For fans across the globe, Serie A has always been a league where tactics have prevailed over the beautiful style of play. Mental strength is the key component rather than a player’s attacking skill and prowess. One such club which defines the epitome of strength and mental toughness is the Italian powerhouse, Inter Milan. Not so long ago, the Italian giants were crowned as the “European Champions” but that seems to be a distant memory, if not a forgotten one.

The Nerazzurris finished their recent campaign in a disappointing 9th place and the displeasure of the supporters was heard loud and clear in their final game of the season, where they were duped 2-5 by the visiting Juventus. The Italian powerhouse have failed to build on the ‘treble’ brought to the club by the charismatic Jose Mourinho, and are yet to win any silverware since their feat at the Club World Cup three years ago.

Over the years, we have spoken about ‘stability’ being the key to the progress of any club and that is exactly what Inter are devoid off. Having sacked 3 managers in as many seasons, Moratti’s decision to appoint the in-experienced Andrea Stramaccioni on a permanent basis was baffling, given the fact that the young Italian was in the infancy of his managing career. Hiring a rookie manager for a club that is going through a transitional period was a futile idea and what followed was inevitable.

Stramaccioni looked clueless for major part of the campaign, sacrificing solidity for an attacking brand of football, which resulted in dressing room squabbles that had an immediate effect on the dynamics of the club.With the departure of Wesley Sneijder to Galatasaray, Inter lost their lynchpin and his proxy Ricardo Alvarez has failed to replicate the performances of the Dutchman. In all fairness, replacing their ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ Lucio, was never going to be easy and the defensive frailties of Ranocchia and Juan were exposed time and again with Inter leaking goals at will. To be fair to Stramaccioni, injuries haven’t helped his cause either, with prolific striker Diego Milito and influential club captain, Javier Zanetti spending majority of the campaign on the sidelines.

Having said that, another year without Champions League football is unacceptable for a club of Inter’s stature, and Moratti must act briskly if he wants to turn around the fortunes of his most prized asset. With a number of high profile candidates available during the summer, including former boss Roberto Mancini, Moratti has a plethora of options to choose from should he decide to axe the Italian. One thing is for sure, its not over till it is over. Watch out for this space !

With one eye on Europa League final, Chelsea would like to seal the Champions League spot

As we enter the penultimate round of the English Premier League, Aston Villa are set to lock horns with Chelsea in what promises to be a goal-fest at Villa Park. Chelsea delivered a master-class the last time these two teams met at Stamford Bridge, thumping 8 goals past the hapless Villa defence.

Having secured Premier League status for the next season, Aston Villa will go into the match with a lot more confidence and will look to take the game to the visitors. Chelsea on the other hand, need just a solitary point to qualify for next season’s Champions League, will have one eye on the finals of the Europa League and are likely to rest a few of their key players for Saturday’s encounter.

Team News:

Aston Villa - Paul Lambert’s men are on the back of two successive wins in the league, including a 6-1 demolition of Sunderland at Villa Park. Villa have been unlucky with injuries throughout the season, but this time around the manager has a fully fit squad to pick from including their versatile forward, Gabriel Agbonlahor who has peaked at the right time and played an integral part in Villa’s bid for safety.

Christian Benteke, who has been the driving force behind the Midlands outfit all throughout the season, will partner Andreas Weimann in attack and would look to continue his goal-scoring touch at home.

Chelsea - Chelsea have been on a scintillating run lately, and are unbeaten in their last 5 league games, winning three and drawing two, their latest being the 2-2 draw at home against Tottenham on Wednesday night.

The Blues have played huge number of games this season, probably more than any other team in the league and Rafa Benitez will look to continue with his rotation policy in a bid to keep the squad fresh for the Europa League final against Benfica next week.

Eden Hazard, who played against Tottenham despite a knock is likely to be rested with Moses being his replacement. John Obi Mikel is likely to recover from his hand injury and partner Frank Lampard in midfield. Demba Ba might get the nod over Fernando Torres, as the Blues look to secure their Champions League qualification.

Head To Head : Last Five Games

Competition Date Result

EPL 02-01-11 Chelsea FC 3-3 Aston Villa
Friendly 30-07-11 Aston Villa 0-2 Chelsea FC
EPL 31-12-11 Chelsea FC 1-3 Aston Villa
EPL 31-03-12 Aston Villa 2-4 Chelsea FC
EPL 23-12-12 Chelsea FC 8-0 Aston Villa

Current Form : Last Five Games

Aston Villa : W – D – L – W – W
Chelsea FC : W – D – W – W – D

A string of disappointing results in the “Bogey” winter period saw the blues being dumped out of the Champions League, having already surrendered their pole position in the league. The flamboyant owner was quick to wield his axe on the European winner Di Matteo, by replacing the Italian with Rafa Benitez in a bid to resurrect the silverware challenge. In his 6 months in charge, the Spaniard has done a reasonable job, guiding the club to a second successive European final (albeit the Europa League), giving them another shot at history to become the first club to win back to back European championships.

But given his love-hate relationship with the fans, it is unlikely that Benitez will be at the helm next season and the Blues would be weighing up their options to bring in a suitable replacement. Here’s a look at 3 managers who would be in the running to take over the reins at the London Club.

Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid)

The outspoken Portuguese has been linked to the Chelsea seat ever since Real Madrid’s defeat in the Champions League, with the 50 year old coach dropping enough hints that this could well be his last season in the Spanish capital. In the past few months, Mourinho has endured a rocky relationship with his players and a second stint at a club which he says is his ‘home’ might well be on the cards. The stumbling factor which might hinder the completion of the deal is the 20m Euros worth release clause inserted by Real Madrid in Mourinho’s contract. With the FFP lurking, it will be interesting to see if Roman Abramovich would be willing to pay a substantial figure to bring back the most successful manager in the club’s history.

Guus Hiddink (Anzhi Makhachkala)

The Dutchman is a known ally of the Chelsea owner, having stepped in to take charge of the club briefly in the 2008-09 season, guiding them FA Cup glory. Currently managing Anzhi Makhachkala in Russia, Hiddink is likely to step down from his post at the end of the season and is bound to be on Roman’s shortlist. Rumours suggest, Hiddink is likely to be offered the dual role at Chelsea of being the club’s technical director and manager.

Jupp Heynckes (Bayern Munich)

The outgoing Bayern Munich boss has revolutionized the style of play of the German giants, guiding them to a second successive Champions League final and the Bundesliga title. The German coach, who will be replaced by Pep Guardiola, was all set to retire at the end of the current campaign, but if a club like Chelsea comes calling, he might change his heart. The disciplinarian, who is known to promote youngsters, could well be the man to bring back stability at Chelsea and help the club to build for the future.

On Sunday, Manchester United played host to the FA Cup defending champions Chelsea at the “Theatre of Dreams”. Chelsea were looking to book a place in the last four, while the Red Devils were out to end their three-year drought of progressing to the next round. Chelsea fielded a strong first team with their winter signing Ba up front flanked by Mata and Moses, while Manchester United let Rooney team up with Hernandez, with Cleverley and Carrick holding central midfield.

The game started with a flurry of attacks by both sides, before it tilted in favour of the Red Devils. Chelsea looked toothless in attack and Manchester United were agile and efficient in their passing. They took the game to the Blues in the first half and it did seem like another win was on the cards for the league leaders. The defenders were to blame when Carrick’s blinder of a ball found Hernandez and the latter’s looping header found the back of the net. Manchester United had drawn first blood in the 5th minute and Chelsea hadn’t yet displayed any of their ability.

At the 10th minute mark, a free-kick saw Man Utd Rooney’s curling free kick beat everyone in the box and double United’s lead. Chelsea looked completely out of ideas, unless you call letting Ashley Cole, instead of Lampard, take a free-kick from 25 yards an idea. David de Gea and Evans were teaming up brilliantly and the defender showed nerves of steel in and around the six-yard box.

Right after the break, the Chelsea gaffer made the change which swung the match in favour of the Blues. Many termed the substitution ‘unacceptable’, but it proved to be a master-stroke by Rafa Benitez. At the hour mark, Eden Hazard - the former Lille star who came in for 35 million pounds – equalized with a brilliant shot after waiting for what seemed like an eternity and a half. The winger displayed amazing degrees of resilience and never seemed to run out of breath even after his multiple forays into the attacking third.

A quick counter on the 68th min saw the Brazilian Ramires slotting the ball past the outstretched de Gea and Chelsea had come back after what had seemed like an eternity. The Blues weren’t going to give up now and their exhilarating levels of perseverance would have paid dividends if not for de Gea. The Spanish international pulled out a magnificent left-footed save to deny Juan Mata a goal which surely would have been the winner in the 89th minute. Chelsea fans were the happier of the two sets of fans, as their team had completed an incredible comeback, after having gone two down in the first fifteen minutes of the match, to set-up a replay at Stamford Bridge. There is a long way to go before the two teams square off against each other, as the fixture list is congested. But one thing’s for sure, it’s not over until it’s over.

The South Korean’s dismissal was announced a few hours after he guided his team to the Round Of 16, in the AFC Champions League.

Marcello Lippi is tipped as hot favorite to take over the reigns at Guangzhou, after Sky Italia reported that the world cup winning coach had flown down to China for talks on Wednesday afternoon.

“I’m really okay. I’ve kind of expected this. I have no shame with my work, we’re top of the league and reached final 16 of Champions League in our debut season,” Lee told Sportal Korea after admitting he was under pressure for the past few months due to constant speculations of a change in management.

“I need to take a rest for a while. A big responsibility came off my shoulders. It’s disappointing to leave the team after the win in the Champions League match but in a way, I feel lighthearted.”

Meanwhile, Lippi is expected to sign a two-and-a-half-year deal with the Chinese outfit and is expected to be unveiled on Thursday afternoon. Lippi’s first test would be in the form of FC Tokyo in the ACL Round of 16 on May 30.

Yes, it’s been an exciting couple of weeks, sorry months – or has it been a year already? Ok, it may not have been year, but it certainly feels like it. The Indian Premier League (IPL) bandwagon has rolled along into its final lap and seems to be running along quite successfully. With uneven television ratings, stellar mis-fields and horrendous batting techniques to boot, and of course a freshly discovered spot fixing scandal, the two month long party circuit, with a dash of cricket thrown in between, has quite certainly made a mark for itself.

It comes along everyday, most of the times with two back to back matches, it’s entertainment alright – eight hours of unadulterated, made for the family, pushed-down-your-throat blast of sweet and invigorating fun. The tournament has been very interesting so far with six teams out of the nine involved still in contention to make the three slots available in the playoffs – Delhi has secured its spot in the playoffs. Nearly ten games so far have gone till the last over, the frequency of which has been quite incessant. The tournament is thriving, people are flooding into grounds to watch their heroes live, splurging obscene amounts of money in the process and spending quality time with their families dancing to the music and checking out cheerleaders (huh, Cricket? Yes they’re there in the background!).

The IPL can attribute much of its success to the overall organization of the whole event, while a less successful sporting event would schedule its matches in such a manner that it facilitates the fitness and performance of the players and maintains relevance to the fixtures, the ‘successful’ IPL has managed to organize it in such a way that Mumbai has played both its legs with Kolkata within a span of seven days. Same goes for Punjab which has just gone through a stretch of five games where they played Delhi and Deccan both two times each.

Why should we have context, when you know the viewers are going to tune in anyway? How does it matter if the same teams have played only a day before who remembers it? True, a highlight of the IPL has been its ability to create minimal retention value for each of its games. While the usual sporting-culture worldwide follows a tradition of replaying and relaying memorable match-ups so as to satiate and engage a viewer’s interest, the IPL has quite successfully adopted a technique of use and throw. Yes, why would you want to remember and recollect an instance of a last ball finish when you can watch a similar scenario in a match being played the very next day?

Add to these mesmerizing features, the loud and over enthusiastic commentators and dancing cheerleaders in the studios, the latest edition of the IPL has been a hoot and a half. It has been a remarkable season so far, quite extraordinarily, the bat has dominated the ball in most matches so far and batsmen have managed to evade every batting technique in the manual to successfully score free flowing runs through innovation and sheer dumb luck.

Truth be told, the IPL has also had a few lows as well. However, with the discovery of a functional spot-fixing scandal existent in the tournament, the tournament has quickly gained ground in becoming a tournament followed for its ability to create publicity and hence gain popularity. Like everything entertaining and popular in the Indian entertainment space (Film and TV), the IPL has achieved to build maximum popularity with minimal content, shoddy execution and an overdose of “fun”, skillfully packaging it all in a marketing vehicle and squarely parking it in our living rooms.

With another few days still to follow, the tournament is only going to become more annoying and brash. We can do well to buck ourselves up and tell ourselves that yes this is fun and exciting – Last ball finish in every match, you would have to be a fool to hate this!

1. Didier Drogba (Chelsea) : The Ivorian has been Chelsea’s most prolific goal scoring forward, ever-since his arrival at Stamford Bridge, seven seasons ago. However, negotiations of a new deal have stalled which has alerted a number of clubs across Europe and Asia. At 34, the robust hitman has still got a few years of top flight football in his arsenal and would welcome the prospect of new horizons. Anzhi Makhachkala and Shanghai Shenhua have already expressed an interest to sign Drogba with Real Madrid also keeping tabs on the forward.

2. Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United): Manchester United’s record signing was the premier league’s top scorer couple of seasons ago, but has struggled to hold down a regular place due to the emergence of Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez. The Bulgarian was left frustrated on the bench for majority of the campaign and is set to leave Old Trafford in the summer. At just 30 years of age, there would be plenty of options for the former golden boot winner as he looks to claim his place back in the higher echelons of world football. PSG were rumoured to have been interested in the services of the lanky striker and for Berbatov, the lure of Champions League football could well be the clinching factor.

3. Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus): The iconic forward confirmed his departure from Juventus after 18 glorious years with the Italian powerhouse. Del Piero has left quite the legacy which is going to be difficult to match for any possible replacement or for any other player. At 37, he’s got pedigree and reputation on his side and should have no shortage of suitors come summer. There are reports of ‘Il Pinturicchio’ displaying his traits in Asia next season, though MLS seems to be his likely destination.

4. Hugo Rodallega (Wigan): As a player who can play out wide or centrally, the Colombian seemed to have everything going in his favour. However, Rodallega has endured a torrid 2011/12 campaign, including a lengthy injury spell, which ultimately cost him a place in the starting line-up and was later frozen out by manager Roberto Martinez. His performances have deteriorated over the years and it’ll be interesting to see if a top club makes a move for the 26 year old. Having said that, it would be foolish to write him off just yet.

5. Junior Hoilett (Blackburn): Without the 21 year old, Blackburn could have been cast adrift and he has proved time and again that he is ready to step up and play at the top level.The Canadian is a tremendous crosser of the ball and is not afraid to take on the defenders at times.Players of his calibre and stature are seldom available for free, and I won’t be surprised if there are more than half a dozen clubs vying for his signature.

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/05/16/bosman-transfer-news-5-potential-striking-options/feed/ 3 33620161 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/05/14/inter-milan-boss-laments-sixth-place-finish/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/05/14/inter-milan-boss-laments-sixth-place-finish/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 07:17:25 +0000 ankulshilotri http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=243186

Inter coach Andrea Stramaccioni was disappointed with his side’s failure to qualify for the next edition of the Champions League, following their 6th place finish in the Serie A. The Nerazzurri’s were comprehensively beaten 3-1 by Lazio in their final league game of the season which saw the Italian powerhouse finish outside the top four after a little more than a decade. The young tactician rued his side’s wasteful finishing which ultimately cost them the chance to play in Europe’s elite competition.

“My 12 agents are always in talks with the president,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“Jokes aside, we are already working with the president and the board to build a competitive squad which can stay true to our history.

“We must reflect and realise where we can improve. Finishing sixth is not satisfactory and we have to improve.

“About my renewal, you must talk with Moratti: he is the one to decide when he will announce it.”

In his post match press conference, Stramaccioni said he was happy with the way his team played in the first half, but admitted his team were nervy going into the match.

“We had a great first half, in which we did not concede a goal,” he said. “However, we could not take advantage of the chances we created.

“In the second half, we suffered two goals in the space of four minutes, which turned the game around.

“We are disappointed, but we must congratulate Lazio. We had a good match, but we were too nervous.

“I chose the best team that I could, and we had four chances to score. Lazio were more clinical and they won the match thanks to two individual plays, which split the game into two.”

While oft repeated topics such as the decline of Test cricket due to the advent of T20 are still on the upswing, important issues such as match and spot-fixing have also shown their ugly heads. However the one topic which seems to continue with its love-hate relationship with the game is the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS). The system which fundamentally puts the Umpire’s decisions under review, while helpful to a certain extent has in fact been quite detrimental to the sport in more ways than one. While there are positives to the system, it is riddled with far too many loopholes that can be overlooked.

While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains the only cricket board to not be in favour of the system, the cricket fraternities in the rest of the world have found it convenient to blame the BCCI for being a ‘bully’. This is in addition to the fact that the boards around the world are vary of India’s financial dominance over the sport as well as the ‘success’ of the IPL and as Kevin Pietersen pointed out, the jealousy thereof has meant that the system has been adopted despite not clearing many proof checks or being ascertained to be nearly 100 percent accurate.

Along with the accuracy, another important negative is that of consumption of time. Wherein reviews have become a long and cumbersome process starting with the bowler and captain contemplating whether to ask for a review, followed by an eventual agreement, then images of the umpire on his wireless followed by lengths of footage replaying the action, and finally the decision on the giant which invariably is precluded by a graphic of a stating a pending decision – another few seconds adding to the already time consuming game which frankly lasts for 5 days, which by the way, in the current scheme needs anything but further addition in the duration.

On the flip side though, to some fans the extension might not mean a lot considering that they already have decided to invest 5 days into the game. Though some of the old folk might not quite comprehend this, but the review system does excite the occasional youngster into more intrigue and hence an added interest in the game at hand, however, with Tests struggling to fill seats in stadiums and the former seems to have much larger say for the fate of this format.

Are referrals useful overall? Ah, now that’s a tough one. Tony Greig, while commentating during the recently concluded West Indies-Australia Test series, harped on the point that the right decision was being made in the end going by the letter of the Laws of Cricket, that’s probably true. Assuming that the technology is reasonably accurate, the TV umpire should be able to make the right decision – which incidentally includes applying the benefit of the doubt, if any, in favour of the batsman. Even the letter of the Law requires that. But is that really happening overall?

Now both sides have an “equal opportunity” to challenge an umpire’s decision. But notice the pattern of the successful reviews – almost all of them have overturned an umpire’s “not out” decision, thus favouring the fielding side overall. There were very few cases of a batsman being wrongly given out, successfully challenging the decision. Most of the batsman-initiated challenges failed to change the decisions, even in the case of LBWs. That in itself tells us something – that umpires tend to get the “outs” correct most of the time!

So what the reviews are achieving is to reverse the umpire’s “not outs”, most of which were Leg Before Wicket decisions. Those were “not outs” in the first place because the umpire gave the benefit of doubt to the batsman, as he should. It’s particularly tricky for LBWs, considering the complications which already exist in such a dismissal, which frankly is based entirely based on human perception, begging the question whether a review system is even relevant in such cases.

The Law probably came into being to stop any blatant attempts to guard the stumps using the pads rather than the bat. It shouldn’t be used as an excuse to get a wicket, just because the ball happens to hit the batsman’s pad. Some of the LBWs given after review in this series were so marginal (e.g. pad-bat in that sequence, or height-wise just clipping the bail) that it’s hard to claim that the right decision was made in the end.

Some would argue that it’s about time the bowlers got some help against the meatier bats, the bouncer restrictions, etc. But by practically eliminating the benefit of doubt using technology, the referral system is altering the game at a fundamental level. In the traditional game, if a batsman is wrongly given out, that’s it, his innings is over, no second chance. If the batsman is wrongly given not-out, tough luck for the fielding side, but they have plenty of second chances. If the referral system is adopted, this fundamental nature of the game changes manifold. It will have an impact on batting techniques in the years to come, meaning a batsman who would risk playing an audacious shot, such as a reverse sweep, would remain skeptical as it might cost him his wicket guaranteed as even a potential hit to the top of the leg stump means ‘Out’, which is poles apart from a time before the UDRS, where a ball sliding slightly down leg would be mean a decision in favour of the batsman as a benefit of doubt resulting in a decline in innovation and flair, both pivotal points associated with the success of T20.

With technology being an important aspect in every of our daily lives, it was just a matter of time before it crept into a sport known for its rigidness in being traditional. While adopting it should be taken positively, it also needs to be ascertained whether the technology is fool-proof and whether its use propagates more positives than negatives, and currently there seem to be far too many negatives to only focus on the positives.

The use of a TV umpire in itself is okay for line decisions, bump balls and the like – but the decision whether to call upon the third umpire should rest with the on-field umpires. TV referrals have been tried and junked in other sports like American football. Football too, one of the most popular games in the world, owes much of its success to the fact that the game remains one of the simplest to comprehend and cheapest to play, its administration too has kept an arms-length away from adopting technology in assisting in anyway. Cricket, which frankly already has a complicated rule base, can do well with not adding to the already long list of do’s and don’ts that accompany the game.

As the race for the premier league crown and survival heats up, where teams are hassling and battling for points. Aston Villa are set to host Chelsea on Saturday, in what promises to be an attacking game of football, with both teams in need of a victory to save their season from falling apart. The two teams played out a 0-0 stalemate last time around which does not delineate the amount of chances which were scuffed by the teams due to some wasteful finishing by both sets of players.

Villa have lacked consistency and are languishing in 15th position in the league. Having said that, Alex Mcleish’s men would be optimistic about their chances, having beaten the Blues 3-1 at Stamford Bridge on new year’s eve. However, a change in management has rejuvenated the Blues, who are currently in 5th, and will be hoping to take a step closer to the final Champions League position.

TEAM NEWS :

Aston Villa have struggled at home all season long with just two wins under their belt in their last 10 home games. A 3-0 defeat in the hands of Arsenal at the Emirates has further heaped pressure on manager Alex Mcleish with supporters rallying for his head. The midlands team have been plagued with injuries and are without the services of record signing Darren Bent, who is still recuperating from his ankle injury. Richard Dunne who is nursing an injured shoulder, and Alan Hutton (calf) are unavailable for selection. Cieran Clark has trained with the team and will take his place in the heart of defence alongside James Collins. Carlos Cuellar might be deployed at right-back. Charles N’zogbia and Jermaine Jenas remain long term absentees.

Chelsea have been quite poor on the road, with a record of just five wins to their name, along with five draws and five losses, scoring 18 goals while conceding 15. However, the Blues have had a reversal of fortunes lately, having won five of their last seven games in all competitions, including a hard fought 1-0 away victory against Benfica in midweek. Branislav Ivanovic has recovered from his thigh strain and is available for selection. John Terry and Mata might be rested and Ramires who picked up a knock in Lisbon, is likely to make way for Daniel Sturridge on the right hand side of attack. Michael Essien and Frank Lampard are expected to be back in the starting line up after being dropped to the bench in midweek. Fernando Torres might get the nod ahead of  Didier Drogba following the Spaniard’s impressive display in the Champions League.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS :

Aston Villa (4-4-1-1) :
Given , Cuellar , Collins , Clark , Warnock , Herd , Petrov , Agbonlahor , Albrighton , Ireland , Heskey.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1) :

Cech , Ivanovic , Luiz , Cahill , Cole , Essien , Lampard , Meireles , Sturridge , Kalou , Torres.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS :

FA Cup – 10/04/2010 : Aston Villa 0-3 Chelsea
EPL – 16/10/2010 : Aston Villa 0-0 Chelsea
EPL – 02/01/2011 : Chelsea 3-3 Aston Villa
Preseason – 30/07/2011 : Aston Villa 0-2 Chelsea
EPL – 31/12/2011 : Chelsea 1-3 Aston Villa

CURRENT FORM :

Aston Villa : L – D – D – W – L

Chelsea : W – W – L – D – W

Prediction : At home, Aston Villa have always been a tough opponent to break down, but the amount of experience and depth in the Chelsea set up, the hosts are clearly underdogs going into the game. It is going to be an evenly contested game but i’m going to go with a 3-1 victory in favour of Chelsea.

“A more poetic man than me suggested that the difference between watching Test cricket and first playing it could be likened to that between reading a romance and experiencing it”, said Cowan.

The saying brought about many emotions within me – do we really love Test Cricket? From the fact that today our association with Test Cricket is one where beyond the occasional look out for an update on the score, interest in the overall passage of play is well, minimal. While passionate cricketers such as Cowan do exist, their numbers are fast dwindling. With the increased mass appeal of the sport through the advent of Twenty20 cricket and the huge popularity of the One-day format in the sub-continent and also South Africa and the West Indies, the state of the game’s most traditional sport looks pale if not altogether bleak.

Series’ such as The Ashes and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy might be tournaments that are looked forward to by the cricket loving public, however its sustenance as a widely followed format might not last very long.

From a time when timeless Test matches were at the core of cricket to the present when Test matches have just become a time-pass for the common cricket follower – filler before the main event, the one day series begins. Cricket today, except for a few staunch followers of the traditional game and a few passionate cricketers has transformed into a source of entertainment – less sport and competition, more oohs and aahs. While before a Test match was considered a test of a cricketer’s character, today some even call it a test of the viewer’s patience.

The ICC on its part has proposed many ideas to make the game more interesting and engaging, such as a Test Championship and experimentation with day/night cricket matches. Though the intent is positive, the execution of the same can only be achieved through a systematic and inclusive approach, while still not harming the core ethos in which this great game has found his resonance.

With decreasing footfall at stadiums and declining TV viewers, largely due to lack of sporty wickets and new age cricketers who lack basic ability to sustain and build an innings. Test cricket today looks to be headed towards a long and strenuous future with the next generation of cricket followers.

The rock solid defense of Rahul Dravid, the innate ability of Brian Lara to muster up huge scores, Sachin Tendulkar’s silky straight drive or Glenn McGrath’s implacable line and length and Murlitharan’s gnawing deception – all fall-outs of long Test careers which have made them players at the pinnacle of their sport and gentlemen who have performed at the highest level, consistently over two decades. It is quite evident from each of these players, owe their feats in Cricket to their long association with the format.

If our administrators do not wake up to their own folly of placing emphasis on the shorter formats of the game and an overdose of the sport in general, the oldest format will soon move towards the beginning of its eventual end and the legends of the game which we so truly admire will soon be replaced by a crop of cross batters and full toss bowling run stoppers and not wicket takers. Gone will be the days when we will discuss a possibility of a match saving hundred and begin discussions about the fastest hundred.

With no one but themselves to blame for their inability to promote what was existent and an overt flair to develop a device which threatens to destroy the gentleman’s game as we know it.

Arsenal‘s humiliating defeat in the Champions League has all but confirmed another trophy-less season for the Gunners.  This season’s performances have made it to the long list of “ so close yet so far ” stories in the past six years for Arsene Wenger’s young side. Neighbours and arch rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, have been on a rampage lately, and come this Sunday they may just torpedo the Gunners’ floundering vessel. Spurs currently sit third in the league with 53 points whilst the home team a place further behind and ten points adrift of their rivals.

The visitors have had an upper hand in the derbies lately, and will be optimistic about their chances having won 3-2 in their previous meeting at the Emirates. Both teams have had contrasting results going into the high pressure derby, but as we’ve all seen in the past, current form matters for nothing when these giants collide. Regardless of the match result, the North London derbies make up for an entertaining fixture at least twice an year.

TEAM NEWS :

Arsenal have had an indifferent run of form lately and are on the back of two successive defeats, including a 4-0 thrashing in the hands of AC Milan in Champions League, which saw Laurent Koscielny being substituted mid-way through the first half due to injury to pile on the defensive woes on Arsene Wenger. The error-prone Yohan Djourou, whose mistake led to Milan’s fourth, might keep his place in the team with Djourou and Vermaelen being the only recognized centre-backs available for selection. Abou Diaby and Carl Jenkinson are likely to make the bench following their return from injury. Gervinho and Oxlade Chamberlain might get the nod to start the game after being dropped to the bench in midweek. Thierry Henry’s loan spell has expired and Jack Wilshere, Per Mertesacker along with Andre Santos remain long term absentees.

Tottenham were involved in a stalemate with lowly Stevenage Borough in the F.A Cup but that does not depict a clear picture of the form that they bring into a match of this magnitude. They are on a run of just one loss in ten league games including a 5-1 demolishing of a hapless Newcastle United in the premier league. Younes Kaboul has served his suspension and is available for selection. Luka Modric missed the 0-0 draw over the weekend with flu but is expected to recover and take is place in the heart of midfield alongside the inspirational Scott Parker. Assou-Ekotto underwent minor surgery earlier this week and is rated doubtful for the game. Emmanuel Adebayor picked up a knee injury in training as Harry Redknapp frets on the fitness of his star striker.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS :

Arsenal ( 4-2-3-1 ) :
Szczesny , Sagna , Djorou , Vermaelen , Gibbs , Song , Arteta , Ramsey , Gervinho , Oxlade-Chamberlain , Van Persie.

Tottenham ( 4-2-3-1) :
Friedel , Walker , Dawson , King , Assou-Ekotto , Modric , Parker , Kranjcar , Bale , Van Der Vaart , Adebayor.

LAST FIVE MEEINGS :

EPL – 14/04/2010 : Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal
Carling Cup – 21/09/2010 : Tottenham 1-4 Arsenal
EPL – 20/11/2010 : Arsenal 2-3 Tottenham
EPL – 20/04/2011 : Tottenham 3-3 Arsenal
EPL – 02/10/2011 : Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal

CURRENT FORM :

Arsenal : D – W – W – L – L

Tottenham : W – W – D – W – D

Prediction : Spurs will be looking to do the double over the Gunners and goals are guaranteed when these two sides meet. There has been just one goal-less draw between the two sides in the last decade. It might be another 4-4 draw or even 5-3 win, that’s how the matches have ended in the recent past.

Come this Sunday, Chelsea play host to joint leaders Manchester United at the opulent Stamford Bridge, in what promises to be a nerve-racking game of football. The two teams are already under the scanner, following the Terry – Ferdinand’s spat and it could get ugly right from the start. From the football point of side, it could prove to be a season defining game for the Londoners, who are currently 4th and are 12 points off the pace set by the two Manchester clubs. The Red Devils had comfortably trounced their opponents 3-1 in the previous encounter, thanks to goals from Chris Smalling, Wayne Rooney and Nani with Torres grabbing a consolation for the Blues. The match was played at a great level of intensity and is still discussed for Fernando Torres’ atrocious miss.

TEAM NEWS :

Chelsea have had an indifferent run of form lately, and are on the back of two successive draw in the league, including the disappointing 1-1 against Swansea, which saw Ashley Cole dismissed for a hard tackle and hence will be unavailable for selection. John Terry is expected to shrug of his ongoing knee problem and take his place in the heart of Chelsea’s defence. Frank Lampard is nursing an injured calf and looks like he would have to be content with a place on the bench. Ramires remains a long term absentee. Ryan Bertrand is in line for his first league start along with Michael Essien, who has been impressive since his return from injury.

On the other hand, Manchester United moved swiftly to put their F.A.Cup debacle behind them, as they beat Stoke City 2-0 at home, to draw level at the top with neighbours Manchester City, thus extending their winning run to three games in the league and reigniting their hopes of retaining the Premier League crown. David DeGea is recovering from a bout of flu and Anders Lindegaard has picked up a ligament damage which means Ben Amos is likely to continue in goal. Rooney, Nani and Welbeck were rested for the midweek clash against Stoke and are expected to be on the bus to South London. Ashley Young could join them after making steady recovery from his ankle injury that has kept him out of action since December.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS :

Chelsea ( 4-3-3 ) :
Cech , Ivanovic , Luiz , Terry , Bertrand , Essien , Romeu , Meireles , Mata , Torres , Sturridge.

Manchester United ( 4-4-2 ) :
Amos , Smalling , Ferdinand , Evans , Evra , Valencia , Scholes , Carrick , Nani , Rooney , Welbeck.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS :

EPL – 01 / 03 / 2011 : Chelsea 2-1 Manchester United
UCL – 06 / 04 / 2011 : Chelsea 0-1 Manchester United
UCL – 12 / 04 / 2011 : Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea
EPL – 08 / 05 / 2011 : Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea
EPL – 18 / 09 / 2011 : Manchester United 3-1 Chelsea

CURRENT FORM :

Chelsea : L – W – W – D – D
Manchester United : L – L – W – W – W

KEY BATTLES :

Terry Vs Rooney :

The pint sized striker gave the Chelsea backline a torrid time with his slick movement in and around the box, beating his markers with utmost ease. With the error-prone David Luiz around, its upto the Chelsea skipper to man mark his side’s most potent threat and ensure stability and composure in defence.

Torres Vs Ferdinand :

This is a duel to watch out for! Torres the clever player that he is, has his task cut out against Man United’s most experienced defender. Ferdinand has to protect his young partner Evans who has shown vulnerability when it boils down to big games. It’ll be upto Chelsea’s No.9 to ensure the Man United backline are in for a long night.

After a weekend of F.A Cup action, the teams were back to the league as Swansea City played host to Chelsea at the noisy Liberty Stadium. Chelsea were looking to consolidate fourth place in the table, while the Swans were out to prove that their current form at home is not a one off thing.

Chelsea fielded a strong first team with the costly Torres up front, flanked by Mata and Sturridge while Swansea had their attacking trio of Graham , Scott Sinclair and Nathan Dyer with Britton and Sigurdson in central midfield. It was the first meeting of the two sides in Wales and Swans were out to defend their impressive record at home.

The game started with a flurry of attacks by the home side, and they completely dominated the first half hour of the game. Chelsea looked toothless in attack and Swansea were agile and efficient in their passing. They took the game to the Blues in the first half and it did seem like another win for the high flying swans. The Londoners were to blame when Sigurdson’s lovely chipped pass caught Ivanovic wanting for pace with Petr Cech charging down to clear in what was a very lucky let off for the visitors. In the 40th min, the Swans finally broke the deadlock after probing for major part of the 1st half when Scott Sinclair finished superbly on the turn from a Sigurdson free kick. Swansea had drawn first blood and Chelsea hadn’t yet displayed any of grit in the match.

Moments before the half-time whistle, a Chelsea’s free kick was denied by the impressive Michel Vorm, and providing proof to why he is currently the Dutch No.1.

Chelsea looked completely out of ideas, unless you call letting Malouda, instead of Mata, take a corner-kick , an idea. Vorm and Ashley Williams were teaming up brilliantly and the defender showed nerves of steel in and around the six yard box.

Right after the break, David Luiz went on a marauding run of his own only to see his shot fly wide of the goal. The defender displayed amazing degrees of resilience and seemed to have never run out of breath even with his multiple forays into the attacking third. The Brazilian dripped of audacity and even dared to trip Dyer with tempers flowing in both sides. Torres, in the meantime, hadn’t shown even a minuscule of his worth, let alone substantiate the 50 million pounds. Both managers wanted to shuffle the game up in the quest to find an equalizer and on came Agustien and Luke Moore with Lukaku and Essien who nearly scored with his first touch after a pile-driver from 20 yards out. Chelsea continued to ask questions of the Swansea defence but lacked quality in the final third.

Just when Chelsea had started to dominate the game, came a moment of madness from their most experienced centre-back at the night. Ashley Cole, who had his name taken in the referee’s book , mistimed his sliding tackle and was sent off for a 2nd bookable offence.

Finally, deep into the 2nd minute of injury time, the Blues got their deserved equalizer. Bosingwa, who had been at fault for Swansea’s opener, came up with a cross cum shot which took a wicked deflection of Neil Taylor and flew past the helpless Vorm, and Chelsea had come back after what seemed an eternity.

The draw left Brendan Rogers with a bitter taste in the mouth and he held the referee responsible for the result. Chelsea, hold onto their 4th position but need to pull up their socks if they want to challenge for the silverware this season. Arsenal fans were officially the happiest of the lot, as they look to reduce the deficit between their London rivals in tonight’s against Bolton Wanderers.

1. Someone could possibly arrive but someone could possibly go. You can’t have a team with 200 players. That’s easy math. Don’t be disappointed.

2. This is not Fantasy Premier League. You can’t have Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney, Van Persie and Cavani in your team. You just can’t!

3. Trust your Team President. He (probably) knows what he’s doing and he’s trying his best to make the team at its best. Don’t worry, he’s not trying to destroy it. Unless he is Zamparini, in which case you don’t have much of a hope, so don’t worry anyways.

4. It’s difficult to find players that marry a team. There are a few of them in the world but if a player wants to go, it’s better to let him leave than to make him stay reluctantly.

5. A football player can’t play until 60. There’s a time when he would have to retire. Deal with it.

6. Try to read or listen to sport news as less as possible. They’re gonna make you crazy.

7. The team is not yours. You have to accept what other people decide for you. That’s part of the game.

8. You cannot judge a player before you see him play on the field. You can be disappointed from the best and be surprised from the unexpected.

9. Don’t trust gossip. And do not tattoo a new player’s name on your body parts until you’ve seen a picture of him signing the contract! This has known to have backfired before, rather spectacularly.

And, most importantly:

10. Stay Cool.

Here’s to a chilly winter! Hope it passes quickly!

In 2006 , the then England manager Sven Goran Eriksson announced his squad for the world cup and to everyone’s surprise included a young lad from Arsenal, who hadn’t even made his Premiership debut for the Gunners. Walcott had just completed his move from ‘The Saints’ and was picked ahead of Darren Bent and Jermaine Defoe. The similarities are there for all to see. Both pacey exciting wingers, both come from Southampton, both ironically purchased for the same price and both burst on the scene with international hat-tricks. Although, you’d think only one of them is a real hope for England and Arsenal’s future.

For a number of years now, Theo Walcott has looked like someone who could, one day, develop into a world class footballer. However, his development hasn’t progressed at the anticipated rate. Despite still leaving numerous defenders for dead with his pace, the quality of Theo’s final ball is still poor and his finishing is not good enough for someone who wants to be taken seriously as a Centre-Forward. Being a Three Lions fan, I hope that he is a late bloomer and all his promise will translate into match-winning performances.

On the other hand, Chamberlain is a completely different player when compared to his fellow team-mate. Whilst Walcott is a striker, more commonly deployed on the wing, Chamberlain began his career as an attacking midfield player, only eventually finding himself playing out wide as a result of his pace. This insight into his development explains why he is already the superior player to Walcott on the ball, in terms of first touch, passing and vision. These are attributes that he displayed in abundance on Sunday, an afternoon in which Theo didn’t produce an impressive account of himself. In fact, the bemused look on Robin Van Persie’s face when Arsene Wenger sent on Andrey Arshavin for Chamberlain, as opposed to Walcott, told a story of its own.

So what are the chances of Chamberlain joining Walcott on the plane to Euro 2012? Articles are already being written, suggesting the winger will be Capello’s ‘wildcard’ pick for the competition. As long as Gervinho is at the African Cup of Nations, Chamberlain should get more chances, but that’s not a long time to prove himself and secure a starting spot for the remainder of the season. Without regular football for Arsenal, it would be difficult to justify including the teenager in his 23-man squad. Either way, if Chamberlain fulfills his early promise, he’ll shine in comparison to Theo and we may look back one day and realize that I was right after all.

Under Pressure

A 1-1 draw at the Reebok means Wolves have now drawn three consecutive matches and are looking for their first win in 5 games against a Chelsea side, whose dismal run continued after being thrashed 3-1 by Aston Villa which saw them slip down to 5th place in the table, having accumulated only 3 out of a possible 12 points in their last 4 games. Mick McCarthy should be optimistic about his side’s chances at the Molineux, having won their previous encounter 1-0 against the visitors in what was a closely fought match. Another poor performance by Chelsea could pile on the pressure on Villas-Boas, whose management skills have already been questioned by the pundits.

TEAM NEWS :

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS :
Wolves will be without the services of Jamie O’Hara and Nenad Milijas, who serves his 2nd of the 3 match ban. Latest recruit Emmanuel Frimpong is in line for a start with Stephen Ward likely to drop back to his preferred position. Kevin Doyle may get the nod ahead of Ebanks-Blake, to partner Steven Fletcher in attack.

CHELSEA :
Andre Villas-Boas might ring in the changes following a disappointing defeat in the hands of Aston Villa by reinstating Jose Bosingwa and Frank Lampard in the starting line-up. Daniel Sturridge who has looked off colour in the last two games is likely to make way for Salomon Kalou. Didier Drogba is likely to start his last game before he links up with his national squad for the African Cup Of Nations.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS :-

Chelsea (4-3-3) :
Cech , Bosingwa , Luiz , Terry , Cole , Ramires , Romeu , Lampard , Mata , Drogba , Kalou.

Wolves (4-4-2) :
Hennessey , Stearman , Berra , Johnson , Ward , Jarvis , Henry , Frimpong , Hunt , Doyle , Fletcher.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS :-
EPL : 21/11/2009 Chelsea 4 – Wolves 0
EPL : 20/02/2010 Wolves 0 – Chelsea 2
EPL : 23/10/2010 Chelsea 2 – Wolves 0
EPL : 05/01/2011 Wolves 1 – Chelsea 0
EPL : 26/11/2011 Chelsea 3 – Wolves 0

CURRENT FORM :-

Wolves : L – L – D – D – D
Chelsea : W – D – D – D – L

Having registered three consecutive 1-1 draws, Chelsea will look to return to winning ways against a struggling Aston Villa, who have managed to win just a solitary game away from home all season. The two teams played out a pulsating 3-3 draw last time around, after Cieran Clark’s stoppage time header gave Villa a share of the spoils. Aston Villa have failed to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for over 9 years and Alex Mcleish would be hoping the hoo-doo ends on new year’s eve. On the other hand, Villas-Boas would be hoping for an improved performance from his side, after a disappointing 1-1 draw against Fulham on Boxing Day.

TEAM NEWS :-

CHELSEA :-
The Blues will be without Branislav Ivanovic and John Obi Mikel who have been ruled out until the FA Cup tie against Portsmouth. Jose Bosingwa has been included in the squad following his recovery from a minor hamstring injury sustained in the Boxing Day match. Meireles is likely to make way for Ramires, after the Brazilian served his one match suspension against Fulham. Fernando Torres should start his second game in a row, and there are chances of Didier Drogba partnering him in attack.

ASTON VILLA :-
The Midlands outfit have injury problems of their own, with Emile Heskey and Shay Given already ruled out, meaning Brad Guzan will continue in goal. Darren Bent is likely to shake off a thigh strain and looks set to feature on the weekend. Alan Hutton returns from suspension and will add much needed pace to curb the threat of Daniel Sturridge and Juan Mata. Cieran Clark might keeep his place in the centre of midfield.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS :-

Chelsea (4-3-3) :-
Cech , Bosingwa , Luiz , Terry , Cole , Ramires , Romeu , Lampard , Mata , Torres , Sturridge.

Aston Villa (4-4-2) :-
Guzan , Hutton , Collins , Dunne , Warnock , N’Zogbia , Petrov , Clark , Albrighton , Agbonlahor , Bent.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS :-

EPL : 27/03/2010 Chelsea 7 – Aston Villa 1
FA CUP : 11/04/2010 Aston Villa 0 – Chelsea 3
EPL : 16/10/2010 Aston Villa 0 – Chelsea 0
EPL : 02/01/2011 Chelsea 3 – Aston Villa 3
Pre-season : 30/07/2011 Aston Villa 0 – Chelsea 2

CURRENT FORM :-

Chelsea :- W – W – D – D – D
Aston Villa :- L – W – L – L – D

In the past year we have seen it all. From goal-line saves being over-ruled, to players rolling on the floor, and clutching their faces for slight contact. All throughout bringing the beautiful game of football to state where it could be termed as a borderline turn-of, as Jack Johnson once sang,”Where’d all the good people go?”.

However, all is not bad. In 2011, we witnessed some historic moments, right from thrilling exploits of little known players-team, to the re-incarnation of our most beloved yesteryear players, which certainly brought the smile back on the faces of the football faithfuls.

Here’s a look at some of the special moments of the year :-

1. Manchester United unveiling Sir Alex Ferguson Stand :-

He came, he saw, he conquered. And how ! The Scot has been an iconic figure ever since his arrival at the theatre of dreams and completed 25 years at the helm in November, a feat which has re-written the record books. Minutes before the Sunderland game, the club paid tribute to the Scot, unveiling a stand in his honor to grace this momentous ocassion. The reception from both sets of supporters was deafening, truly the biggest highlight of the year.

2. The Return Of Ronaldinho :-

After more than a year of isolation, the smiling assassin was finally reinstated to the national side following a string of impressive performances for Flamengo. He celebrated his memorable comeback with a stunning free-kick against Mexico and the player who was once termed as a ‘pauper’ has risen yet again like a phoenix from the ashes. With Brazil being the host nation for the next FIFA World Cup, fans would be hoping the wizard continues to cast his magic and guide Brazil to glory yet again.

3. Andre Villas-Boas and F.C.Porto’s astonishing treble winning success :-

The young Portuguese tactician has drawn comparisons with his mentor Jose Mourinho following his exploits with Porto, guiding them to a historic treble in his first season in-charge as manager and thus becoming the youngest manager in history of the game to win a European Championship. Under his leadership, the Dragons accumulated the highest number of points tally in a season, sealing the domestic championship with 6 games in hand. Villas-Boas, who is now at Chelsea, has found things difficult to go his way with the Londoners and would be hoping for a change in fortune sooner rather than later.

4. Uruguay crowned Copa America Champions :-

This has been by far, one of the best success stories of the year. In 2010, Oscar Tabarez introduced the new breed of footballers who caught the eye of  millions after Uruguay finished a respectable 4th in the FIFA World Cup, leading to debates, whether this is the best national team for a decade. In 2011, La Celeste played to their utmost potential and were crowned champions for the first time in 16 years and broke the record for the most successful team in South America. Brazil and Argentina , are you listening ?

5. Japan winning the Women’s World Cup :-

The Japanese women’s soccer team defied all odds to win the Women’s World Cup for the first time in 26 attempts and become the first Asian team to do so, after beating the United States in a scintillating game of football. Both teams played their hearts out which prompted one of the commentators to openly declare the final as ‘Barcelona of the women’s game’. The event was described as World Cup 2.0 and the win helped ameliorate some of the effects of the Tsunami and Earthquake earlier this year.

1.Jonathan Dos Santos (Central/Defensive Midfielder):

2.Carles Planas (Left-back):

The 19-year-old started his footballing career playing for his hometown club Sant Celoni before been snapped up by Barcelona’s youth system at the age of 10. Unlike his namesake, Planas operates as a left fullback and has progressed through the ranks and was deservedly given his opportunity after being promoted to the B team in 2009. He was a part of Spain U-21 team that won the European Championships earlier this year. Planas has been plagued by injuries on numerous occasions in the past, but is now fully fit and has set his sights on showcasing his immense talent. One for the future? Certainly.

3.Martin Montoya (Right-back):

The lanky right full back joined the La Masia at the age of 9. Now 20, Montoya has carved a niche for himself in the Barcelona B setup where he was highly rated by former coach Luis Enrique. His performances for the B team earned him a place in the Spain U-21 squad and soon after was called up for the senior team for friendlies against Chile and Liechtenstein. He scored his first senior goal in the 4-0 win over BATE Borisov. Despite having made only a solitary appearance this season, Montoya is a wanted man at Barcelona and has signed an extension until 2014. With Daniel Alves ever present as a mentor, Montoya can only grow in stature, and could well resolve Barcelona’s problems in the right-back department.

4.Marc Bartra (Centre-back):

The 5ft 11inch centre-back has gone on to become the backbone of Barcelona B’s defence. At just 20, Bartra has made more than 70 appearances and is the academy’s most experienced player and is a regular starter in the Spain U-21 team. He is quick and agile, and has all the attributes to be a direct replacement for their iconic skipper Carles Puyol. However, Guardiola has preferred to use his defensive midfielders as makeshift centre-backs instead of opting for the exuberance of youth. His contract runs upto 2014 and be rest assured, Bartra’s time will come sooner rather than later.

5.Francisco ‘Kiko’ Femenia (Winger):

Kiko joined Barcelona B in the summer of 2011 from Hercules for a fee in the region of €2 million plus 1.5 in variables. The winger made 71 appearances for Hercules, netting 5 goals and helping the side return to the La Liga after 13 years. Kiko recently was called to Spain’s U-20 team, which shows his progress as a player. He scored his first goal for the youth team in a 4–0 away win against FC Cartagena. As a winger, he is unlikely to get an immediate call-up to the first team considering the number of attacking options available in the squad. Having said that, one would expect him to break into the first team by the end of this season.

According to me, these are five potential players who could make the cut this season. If you would like to see any other player apart from this compilation, feel free to drop your thoughts and opinions in the comments box.