The Champions League quarterfinals have come to a conclusion and we have a semifinal line up comprising of two Germans teams in the form of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich and two Spanish and European giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing for all of them, except Bayern Munich. Dortmund pulled off a miracle by scoring twice in stoppage time. Madridistas must have also had their hearts in their mouths when Drogba and Sneijder scored in quick succession for Galatasaray before Cristiano Ronaldo scored again in stoppage time to ensure Madrid reached the semifinals.

Now, the main focus of contention is the game between PSG and FC Barcelona. There was a stark contrast in the two legs. The first leg at Parc de Princes saw Barcelona at their best and they dominated PSG. Had it not been for a Valdes error, they would have taken a 2-1 lead back to the Nou Camp. But it ended 2-2. The second leg saw Barcelona dominate in terms of possession, which isn’t a surprise, but what was shocking was their performance in the final third as they struggled to score.

The difference between the two legs was a certain Lionel Messi, who was not on the pitch in the 2^nd leg. As soon as Vilanova introduced Messi in the 62^nd minute, it looked as if a different Barcelona were playing. Even the atmosphere around the stadium changed, which brings us to the question: Is FC Barcelona really a one man team?

There is absolutely no doubt about the class which Barcelona possesses, with the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Fabregas and the list can go on and on. But will the Barcelona without Messi still be as dominant a force as it is today? Will it be the most feared side in world football? For me the answer is No.

Barcelona seems to struggle to score without Messi. Xavi and Iniesta are great players but they need assistance from Lionel Messi when it comes to scoring. Many people think it’s the other way round but Messi has proved that he can score goals when Iniesta and Xavi aren’t in the starting lineup. Messi is the catalyst which Barcelona needs to perform. This can also be proven if we look at last year’s semi final, where Chelsea successfully kept Lionel Messi quiet and didn’t let him score, which ultimately led to Barcelona falling apart and also exiting the competition

And if we look at Real Madrid’s success, or for that matter any other team’s success against Barcelona, it has largely been down to Messi performing like a mere mortal rather than a superhuman which he performs like day in and day out. Lionel Messi hasn’t scored against Chelsea yet and Chelsea has had a great record against Barcelona in the recent years. Even in the quarter final 1^st leg against Milan, Messi was not at his best. But his 2^nd leg performance was absolutely brilliant and the result was there for all of us to see.

Many people might argue that Messi is such a world class player that he will automatically affect the team performance, no matter which team he plays for. This might be true, but doesn’t this automatically prove the fact that Barcelona are over-dependent on Messi to perform? And the day his performance dips, the whole team’s performance dips. This surely has to be a point to worry for even the most ardent of Barcelona fans. Even though he is just 25 years old, Messi won’t be there forever. And players like him don’t come around often.

FC Barcelona is already being called the greatest team ever to play football, even better than the Brazilian team of 60s and 70s and the Milan team in the 90s and 2000s. These teams performed even when their star players were missing. For Barcelona to be counted amongst the greatest of all time, I believe they need to play well without Lionel Messi; they need to start winning as dominantly without him as they do with him to keep their critics quiet. Otherwise, Barcelona might always be remembered as a great team but one that was always dependent on Lionel Messi.

The Oldham players celebrate victory at the end of the 4th round match between Oldham Athletic and Liverpool at Boundary Park

FA cup is the oldest football tournament ever. And ever since its inception in 1871, it has been one of the most prestigious trophies in England, although in the last few years it has lost its sheen because clubs have started giving the Premier League more importance. And also, the Champions League has become the main priority for the top teams. But as this weekend has shown us, it’s the romance of the FA cup which attracts all football fans towards it.

This weekend saw some giant killing acts by League 1 sides like Oldham and Championship team Leeds United as they knocked out English giants like Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur respectively. Chelsea too just managed to survive against a relative unknown Brentford, thanks to the last gasp equalizer by Fernando Torres. This certainly isn’t the first or the last occurrence of such amazing action. Many United fans will remember the defeat at the hands of their rivals Leeds United in 2010.

FA Cup has produced some great heroes. Everyone remembers Ryan Giggs’ wonder goal against Arsenal in 1999. And also how Portsmouth rallied against all odds to go all the way and lift the Cup in 2008 at Wembley, defeating Manchester United at Old Trafford in the quarterfinals. Didier Drogba will also have fond memories of the Cup as he scored in all FA Cup finals he played in during his Chelsea days.

But it’s not just these heroes who make the Cup special. It’s the passion of each and every football fan which makes it special. You don’t have great grounds and pitch conditions aren’t that great in all the stadiums. Sometimes it’s not the team who plays the better football that wins; it’s the team which shows great desire that wins. It’s the dream of every supporter to watch his team play the final at Wembley which makes the Cup special. Everyone from the lowest tiers of English football right up to teams like Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea takes part and everyone associated with these clubs hope and prays for a trip to Wembley.

The Cup is all the more special for the teams from the lower leagues. Because for them, the Cup is their chance to show the world what they are made of. After all, it’s not every day you get to see teams like Chelsea and Liverpool play at your local ground. It’s also an opportunity for players to showcase their skills to the world. Each player has a different story to tell. One of the examples being the Oldham striker Matt Smith who just a year ago was a graduate at the Manchester University. He has certainly fulfilled his obligations towards Manchester by knocking out their greatest rivals!

Also, the joy of the fans is just amazing. The pitch invasion after Oldham knocked out Liverpool is something you will see only in the FA Cup. Such things do not happen in the Premier League or the Champions League. Even if they do, teams are heavily fined! One of the quotes that was written on the guidebook handed out to the press for the FA cup 4^th round between Oldham and Liverpool was ‘Welcome to Boundary Park for today’s FA Cup 4th round game versus Liverpool. As you can see, the facilities are not what you are used to in the Premier League or even the Championship. Welcome to Real Football!”. It’s words like these that signify the importance of the FA Cup.

Chelsea will defeat teams like Brentford 99 times out of 100, and it won’t come as a shock to us if we see Chelsea score 6 or more goals in the replay of the 4^th round. But a team like Brentford giving Chelsea a scare of their lives is truly possible only in the FA Cup. The value of the Chelsea team is about 170 million pounds. One wonders how many Brentford FC’s can be made out of such a huge amount of money!

FA Cup might not exactly be a top priority for many top English teams. But realistically speaking, it’s the only title hope this season for Arsenal and Chelsea. United and City also wouldn’t want to miss out on an opportunity to add more silverware to their trophy cabinets. Teams like Liverpool and Spurs have already been knocked out by teams from lower leagues. So who knows, this might be the year of the Underdogs!

It is this excitement which makes us love Cup football. I’m not taking anything away from league football. Winning the league is still the toughest thing to do. But you can still afford to have an off day in the league; however when it comes to the FA cup, one off day can see you packing your backs as Liverpool and Spurs fans will tell you. Even in UEFA Champions League, you get two chances!

No matter how old the FA Cup gets, it will still never fail to attract us. Hopefully, it continues to give us some more footballing icons and some great football moments. And I would like to end by saying that despite being an ardent Chelsea fan, I hope that this time a non-Premier League team lifts the trophy at the new Wembley stadium on the 11^th of May!

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 20: Southampton players led by Steven Davis (8) and Morgan Schneiderlin complain to referee Neil Swarbrick after he awarded West Ham a penalty during the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Southampton at Boleyn Ground on October 20, 2012 in London, England.

The Premier League table has started taking shape after the early rounds of matches. Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have shown good form early on, but they are many teams who haven’t been up to the mark and are likely to face a long relegation battle. Here are a few teams who might fight to survive.

Norwich City

It hasn’t been a great start for the Canaries. Their performance against Arsenal has been the only bright point. They do have a great manager in the form of Chris Hughton, who did well for Newcastle before being sacked, which was harsh. They will hope Grant Holt hits form soon and the team adapts quickly to Hughton’s tactics, otherwise the season might be a long struggle for them.

Southampton

Southampton are a great team. They have one of the most loyal fans and a great ground in the form of St. Mary’s. However, the team is struggling to cope with the big boys in the league. They have been conceding too many goals. Scoring isn’t a problem for them as they have scored in almost all their matches. But the defense seems leaky and they have lost the most points from winning positions this season. If they don’t improve soon, they might be going back to the Championship which will be sad.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 27: Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal is closed down by Stephane Mbia (R), Ryan Nelsen (L) and Jose Bosingwa (2nd L)of QPR during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and QPR at The Emirates Stadium on October 27, 2012 in London, England.

Queens Park Rangers

Rangers have a rich owner and have spent in the transfer window bringing in the likes of Julio Caesar, Esteban Granero, Jose Bosingwa and many more. They had been linked with Ricardo Carvalho as well. But they have had the worst possible start and are yet to win a match. Mark Hughes seems to have no idea of what he is doing. Julio Caesar has been good so far, and Ranger’s fans will be hoping he continues this form throughout the season. They would also like to see more goals from Bobby Zamora and Esteban Granero.

Reading

Reading are another team who’ve come up from the Championship this season. They play an attacking and attractive style of football. They are similar to Blackpool, but hopefully won’t suffer the same fate as they did in their first season in the EPL. Craig McDermott is a fine manager, but the results haven’t been going there way as of yet. Hopefully they can get a few wins under their belt and start to move up the table sooner rather than later.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa have some great players, but the slump started last season and they haven’t yet got out of it. Alex Mcleish was sacked at the end of last season and Paul Lambert was brought in. It hasn’t been a great start so far, but it will naturally take them some time to adapt to Lamberts tactics. They should soon are able to change their results, which could otherwise find them facing the dreaded drop.

5. Robin Van Persie

The tall Dutch striker would suit the role of Bond perfectly. Many Arsenal Fans would disagree with me and say “Robin Van Who?” But I believe that he has both the looks and the style to carry off the role of James Bond perfectly! Also, his ability can’t be doubted considering he did the unthinkable by moving from Arsenal to Manchester United making him the most hated guy in North London

4. John Terry

James Bond is a womanizer no doubt. And if there is a Premier League star that can fulfill that role it has to be John Terry. Also, he is always in the news for all the wrong reasons. The infamous Wayne Bridge saga can’t be forgotten, and then there is a case of him being racist too! John Terry will be hoping to ‘resurrect’ himself once he takes field after the four match ban!

3. Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard will make the perfect British spy. Gerrard is a typical British fighter and a name synonymous with loyalty. Liverpool might not be amongst the top English teams any more but this player is certainly still one of the best midfielders in the league. His never say die attitude and personality certainly suits that of James Bond.

2.  Fernando Torres

James Bond is also famous for his looks and style. And if there is a Premier League star that fulfills this criterion it has to be Torres. His form might be fluctuating but he is still commercially one of the most viable stars of the league. Chelsea might have not gained much through his on field performance but he has certainly contributed to their coffers through his brand name! A perfect James Bond indeed!

 1.Mario Balotelli

This one is my personal favorite and I would vote for him to star as James Bond. He alone fulfills the criteria of the above four stars. He is controversial but you simply can’t hate him. He proclaims to be the most stylish guy in England. Also, loves partying, helping the poor by dressing up as Santa Claus and when he is not doing all this, he plays football. And he plays it well! He is one of the most talented strikers in the league. Yes, I present to you the perfect James Bond: Mario Balotelli!

]]> http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/24/5-barclays-premier-league-players-who-can-become-james-bond/feed/ 18 182621108 http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/22/oscar-hazard-and-mata-chelseas-holy-trinity/ http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/22/oscar-hazard-and-mata-chelseas-holy-trinity/#comments Mon, 22 Oct 2012 18:24:27 +0000 arjitdabas1 http://www.sportskeeda.com/?p=871092

Finally, the Barclays Premier League is back after the international break. And 8 matches into the league, Chelsea occupy the top position which comes as a surprise to many. Many people had predicted that the league would stay in Manchester with both City and United fighting it out for the title. It may be too early to conclude but as of now it looks as if Chelsea is the team to beat.

And the main reason for it has been Chelsea’s midfield. Mata, Hazard and Oscar have gelled well together and RDM’s decision of playing all three together has proved to be a masterstroke. If the title comes back to west London, you can be rest assured that these three will have a crucial role to play.

Oscar and Hazard have adapted to the Premier League like fish to water. Hazard was expected to do well considering he was already playing in Europe and has already been the French league player of the year twice. But Oscar has come as a surprise to many. He was expected to do well too, but he has impressed many in his first season only. It is always difficult for a player so young coming from the stylish Brazilian league to the physical English league. It usually takes them an entire season to adapt.

Chelsea will have to depend on these three not only for creating chances and feeding Fernando Torres, but also for finishing and scoring goals. Chelsea has only two strikers in their squad. And with Daniel Sturridge unlikely to feature in RDM’s plans, it leaves only Fernando Torres as the lone striker and many Chelsea fans will agree with me when I say he isn’t the most reliable striker at the moment. This will make the role of these three even more important!

Also, if both Torres and Sturridge are unavailable due to some reason, this would leave RDM with no other option other than adopting the Spanish approach of playing the false number 9. These three will again then be crucial for Chelsea’s hopes along with Marin and Moses, who would then be required to play a more crucial role. But it would have to be either Hazard or Oscar playing that false number 9.

Frank Lampard, too, isn’t getting any younger and with rumors going around of him leaving for LA Galaxy in the January transfer window, then again the burden of goals which Lampard used to score will lie on them. Lampard has scored many crucial Chelsea goals over the years, and, not to forget, he has also been a free kick specialist and a reliable penalty taker for Chelsea.

If Chelsea are to challenge for the title this season and also become the first team to retain the champions league, then no doubt that these three will indeed be the holy trinity. Expectations from them are indeed high but so far they have lived up to it and as a Chelsea fan I sincerely hope they can carry on!

However, I believe the league has since changed for the better. More teams have started to play the beautiful game, the way it’s supposed to be played. Teams like Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and Tottenham are great examples of this change.

Earlier these teams used to have an ugly style of play. Games used to finish 1-0, and going to opponents’ home grounds was like going to wrestle! But now things have improved. And they’ve improved quite a bit. This has also meant that matches, and inevitably the league, has become even more interesting.

Also, this means that it’s no longer necessary for the teams to have that tall and strong player in the squad. In fact, these have now been replaced with short and skilful players. However, a tall and strong player is still important for the team, a strong defensive midfielder is still required for a team to be successful, but it’s usually the people with flair who score the goals as well.

The likes of David Silva, Santi Cazorla, Juan Mata and Shinji Kagawa are also few examples I would like to elaborate upon. No one would have given these players a chance to be as successful as they are today in the league. Also, not to forget players like Cesc Fabregas who have proved themselves in the league.

But to say that the tall and strong players have lost their importance would be wrong. A certain Stoke City will tell you that these players are still capable of guiding you to the top 10 of the Premier League! But seriously speaking, these players are still very important.

Teams like Chelsea, despite having Juan Mata and Oscar, still need the likes of John Obi Mikel, David Luiz and Branislav Ivanovic to be successful. Who can forget Didier Drogba and the role he played in guiding Chelsea to their first European title. Manchester City also needed Yaya Toure to win the league. In fact, he has been the main engine of the champions, and they look up to him when the chips are down.

A perfect balance of the two sets of players is required for a team to be called champions in the English game. This automatically leads to beautiful football, and makes for a great viewing. This would also probably be one of the main reasons why this league has the highest viewership around the world!

Carl Hooper has commented on the IPL saying that it is currently the biggest threat that world cricket is facing. He isn’t the first one and probably not the last one to criticise it. Many former cricketers have criticised it and even politicians have called it a nexus between money and cricketers. I wonder why politicians of all people call it a corrupt league!

I personally beg to differ. I believe it’s the best thing to have happened to cricket in recent times; its benefits can be reaped not only by Indian cricket but also world cricket.

Starting with Indian cricket, people say it lures the youngsters with money but I believe it guarantees them a secure future. Before the IPL, it was only the players who made it to the national team who were sure of their future, but not all those who were left behind in the domestic arena. There are many players who have represented India but are now struggling to make their ends meet. With IPL, even the fringe players can be assured of their future and give more time and dedication to the game without having to worry about the money aspect.

Also, due to IPL, players get the recognition they deserve. The likes of Rajat Bhatia, Shikhar Dhawan, Manvinder Bisla have become household names thanks to the IPL. Probably no one ever would have known of their existence had it not been for the IPL. It has also given the selectors a chance to see how these players will perform at the international stage, because the IPL is probably the closest you can get to replicate the pressure and expectations at the international level.

Now coming to how it will help cricket globally: IPL as we all know has become a global phenomenon. It has attracted viewers worldwide. This has helped in publicising the game. In order to reach the heights of football, such leagues are necessary so that more people start watching and enjoying the game. This will help popularise the game in countries where it is not yet famous.

Even other countries like Australia, England, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have come out with their own leagues on the lines of IPL. This will help these boards earn more money and also popularise the game further. If other countries are following it then surely IPL isn’t as bad as it is being projected to be.

IPL has its own set of challenges to face. One of the major challenges is to ensure that no match fixing takes place. A strong anti-corruption unit independent of the board needs to look into any charges that crop up. And those found guilty need to be punished. Also, I believe the league needs to be run by former cricketers and not politicians and business men. Cricket should be the main attraction and not the glamour that comes along with it. Also, separate window should be given to the IPL by the ICC to avoid clashes with international matches.

IPL is in its initial stages and its here to stay whether we like it or not. I believe if managed properly, it can go along the lines of English Premier League and be one of the most successful leagues in the world. But again, management is crucial and also it’s necessary that we as Indians support the league rather than always making it the villain, blaming it for everything and anything that’s wrong with Indian and international cricket!

SEVILLE, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 29: Leo Messi (R) of FC Barcelona

He made his debut at the age of 17 and since then there has been no looking back. No one doubted his talent, as he along with Ronaldinho, helped Barcelona to many championships. But it’s one thing having the talent and another utilizing it. His breakthrough season came in 2006-07 where he scored 14 goals in 26 appearances. He could shoot with both his left and right foot and even scored with his head. Like any other South American player, he had the quintessential skill and flair. Comparisons had started between him and another Argentine great Diego Maradonna. He somehow always managed to live up to the hype.

When Ronaldinho left Barcelona for Milan, Messi was given the iconic number 10 jersey. He won the La Liga player of the year award and finished second in FIFA world player of the year. However, it was in 2009 that Messi won his first Ballon d’or and he retained it for the next 2 years, hence becoming the only player to win a hat trick of Ballon d’or along with Michele Platini. In 2011-12 he further edged his name in the history of the game with a record breaking 73 goals and 29 assists in all competitions.

There have been comparisons of him with Cristiano Ronaldo. No doubt that Ronaldo is a great player, but I believe he can never achieve the greatness which Messi has achieved. And I have my reasons for that. One of the main reason being the attitude on and off the field. Ronaldo is a diver, I know the word might be too harsh but that’s the truth. Whenever he loses the ball, you see him going down. It’s exactly the opposite with Messi, in fact there have been instances where Messi could have easily gone down in the box to earn a penalty but that’s just not him. He stays on his feet despite being challenged. Also, Ronaldo is a bit selfish when it comes to finishing. You hardly see him passing the ball unless it’s absolutely necessary. In fact, sometimes he doesn’t pass it even then! Well, these are just my personal thoughts and I know many people might differ.

When it comes to the international stage, Messi hasn’t exactly been able to replicate his club form for Argentina. But I believe it’s only a matter of time before he helps Argentina lift the cup. He still has another 8-10 years in front of him. When he does lift the cup, he will surely become the greatest. Even bigger than the likes of Maradona and Pele. And who knows, 2014 might be that year!

The big question is what lies ahead for Lionel Messi. Winning the world cup is certainly one of the things he is yet to achieve. At the age of 25, he has achieved almost everything at the club level. League titles, Champions leagues, club world cups and super cups. Although it’s highly unlikely but I would like to see him in the English Premier League some day, and win the most competitive league in the world. But well that’s speculating a bit too much. Barcelona wouldn’t let him go and personally he might never want to leave them. Maybe he can score 100 goals in a season! That truly would be brilliant and a treat to watch.

That being said, Lionel Messi is already a great player and even if he retires right now (hopefully he never retires), he will still be the greatest player of this generation. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that God sent Lionel Messi to play football and boy he is doing that!

But it’s what he does off it, which has been in the limelight throughout his career. In September 2001, Terry was fined wages for two weeks, for an incident involving American tourists at the Heathrow airport. In 2009, John Terry was investigated for taking money from an undercover reporter, for a private tour of Chelsea’s training ground, although later he was cleared of all charges.

It was in January 2010 that news broke out of John Terry having a 4 month long affair with Vanessa Perroncel, girlfriend of his former Chelsea and England team mate Wayne Bridge. Once best friends, they turned foes due to this news. Bridge even refused to shake hands with John Terry at a subsequent match against Manchester City. The FA even stripped Terry of his captaincy of the England team. Rio Ferdinand was made the captain. But Terry was reinstated as a captain the following year.

Then in November 2011, Terry was again under investigation for alleged racist comments he made on Anton Ferdinand, during the hotly contested game against QPR. He was charged for using racist language on 21^st December 2011 by the Crown prosecution service. Again he was stripped of his England captaincy in 2012. During the trial, Terry pleaded not guilty and was later acquitted of all charges.

However, the FA recently found him guilty of racism and imposed a fine of 220K pounds and a 4 match ban. John Terry had also announced retirement from International football. He said in a statement that the FA’s decision to pursue charges against him means his position with England has become “untenable”. No doubt England will miss him both as a player and a leader.

John Terry has never let all these controversies affect his on field game. He’s still a regular in the Chelsea line up, and his performances speak volumes about him. He has been jeered by the crowd in almost all the stadiums, yet it has not affected his game. He is still the same player he was almost 10 years ago, and for all Chelsea fans, he still remains a Captain, Leader, Legend!

Chelsea are the current European champions, but somehow I believe they are still not given the respect they deserve. People believe they are a defensive team who were just lucky to win the Champions League. However, I beg to differ. You can’t be just lucky to win a tournament as big as the Champions League. It wasn’t a one0off match, but a yearlong physically and mentally draining tournament. You can be lucky in one or two matches but you can’t expect luck to be with you for 12 matches (the amount of matches Chelsea played to lift the cup).

Now, coming to the defensive part. Chelsea never claims that they play the Barcelona style of attacking football. I believe no other team can replicate that style. Because there can be only one Lionel Messi. Football is not about keeping the ball, it’s what you do with it when you have it. Chelsea didn’t keep 60 or 70% possession, but whenever they had the ball, they used it to great effect. You don’t expect a ‘defensive’ team to score four goals against a quality opposition like Napoli. But still they defeated Napoli 4-1 at Stamford Bridge to qualify for the quarterfinals with a 5-4 win on aggregate. Yes, a so-called defensive team scored five goals and conceded four. I wonder where the defense was!

In the quarter-finals, they faced Benfica. The first leg ended 1-0 in Chelsea’s favor at the Estadio Da Luz. Benfica missed quite a few chances which proved to be vital as Chelsea advanced to the semifinals with a 3-1 win on aggregate.

Now, the big one. Chelsea vs Barcelona. The game in which Chelsea were accused of parking the bus! Chelsea had about 30-40% of the possession in both the legs. But if you compare any other team playing Barcelona, you will realize it’s the same story. But because Barcelona could easily unlock the other defenses, teams were never accused of parking the bus. Barcelona found it hard to do the same against Chelsea, hence the accusation.

Football is a game of both defense and attack. Both are of equal importance. To be a good successful team you have to be as good in defense as you are in attack. No wonder Chelsea were excellent in their defensive display, but they were equally efficient in front of goal taking the few chances which they created. Barcelona on the other hand were wasteful. Even the magician Lionel Messi failed to score. A certain Didier Drogba proved to be the difference between the two teams.

Now, coming to the final. Chelsea vs Bayern Munich. And not to forget the match was played at the Allianz arena, the home of the German giants. Again, Chelsea hardly kept the ball. Bayern had most of the possession, but anyone who saw the final wouldn’t disagree with me when I say that Bayern didn’t do much with it. They hardly created any chances. Chelsea weren’t even at their defensive best, as they were against Barcelona. John Terry was suspended, Cahill to went off early with an injury. I don’t see any reason why Bayern ‘deserved’ to win. Clear cut openings were far and few. And the less said about Robben and Ribery’s performance that day, the better. Again they were defensive, but to say that they parked the bus would be wrong. With the Champions League final at someone’s home ground, you can’t expect the other team to go all out and attack. The risk involved and the occasion are just too big.

In the end I would like to conclude by saying that it will be wrong to say that Chelsea were lucky and parked the bus. One has to give them credit for their stellar defensive performances. Also, they scored goals when it mattered. They rode their luck sometimes. But that is also necessary to win a big tournament. And this does not mean they were lucky throughout the tournament. Chelsea were the deserving winners and it’s about time people give them the credit they deserve!

Sachin Tendulkar. A person who enjoys the status of a demigod in India. The support which Tendulkar garners from the masses is unparalleled. Not even a Bollywood star can come close to it. And it’s not that he doesn’t deserve it. The record books speak for themselves. More than 10,000 runs, 100 international centuries. More than 20 years of dedication for the country. When the little 16 year old teenager went out to bat against a fierce Pakistani bowling line up, no one knew that this teenager was destined to become a legend. But now the question is, has Sachin Tendulkar overstayed his welcome?

For a fact, all 21 players (10 from India and 11 from Pakistan) who were playing with Sachin on his debut have retired. I personally believe that Sachin should have retired after winning the 2011 World Cup. There couldn’t have been a better high than this for the master. But he has continued and stats show that he isn’t the same Sachin Tendulkar anymore. Only one century and that too after almost a year. His average in test matches has only been 27.22 and 31.50 in ODIs. He has just become a shadow of his former self. No one doubts his ability and skill, and I know very soon he might score a double or even a triple century. But the reality is that this is not the Sachin Tendulkar we know. Sachin used to be the hope of a million people. Now people have started questioning him. Everything that can be achieved on the cricket field has been achieved by Sachin. It’s not that he has lost his touch. He’s just getting old. And with age the reflexes slow down and the footwork is never the same. The manner of his dismissals against New Zealand was disturbing for any Sachin fan. Getting bowled between bat and pad and that too thrice in a row wasn’t easy to watch for any Indian.

I believe this is the ideal time for him to quit. India doesn’t travel overseas for next two years. This will give enough time to the selectors to find a suitable replacement. It will take time to find a replacement. Maybe we can’t find another Sachin Tendulkar. But I’m sure we can find someone better than the current Sachin Tendulkar. No one is irreplaceable. Greats like Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid have been replaced. I hope Sachin soon gives retirement a thought because I don’t believe any selector or person can tell Sachin when to leave. The decision will always be in his hands. I would like to conclude by saying that hopefully when Sachin retires, people say ‘oh what a pity’ rather than saying ‘finally’.