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Is Arsene Wenger Facing Toughest Test Of His Career At Arsenal?

November 27, 2008 – 7:03 am

The following was guest blogged by Chris Rivers.

It has been 12 years since an unknown Frenchman walked in through the doors into the marble hallway of Highbury and began a revolution that has changed the face of not only Arsenal but the whole of the Premier League.

In that time Arsenal have won three league titles and four FA Cup’s, as well as establishing themselves as one of the best teams in Europe despite failing to claim a European title in Arsene Wenger’s time in charge.

In that time Arsenal have had few problems compared to some clubs, the biggest coming in trying to replace ‘the invincibles’ from 2003-04. Some would say that was a puzzle with no solution but now the Gunners find themselves in the midst of a true crisis.

In the time Wenger has been at Arsenal there have been rumblings of discontent at the club but never have such things come out into the press like they have done with William Gallas. There is no doubt that things are not right with Arsenal at this moment in time, the testimony to that coming on Saturday when they were well and truly beaten by Manchester City 3-0.

Whether the current unrest is totally down to Gallas is a matter for debate but the former Chelsea man is certainly an outspoken figure. That was evident in the way he tried to leave the Blues by threatening to score own goals if the club refused to let him leave back in 2006.

For me when Gallas did eventually join Arsenal in-exchange for Ashley Cole plus a healthy cash amount for the Gunners it looked like another smart bit of business on Wenger’s behalf. Despite failing to win a trophy and suffering a series of injuries Gallas formed a solid defensive partnership with Kolo Toure.

The French international wasn’t afraid to throw his wait around, demanding the captaincy after Thierry Henry left and then questioning the clubs title credentials at the start of the 2007-8 season when the club failed to sign any big name players in the summer transfer window.

However these matters were seemingly resolved when the Gunners made an excellent start to last season. Things only started to unravel when a late penalty cost Arsenal all three points at Birmingham in February. The pictures of Gallas sat on the St Andrews pitch, sulking after the final whistle, have now become infamous as it seemed to spell the end of Arsenal’s title challenge.

The Gunners fell away in the closing months of the season and were again left empty handed when the trophies were handed out. Arsenal lost a number of quality players in the off season with Mathieu Flamini, Alex Hleb and Gilberto Silva all leaving the club.

Since then Arsenal have not looked the same side, Cesc Fabregas doesn’t seem the same player as last season while the players brought in to replace the trio who left have been unable to match last seasons heights.

The Arsenal fans have been very patient with Wenger while he has ‘rebuilt’ the squad after ‘the invincibles’ went their separate ways. However this season the frustration of falling further behind the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United has begun to show amongst some sectors of the Emirates crowd.

Some have argued that despite the current crop of youngsters coming through the ranks Wenger needs to invest in some star name players now if the club want to win something in the coming seasons.

It seems as though the frustration has spread from the crowd to the players with William Gallas’ latest outburst summing up how some of the Arsenal fans have been feeling. However the overriding factor seems to be that you can’t come out and criticize the club you are currently the captain of.

I would certainly agree with this statement because whilst we all know the team requires a bit more steel down the spin of it there is no need for Gallas to shout it out across the media.

What was even more uncalled for was for William Gallas to launder the clubs in house disputes out in the public. We already knew that there was a furious argument after the 4-4 draw with Tottenham in the dressing room. All has not been well inside the Arsenal dressing room since Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Adebayor decided to have a fight on the pitch during the Gunners 5-1 humiliation against Spurs again.

Thus Wenger has been left in a desperate situation with players fighting amongst themselves and some of the supporters beginning to turn on the Arsenal manager.

There seems to be no easy way out for Wenger because he looked like he had turned things around after the 2-1 victory over Man Utd. However since then Arsenal’s Premier League odds have all but been extinguished after two successive defeats.

It’s obvious that things aren’t working at Arsenal at the minute and that something needs to change. Arsene Wenger has started to do that by naming Cesc Fabregas as the new club captain. However to place even more emphasis on the shoulders of a 21-year-old who the Gunners already heavily rely on may be too much for Wenger to ask for.

How else could Wenger appoint though? The current squad lacks any leaders apart from Gallas and with half the squad unwillingly to follow him there has to be a new captain. Whether Fabregas is the right man for that job remains to be seen.

It really does surprise me that some are calling for Wenger to step down, suggesting that he has taken the club as far as he can. However to those people I would ask who out there could do a better job than the one Wenger has done?

Whilst Wenger is still the man for the job at the Emirates there is no doubt the Frenchman needs to change some of his ways. Firstly he needs to get a grip on the changing room, the players seem to be disjointed on and off the pitch. Wenger needs to some how pick up some of his squad whilst bringing them together

Perhaps now is the time to test some of the youngsters that have impressed in the Carling Cup. Not against Chelsea this Sunday arguable because the situation could overwhelm some of the teenagers, after all it is a bit different from playing in the League Cup.

Finally I believe it is time for Wenger to get his cheque book out and bring in some current talent because whilst the future looks bright the here and now is decidable gloomy. Two or three players in January might be enough for Arsenal to win something with the Premier League now seemingly out of reach.

There is no doubt that for the time beginning Arsenal and Arsene Wenger will have to get by with what they have got and hope they can turn things around, starting with an ‘easy’ trip to Chelsea on Sunday.

Popularity: 3% [?]

JohnST |

Arsenal, Premiere League |

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Liverpool 2-0 Bolton - Another Step Closer To Premier League Title

November 17, 2008 – 8:08 am

If recent Premier League results are anything to go by, long-deprived Liverpool fans could finally celebrate a bountiful year of prestigious titles. More importantly, it is to fill the trophy cabinet with their first Premier League title since 1990.

In a refreshing change this season, Benitez has refrained from tinkering with his squad - the rotation policy was discarded in favor of keeping the team spine together and results so far have been favorable.

Liverpool maintained pressure on their rivals with a 2-0 victory over Bolton at Reebok Stadium on Saturday. It was actually more sweat than inspiration and Bolton aided the chore with their insipid performance.

The match started off with a dominant Liverpool, intent to show that the midweek defeat by Tottenham in the Carling Cup was no major setback. Bolton may have anticipated the backlash and preferred to defend deeply. Gone was Bolton’s trademark tough, physical style as they allowed Liverpool to command the midfield without much hassle.

Liverpool’s possession was nearly rewarded in the 21st minute when Dirk Kuyt’s scorcher left Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen stranded but the bar saved his blushes. Seven minutes later, Dirk Kuyt could not be denied as he scored a brilliant header from Fabio Aurelio’s cross.Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard wasted chances to add to the tally while Bolton were made to rue their fortune when Gary Cahill had a header ruled out for a foul on Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina.

After the break, Bolton manager Gary Megson made a crucial change by introducing Ricardo Gardner in place of Fabrice Muamba. Gardner injected greater urgency to Bolton’s play and he was unlucky to miss two glit-edged opportunities. Bolton were now playing with greater sense of urgency and purpose and Benitez was forced to field his trump card (Fernando Torres) in a bid to regain the offensive.

The Spanish striker was still recovering from his hamstring injury and it was a high-risk gambit which paid off handsomely for Benitez. Torres turned creator in his first touch of the game but Steven Gerrard slid the ball wide. There was no mistake in the 73rd minute when Torres delivered a perfect cross for Gerrard to head past Jaaskelainen.

Bolton’s hopes of a comeback were effectively dashed. The match swung Liverpool’s way again and Jaaskelainen could not afford to take it easy as Xabi Alonso, Torres and Lucas took turns to test his reflexes. No further damage resulted, not that it mattered as the victor was never in doubt.

To sum up his team’s demise, Bolton boss Gary Megson: “We didn’t get in their faces in the first half. “In the second-half we did much better but we made a couple of elementary mistakes and you have huge problems at 2-0 down against a team like that.”

Bolton fans may be feeling frustrated over the injustice served by the referee (Styles had earlier awarded a penalty against Bolton at Manchester United) while Liverpool was again the beneficiary of “honest mistakes” by officials. Favoritism of the top teams, maybe, but that is for another discussion.

In any case, Bolton can only blame themselves for their generosity in front of goal, and it is all the more unforgivable, given the absence of two first-choice Liverpool defenders, Alvaro Arbeloa and Martin Skrtel. Torres was unleashed only in the final half hour which limited Liverpool’s finishing prowess. Thus, I will credit Liverpool for laboring hard to secure possession and claim victory.

Will Liverpool achieve a double this season? It is too early to say as the league table can go topsy-turvy come Christmas when the matches come thick and fast. Much has been said about Benitez “coming to his senses” and discarding the rotation policy but I think it is unfair that rotation has become a bogeyman for teams aspiring for the Premier League title. Rotation is still necessary when the players are injured or exhibited poor form.

To be sure, there are pros and cons to a rotation policy. In the past, Benitez’s main defense for rotation hinges on availability of fresh troops towards the end of the season where they mount a ferocious charge on the titles. This strategy was a masterstroke in cup competitions as you need only do the bare minimum to advance past qualification stages, and then focus on delivering the killer blow in the finals by fielding the best possible team.

In fact, losing matches in cup competitions could be a strategic move, in order to prevent burnout, gain experience for second-stringers, avoid a stronger opponent or even to eliminate a favorite. However, the Premier League is all about consistency and every point counts. You cannot struggle to collect points for the better part of the season and then expect to snatch the league title at the end.

Last season, critics lambasted Benitez for being obsessed with keeping players fresh at the end of the season when there’s nothing to play for. Benitez has carried rotation a tad too far by tinkering with virtually all positions last season.

This season, Liverpool has displayed a new found consistency in the Premier League. There is a chemistry between players after playing together regularly and team spirit is high. Not surprisingly, Liverpool had turned some draws into narrow wins, an important characteristics of winners. Barring injuries, I will venture that Liverpool’s best form could well be ahead of them.

The title race is also shaping up in an interesting manner for Liverpool. For better or worse, Chelsea have discarded the stifling approach of Jose Mourinho in exchange for entertainment. These days, if the first goal is scored by Chelsea, you know there are more to come, unlike Mourinho who frowns on showmanship and prefers clean sheets over extra goals.

The new Chelsea under manager Scolari adopts an expansive style full of attacking verve and it is a joy to watch but the Blues have become more vulnerable at home (surprise!). This is due to teams adopting a tighter back line to contain the marauding Blues whereas in away matches, there is a tendency for teams to take on Chelsea. Scolari will, of course, relish such open duels with the quality of players at his disposal.

Currently, Chelsea are top of the Premier League with a huge goal difference and are set to qualify for the knock-out stages of the Champions League. On paper, everything is going as planned but the aura of invincibility has been pierced. Clearly, Chelsea’s Archilles heels lie in teams which are well organized, adopt tight defenses and launch swift counter-attacks.

This can be seen in the penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of Championship club Burnley in the Carling Cup at Stamford Bridge, as did the Champions League loss at Roma and the Premier League defeat at home to Liverpool. Not since the end of the 2005-06 season had Chelsea lost three times in six games or less.

Then, there is the meltdown of Arsenal. Just one week after defeating Manchester United 2-1, Arsenal fell flat on its face again in a 0-2 loss to Aston Villa. The Gunners, nine points adrift of joint leaders Chelsea and Liverpool, had already lost four times in their first 13 Premier League games this season, something unheard of since the 1994-95 season.

Statistics revealed that no team have lost as many in the first 13 games and went on to clinch the League title or even second place. Third place is a realistic target but it is scant consolation and will only hasten the departure of key players like Cesc Fabregas and Adebayor as they no longer perceive Arsenal as a Champions League and Premier League challenger.

Manchester United, as usual, are never the most consistent of the front-runners and in their usual trip, fall and pick themselves up manner, no alarm bells need to raised about the Red Devils dropping points. They do not particularly crave the top spot (at least until Christmas) where they stepped up a gear in the second phase.

It is clear that none of the Big Four are consistent enough this season and Liverpool can capitalize on this situation. So long as Rafael Benitez keeps the winning team together and the Reds last the pace without major injuries and suspensions, I don’t see any reason why they should be discounted as Premier League champions.

However, it remains to be seen if discarding rotation policy will be at the expense of a superior edge in April and May, given that Liverpool do not have as deep a squad as Chelsea and Manchester United. At the very least though, if Liverpool disappoint their fans, I am sure that rotation policy will not be vilified as the culprit this time round.

Popularity: 6% [?]

JohnST |

Arsenal, Bolton, Chelsea, Liverpool, Premiere League |

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David Beckham To Join AC Milan - Scandalous Decision?

October 28, 2008 – 6:51 am

We have seen how the career of David Beckham blossomed from his debut at Manchester United at the age of 17 to his now tired club appearances for LA Galaxy. For all our misgivings about Beckham being a self-promoting fashion icon rather than professional footballer, one thing is clear, the man never gives up.

During his time at Manchester United, Beckham won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. In 2003, he left Old Trafford for Real Madrid and many critics deemed him a loser after four barren seasons. Yet he emerged from his Spanish stint in 2007 with a major trophy - La Liga championship title, before leaving for Major League Soccer.

David Beckham Join AC Milan Recently, his international career picked up… for no apparent reason. All thanks to England coach Fabio Capello, Beckham has been steadily accumulating England caps, without any eye-catching performances. He was fielded as a late substitute in each of England’s World Cup qualifiers this year, playing a total of 28 minutes for his four caps.

The total tally for Golden Balls is 107 England caps and he will equal Bobby Moore’s all-time appearances by featuring against Germany next month. That would leave David Beckham 17 caps shy of Peter Shilton’s long-standing record of playing 125 times for his country between 1970 and 1999.

Shilton is clearly unhappy with the manner in which Beckham has closed in on his record. He said: “I didn’t think it was justifiable at all to bring him on with two minutes to go against Belarus. I couldn’t believe it. You had Shaun Wright-Phillips on the pitch as well and I couldn’t see what reason there could be.”

Certainly, any self-respecting footballer will prefer to earn his cap by making significant contributions to the team rather than to receive hand-outs from the coach. But to be fair, a goalkeeper enjoys longevity and can last the entire match because there is less physical demand on the body.

An outfield player will have to burst his lungs running up and down the pitch, fighting for possession, creating chances as well as enduring malicious tackles. In this respect, I will cut Beckham some slack and accept his role as a substitute, while breaking records along the way.

I am fine with cameo appearances so long as the team’s fortune is not compromised by the 33-year old midfielder whose pace is long gone and can only deliver spectacular free-kicks once in a blue moon. If Beckham can put in even more commitment and hard work than his peers, I keep faith with Capello’s decision that Beckham’s England days are far from over.

Coming back to Beckham’s club career, I am surprised that there is still light at the end of the tunnel. His insipid performances with La Galaxy over two seasons is a disgrace. For the amount of money he wringed from the club while it suffers from a double whammy of falling gate receipts and poor economic conditions in America, I believe not many fans will shed tears over the sacking of David Beckham.

Actually, if Beckham can’t survive in the Major League Soccer, the answer is obvious on his usefulness to clubs harboring title ambitions. Yet, AC Milan surprised all and sundry with their unsettling, if not scandalous, decision. The Italian club has confirmed that David Beckham will join them on a short-term loan deal during the MLS close season.

Golden Balls now has a chance to feature in both Serie A and UEFA Cup matches for an illustrious club and hopefully justify to his detractors, his continued presence in the England team. The LA Times seems to be none too sad about this development when it reported last week that “the Beckham circus could fold its tents and the club could go back to being what it once was — competitive in MLS”.

This statement is fair except for the term “competitive” which is at odds with the entire setup at LA Galaxy. In the past four years, Galaxy have accumulated 41 wins, 55 defeats and 27 draws in the regular season. Only Real Salt Lake, a new MLS franchise, has fared worse.

Currently, LA Galaxy lie second from bottom of the Western Standings, with no chance of reaching the playoffs. This is a repeat scenario of Beckham’s first season in California. Galaxy’s record of eight wins, 13 defeats and eight draws represents a failed experiment in creating a “sexy championship team” with David Beckham on the roster.

Beckham’s contributions to LA Galaxy stands at a paltry five goals and 11 assists. These are hardly the sort of statistics that will interest AC Milan, a seven-time European champion. Yet, the Rossoneri were clearly rubbing their hands in glee, probably in anticipation of more fans and merchandise sales.

Despite Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti’s declaration that the Rossonneri would like to make the proposed move permanent, the Galaxy captain insisted that he will be back in California for the start of the 2009 MLS season. He said: “I will be back. My commitment is to the Galaxy and that has not changed.”

“It’s a two-month spell, maybe a little longer. Milan have got a great team, so I’m not expecting to go straight in the starting line-up. I will have to earn the right to get into that team. I’m in Serie A form. It’s about getting my fitness up.

“I came to the Galaxy to actually win trophies so I want to do that. I’m also very committed to my role as the MLS ambassador as well. It’s been slightly disappointing because we haven’t made the playoffs again.”

Does AC Milan really need the 33-year-old England midfielder for footballing purposes? The squad is already overflowing with exceptional talents which include FIFA World Player of the Year Kaka, along with fellow Brazilian internationals Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato.

Experience is rich with veterans Clarence Seedorf and former sharpshooter, Andriy Shevchenko returning to his favorite hunting ground after a miserable time at Chelsea. And not to forget, an array of Italian World Cup winners: Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso, Gianlucca Zambrotta, Maldini and Alessandro Nesta.

In such a competitive club, it is difficult to imagine Beckham breaking into the first XI on a regular basis. Former Gunners, Mathieu Flamini, has only played four matches (3 domestic and I European), so it is a wonder if Beckham can even make it onto the bench, especially when he is already old, has never tasted Italian soccer and defense never been his forte.

Traditionally, big name players who were over the hill struggled to carve a name for themselves when they arrived at AC Milan. Ronaldo was overweight and out-of-form when he arrived at the San Siro from Real Madrid in Jan. 2007. The Brazilian scored a few goals but never regained his lethal form.

His ruptured ligaments ruled him out for nine months and AC Milan privately confirmed that Ronaldo would never play for them again even if he made a full recovery. Ex-Italy forward Roberto Baggio was among other top players who failed to hit their earlier heights after signing for Milan.

Financially though, it could be a mutually beneficial arrangement for both club and player. Initial reports reveal that AC Milan will only take Beckham on a ‘free’ loan, meaning that the Italians would not fork out money to LA Galaxy and would just pay part or none of his wages.

Milan are cash tight at the moment following the purchase of Ronaldinho from Barcelona, so they will be glad to take Beckham for pennies on the dollar. Beckham, as one of the world’s most famous sportsmen, is a marketing machine which singlehandedly propelled Real Madrid to the richest club in the world with lucrative sales of replica shirts and other revenue generating opportunities.

Consider the mania which greeted the club the day after Ronaldinho joined in July. Milan fans snapped up over a quarter of all the season tickets sold up to that point and hits on the website were 10 times the average.

As for David Beckham, the fashion-conscious superstar is already well-known in Italy and models underwear for famous Italian designer Giorgio Armani. Billboards of his half-naked body already span the country, so his effect on Milan fans will be nothing short of spectacular.

However, one has to be careful of Beckham’s waning appeal amid the current economic crisis. Last season, Beckham drew a crowd of 66,237 to Giants Stadium in New Jersey to watch him play the New York Red Bulls but this season the attendance was 46,754.

FC Dallas had a crowd of 22,331 when Beckham came to Pizza Hut Park in May, up from 14,600 when Galaxy played there without Beckham last June. But the attendances fell to 8,960 and 8,541 for each of Dallas’s next two home games, signs that Beckham’s impact is only ephemeral.

Galaxy’s owners, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) has not committed to the deal but coach Arena has already highlighted his displeasure: “I don’t see where that benefits MLS or the Galaxy. Given the position the Galaxy is in, it would seem very odd to me if we were loaning out our top players at the start of the season. ”

Despite a sticky start, AC Milan are getting into the groove and looking like Serie A title contenders. The Beckham circus could unfortunately disrupt the balance and upset a few key players. Maldini was reportedly happy with the signing though.

On his team’s good run of form, Ancelotti attributed it to his defense, saying: “Favalli, Bonera, Maldini, as well as all the others, have improved individually as well as in a team sense. But the credit also goes to the strikers, who are able to move well on the pitch without ever leaving too much space behind.”

Ancelotti said of Beckham: “I wouldn’t just loan him, I’d buy him. He’s still a valid player who can be useful to us, and we can be useful to him. He will not be a tourist.”

But he remained ambivalent about Beckham’s role in the team. ”If Beckham wanted to train with us, it wouldn’t be a problem for me.” No mention of Beckham featuring for the team.

It will be interesting to see if Ancelotti can find a slot for Beckham and bring out of the best in him. The intense competition with Ronaldinho and Kaka will spur Beckham to outperform himself, which will ultimately work to the benefit of England… that is, if it works out at all.

Popularity: 12% [?]

JohnST |

AC Milan, Champions League, David Beckham, LA Galaxy, Major League Soccer, Serie A |

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Deja Vu For Tottenham As They Struggle For Results

October 21, 2008 – 5:58 pm

After lifting the Carling Cup last season, I thought Tottenham had broken their curse of mediocrity. The team’s joyous celebration is still fresh in my mind and hopes were high then that Juande Ramos (who was recruited from Sevilla in October 2007) will lead the long-suffering club to greatness and more prestigious titles.

Alas, how swift the dreams had been dashed. To be sure, I didn’t expect Tottenham to be in such bad shape even though it has been one downhill ride ever since their moment of triumph - three wins out of their 20 Premier League matches since February and a pathetic five league goals this season.

To those who proclaim that Tottenham is too ”illustrious” to be floundering in Division One, past stastitics will be helpful in debunking this myth. History shows that there is only one team (Southamption in 1998/99) to avoid the drop with such a dismal record of two or fewer points from the opening eight matches.

Despite mounting criticisms of Juande Ramos as Tottenham remain entrenched at the bottom of the Premier League table, I still maintain a healthy respect for Ramos’s abilities and experience in steering the team out of their malaise. After all, Tottenham are only five points adrift of safety and they could be out of danger once they put together a run of positive results.

But the shocker finally came when I witnessed the capitulation of Tottenham last week. The fact that Tottenham could not muster the wherewithal to defeat Stoke City (just sitting one notch above Tottenham and also a firm favorite for relegation) reflected the urgency of the crisis in their worst start to a league season since 1912.

Juande Ramos’s decision to leave Ledley King out of his starting line-up at Britannia Stadium is highly suspect. Tottenham is currently lacking in confidence, and defeating Stoke City in style will have kickstarted their sputtering season and bring back smiles to the fans. However, when faced with his team’s best chance to turn around their fortune and earn the precious three points, Ramos chose not to go all out for a victory.

King’s importance to the Tottenham squad cannot be understated, his absence coincided with 13 of the 16 defeats Spurs had suffered thus far. As if to mock the wisdom of Ramos, in the 19th minute, Tottenham’s castle fell for the most elementary of errors. Gareth Bale was sent off for scything down Tom Soares and Danny Higginbotham slotted home the ensuing penalty.

Strangely, Bale’s departure sparked a revival in Tottenham and their spirited response finally earned them an equalizer. Darren Bent capitalized on Alan Hutton’s deflected cross and scored from close range. It was a fortunate goal as Bent was in an offside position but still, drawing level was well deserved for their efforts.

The scale was once again tipped in Stoke City’s favor as Spurs defense was caught napping in the 53rd minute. Rory Delap’s winner handed Stoke the upper hand and Tottenham did not get back into the game thereafter. In fact, towards the end of the match, Tottenham was left hanging on the ropes by a rampant Stoke City.

Soares was bundled to the ground by Jonathan Woodgate and from the resulting penalty taken by Ricardo Fuller, the ball cannoned off both posts, while Delap’s follow-up shuddered the bar. Scarcely had Tottenham heaved a sigh of relief when Dawson saw red for a reckless lunge on Sidibe. Spurs was spared further embarrassment as Fuller curled the effort against the bar.

Clearly, Stoke City dealt with the insipid Spurs handily in this 2-1 victory and fans are understandably frustrated. Top on the list of vilians are manager Juande Ramos and sporting director Damien Comolli. It is a toss-up who will be sacked first but even if there is no imminent change, I presume the axe will continue to hang over their heads in the coming weeks.

Points will be hard to come by with Bolton and then Arsenal (on 29 October) standing in the way. The Gunners had not tasted defeat against Tottenham in 18 games stretching back to 1993. Tottenham’s ordeal will continue against Liverpool (another tough nut to crack), which remained unbeaten in nine of their previous games. In between, Tottenham had to make a trip to Italy to square off with Udinese, second in Serie A, in a Uefa Cup group game.

To add to their woes, Spurs could be down to their bare bones as Gareth Bale and Michael Dawson now face bans after their red cards at Stoke and Vedran Corluka was knocked unconscious. The only piece of good news for Ramos came when Corluka was given the all-clear on Sunday.

Nevertheless, Ramos options for shoring up his defense remains limited. The talismanic captain Ledley King can only play “one game every two or three weeks” because of an ongoing problem with his left knee. Tottenham urgently need a leader of King’s calibre on the pitch who can pull the strings and inject a calming influence over the jittery defense. Without a steady backline, there is very little the goalkeeper can do either.

Ramos will not have expected that he left a cosy job at Sevilla to become a reviled personality at Tottenham and now his fate depends on the whims and fancies of Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and his board of directors. Ironically, it was Stoke manager Tony Pulis who rode to the rescue by offering a voice of reason.

Pulis urged the Tottenham board to stick with Ramos, saying: “Let’s see a bit of character by their board of directors and see them back him. We are all in the same boat and know the rules and have to accept it. I just hope the chairman who got rid of a very popular manager before - Martin Jol - now backs him and gives him a chance to turn it around.”

“They certainly have good enough players and a good depth of squad. They will get it sorted out sooner rather than later and when they do they will be a very tough team to play against.”

While Juande Ramos put the team’s failure down to two red cards and injuries, I think the problem is far more serious. There is a lack of direction from the manager causing the players to be confused about their proper roles in the team and none of his charges exhibit a strong desire to win or at least fight for points.

So far, certain decisions taken by Ramos are highly questionable. Take David Bentley. He is not a mainstay in Ramos’s plan and on the few occasions when he clocked some playing time, he was deprived of his beloved right midfield role. While I have little argument with Aaron Lennon occupying that position, I cannot understand Spurs’s rationale in splashing out more than £15m on a player, only to field him out of position.

Bentley, a promising England star if given the right coaching and opportunties to shine, is now so low on confidence, his basic touches and passes have gone awry. Instead of sitting on the bench and wasting his talents, Bentley needs more match time to rebuild his confidence and rapport with his team mates.

The loss of Jermain Defoe, Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane, without capable replacements secured in the close season, exposed the board’s role, or rather incompetence, in implementing Tottenham’s blueprint to become a major title contender.

It is too early to condemn Roman Pavlyuchenko; the lad gave a credible performance in the European Championships and it is unfair to expect him to set the stage alight in his debut season. He is still finding his feet, but currently, the partnership between the Russian and Darren Bent is creaking.

Other incoming players like Modaric and Gomes have the potential but are not proving their worth just yet. The disposal of Steed Malbranque and even Chimbonda is turning out to be a bad mistake too. Malbranque has the exquisite quality to thread killer passes and score vital goals and I am hard pressed to find another player to shoulder this role in the squad now.

If possible, Tottenham should purchase another playmaker who can function as a supporting striker in the January transfer window. To raise cash, they can consider offloading deadwood like Stalteri, Ghaly and Rocha. Hopefully, by then, the team has not fallen so far behind that it is solely concerned about staying afloat.

I certainly hope this is a temporary crisis for Tottenham. They have the ability and quality in the squad to put up a strong challenge and I am sure they will improve. This season, Champions League qualification is probably out of the question, something which they actually took pride in only a couple of years ago. For now, if they can remain as 15 or 16th in the league, it is already a consolation.

In January, Spurs can change their staff yet again but I don’t see chopping and changing as a strategy to help Spurs reach the giddy heights of mid-table like last year. On hindsight, Spurs should have stuck with Martin Jol. After all, he led the team to two consecutive fifth spots before hitting a rough patch in the 2007 season.

While last season was a poor start, this season is far worse - 2 points out of 21, which shows that hasty sacking of managers is not the panacea for struggling clubs. The board should throw their weight behind Ramos when he is trying hard to decide on his best starting 11 and the formation he should be playing them in. Neither could he rally the players to fight for each other when his own future is in dobut.

Right after winning the League Cup, Ramos should have further strengthened his hand and stamped his authority in the dressing room by demanding consistent results. Instead, the team now plays incoherently and many players think they are already superstars after winning a lousy cup.

This defeat will further intensify the unforgiving spotlight on Ramos’ tenure but the players are equally culpable for the poor performance as the manager. If Ramos is sacked, we might as well overhaul the entire team, board of directors, owners, and maybe even call Martin Jol to come back too. I believe it is wiser to exercise restrain and persist with Ramos… at least until the season is over.

Popularity: 15% [?]

JohnST |

Champions League, Premiere League, Tottenham |

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Arsenal Suffer 1-2 Defeat To Hull City

September 28, 2008 – 4:58 am

Arsenal vs Hull City… on paper, this should have been a non-contest. The Gunners lost only once in the Premier League while Hull City, despite a credible start to the season, are still looking for their first away win. Against the likes of Wigan two weeks ago, Hull was battered into submission by 5 goals without reply.

To ramp up the challenge, Arsenal’s youth team demolished Sheffield United 6-0 in a breathtaking display of attacking football midweek in the Carling Cup. With such prowess and deep reserves, a victory should never be in doubt, only the margin.

Arsene Wenger was also keen to put Hull quickly in their place. He made eleven changes to the victorious Carling Cup team, essentially fielding his first XI. Inflicting maximum damage was imperative to restoring respectability to the league standings, since by some mysterious twist of fate, Hull City happened to be only a few places adrift of Arsenal’s fourth spot in the Premier League table.

Arsenal did not disappoint as they came into the match firing on all cylinders. In the 15th minute, Emmanuel Adebayor had the ball in the net - only for referee Alan Wiley to disqualify the goal for a foul on McShane while rising to meet the header.

Hull barely heaved a sigh of relief before coming under pressure again as Theo Walcott advanced meanacingly. Fortunately, left-back Dawson came in with a brilliant tackle just as the England winger was about to fire a sorcher.

Hull City also had the assistant referee’s flag to thank, on at least three occasions, but as the minutes ticked away, full credit has to go to their resilient and disciplined defense as they held up well under Arsenal’s persistent attacks.

For the first half hour, Arsenal’s slick passing and movement allowed them an overwhelming possession as well as several glit-edged chances. Fabregas was a constant thorn for Hull City with his intelligent runs and defense-splitting passes. However, the fact that Arsenal were still empty-handed imbued Hull with confidence and increased the difficulties in breaching the defense.

Emmanuel Eboue fluffed an excellent chance with a deflected right-foot shot on the edge of the 18-yard box, while Michael Turner thwarted Adebayor with yet another well-timed challenge. Arsenal finally calmed their frayed nerves when Walcott’s cross bounced off Adebayor into the path of Fabregas, whose effort was bundled over the goal-line by a desperate McShane.

The Gunners continued to surge forward in numbers, trying hard to press home their one-goal advantage. Adebayor and Robin van Persie could have wrapped up the match effortlessly and headed for an early shower but both left their scoring boots at home.

Arsenal finally paid for their profligacy when Hull drew level in the 61st minute. Geovanni cleverly avoided a challenge before drifting into the box and smashing a sensational shot from 25 yards into the top corner of Manuel Almunia’s net.

It was the Brazilian’s first goal for Hull since joining in the summer from Manchester City, and boy, is it one of the most important of his career. Cousin put the icing on the cake when he rose majestically above Arsenal’s defenders to head Dawson’s corner into the net.

The countdown was on and Arsene Wenger sprung into action. With 25 minutes left to share the spoils, Wenger switched to an attacking 4-2-4 formation, with Nicklas Bendtner replacing Eboue and Carlos Vela on for Walcott.

Arsenal’s attacking instinct was sharpened and in the 80th minute, Van Persie’s strike missed Myhill’s right-hand post by a whisker. Gallas clattered the crossbar with a powerful header in the final five minutes, and when Vela miscued the rebound, you can sense that a famous upset is on the way.

Much to the consternation of Hull City, Arsenal was given an extended lifeline with four minutes of injury time. Goalkeeper Myhill turned hero of the moment by producing an outstanding parry to deny Fabregas’s powerful 20-yard strike and earn Hull their first victory against Arsenal.

With this result, Hull City climbed to sixth spot in the Premier League and if they continue to churn out such performances, they could turn out to be the surprise package of this season. Manager Phil Brown made two crucial changes to the team that drew 2-2 with Everton last week, recalling midfielders George Boateng and Geovanni who were instrumental in the victory.

Even if Hull missed out on a Uefa Cup qualification spot at the end of the season, they have already written a chapter in their history for claiming Arsenal’s scalp. As it is, their fairy tale involves another three points to match Derby’s 11 points from the whole of the last campaign. That will be suffcient to prove that Championship play-off winners are not in the Premier League to make up the numbers.

Judging by the deathly silence that descended on Emirates Stadium at the final whistle, Arsenal fans were shell-shocked that their mighty team has fallen, twice already this season. Once again, the aura of invincibility for Arsenal was pierced and at their own home ground, to boot. In all fairness, Arsenal were far superior technically but were let down by wasteful finishing.

Hull deserve full points for their commitment. Well, you simply have to, against a world class team like Arsenal. So long as you play harder or even take the game to the Gunners through a physical approach, it is a level playing field. Indeed, Hull City fought tooth and nail and refuse to concede ground in defense; in the end, they were rewarded for their efforts.

Wenger said: “It’s a good lesson for us because the commitment was on their side.
We know from these kind of games that when your attitude from the start is not good enough you risk losing the game.

“I think we had 25 crosses today, their keeper and defenders did a great job. After we were 1-0 up and that’s when we were a bit careless. Instead of pushing on and scoring a second goal, we gave too much room to Hull and in the end we were caught.”

That is about as frank an assessment you can get from Wenger and you can sense his displeasure even as he refuses to dwell on individual performances. The consequences of this defeat is not dire yet but Arsenal may just rue this opportunity to top the table and consolidate their position.

I believe Wenger is depressed with the way his team conceded soft corners which are proving to be a major chinks in Arsenal’s armor. Training cannot compensate for the concentration, positioning and willingness to fight for every loose ball.

Wenger was right to pinpoint his players on ball-watching and slipshod defending, saying: “You can work for hours on the training ground but if you don’t attack the ball on the day of the game it will cost you.”

With plenty of preparation to be done after this defeat, nobody was in the mood to celebrate Wenger’s 12 year anniversary of being in charge. A highly competitive match against Porto in the Champions League awaits Arsenal on Tuesday. Porto cannot be underestimated after defeating Fenerbahce handily.

In the Champions League, I believe the Gunners will not take things easy but they have to get over their disappointment and rebuild their confidence. They had already paid the price for complacency.

This defeat should serve only as a wake-up call and not throw the entire squad into disarray or conflicts. Wenger is an old hand in rallying his troops so Porto has to get ready for a backlash.

There is no doubt this young team of Gunners is bustling with talents but to lay their hands on the long-awaited Premier League and the ever-elusive Champions League, they have to draw upon mental strength rather than technical capabilities. While the young Turks may be inconsistent now, I believe in another season or so, they will be a fearful proposition.

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JohnST |

Arsenal, Champions League, Premiere League |

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Michael Platini’s Feud Against Arsene Wenger: No Class

September 25, 2008 – 12:14 am

On one side of this sparring match, we have Frenchman Michael Platini, the president of Uefa and the other, good old Arsene Wenger, manager of Arsenal FC. Both were friends for many years but ever since Platini ascends the lofty position of Uefa president, relationships have been strained.

Wenger and Platini were embroiled in a bitter feud again this week, thanks to an interview Platini gave to Dauphine Libere. Let’s look at the comments which Platini raged about.

1. “I like to talk about football, him (Wenger) about business. We must stop with Wenger and all that.”

2. “It would make me happy that Arsene Wenger never sees it (video assistance) .”

3. When asked about his thoughts on Romanian side CFR Cluj’s unexpected victory over Roma in the Champions League last week, Platini said: “That is what makes football so great. It is what people like Wenger do not want, little clubs beating the big clubs, because they want their business.”

Arsene Wenger responded promptly and indicates his shock at being swiped by the president of football’s governing body in Europe.

“I am stunned by the aggressive content of Platini’s words. I am effectively a supporter of video assistance for referees, like all coaches, and I believe UEFA have an important role to play in this. I am for sporting justice and UEFA must be the guarantor of it. I am a supporter of good management of clubs, for financial equilibrium.

“And UEFA must equally support this idea. I am fighting for the future of the game and of football. I don’t see why UEFA should take umbrage at ideas that are different from their own.”

During his reign, Michael Platini was not shy to engage in controversial issues but he was often way off the mark. This latest attack on Arsene Wenger came as a surprise to me, not for its hollowness, but for its ferocity on a fellow countryman.

While I beg to differ with Wenger’s football philosophy at times, especially his selective blindness and reluctance to develop England players en-route to achieving honors for Arsenal; in this instance, I feel Wenger is hard done by.

One minute Platini is lamenting that football clubs neglect their financial affairs, the next, he attacks Wenger for caring only “about business.” Double standards in his concern on football’s developments, indeed.

Why berate about the disparity between the rich and poor in football? The salary scale of super stars and the water carriers is not something new. It was prevalent in Spain and Italy since the 80s, but of late, has taken on mammoth proportions in the Premier League due to the influx of money from foreign owners.

Wenger is not solely responsible for such trends in football. If anything, he regularly loses his best players to poachers from bigger clubs.

I have a healthy respect for Michael Platini’s achievements as a world-class footballer. As captain of the French national team, he steered his country to the 1984 European Championship, where he shone as the best player and top goalscorer. In fact, he holds the record for most goals (9) scored in European Championship despite only featuring once in this competition.

Donning the jersey of Juventus, Platini blitzed Serie A as top scorer for three consecutive seasons (1982 to 1985) and won a hat-trick of European Footballer of the Year awards (1983 through 1985). In his prime, his passing, finishing and free-kicks were legendary. Bobby Charlton once commented: “What a playmaker. He could thread the ball through the eye of a needle as well as finish.”

However, in Platini’s current role as Uefa President, I feel he should help himself preserve a shred of dignity by talking less. It is unbecoming of a football supremo to single out a particular manager and interfere so ostensibly in his job. Making such aggressive remarks only serve to illustrate Platini as a complacent man who is out of touch with reality.

To be sure, there is a tinge of jealousy in Platini from the way Arsene Wenger has blossomed from a mediocre player into a high-flying manager. Conversely, Michael Platini’s best days are now behind him.

His position as France playmaker is undisputed, but off the pitch, he is nowhere near outstanding and if he craves for the same level of adulation, then it is really a far-fetched dream. Holding high office requires a different approach - the title of Uefa President may seem prestigious but praises don’t come easily in this capacity.

Pressing for tough reforms may alienate the governing body from the fans, clubs and individual football associations. I believe Platini will like to distinguish himself from past presidents but so far, he has accomplished nothing noteworthy and feels more impotent than he will have liked.

Actually, if Platini is intent on gaining respect from his peers, there are several topics which he can champion. The excesses of clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester United and now Manchester City have pumped up transfer prices to a ludicrous level.

If the clubs are self-sufficient and have the resources to splurge, I say by all means, but if heavy leverage and foreign owners are the passport to their bulging transfer budget, what happen to the clubs when the targets of increased gate receipts, merchandise sales, Champions League fall short? Just think Leeds United. Or when the sugar daddys lose interest in the club?

Then, there are issues of racism against players like Emile Heskey, vicious insults hurled on Sol Campbell which affected his mental stability, and the regular outbreaks of violence in the Serie A. If manipulated skilfully and effective steps taken to eradicate these abhorrent behavior, Platini stands to gain significant political mileage.

And not to forget, the plethora of ugly fouls, dubious goals and offside which are clearly at the mercy of subjective judgments from match officials. A revolutionary introduction of video technology and replays may cut down on human errors and prevent teams from being unfairly penalized. Arsenal are not the cleanest players on the pitch, so when they are in support of video technology, the world should give Wenger a thumbs up.

As Mark Twain says, it is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. From now on, Platini should shut his mouth up or at least choose his war judiciously. What do you guys think of the Michael Platini’s feud against Arsene Wenger?

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JohnST |

Arsenal, Premiere League, Serie A |

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Manchester City Too Early For Top Four Ambitions

September 15, 2008 – 8:16 am

The arrival of oil money has brought about a sea change at Eastlands or rather Middle-East lands. On Saturday, Manchester City fans turned out in record numbers, most were decked in Robinho T-shirts and Arab head-dresses in anticipation of a rollicking time against Chelsea.

There were barely whimpers of protest that a traditional English club fell into the hands of oil sheiks; in fact, most fans were smitten by the wealth of Abu Dhabi royal family… their finest hour of football success is nigh.

Roman Abramovich is also coming to grips with the fact that his money is no longer the decisive factor in luring football superstars. For years, Abramovich reveled in the fantasy football game by making record signings with an unlimited transfer budget but now, he has to contend with participants who are even more liberal with their money.

Despite courting Robinho aggressively, the Brazilian snubbed Chelsea and Abramovich when the Arabs dangled a fatter carrot in front of him. Nevertheless, when the bruised ego is cast aside, at least Abramovich is enjoying the last laugh… for now.

After viewing the mind-boggling zeros in the check and trading hyperboles, it was the same old Manchester City when the battle lines were drawn. Chelsea emerged victorious by hammering 3 goals past City defenses and it was a convincing display despite falling behind to an early goal.

As if the gulf in footballing standards needs to be emphasized, Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari took time out to impress on his Premier League rivals that his team is just warming up. Certain key players (Michael Essien and Michael Ballack) were missing in action and he has yet to pick a settled first XI.

This is indeed a fearful prospect that Chelsea, sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table (six points ahead of reigning champions Manchester United who lost 2-1 to bitter rivals Liverpool) can play much better once they adapted to Scolari’s football philosophy and have a fully fit squad.

In this match, I was particularly interested in Robinho. Was he worth the whopping 32.5 million pounds of transfer fees and the preferential treatment of a private jet? And how long should Mark Hughes indulge this prima donna before showing his disciplinarian side?

To his credit, the fleet-footed Brazilian took only 13 minutes to impress all and sundry as he whipped a free-kick over the Chelsea wall and past Petr Cech. The stadium erupted in wild celebration and City looked to be on their way.

However, City’s happiness was short-lived. In the space of three minutes, the lead was erased when John Terry’s header deflected to Carvalho who thundered home with aplomb. City may have lost part of their English identity but they retain their joker character by throwing away advantages with slack defending. This led Mark Hughes to lament: “If we could have stayed in front for just 10 or 15 minutes it would have helped…”

The scoreline could have been more embarrassing if not for Chelsea’s profligate finishing. Florent Malouda headed against the bar when unchallenged in front of goal and put a second opportunity just wide. In the dying seconds of the first half, City were again spared the blushes when Nicolas Anelka missed from an open goal.

Chelsea hardly looked flustered as they knew it was just a matter of tightening the noose on their captive. Manchester City, for all their ambitions, were given a harsh football lesson by a relentless Chelsea.

Frank Lampard put the Blues ahead on 53 minutes with a fine strike after an incisive pass from Malouda. The game was over when Anelka scored the third goal and Terry’s dismissal for a professional professional foul on Jo proved immaterial.

Besides the first goal, there is nothing lyrical to wax about Robinho. His passes went astray and he added to City’s woes by losing possession easily with flamboyant dribbling. The greatest joke was when Robinho completed four step-overs and then passed straight to Ashley Cole.

To seek positives in Robinho’s abysmal control of the ball, I can only say that he met his team mates on Friday and he is tired from playing for Brazil on Thursday morning. After assimilating into the City setup, we should expect more of the Brazilian.

Mark Hughes was clearly resigned to this defeat, saying: “People have got a little ahead of themselves but we know the level we are at. We are still a very young team and it is not going to happen overnight. You saw a team in Chelsea who know exactly what they are trying to do and that is a consequence of playing and winning together consistently for the last five years.”

Hughes is right that Manchester City have got ahead of themselves and should temper their ambitions. Money alone cannot buy titles, you need a fair element of luck and managerial abilities.

Throughout the week, we heard about City’s plans to become a dominant force in European and domestic football. And to do so, they will spare no expenses to assemble a star-studded championship team which includes Cristiano Ronaldo. No wonder Sir Alex Ferguson was pissed off and dismissed them as nothing but hot air.

However, Mark Hughes is wrong if he thinks he is going to get five years in office. Looking at the case of Chelsea, the manner in which Roman Abramovich splurged his money shows a certain method to his madness.

In less than two years, the backwater Chelsea was established as one of the major title contenders in the Premier League and Champions League. Abramovich was quick to dismiss Claudio Ranieri and appoint Jose Mourinho who had just completed a prestigious Treble with Porto.

Ranieri set the framework for success by buying several exciting players - Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard, Peter Cech, Joe Cole, Damien Duff, Arjen Robben, Glen Johnson, Wayne Bridge, Geremi, Hernan Crespo, Eidur Gudjohnsen and William Gallas. But it is Jose Mourinho who gets the acclaim for winning the trophies.

Of course, the latter did his fair share of rebuilding by purchasing a mixed bag of flops and winners such as Paulo Fereira, Ricardo Carvalho, Assier Del Horno, Tiago, Michael Essien, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Didier Drogba and Mateja Kezman.

Too often, Ranieri’s role at Chelsea has been belittled unfairly. His last season was trying, and that is an understatement. He added to the sense of dread by proclaiming himself as a “dead man walking” as the club made it clear they would be getting a new coach at the end of the season, without actually sacking him.

Under such circumstances, the Italian turned in a credible report card by leading Chelsea to second in the Premier League and the semi-finals of the Champions League before Mourinho came in to finish the job. And just to complete the story, Jose Mourinho’s fantastic achievements cannot even guarantee his own survival as he was eventually removed under a combination of player politics and stepping on the toes of Abramovich.

Can Mark Hughes outdo Claudio Ranieri? It is a stretch to think he can squeeze into the top four, not to mention a second spot. Yet, Ranieri has no place at Chelsea, so if the ruthlessness of Abramovich is replicated by the Abu Dhabi clan, the situation for Hughes is nothing short of a pressure cooker.

Though I respect Mark Hughes’s management skills and feel that he has a bright future, he is, after all, a dispensable candidate for those with money to burn. It does not bode well that his credentials are bereft of major titles as patience may run out very quickly. In fact, I seriously doubt if Mark Hughes can last an entire season if Manchester City continue to flounder in mediocrity - the club had already lost two of their first four games.

Manchester City’s new bosses will prefer to appoint a world-class manager with a track record of winning titles in his place to go along with their expensively assembled superstars.

While Robinho can bring some glamor and quality into Manchester City, the same cannot be said for other players which Mark Hughes had signed in the close season. Jô, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Tal Ben-Haim are not exactly the kind of elites the Arabs have in mind.

Gelling the team and tightening defenses are currently Hughes’s top priorities, rather than to secure any Champions League football. Unfortunately, Chelsea had raised the bar and the new oil money cannot be seen to be doing less. It will require a miracle for Manchester City to displace Liverpool and Arsenal and the huge gulf with Chelsea is already apparent on the basis of this match.

So, after Kevin Keegan’s acrimonius parting of ways with Newcastle last week, the odds are high that Mark Hughes could be the next dead man walking.

As for Chelsea, they have built up strong and enduring qualities as a championship team over the last 5 years and while clubs like Manchester City will try to chip away at their advantage, Stamford Bridge will not fall overnight. In fact, the Chelsea empire will be setting their sights on conquering Europe this season.

Popularity: 24% [?]

JohnST |

Champions League, Chelsea, Manchester City, Premiere League |

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Deadline Deals Break Premier League Transfer Record

September 2, 2008 – 9:36 am

Everyday, we are bombarded by news on the economic slowdown, housing mortgage crisis, credit squeeze and high inflation… add them up and we see a troubling picture of pay-cuts and unemployment looming ahead.

However, most superstars in the Premier League have no idea what a recession means. If anything, they will be clamoring for fatter pay packages as investors continue to spend exorbitant amount of money to grab a piece of the Premier League action.

In the recent transfer window, deadline deals break a Premier League transfer record by surpassing the 500 million mark from some 470 million in 2007.

As Paul Rawnsley, director of the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, remarked: “This transfer spending is far in excess of other European leagues. English football clubs are proving resilient to the current challenging economic environment.”

Can’t argue with his observation… and no complaints either since this crazy money provides us with great entertainment. Let’s review two of the last minute transfers and see whether this money-inundated night yields any value for the Premier League clubs.

Manchester United

Dimitar Berbatov Manchester United

I am glad that Dimitar Berbatov is no longer sulking. A dream move to Manchester United on a four-year contract from Tottenham Hotspur for 30.75 million pounds finally came to fruition, making him the most expensive Bulgarian.

The Premier League and European champions had to fend off an audacious late bid from derby rival, Manchester City, to sign Berbatov. City offered a British record of 32.5 million pounds and higher wages but Alex Ferguson has already courted Berbatov’s heart.

City’s bid serve only to buttress Tottenham’s negotiation terms and to give their arch rival a miserable time by coughing up more cash. Tottenham are not going to give up their crown jewel cheaply, if at all, but the signing of Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko from Spartak Moscow for 17 million euros and a season long loan of United’s striker Fraizer Campbell allowed for a more flexible solution.

In any case, this was a deal which Alex Ferguson will not give up easily. With Cristiano Ronaldo sidelined until October after an operation, Louis Saha sold to Everton, that leaves Carlos Tevez and Rooney in Manchester United’s front line.

Most managers will gladly take this partnership which is sufficient to terrorize any defense but in the event of injuries or suspensions, United’s title hopes could be dashed. In fact, even without any mishap, there is an inherent problem, as seen from Crisitano Ronaldo scoring 42 goals last season.

Both Rooney and Tevez love to drop into deep positions, roam freely around the field and supply passes rather than to capitalize on goal-scoring opportunities. Ronaldo, as a midfielder, ended up shaming other Premier League strikers as he has little competition in putting away the chances.

Since Ronaldo is out of action and that vain pot seems more happy at Santiago Bernabeu, it is a matter of time before Manchester United run out of patience and place him on the selling list. But until then, the search for a conventional striker must be resolved first.

A point man in the box, much like what Ruud van Nistelrooy used to do is urgently needed, and Dimitar Berbatov fits that role like a glove. Berbatov has a history of slow starts in competitions but once he gets into the groove, he is unstoppable.

Between 2000-2006, Berbatov plied his trade in Bayer Leverkusen and he endured two forgettable seasons before establishing himself as the first-choice forward in the 2002–03 season.

The following year, Berbatov shone by scoring 16 goals in 24 starts and in the next two seasons, he grew from strength to strength, netting 46 goals including five in the Champions League, raising awareness of his prodigious talent throughout Europe.

In 2006, Dimitar Berbatov was lured to Tottenham for a fee of 16 million pounds. He did not disappoint as he ended the 2006–07 season with 12 goals in 33 appearances in the Premier League and 11 assists. That form coincided with one of Tottenham’s best showing in the Premier League in recent years.

Despite Tottenham’s shaky start last season, Berbatov still managed 15 league goals (overall of 23 goals in all competitions) and an identical 11 assists.

Considering the ammunition at Berbatov’s disposal from the free-flowing attacks launched by his Manchester United teammates, and this being his third season in the Premier League, I will not be surprised if he score 30 goals, barring injuries.

Manchester City

Robinho Manchester City

It was not a bad day for Manchester City despite losing out on Dimitar Berbatov. They secured Robinho’s transfer from Real Madrid for around 32.5 million pounds. Spanish sports daily Marca revealed that Robinho will be paid six million euros per season - about three times what he reportedly earned at Madrid.

Are they trying to paint Robinho as a mercenary? That he left for monetary rather than football reasons? I believe Robinho will not have left Madrid under any circumstances if he was treated with dignity. During Madrid’s hot pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo, they were insensitive to Robinho’s feeling, which hastened his departure. After all, nobody likes to be told they are surplus to requirement.

Manchester City also snapped up defender Vedran Corluka for 8.5 million pounds. City certainly have the cash. Their financial muscles bulged after the club confirmed a memorandum of understanding with an Abu Dhabi investment company for a takeover. Thaksin will remain as a board member but without “administrative duties.”

Robinho’s arrival was definitely a stunner for me as the Brazil forward was all but ready to join manager Luiz Felipe Scolari at Stamford Bridge. In this case, money is secondary because Scolari commands a certain stature among fellow Brazilian players. That reputation came after he led his country to World Cup glory in 2002, from a virtually impossible situation where Brazil was struggling to clear the qualifying rounds.

The fact that City snatched Robinho under the nose of Roman Abramovich indicates that they are now in a position to challenge super-rich Chelsea for players, at any price. At least, United can heave a sigh of relief as City did them a favor by stopping Robinho from bolstering Chelsea squad.

Mark Hughes was delighted, saying: “I have said that in order to compete with the best teams in the Premier League we have to be in the market for players of this calibre, and Robinho is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world. This is a real statement of intent as to the ambitions of Manchester City Football Club.”

Is Robinho value for money? After all, he won the Spanish league for the past two years with Real Madrid and has scored 11 times in 42 caps for Brazil.

In the 2005-2006 season, Robinho made 37 appearances and scored eight goals. The following year, he fell out of favour with new manager Fabio Capello, and was benched for a long spell. He got a break after winter by forcing into the first XI. Last season, he contributed eleven goals and fourteen assists for Real Madrid.

However, I am not sure how much change Robinho can wrought on Manchester City’s fortune as Brazilians are relegated to water-carriers and do not take the Premier League by storm. Robinho is an excellent dribbler but his close control is still inferior to Cristiano Ronaldo or Ronaldinho (at his best).

Mark Hughes may be happy that the City management is fast in handing him the money to make quality signings but he has little time to build his team. Expectations are high and it will be unlike Blackburn where there are little hopes of competing for trophies and Hughes calls the shots without question.

The atmosphere at City will be a pressure cooker, not because of the fans but because of the management. Results will be demanded from him quickly, according to the ambitious plans tabled by Thaksin, else he may be forced to follow Eriksson’s footsteps.

I have a feeling his new Middle East boss will be no less demanding or ruthless than Thaksin when it comes to non-performance.

Popularity: 43% [?]

JohnST |

Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Premiere League |

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