored on the second attempt late into the game.

Rolando (on 89′)

Group A is turning out to be the most exciting group at the Euros until now, as opposed to what everyone thought at the start.

Przemyslaw Tyton (6.5)

Can’t really blame him for the Russian goal. He had a confident start to the tournament and more can be expected from him.

Lukasz Piszczek (6)

Tidy with his challenges but was pinned behind by Zyryanov, making it difficult to go up ahead as often he would’ve liked. He had more opportunities in the second half to get forward and could’ve contributed more in the attack.

Marcin Wasilewski (5)

The free kick he gave away cost Russia Poland’s goal. He lost the ball twice and should have ensured that Dzagoev was properly marked.

Damien Perquis (7)

Made two fantastic challenges on Kerzhakov and despite having a tough first half, did relatively well.

Sebastian Boenisch (6.5)

He had a hard time dealing with the Russian attack, but went close to scoring from a free kick.

Dariusz Dudka (6)

Was his Euro debut and didn’t fail to impress many. Sat deep, provided cover for the Polish defense and had a decent passing throughout. Was substituted at 73′.

Eugen Polanski (8)

Won some important balls in the centre of midfield. Was a continous threat throughout the game. Provided Lewandowski with a fantastic ball through fter the break.

Jakub Błaszczykowski (7.5)

Cut inside beautifully and scored a superb goal in the second half. His first half performance didn’t really trouble the Russians, but the goal made up for it.

Rafał Murawski (7)

Made the midfield area more compact and ensured that Lewandowski had a partner up in attack but none of his passes raised any significant questions to the Russian defence.

Ludovic Obraniak (6)

His free kicks were dangerous for the Russian defence. However, his corners and passes never really threatened the 33-year-old goalkeeper.

Robert Lewandowski (7.5)

The Dortmund striker worked hard up front and tried to create space for his team mates, but only had one good opportunity to score a goal. He nearly helped Polanski grab a goal and definitely deserved at least one himself.

Subs

Adrian Mierzejewski (on 73′)

Adam Matuszczyk (on 85′)

Pawel Brozek (on 90′)

Vyacheslav Malafeev (6.5)

Had a good game and wasn’t tested by Poland very often. Looked confident while saving crosses, but could do nothing to prevent Błaszczykowski’s fantastic strike.

Alexander Anyukov (6)

Defensively, he had a decent game. He was more effective going forward, providing width for the Russians with his overlapping runs.

Sergei Ignashevich (6)

Started off well, but found it really hard to contain Lewandowski.

Yuri Zhirkov (6.5)

He tried to show some good runs in attack – but often found himself without any luck for the final pass. He linked up well with his frontline, in particular Arshavin, and managed to deliver a few dangerous crosses from the left.

Aleksei Berezutskiy (5)

Committed a number of fouls and could have closed down on Blaszczykowski quicker to prevent strike for goal.

Roman Shirokov (6.5)

He was often found in the Polish penalty box, but never really got enough support to attempt a goal. He did have a decent half chance near the end of the first half but could only send the ball wide.

Igor Denisov (6.5)

Was under immense pressure by the Polish midfield. He did pick up a booking for a hefty challenge and was lucky not to have been sent off after committing a few other dangerous looking fouls.

Konstantin Zyryanov (5.5)

Zyryanov put in a subdued performance for Russia and was not as involved in the game as he should have been.

Alan Dzagoev (79′ off) (7.5)

Grabbed the spotlight in the opening game with two goals and he continued his goal-scoring exploits in this game. Timed his run perfectly to convert Arshavin’s cross. Came infield more to escape attention of Boenisch.

Andrei Arshavin (7.5)

Provided a deadly cross for the goal. He was at the heart of all of Russia’s attack and created several decent goal-scoring chances for his teammates.

Alexander Kerzhakov (70′ off) (6.5)

His movement was good as he regularly found space in threatening areas of the pitch. Replaced by Pavlyuchenko after 69 minutes.

Subs

Roman Pavlyuchenko (70′ on) (5.5)

Bringing him on as a sub for Kerzhakov wasn’t entirely worth his while for he hardly got a chance to do anything dangerous in Poland’s box.

Marat Izmailov (79′ on)

1. Group A is Exciting and Wide Open

With the Czech Republic winning against Greece last night, and Poland drawing against Russia, the next two games will turn out to be deciders for Group A. Defeat would have the left the Euro 2012 co-hosts needing a win against the Czechs and some luck to reach the quarterfinals come Saturday, but a draw leaves Group A finely poised ahead of the final round of games. Group A has also turned out to be the most exciting group so far, and watching the remaining games will be a definite thrill.

2. Arshavin was wasteful in the 2^nd half

With three assists, Andrey Arshavin is currently leading the Euro 2012 field in that category, but has done most of his work in the first 75 minutes of both of his games before fading. Unfortunately for Russia, it doesn’t seem as if Arshavin could last the entire 90 minutes and have an impact on the game throughout. Though He did provide the assist for the first goal, however, it was an error by him that lend to the Polish counter and subsequent equaliser.

3. Roman Pavlyuchenko needs more play-time

Pavlyuchenko has scored one goal and assisted one, proving that he can be effective. He is the kind of back-to-goal hold-up player that Russia need up front. Bringing him on as a sub for Kerzhakov wasn’t entirely worth his while for he hardly got a chance to do anything dangerous in Poland’s box. Pavlyuchenko could replace Kerzhakov against Greece with the latter coming on as a sub.

4. Russia were well-prepared for Lewandowski

One word to describe Robert Lewandowski last night would be ‘frustrated’. The Dortmund striker worked hard up front and tried to create space for his team mates, but only had one good opportunity to score a goal. He wasn’t given much time on the ball, especially in the second half and was marked closely right from the start.

5. Poland can dream of Brazil 2014

If the current Polish team continue playing the way they currently do, we can definitely hope to see them in Brazil in 2014. They have impressed everyone with their play so far and with their home support being as strong as it is, Poland definitely are a strong team. If they work on their key players and figure out their strengths and weaknesses, we have a team which will be present in Brazil two years from now.

Howler from Cech & Greece scores!

1. Peter Cech fails to keep check, yet again!

Adjudged as one of the best goalkeepers in the world today, Peter Cech faltered yet again, allowing Greece to score an easy goal. Czech Republic were crusing to an easy victory against Greece before Cech made an inexplicable error, letting the ball slip through his grasp after colliding with team-mate Tomas Sivok. Cech is not infallible anymore, but he needs to be in form when Czech face Poland, for that would be one crucial game.

2. Greece make decent comebacks

Despite the fact that Greece don’t have much to offer, either in their attack or defensively, they surely can play well in the second half of the match. This was evident against Poland as well, where the Greeks showed plenty of resilience to draw level with the co-hosts despite being down to ten men. Greece surprised many when they won the Euros in 2004, and they do have the potential to cause an upset this time around as well.

3. Czech Republic has the potential to progress

Their final game is against Poland, and while Poland does seem to be the favorites to win, don’t expect anything less from Czech. Poland drew last night against Russia, and will definitely be looking to win this game. But there is a possibility that Czech will sneak through, with Rosicky playing an important role.

4. Why Tomas Rosicky is important to Czech Republic?

The Czech captain and Arsenal man didn’t come out to play the second half because of an injury. However, if Czech are looking to win the game against Poland, they need Rosicky fit and playing the entire 90 minutes. His absenteeism from the Czech midfield caused a major shift in possession and domination—something that the Czechs cannot afford when playing co-hosts Poland in their next game.

5. Subs are very important to Greece

In the second half of the game, Fanis Gekas was brought on for Giorgos Fotakis and made maximum use of the howler by Peter Cech and scored. A half-time sub did the job for Greece in their last game, when Dimitris Salpigidis equalized for Greece by knocking in a loose ball in the 51st minute. Would the outcome had been any different had both these players started the game? You’ll only have to watch Greece vs. Russia to know that.

Andriy Shevchenko‘s splendid header

 1. Old is Gold

Andriy Shevchenko scored both of Ukraine’s goals to prove that age is just a number, and he’s still fit and strong as ever. The 35-year-old rolled back the years with two vintage headed goals in the space of six minutes and put a stop to all talk about his age (35) as he carried Ukraine to a great victory in its first ever European Championship game. His two strikes make him one of the top scorers in the tournament, alongside Alan Dzagoev and Mario Mandzukic.

2. Sweden still hopes on Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic put in some solid work, scored a goal and created numerous opportunities for his side, but Sweden being overtly dependant on him didn’t help. Ibra is super at hold up play, but Sweden does need better and faster wingers to capitalize on his movements.

3. Ukraine are no pushovers

They know what they want, and they’ll find ways of getting it. The passion showed by the players and fans alike definitely speaks a lot. Konoplyanka,Yarmolenko andVoronin were constant threats to the Swedish defence and kept them on their toes.

4. Both Goalkeepers need to work harder

Andriy Pyatov didn’t deal with Ibrahimovic’s shot across his body in a particularly convincing manner, but got lucky when his punch came back off a Sweden player. He then spilled a Rosenberg shot but got away with it. Andreas Isaksson struggled with the flight of a spectacular Voronin shot, but saved it nonetheless. He later did well to block Yarmolenko’s shot after Shevchenko had broken through.

5. Christian Wilhelmsson should retire

He came on for Larsson, but didn’t really create much impact on the game. If they still have him, can’t Sweden bring back Ljungberg or Brohlin or even Dahlin too? They’ll prove to be much more impactful that Wilhelmsson, for sure! It’s time for Sweden to give the young blood a chance now.

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/06/12/five-key-take-aways-from-ukraine-vs-sweden/feed/ 1 110169 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/05/15/best-moments-of-the-season/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/05/15/best-moments-of-the-season/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 08:13:09 +0000 Amerta http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=246495 A season that had such a dramatic end definitely had some memorable moments, which fans of every club will find difficult to forget.

Right from the Anfield cat to the chicken on the field during the Blackburn match that made us laugh; the return of Thierry Henry and Fabrice Muamba’s extraordinary journey back to life from the jaws of death – the 2011/12 Premier League season has been punctuated with incredible moments.

Here are some of the finest memories this season has given us.

High scoring games and classic comebacks

Red Devils sink the Gunners

Manchester United sunk Arsenal 8-2 in what was a humiliating match inspite of the fact that the Gunners were without their most influential players. The match forced Arsenal’s hand which resulted in a few last minute player signings that have proved to be decisive in their final standing in the league.

Manchester United had to endure a humiliation of their own when they were defeated 1-6 by their “noisy neighbours” at Old Trafford, of all places. This was seen as a power shift in Manchester and the Citizens took a 5 point lead at the top of the table.

Not to be outdone, Arsenal got into the winning act by coming from behind in the games against Chelsea and the “enemy” Tottenham Hotspurs. In both the games, the Gunners had fallen behind, but the players picked themselves up and finished both games scoring 5 goals in each to paint London red.

King Henry Returns!

Guess who's back!

Old is Gold and Thierry Henry made the adage come true when he scored in his first game for Arsenal on his return. A loan-spell from the New York Red Bulls proved to be a boon for the Gunners and Henry wasted no time in proving just how much he loved the club.

In a very emotional return to the club, Henry scored two goals, both match winners for Arsenal, giving them the much needed boost. For sheer magic, romance and other-worldliness, the comeback kid’s 227th goal in red-and-white takes some beating as the greatest moment in the six-year history of Emirates Stadium.

Players and fans alike were left astounded as the number 12 jersey stepped on to the field and as hearts began to beat faster, Thierry Henry scored!

78 minutes of Stoppage Time!

Pray for Fabrice – Banner by Fans

As the world waited with baited breath, Fabrice Muamba breathed again. It is certainly hard to disagree with that assertion because the former Arsenal player’s sudden collapse at White Hart Lane left everyone fearing the worst and, according to his doctors, he was “dead for 78 minutes”.

The FA Cup tie between Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspurs at White Hart Lane is one match no one will easily forget. A healthy player who collapses on the field due to a cardiac arrest only proves how fragile life is and how easy it is for it to be taken away from us. It took the doctors and staff at the London Chest Hospital nothing less than a miracle to bring Muamba back to life. He cheated death, and lived.

Fabrice made an emotional appearance at the Reebok Stadium when Bolton met Spurs again earlier this month and now, incredibly, Muamba is even talking about playing again next season.

Manchester Bleeds Blue!

EPL Champions

While everyone thought that the red side of Manchester had clinched the trophy this season, the men in blue had other ideas! A 6-1 win over Manchester United should’ve probably given everyone a warning that the blue side of Manchester would not be going down with a fight.

And what a fight it was! The most dramatic final minutes of season, which only the 1989 title decider between Liverpool and Arsenal can match, were witnessed at the Etihad stadium. Injury time, thanks to some moments of madness from Joey Barton, saw Dzeko and Aguero score the most important goals of their lives as City threw the proverbial kitchen sink at Queens Park Rangers. Manchester United were the favorites to win the EPL title for the 20^th time, but Manchester City were the deserved champions. Clinching the title in what was a last minute grasp, Manchester City changed the winds in their favor, leaving everyone stunned.

What was your best moment of this Premier League season?

Madrid gone Blue?

Romanian billionaire Ion Tiriac came up with this concept and he has now decided to put the blue clay surface to test. “On the blue court, the contrast is much better,” Tiriac told CNN last December. “I’m sure the spectators are going to say, ‘Wow, we can see the ball better.’ It’s been proved scientifically that the ball and the contrast is at least 15 per cent better on the blue than the red.”

“I spent a lot of time thinking about the game, thinking about how can you be better, not only for the players, who are the most important thing on the court, but also for the viewers.”

But are the viewers more important or the players, most of whom have voiced their disapproval over the blue surface? Rafael Nadal is of the opinion that Madrid doesn’t need any kind of out-of-the-ordinary innovation because the tournament is already is one of the best in the world. Nadal is also worried that the irregular clay surface might damage his preparations for the French Open.

“The history of the clay court season was on red, it wasn’t on blue,” the six-time French Open champion, widely considered the greatest player on clay in history, said at the Monte Carlo Masters. “I love all improvements (but this) is a mistake. The players (don’t) win nothing. Tennis doesn’t win nothing. One person wins. Only the owner of the tournament wins.”

Roger Federer, who returns to the Madrid court after a month’s break from tennis, is ready to give Tiriac the benefit of doubt. But at the same time he also remarked that the court surfaces in Madrid must be absolutely perfect, or else it would affect the performance standards.

“I have no idea how this will work out,” said the 30-year-old. “Nadal was vehemently against it, and I supported him. He feels it is a break with a tradition to play on blue clay. What would be next? If every tournament could have its way would we next play on grey, green or red?”

Among the ladies, however, it’s a different story. Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova seem comfortable enough playing on it, with the former even terming it a ‘fashion statement!’

Gaston Cloup, a member of the staff who are in charge of the clay courts at Roland Garros for the past 20 years said, “The feeling is extraordinary. I was amazed by the feeling of this clay court which does not have the same color as the traditional one but at the same time is identical as the original clay court. All the materials are identical, including the coloring of the surface, which is the equivalent product that we use on all clay courts. There are no differences; the player has the same feeling, quality and the ball bounces in the same manner as on the original clay courts.”

Red has been the color most players have been used to all this while, but maybe the blue surface will bring a change of luck. That cloud of dust that rises when a player slides on the clay will be blue. And a player’s shorts (do not read as Rafael Nadal) will be coated with the blue clay instead of red dirt. Blue will be the color of this clay court; but will blue also be the mood of the person who wins the Masters Trophy at Madrid?

Of course after last night, everyone is on a high and especially those Arsenal fans who cursed Fabregas for leaving. They say he went to Barcelona to win trophies, but you can’t discount for what he’s achieved. But does this make him a scapegoat for all the Gunners to vent their frustration on?

Yes, Cesc Fabregas did leave Arsenal at a point of time when they needed him the most. He was their Captain; everything Arsene Wenger planned for the team revolved around him. But their No 4 left them before the new season had begun. He was home-sick. He wanted to win trophies. He want to play competitive football. Having said this, no one’s underestimating Arsenal or saying that they don’t play ‘competitive football.’

Though Fabregas did come from Barcelona at the age of 16 in September 2003, he never dreamed of  going back to his homeland. He broke into the first team at a time when the likes of Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva were at their prime, and even though he didn’t get a single start in the Arsenal 2003-2004 Invincibles Season, Fabregas was still a part of the team’s cup matches.

He got his first break when Vieria left for Juventus and played alongside Silva in the midfield. Despite his young age, his performances came under great scrutiny due to his increased involvement in the first team. Nevertheless, Fàbregas asserted his own style of play and impressed pundits in the Champions League against Real Madrid and Juventus. In the latter, he scored Arsenal’s first goal and set up Thierry Henry for the second, at the same time proving that he could compete against tough, hard-tackling midfielders like Vieira. He then played in the final against his former club Barcelona, but Arsenal were defeated 2–1, completing a trophyless 2005–06 campaign for Arsenal.

Playing with such finesse, naturally gave credence to the rumors of him leaving Arsenal. Arsene Wenger made it very clear that they would not be parting ways with Cesc and offered him a new five-year deal in October 2006, which he accepted. While the contract was unusually long, Fàbregas cited Arsenal’s playing style and Wenger as reasons for his long-term commitment to the club.

Cesc Fabregas literally pledged his entire career to Arsenal, and in 2011, his romance with the Gunners came to an end. As thousands of ‘Gooners’ from all over the world waited with bated breath, Fabregas signed a £29 million contract with Barcelona. A dream comes to an end – Cesc Fabregas rejoins childhood club. Arsenal were in shambles.

Jersey Number 4 – At Barcelona

Fans started spreading hate messages on social networking sites about Fabregas and Barcelona saying he left Arsenal when they needed him the most, but what they failed to understand was, would anyone want a disgruntled Cesc staying back at Arsenal? It wouldn’t be surprising if he would pull off a Carlos Tevez and refuse to come off the bench one day!

He served the club for eight years, and that’s undebatable. He gave everything he could offer to the club. Arsenal could’ve done with another season of the ‘Cesc’ influence, but what after that? He would’ve left eventually. Pointing fingers at Fabregas’s loyalty is a huge thing and you wouldn’t want to be caught doing that. Players have left Arsenal before, but Arsenal moved on.

Had Cesc Fabregas not left Arsenal, would Wenger have signed ‘panic buy’ Mikel Arteta who has performed exceptionally well this season? Would Yossi Benayoun come on board? Would Robin van Persie be given the same adulation that he receives today?

Cesc Fabregas was an integral part of the Arsenal squad and the start to Arsenal’s current season would’ve probably been different had he stayed. Arsenal might’ve had a chance to compete for the Champions League trophy too. But you may never what the future holds.

What you must know however is that, Cesc has moved on for his own good. He might not have helped our cause, especially this season when the need of a thorough-bred experienced midfielder was more than ever, but then his departure did bring about some positive changes. Cesc departure showed us the ingenuity of Arsene’s decision to go on and buy someone like Arteta who has been the best signing of this season by far. Also, the resurrection of Tomas Rosicky because he got to play more matches. Fabregas’s departure broke the general perception that “we are nothing without Cesc.”

Arsenal proved to everyone that they can win games without him. Holding on to a player who wants to move on would only hurt his sentiments and in the process lead to a  strained relationship between both parties.

You'll never live to regret!

Yossi Benayoun, an Israeli gem who was brought on-loan from Chelsea at the start of this season has created a special place in everyone’s hearts. Right from the team mates who love playing with him and respect him on and off the field to those very fans who were once skeptical when Arsene Wenger signed Yossi.

Four goals in 22 appearances for the Gunners says a lot if compared with his previous one and half season at Chelsea. Arsene Wenger described Yossi as ‘versatile, intelligent and experienced’ and the 31-year old has lived up to the expectations of his Boss.

Yes, he was, as most of the fans labeled him as a ‘panic buy’ due to Arsenal‘s mid-field collapse and would’ve been handed only a few starts, but that perception changed totally after his form in recent games. He’s made the most out of the games he’s played, and not to forget the crucial ones against Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspurs and Manchester City.

His goals, which came as an absolute surprise and a delight, nonetheless, have left everyone awestruck. He scored his first goal for Arsenal in a Champions League match against Olympiakos which the Gunners went on to lose. But Yossi was on the score-sheet with a brilliant goal.

Next up was probably what was the turning point in Yossi’s life with Arsenal. He scored his first Premier League goal against Aston Villa in December 2011, leading the Gunners to a crucial 2-1 victory.

After this win, Arsene Wenger said, “He is a very intelligent boy and tonight he did fantastically well when he came on. The changes who came on did very well and stabilised our game I think – Yossi came on and won us three fantastic points.”

Robin van Persie said, “It was really good for Yossi scoring because he has been training unbelievably – trust me, he is absolutely unbelievable.

“Everyone was hoping for him to have a chance and he took it, so we are all really pleased for him.”

'Benayoun is absolutely unbelievable' – van Persie

A Carling Cup victory came next with Kieran Gibbs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Yossi Benayoun on the score sheet for Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Shrewbury Town. Oguzhan Ozyakup set up the third for Benayoun and the Isreali stabbed it home from the Dutchman’s cut-back.

Benayoun captained Arsenal in their 1–0 League Cup defeat to Manchester City. Benayoun said, “The truth is I did not expect this, but it was a nice moment. When the line-up was revealed at the hotel, I saw the letter ‘C’ next to my name; I thought there was some mix up. But overall it was a nice experience.”

If you had to choose between Aaron Ramsey and Yossi Benayoun, the latter would have to be your first choice considering his form at the moment.  They both have something different to offer to the team, but Benayoun has been in brilliant form and you have to give him credit for that. Rafa Benitez described Yossi as a ‘dangerous player’ because he gets “between-the-lines” and creates chances. In the 1-0 win over Manchester City, he was one of the reasons why Arsenal dominated the game right from the start and he could’ve had his name on the scoresheet too.

Post that game, Wenger heaped praises on the Arsenal Player: “He is highly focused in the big games, that is a massive part, because you cannot switch off. So we have a good balance in the team with him and a good focus. And of course he has quality. We have to say that in the games he has started he did extremely well and the team did extremely well as well. That is never a coincidence.”

Yossi Benayoun has literally forced his way into the first team and it remains to be seen if he stays at Arsenal permanently or makes a way back to his parent club.

We can’t promise you the moon,

and mostly definitely can’t promise you sun.

Heck, we can’t promise the stars too!

But what we can promise you is love -

From your team members, from your fans.

What we can promise you is support -

From your manager and from your fans.

We can promise you that you’ll never live to regret

Your decision of staying back at Arsenal.

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Sebastien Squillaci was signed for £5m from Sevilla amidst great controversy. He literally forced his way through to Arsenal and had no regrets about doing what he did.

 ”If a French player receives an offer from Arsène Wenger, it’s practically impossible to turn down,” he said. “It was a sensational offer for me and I was happy Sevilla let me go. It was a difficult situation but I knew I had to take this chance. I knew if I played against Braga then I would not have been able to play for Arsenal in the Champions League.”

Not considered technically as a “high-profile” signing, Squillaci joined Arsenal at (as some may want to say) the right time. Thomas Vermaelen was on the side-lines following an injury which made him miss most of the 2010-2011 season and Squillaci formed a formidable central defense partnership with fellow signing Laurent Koscielny.

As a centre-back, his performances at Monaco have always been highlighted. And not to forget the 11 goals scored in 117 appearances!

Squillaci has been a decent-enough player without any strings attached and has been a useful back-up for Arsenal, but one can never overlook the high-profile mistakes he’s made on the field which have cost the Gunners a game too many.

You let the goal in Squillaci!!!

One of his scintillating slip-ups came in game against West Bromwich Albion on 19 March 2011, where a mix up between Manuel Almunia and Squillaci lead to Peter Odemwingie putting West Brom 2–0 up. The game finished 2–2, as goals from Andrei Arshavin and Robin Van Persie gained a point for Arsenal.

Another of his blundering errors came in the January 2012 match against Fulham where he replaced Aaron Ramsey in the last 10 minutes. Arsenal went on to lose the match 2–1 as Squillaci’s clearing header in the 92nd minute of the match, fell to the feet of Bobby Zamora, who scored a volley to give Fulham all three points.

On February 17, 2012, Squillaci came on as an early substitute in Arsenal’s fifth round FA Cup game at Sunderland, after Francis Coquelin sustained an injury, with regular defenders Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny already missing through injury. Squillaci had a torrid game, deflecting Kieran Richardson’s 40th minute shot into his own net, and was himself substituted in the 52nd minute as Arsenal went on to lose 2–0.

These three goof-ups were more than enough to turn the Gunner fans against Squillaci and it wasn’t very surprising when they began calling for his head. Since then, he has been put on the side-lines and rarely makes the substitution bench ever.

But is it wise to question Arsene Wenger’s faith in the man? Sebastien Squillaci who was described as a player who “reads the game well” and is “strong in the air and on the ground” has let the Arsenal fans down tremendously.

One might be of the opinion that if given more playing time, Squillaci’s game might improve, but can the Arsenal first team afford that? With the likes of Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker, Thomas Vermaelen and Johan Djourou a regular starting back-four, place for Sebastien does not simply arise. And not to forget, the youngsters like Ignasi Miquel, Andre Santos, Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs who have already proved that they can be a part of the first team and perform when expected to.

The Frenchman’s contract expires in summer of 2013 but the chances of him featuring in any match seem bleak. Pocketing 50K a week for sitting on the bench (and sometimes not even there) isn’t entirely worthy of him. And with Wenger looking to bringing another centre-back in the summer (do not read as ‘Jan Vertonghen’), the money can certainly be put to better use.

You're out!

An Arsenal fan wisely summed up the whole situation,

“I am usually not in the favour of questioning the faith of players Arsene has trusted. I was never in the favour of Diaby leaving, but this case is different. Squillaci has to go. Call it lack of dedication or no commitment, Sebastien is not Premiership material, simply put. He’s is obviously a fifth-choice centre-back and we can let him leave without affecting the team. Squillaci isn’t a 19 year old youngster who can be groomed and taught how to play. He’s a full grown man who’s cost us some pretty important games this season.”

Dear Sir Alex,

Thank you. Thank you for making me the player I am today. Thank you for making me the person I’ve always wanted to be. Thank you for giving me the chance to play for Manchester United and the opportunity to serve your club.

At the age of 27, you brought me on board as your costliest signing ever and I vowed to myself that I’d never let you down. Through all these years, you‘ve been there with me, whenever I scored a goal, whenever I got injured or whenever I was going through a rough patch in my career.

My first goals for Manchester United came in a 3-0 away win to Aalborg BK in the Champions League group stage and at Old Trafford, I scored for the first time in United’s colours in a 4-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion. From then on, there was no stopping and when Manchester United won the Premier League trophy in May 2009, I was one proud Bulgarian, and daresay the only one to win an English Title.

One of my proudest moments

There was a time in my second season when fans were calling for my head because I wasn’t performing well and the media too had written me off and called me a failure. But when you said that you have faith in me and my abilities; that gave me the necessary boost I needed. In the 33 games I played that season, I netted the ball 12 times and you were happy.

I remember telling a journalist, “He [Sir Alex Ferguson] is one of the most successful managers in the history of the game. I write things down about the way we train and how he treats people. It is like a school. You work with the best manager and play with the best players. I try to learn. I am at the biggest club in the world. If I can learn anywhere it is here.”

And that was true. The hat-trick against Liverpool proved that there can be only one manager like Sir Alex Ferguson and being a part of his squad is a great honour.

I dedicated that hat-trick to you, and you deserved it. “I always tried to become my best, the boss always believed in me. Today my performance is for him as well, he always pushes me to be the player he wants me to be. It was 2-0, then 2-2 and we were playing Liverpool so the boss was going to be very furious after the game. We scored the third goal; we deserved it more than them. 3-2 for us is a good result – everybody is going to be happy.”

Personal accolades mean nothing when it comes to the trophies I’ve won by being a part of Manchester United. 2 Premier League medals, 1 Football League Cup, 2 FA Community Shields, 1 FIFA Club World Cup and the runner-up UEFA Champions League Medal – list these awards down and you won’t be in any denial of our club being the strongest.

Joint-top-goalscorer in the 10/11 Premier League Season

I may not have been the most prolific player in the team, but I know I gave my best to the club I love the most. Yes, disappointment did come in the form of not being selected to start our Champions League final against Barcelona and not getting enough play-time this season, but I know you have your reasons for that.

I’m sure it must’ve been heart-breaking for you to issue the statement that changed everything – my future at United for the most part. “At the moment, he remains at United. But I’d listen to what he says. I think he’s concerned he isn’t getting enough first-team football. It’s difficult for me to guarantee that. At 31, you can understand he wants that. It may lead to him looking elsewhere.”

It difficult to imagine a life without Manchester United; waking up in the morning and not wearing my United colours to come to practice; not kidding around with the boys in the dressing room; not listening to your prep talks during half-time; not going out there on the field and hoping to score. There are too many memories attached to Old Trafford.

But before I can term myself as a ‘Manchester United player’, I am a footballer first. My heart lies in playing the game and serving my team. And with this very heavy heart I would like to tell you to either let me play or let me move out gracefully. It was my dream to get old and tire in the United shirt, but that dream will perhaps remain a dream.

All I can now ask for is to be a part of the team that wins their 20^th Premier League trophy and hopefully, that’ll happen this season itself. You’ve been good to me all this while. Allow me to repay the club with whatever little I can in the time I’m here.

Thanking you for everything you’ve done,

Yours sincerely,

Dimitar Berbatov

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/03/25/a-letter-to-sir-alex-ferguson-by-dimitar-berbatov/feed/ 25 25255253817 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/03/15/jose-mourinho-the-special-one-only-in-europe/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/03/15/jose-mourinho-the-special-one-only-in-europe/#comments Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:32:16 +0000 Amerta http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=135021 Iconoclastic – The act of challenging established ideas and customs common within a certain place or time and not merely for the sake of argument.

That is on one hand.

On the other, there is also being overzealous and unnecessarily inquisitive.

Everyone has their own opinions about a certain player, a team or a manager, but hey! Who gives a fickle damn? Is that iconoclasm or just overzealous drivel?  The answer in most cases is rather clear.

One thing is sure – question society, don’t question its norms. Indeed, the great Greek philosopher Socrates turned such a practice into a philosophical art and condemned himself to an early grave doing so.

Likewise, we all remember that famous song-cum-mantra now firmly enshrined in the minds of all nay-slayers; “They all laughed at Christopher Columbus when he said that the world was round…above the ho-ho-ho, whose got the last laugh now?!”

What were your immediate reactions upon reading the headline of this article? “Jose Mourinho – The ‘Special One’ only in Europe?” Another article praising the so-called ‘Chosen One’ who can’t do anything mean or way out of his league?

“Maybe when I turn 60 and have been managing in the same league for 20 years and have the respect of everybody I will have the power to speak to people and make them tremble a little bit.” 

Jose Mourinho – the name commands respect and one can’t say it without being awestruck by the ardour displayed by this man. The self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ is making the headlines once again with him being considered as a candidate to succeed managers at some of the top clubs in the Premier League.

“Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one.”

You have to be really out of your mind to even begin questioning Jose Mourinho’s achievements and anyone with even a scintilla of knowledge about European football would say that Mourinho’s biggest achievement would be winning the UEFA Champions League with FC Porto in 2004.

Porto obviously had their share of luck having played only two good teams – Real Madrid in the group stages and Manchester United in the last 16. But the magic the ‘Special One’ created in the dressing room or while he was on the sidelines couldn’t have been matched by any other manager. FC Porto winning the Champions League in 2004 under Jose Mourinho seemed destined.

Leaving out Chelsea’s achievement when they won the League Title in the 2004-2005 season wouldn’t really matter, for the then Mourinho’s side literally strolled their way into the first spot. The real race for the second and fourth place between Arsenal and Manchester United and Everton and Liverpool respectively seemed more interesting.

Of course, Jose has done incredibly well with the teams he has managed and one can’t deny the claims of being the ‘Special One.’ But just as every coin has two sides, our Mr. Jose Mourinho too has a side which makes him rather despicable in the football world.

“I think he is one of these people who is a voyeur. He likes to watch other people. There are some guys who, when they are at home, have a big telescope to see what happens in other families. He speaks, speaks, speaks about Chelsea.” – on Arsène Wenger

There’s a huge difference between being a good manager and a good coach. A good coach is one who can extract the best out of his players keeping their strengths and weaknesses in mind. A good manager is one who can obtain results without pressurising his understudies.

Arsene Wenger and Guus Hiddink are brilliant examples of great coaches who know how to get the best out of their not so great players. On the other hand, Sir Alex Ferguson and Fabio Capello are examples of great managers who are experts at what they do and can continue doing so for a long period of time.

At the risk of ruffling some feathers, Jose Mourinho fits nowhere. He’s neither a good coach nor a decent manager.

It’s difficult to play under Mourinho as he doesn’t leave the player with much of a choice. Call him a ‘Modern-Day Hitler’ – he pushes his team to that extent where they would go to prove themselves to the opposition; no matter if it involves snarling at another player or committing fouls.

Bringing such a person to the English Premier League, where no doubt the team he manages will thrive, will come at a high cost.

Everyone is aware of Jose’s reckless spending ways and taking into consideration the financial kitty most teams have in the Premier League, the ‘Special One’ might either break into Barclays Bank or cause a lot of anguish to the managerial board of the team.

Without a doubt, Jose Mourinho has a lot of credibility accredited to his name and wherever he goes, he guarantees success. But the flaws this ‘Special One’ has cannot be uncared for.

The inflated ego Jose comes with has got him into a sticky spot once too many times. Mourinho contemptibly taunted and personally mocked an innocent Claudio Ranieri – one of the nicest, most pleasant men and coaches in football today.

What he did and said to Ranieri, he cannot dare do or say to Ferguson, Guardiola, Capello or even Ancelotti as bullies hate being stood up to.

A fan very rightly summed up what most Premier League fans had in their minds –

“Jose means guaranteed success; he has proved it wherever he has gone. But there are too many flaws as well. He has far too big an ego and is more interested in self-promotion than anything else. The minute there is any type of crisis, he will bail–his CV clearly supports this. His teams consistently cheat, dive, feign injury, whine and foul their way to victory. He is good at what he does because he is the biggest cheat in the sport. People laughed because he cheated a suspension by sneaking in to the dressing room in a laundry basket, he should have been kicked out of the sport for it. It was plain and simple cheating. He is a man who will stop at nothing to win, no morals, no guts.”

Sweetly put, Jose Mourinho is not welcome in the Premier League.

While he might help teams to Premier League glory, he can never match up to the standards set by the current managers and taking the place of managers like Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Kenny Dalglish or even Rafael Benitez is unthinkable.

Sorry, oh Special One, our Barclays Premier League doesn’t find you special enough.