Not surprisingly Monday’s furour about the Luzhniki Stadium pitch appears to have died away as we now hear that it is going to be just fine. From the equivalent of a neglected public park pitch to no problem in 48 hours – a miracle indeed.
Perhaps the field condition was more a product of a journalist or two who found themselves in Moscow on Monday with nothing to write about until the teams arrived later in the day.
Now comfortable in the knowledge that billions of dollars of talent will not disappear down a sink hole in Moscow I can now safely turn my attention to the game this afternoon.
The problem is that with less than five hours to kick off and I am no closer to deciding who I think is the going to be the 2008 Champions of Europe. I have had a sneaking su####ion about Chelsea since the draw for the last sixteen was made but on the other hand I treat Manchester United in a final as I do the Old Firm – never bet against them.
So in an attempt to come to a decision of Chelsea or Manchester United here are the advantages that each side brings with them to the battle.
Chelsea 1. Didier Drogba – even more so than Ronaldo, Drogba has an unerring ability to lay low for most of a match but to still step up and decide the outcome. His strength and pace makes it impossible to ignore him.
2. Michael Ballack – Player of the Year in England if it was based on the last eight weeks. His positional play has been excellent and when not arguing with Drogba over free kicks the timing of his runs into the penalty box are reminiscent of former United great Bryan Robson.
3. Frank Lampard – criticized for the apparent high number of deflected goals he should be praised for adhering to old adage that if you don’t shoot you don’t score. What’s more when Lampard gets within 30 yards of goal watch how many defenders try to shut him down – no wonder he gets goals from deflections as well as creating gaps for the other Chelsea players to take advantage of.
4. Aerial power – Ballack, Carvalho, Drogba, Terry are all excellent in the air and every set piece for Chelsea will present and real and present danger to United.
5. No other English team has enjoyed a better record against Manchester United than Chelsea and that holds true even before the arrival of Roman Abramovich’s interest free loan.
Manchester United 1. Ronaldo – if United can get him the ball early in the game and he can settle into a rhythm then he can be the match-winner. Cole has played well against him in the past so it will be interesting to see which wing Fergie starts him on.
2. Rio Ferdinand – simply the best defender in England over the last season.
3. Patrice Evra – With a license to get forward that Chelsea appears to be unwilling to give to their full backs the Frenchman can exploit the spaces that the normally narrow Chelsea formation provides.
4. Edwin van der Saar – the Dutchman’s kicking skills have been identified as a weakness by many but it is his ability to find players with quick long throws that might be more pivotal.
5. Mobility – The constant movement used by United means that an opposition defense cannot drop concentration for a moment.
Line Ups Michael Essien at right back appears to be the way that Chelsea will go with Malouda or Kalou a tactical decision and Cole or Bridge a fitness decision.
The speculation on the United line up is whether or not Ferguson buttresses his midfield with Owen Hargreaves. Bringing Hargreaves in would in my opinion be a clear signal that Ferguson would be happy to accept a saw-off in midfield and rely on his wide players and Rooney to win it for him.
A more aggressive strategy - and gamble - would be to start Tevez and Rooney in attack with Tevez being asked to hassle and upset Makelele as he sits just in front of the Chelsea back four. The downside of starting Tevez is that it takes away an option to change the game by way of the substitutes bench.
Henry Winter reminisces about Heriot Watt University's Celtic Supporters Club annual Tommy Burns Night.
The legend and tragedy of Hughie Ferguson who scored the winning goal for Cardiff in the 1927 final.
We may argue about them until we are blue in the face but the reality is that the referee’s decision is final.
The Aussies are going to bid the right to host the 2009 and 10 the FIFA Club World Cup. I would have thought that a US proposal would be a natural for this tournament.
MF – Ronaldo (Manchester United) MF – Mascherano (Liverpool) MF – Barry (Aston Villa) MF – Downing (Middlesbrough)
FW – Cruz FW – Berbatov
Best Three’s – 60s and beyond Manchester United • Best • Law • Keane
Chelsea • Zola • Cooke • Osgood
Liverpool • Dalglish • Callaghan • Barnes
Arsenal • Bergkamp • Pires • Henry
Spurs • Ardiles • Hoddle • Gilzean
Everton • Lineker • Young • Ball (Alan not Michael)
Manchester City • Bell • Kinkladze • Lee
Rangers • Baxter • Gascoigne • McCoist
Celtic • Jimmy Johnstone • Henrik Larsson • Danny McGrain
Serie A Predictions Revisited (Actual – Prediction)
Inter 1-1 Staggered to another title rather than cruised.
Roma 2-4 Refused to give up despite a squad that lacked the depth of others and pushed Inter to the last round.
Juventus 3-3 A surprise for many that Juventus managed to finish so high. Fiorentina 4-5 There is a lot to admire about Cesare Prandelli’s charges as the coach showed again an ability to extract maximum effort and results from the squad he is given. Looked as if they had blown a Champions League but Milan’s round 37 loss to Napoli opened a door that looked to have been bolted shut.
Milan 5-2 A stumbling start – particularly at home – put Milan behind the eight ball. A late season run seemed to have almost guaranteed Champions League football next season until a crucial 3-1 loss to Napoli. It will be an interesting summer as Milan must now rebuild.
Sampdoria 6-8 While Antonio Cassano provided the spark an impressive home record (only two losses) saw Samp finish in a very credible spot in Serie A.
Udinese 7-7 Eleven points and three positions better than last season. If Udinese can keep this team together and hold on to coach Pasquale Marino (former Catania) next season may bring further improvement.
Napoli 8-15 A tremendous return to Serie A for the Neapolitans who beat Milan, Inter, Udinese, Juventus, Fiorentina and Sampdoria at the Stadio San Paolo. Of the teams that finished above them only Roma left with anything to show for their efforts.
Atalanta 9-12 Little difference from last season – two fewer points and one position lower than a year ago.
Genoa 10-16 The third of the promoted sides and none finished lower than 10th. Only four consecutive losses at season’s end clouded a fantastic performance from Genoa.
Palermo 11-9 Poor away form and a failure to win more than two consecutive games saw Palermo drop back a top six position last season.
Lazio 12-6 A team that has punched above their weight for the last few seasons but limited resources caught up with them this season.
Siena 13-20 The frequent coaching changes in Italy are often a source of mirth but Siena was another team that turned their fortunes around after making a change in the front office. Up until the firing of Andrea Mandorlini in mid-November Siena had picked a single win and nine points from a possible thirty six on offer. Former coach Mario Beretta who had been cut loose last summer after just escaping relation by beating Lazio in the last game of the season returned and with thirty-five over the remaining twenty-six games Siena were safe with games in hand. Seventeen draws made Siena this season’s Serie A draw specialists.
Cagliari 14-18 The Sardinian side looked dead and buried but the appointment of Coach Davide Ballardini just before the New Year saw a spectacular turnaround in fortune. Thirty-two of their forty-two points were earned post- Ballardini and only suffered two losses in their last eleven league games. Home form was key with twenty-four points out of a possible thirty-three coming with the new coach in charge.
Torino 15-17 Turin’s other team finished on the same points as last season but that was enough to move up two places. In 2006/07 Torino only scored 27 goals – this season 36 so it has been slightly more interesting for the fans, particularly at home. Despite a home record of only five home wins, seven draws and another seven losses only two of the games were decided by more than one goal and both in Torino’s favour.
Reggina 16-13 Last May it took a win against Milan in round 38 to ensure another season in Serie A for Reggina; this time they made sure of another Serie A season in round 37. Thirteen points from a possible last 18 did the trick.
Catania 17-19 As they did last season it took Catania until the last round of play to escape demotion. They finished tied with Parma with the worst away record (7 points and no wins) but a respectable thirty points at home (one one fewer than Milan) was pivotal to their top-flight survival.
Empoli 18-10 Fifty-four points and seventh position last season; relegation this season and an attack that scored only 29 times must bear the responsibility.
Parma 19-14 No escape this season after sailing close to the relegation rocks for a few seasons. Winless away from home and defence not let in more goals than any other brought a long-avoided demotion to Serie B.
Livorno 20-11 Last season’s 11th place finish was slightly deceiving in that Livorno was only four points out of the last relegation spot. This season only four points in their last twelve games had Livorno in a death-spiral that they could not escape from.
LGB – 1. Do you think the "conference" format hurts or helps the MLS? 2. I went to Bill Turianski's website and it showed United having 9 European titles. Am I missing something? 3. Do you have numbers on the FA Cup Semifinal viewership? 4. Gabriele Marcotti's article was interesting. I've been trying to put a finger on United's "rotating attack" system. Marcotti was very vague on trying to describe it, how would you describe it?
Bobby – 1. I would prefer to see one division. 2. I did as well and saw 2 European titles. 3. In the UK - “Cardiff City and Barnsley drew 1.54 million and a 10.9% multichannel share between 3.30pm and 6.30pm, peaking at 2.09 million and 13.2% in the 15 minutes from 5.30 pm.” – Could not track down WBA and Portsmouth numbers. I don’t think FSC subscribes to ratings. 4. It’s based on speed, mobility and a fair amount of position swapping. It’s a variation of the Dutch system but limited to fewer players.
Gers4Lyfe - As an aside I would say your pithy analysis of Lauren Robert reveals perhaps an underappreciated expertise of the Auld Alliance. Dundee United gave Rangers a great run yet again. If as some would have you believe and Celtic supporters have their way running wee Gordon Strachan out of town, do you see them making a play for Craig Levein?
Bobby – I had to look up pithy – I thought that you had replaced “ss” with “th”. I don’t think Celtic will go after Levein. Very limited European experience.
Redfan4ever - Of the clubs in danger of the drop from the EPL what is your thoughts on the likely changes of managers at Bolton, Fulham, Derby? The press has reported that Megson and Jewell will both keep their jobs if their clubs go down. Will Al Fayed sack Hodgson do you think? Who else do you think (manager wise) might move clubs in the EPL this summer? Could Big Sam replace Curbs?
Bobby – Derby won’t change. My sense was that Hodgson was hired to keep Fulham in the Premiership – if he fails he will not be managing them in the Championship. I didn’t think Megson was an inspired choice and still don’t. As for the others – we will have to wait and see although Allardyce to West Ham I would consider to be a long shot.
Neophyte - This might be a different comment but here it goes. On a successful U-10 team there is this tall, lanky kid. He has great skills with his feet. Sees the pitch better than most. Crosses with left and right feet. He can score but is unselfish and so typically plays on the wings. He looked absolutely wonderful this last game. His glaring weakness is he lacks aggressiveness with the loose balls (50/50 balls) etc...His coach keeps him on a tight rein. If he loses a ball the coach will pull him even though he is obviously the most skilled at his position. They have talked about getting rid of the boy. That was why I was there. I told the coach that it looks like the kid suffers from the Peter Crouch syndrome: He looks awkward due to his height so he is critized but is effective on the pitch. Assuming my analysis of the boy’s abilities and weaknesses are correct how do you handle this?
Bobby –I can’t fathom getting rid of an under-10 player because he lacks aggression on 50/50 balls. Keep the kid, dump the coach.
MasMaz - I agree that the 4-4-2 is out of fashion. I am a proponent of the 4-2-3-1. What do you think of 4-2-3-1? What formation does Man Utd use? I can't figure it out.
Bobby – I like 4-2-3-1 as it seems to be a nice balance between defence and attack and allows the bank of three players to push on and attack. But if you don't have two intelligent defensive midfield players then it will not work. United does not use one formation.
Neophyte - I heard Capello say at a coaches clinic that formation means little in the top leagues. Formation won't win games, players win games. He was talking mainly to coaches about player development so his comments could have been made for affect rather than stating his true beliefs. He seems partial to the 4-2-3-1. I've heard Brazilian trainers say the same thing about formation and players and yet the national team seems to like 4-2-2-2. So what is it? Formation? Players? Both?
Bobby – Formation has to be built around player skills.
TimC2412 - Wouldn't you regard Skrtel as a pretty strong January pickup for Liverpool?
Bobby – He looked good against average teams but was hardly impressive against Manchester United. I would say that it is a bit early to sing his praises.
Flashman - What do think of Dave Jones' chances of getting back into the Prem? He's done a good job at Cardiff, grappled as best anyone could with the comatose giant of Wolves and has evolved quite nicely since his playing days. Could you see him a candidate for Blackburn if Hughes hops over to Celtic? West Ham? Citeh!? Or is he doomed to be the best tier two manager in England? He would have the derby with Swansea to look forward to next year if he stays. And tell us what you thought about the Dees-Gers game.
Bobby – Very slim. You have to remember that he was close to getting fired earlier in the season so although the FA Cup Final is a great achievement I think the only way David Jones back to the Premiership will be through promotion. I don’t think Dundee United like leads or Kris Boyd.
Flashman - Do you think Spurs would get more selling Berbatov intact, or having his brain bottled and leased out for study to leading psychiatric institutes?
Bobby – Only leading psychiatric institutes?
Jahmikes - What are views on officiating in matches, I think too much games in recent times too much results are dependent on official calls, many that have been wrong, why doesn’t football give each team three appeals for video playback as in tennis or cricket, it would not take time because managers would use their appeals wisely and the time could be put back in injury time. These days refs give 10 mins sometimes of injury. Also is it me or are officials clamping down on handballs this season, I do not recall so much calls for handball in a season before.
Bobby – Results have always been dependent on officials – it is nothing new. Video replays will mean that we can disagree in slow motion – it is not the answer.
Thierry_Henry - Do you see a day when RANGERS and CELTIC would see too much profit by playing in the EPL and decide to join. Kind like CARDIFF, SWANSEA and WREXHAM, who decided it's not worth playing in the Welsh League. I think it would be cool to have the BIG 6 instead of 4.
Bobby – No, you are more likely to get a European League before Rangers and Celtic are allowed to join the Premiership. It is not the Old Firm’s choice just to get up and join a foreign league. Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham made that decision a long time ago in a much less regulated time.
ZUCO2 - A few weeks ago I heard a story about Spain's national team that could get suspended from Euro 2008 because of the Spanish government. What's that all about? It seems that Albania national team is facing a similar problem.
Bobby – This sort of thing blows up on a fairly regular basis and FIFA issue threats about withdrawing sanction from the domestic FA and therefore all teams would be banned from international play.
It usually stems from a real or imaginary threat that governments are interfering in football matters domestically. My understanding is that the Spanish FA refused to comply with a government directive that would have meant elections for national sport organizations would be synchronized. The Spanish FA refused and so there is no threat of a FIFA ban.
Jahmikes - About instant success in the Jan transfer window, there is one, Jermaine Defoe, 7 goals in 7 games so far, that looks to me like positives for Pompey. Also with all the injuries in my teams midfield, why would you say Wenger has not played the young Brazilian Denilson, I would think playing him would allow some of the fatigued players some well needed rest.
Bobby – Defoe would be one of the few. Denilson was injured for a good part of 2008 and so I would think that his match fitness would be a concern.
Catgotyourtongue - I find it disconcerning that mistakes by refs are ignored if the result ends fairly. i.e. Hleb's yellow against Milan. If he picks up another he could miss an important game. Mistakes are so prevalent that announcers give it the same commentary as a streaker. Flag happy offsides are also way too prevalent. The thought that this is part of football is part of the problem.
Bobby – So what are you suggesting? Every call is debated and put to a vote before the game can continue? Who makes more mistakes? Players or officials?
Thewobegonboy - My question concerns Dirk Kuyt. I know he scored bags of goals in Holland and had a great World Cup campaign, but he looks very ordinary in the Premiership. It's plain to see that he's a hard-working player, as his runs and defensive interventions were instrumental in helping secure Liverpool's 1-1 draw at the Emirates (yes, as was his goal, which was more about the run than anything). His prolific tracking back got me wondering: is it possible that he's miscast as a striker? As a frontman, do you think he is out of his depth in England, or has serial rotater Rafa failed to get the best out of him? Could you name some players who flourished after switching positions? Thank you.
Bobby – I’m not sure I would have described Kuyt has having a great World Cup campaign. Rafa likes him - as would most managers – because he works incredibly hard. I would not necessarily say that he has been miscast as a striker given his scoring rate in Holland - just a striker that has had trouble stepping up to the next level. Kezman was the same.
There are many players who have successfully changed positions. Off the top of my head - Drogba was a midfield player. Gattusso played at right back for Rangers although that may have had more to do with #### Advocaat. Thierry Henry striker-winger-striker. A number of strikers have moved back to centre half. Kolo Toure was a midfield player I believe.
Although the original plan was for another midweek appearance on the FSR on Wednesday night that will not happen unfortunately.
ZUCO2 - Do you agree with me that the title race in the Serie A is officially open?
Bobby – Serie A is like Liga this season – it seems that every time the leader has built a substantial lead they seem to find away to drop points and to cast new doubts on the eventual winner ……again.
Inter will finish with way less points than last season (97 points) as they have already dropped 22 points while Roma are heading for a big improvement (last season 75 points and they already have 64 points with 8 games left). They look like they are both heading for a points total in the mid-80s.
Flashman - Nice of you, Bobby, to acknowledge Colin Jose. He is just a great, great guy. I got to knock around with him a bit years ago. An amazing knowledge of the game, not just the Canadian side of it.
Bobby – Mr. Jose was kind enough to contact me a couple of years ago. It was a real thrill for me because I remember when he wrote for World Soccer years ago when I was growing up and the magazine seemed very exotic. These were the days when the world was a much bigger place and World Soccer was the only reliable source of information from around the globe.
MasMaz – And even though Masch did nothing that I can see to deserve to be sent off, where was captain fantastic? Shouldn't he be there telling him to shut-up and pull him away, by force………..
I am deeply disappointed in Bobby's response to this issue. I expected low brow commentary from the clowns on FFF, but Bobby, say it aint so. Masch's behavior is only relevant if the standard response to it is to be sent off. At this time it is not, and Liverpool at Old Crapford in March is not the time to create the standard.
A journalist's job is to be critical when necessary. Bennett made a decision that taints a season. Another foreigner was singled out and made an example of, while worse English offenders are let off.
Steve Nicol put it best on FFF. Bennett didn't even warn him. Sure his behavior was erratic and insupportable, but he should have pulled Gerrard aside and said keep him quiet or he is out.
I agree that this type of behavior needs to stop. That is the beauty of this injustice from the corrupt FA. They can point to Macherano and say he is to blame, that no one but he is at fault. BS. Another year handed to United.
You don't make these type of statements in the final stretch of the season. This was selective enforcement and a travesty. Who will say that an Englishman would have seen red? I have seen Terry, Gerrard, ACole, Barton, Bowyer etc, do worse for years.
Bobby – This is a bouncing ball.
“Even though Masch did nothing that I can see to deserve to be sent off,” – “where was captain fantastic? Shouldn't he be there telling him to shut-up and pull him away, by force,” – “Bennett didn't even warn him” - “sure his behavior was erratic and insupportable, he should have pulled Gerrard aside and said keep him quiet or he is out,”- “I agree that this type of behavior needs to stop.”
So we have a player Mascherano that did nothing but was sent off even though his captain should have told him to shut up and pull him away …if he was doing nothing why would Gerrard have to tell him to shut up and pull him away?
Bennett didn’t warn him? What’s a yellow card an indication of? Most sane people realize that it is a clear indication that you are one indiscretion away from being sent off.
But of course Mascherano was doing nothing according to you. But then we find out that Mascherano’s “behavior was erratic and insupportable” – that's all very well except you spent the rest of your post claiming he was hard done by.
And to cap it all off you agree that “this type of behavior needs to stop” – would that be the bad behavior or the not doing anything behavior?
Arsewatcher - Cool Canadian Soccer History site, Bobby. I liked the hockey connection part. I remember playing against Peter Zezel in U-16....dude was a great centre-back.
Bobby – There have been a number of very good hockey players that played were also decent soccer players.
Bonmot - Might you have some information on how Nate Jaqua and Joseph Ngwenya are doing in Austria?
Bobby – From this account it seems that Nate Jaqua has made a good start in Austria. If you are looking to stay current on his progress then the Yanks Abroad website is excellent. The last piece I read on Joseph Ngwenya was that he has been having trouble settling down and there is speculation that he may return to MLS.
Sleeper000 - Croatia are to play Scotland on Wednesday. This is Scotland's first international match with a new coach. However, the stadium will probably be half full. Do you think this is due to lack of interest in international friendlies or perhaps that Scotland are not playing a more popular opponent like France or Germany? I for one never take friendlies seriously, other than taking a look at some talented up and coming players. What is your take on the fixture?
Bobby – I’m surprised that they have sold half the tickets. There is so much soccer at this time of year that I don’t think friendly internationals mean enough to really catch many people’s interest. If it was England it might be different but I don’t think the opposition is really the issue. I’m sure it will be a useful exercise for George Burley but that is about it.
TNGooner - I'm convinced Arsenal's slump has to do with Adebayor's hair. Since he took the braids out and went for the mini-afro, he's only scored once and Arsenal has only won once (against Milan)...Ade needs to bring the braids back and get the Gunners back on track!
Bobby – I have a similar theory but it relates to players who decide to go blonde. I cannot think of a player who has played better after having a run-in with a bottle of peroxide. The Romanians started it when they all went blonde at the 1998 World Cup and it did not do them any good.
Thewobegonboy - I subscribe to FSC, Setanta, and that other footy channel that broadcasts La Liga. Are there any other options for watching European soccer in North America? I know you don't control FSC programming, but you often talk about watching games that weren't broadcast to the masses and I was wondering what mechanism allowed you to view those fixtures. Satellite? Online streaming? Secret handshake with the cable guy?
Bobby – It probably has more to do with what is available in Canada rather than anything untoward. We sometimes get different games from the ones offered in the USA and we also get games on stations called the Score, TLN and TV5. During MLS season there is also HDNet, TFC games on multiple Canadian broadcasters and depending on where you reside you may be lucky enough to get additional MLS games – in Winnipeg I watch the NER on a station out of Boston.
Vang60 - As a part time viewer of the Premier League, I think that the sending off of Mascherano was ABSOLUTELY influenced by Sir Alex BLEEP SON and MANURE since the referees in the league have NEVER had a spine against MANURE ARSENAL OR CHELSEA players dissent in the past and find it easy to implement any new policy against Liverpool. Disgraceful. The Premier League has just lost me as a fan. BLEEP YOU ALL.
Bobby – Lost another half a BLEEP fan.
Gregz - Can Arsenal's poor run of form be attributed to a lack of steel in defence? The first choice back line are individually very good defenders, however, especially in central defence we really lack height and strength. We really miss a player like Sol Campbell don't we? Also, how much is Arsene's insistence to not add to his squad harming Arsenal choices of winning trophies?
Bobby – You nailed it and it isn't just lately. I think it is a case that lately it has cost them points. Tony Adams was the rock for so many years and then it was Sol Campbell. I think it is why Wenger perseveres with Senderos. Overall he is a poorer defender than Gallas or Toure he is better in the air. I just don’t think you can win the Premiership without a centre half that is dominant in the air.
Regarding Wenger’s reluctance to add to his squad there is another angle to it I think. Because Arsenal is slumping the knee-jerk reaction is he should have signed players with the automatic implication that such signings would have meant a guarantee of silverware. There are more than enough examples of god team signing players and they have had the opposite effect. It’s interesting that there are a number of Arsenal fans criticizing Wenger but are quick to point out the bad signing other teams have made. Signing players does not come with a guarantee of success.
MasMaz - You pointed out that Drogba and Anelka were offside... and then you said so what. What is going on over there? Red Devil mania is sweeping through Canada like the plague. Can you imagine the outcry if Man Utd lost a game on a call like that?
Bobby – Drogba was marginally offside coming back from a ball that was knocked forward 40 yards and was still well outside the penalty area. The Arsenal central defenders didn’t win the ball and then they didn’t clear it.
If you prefer to focus on a marginal offside call rather than accepting that Arsenal lost because they were unable to defend against the most basic of attacks – a thump up the park and down the middle – then good for you. Others might think you are missing the point.
DVXPrime - Here's an interesting question about the surnames (not the "nicknames or mascots) of the UK-based teams. Poring through FourFourTwo magazine's annual preview issue, I found four common surnames: Rovers (Blackburn, Bristol), Wanderers (Bolton, Wolverhampton), Albion (West Bromwich, Brighton and Hove), and of course, United (Manchester...need i say more?). Oh, and Rangers (Queens Park, Glasgow). By any chance can you provide some insight or history on why some teams chose those surnames? Thanks.
Bobby – I think some others have done a pretty good job of answering this one. Names are a bit like uniforms ..easily copied.
Ursusarctos - Verbal's comments were not phrased as a question, but accounting for some rhetorical excess-- which I also indulged in in my previous reply to RINGO-- the two paragraphs sum up my views fairly well also. How would you characterize these views-- is there some justice in LFC feeling hard done by (even accepting the stupidity of Masch's actions) in light of ALL the circumstances verbal mentions? The Masch episode appears inconsistent with precedent (Terry et al) -- do you agree or not, and should precedent even matter?
Bobby – Mascherano was not sent off for dissent he was given a second yellow card for dissent which meant he was off. A more accurate description might have been a second yellow card for crass stupidity.
Do you not think it was obvious after the Cole incident on Wednesday that there were going to be ramifications is there was to be close to a repeat of the incident? Anyone who watches the Premiership on even a semi-regular basis knows what Bennett is like. Players know the officials they can intimidate and the ones that are card happy.
What came over Mascherano goodness only knows. You talk precedent and others who may have got away with it but timing is everything and Mascherano's decision to chirp and get involved in something that had nothing to do with him cost his team a chance at a comeback.
Neophyte - As far as Mascherano goes, he was the only one who had any passion for LFC. Too bad he went out of his way to get that red. You can put any excuse you want on it but it was aggressive, excessive and plain stupid. It wasn't why they lost. They simply didn't match United's tenacity (foul for foul) or desire. They looked flat...then gave into blaming the official.
Bobby – That wasn’t passion that was stupidity. Passion is not running around chirping at a referee and leaving your team with only ten men. Passion is about applying yourself to winning the game. What Mascherano did was the opposite.
Chad876 - I think refs treat ManU players differently than they do other teams if you think its a lie how many penalties have been awarded to United and each time Ronaldo is touch the refs blow.
Bobby – If you are going to make a statement like that you need to back it up. And from the stats I’ve read you are way off the mark. So Chad let’s have your facts?
African Cup of Nations After going four-for-four in the quarter finals of the African Cup of Nations it was just too good to last and although both my semi final picks have made it through to a final game it has turned out to be for third place rather than the actual final.
Although Ghana enjoyed an edge in the play a lack of sharpness in the penalty box cost them a place in the final. Cameroon was bound to create and take a chance and sure enough it happened. Apart from the goal an outstanding moment was Geremi's 30+ yard free kick that hit the junction of the bar and the post - an absolute cracking shot.
I thought the Egyptian back four looked a bit perturbed by the physical play on Angola’s Manucho in the quarter finals and felt that Drogba would cause the defense nightmares. As it turned out the defense played exceptionally well and overall I thought the Egyptians were outstanding for ninety minutes.
They got a couple of breaks from deflections but even so they showed as a well drilled and composed side that were worth their 4-1 win. However, I would be amiss not to mention the rocket of a shot from Keita cutting in from the left that looked to have got the Ivory Coast back in the game.
After handling Cameroon in the group stage and then the semi final victory over the Ivory Coast, Egypt will start as favourites to take their 6th African Cup of Nations title. At the risk of hexing Egypt I will take them to win 2-1.
Serie A One of the best games in prospect in Serie A is Juventus at Udinese. Udinese have only one win in their last six games and are slipping down the table. On the other hand Juventus is unbeaten in their last twelve games but six draws in the run means that although they remain in third position their points total has suffered.
When compared to Inter and Roma Juventus have slipped behind by 8 points and 3 points respectively. If history is a pointer then this game is good news for Juventus. Juventus has only lost three times in 33 visits.
Bundesliga The Bundesliga may have only been back for one week but the second round of the second half has a thrown up a top of the table clash between leaders Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen. Werder went into the winter break tied on points with Bayern but an unexpected loss to Bochum last week (the first Bochum win at Bremen in 31 tries) means they trail the Munich side by three points.
Bayern defensive home record is impressive with only two goals conceded in eight games. However, three draws means that their home points total does not necessarily reflect their defensive dominance.
On the other hand Werder Bremen’s away form has been poor with only 12 points from 8 games. Diego is Werder Bremen’s leading scorer with 9 to date and he is tied at the top of the Bundesliga scoring charts with Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose. Werder Bremen has also been buoyed by the return of Croatian international striker Ivan Klasnic after a second and this time successful kidney transplant.
La Liga The top game in Spain would appear to pit Sevilla against Barcelona. Sevilla is up to 7th position but is still making heavy weather of this season. As a precaution they also announced this week that they will take part in the Intertoto Cup if necessary in order to find a route to next season’s UEFA Cup.
Fabiano is having an outstanding season and has more than carried the goal scoring load so far this season with 16 goals to Freddie Kanoute’s 8. Previous to signing for Sevilla in 2005 Fabiano had been a bust at Rennes in France (2000) and then after returning to Brazil he signed for Porto in 2004. With a record of only 5 goals in 20 plus games he was not considered a success in Portugal. But since moving to Sevilla he has now made over 100 appearances and has scored around a goal every two matches.
Barcelona, on the other hand, has spread their scoring around with 13 different players contributing at least a goal so far this season.
Premiership What are the chances of getting through the minute of silence at Old Trafford without a Neanderthal contributing to the occasion? Not very good I am guessing. City has not had much success at Old Trafford and you have to go back to 1974 for their last league win.
It was the game decided by Denis Law’s back heeler with only a couple of minutes left. United fans then invaded the field, the game was abandoned, the result stood and six years after winning the European Cup Manchester United was relegated. Law’s goal is often described as one that relegated United but the fact is that United would have gone down anyway.
Although City is winless in 34 years and obviously without a win in ten Premiership visits they have drawn four times when visiting Old Trafford on Premiership business. City’s form has dropped off and when you look at the points they have garnered in blocks of five games it becomes quite clear - (from start of season) 9 pts, 13 pts, 8 pts, 6 pts, 5 pts.
Chelsea is hoping to extend their unbeaten home record and based on Liverpool’s record over the last number of years at Stamford Bridge it is a record that looks like being extended. Liverpool has been blanked on their last seven visits to Stamford Bridge and has only scored two goals in the last 12 visits in all competitions.
The only current Liverpool player to have scored at Stamford Bridge is Sammi Hyypia and Liverpool has only one win in 14 Premierships trips to Stamford Bridge. Over the last six league games Chelsea has picked up 16 points (best in the Premiership) against Liverpool’s record of four draws combined with a loss and a win – only good for 12th in the current form table.
So you have Chelsea riding the crest of a wave in terms of their recent premiership form against a team that they have largely owned in Premiership meetings at Stamford Bridge. Looks like a banker home win but this might just be the match that brings Chelsea’s unbeaten home run to an end.
Craigy_f – 1. I can write off the Johnson goal as 'one of those things' Dunn not getting a second yellow rankles much more. Look forward to your opinion either in print or on the show tomorrow . 2. Premier League V Champions League - Is one harder than the other or are they two different beasts.
3.What brought a frown to your face and what brought a smile this weekend?
4. Are you a fan or an analyst first and foremost? And why?
5. The Fiorentina Milan game was pretty dire, what do you think accounted for this? The importance of the game (a real decider on 4th place). The closeness of the two teams in terms of skill etc...The two teams didn't actually play that well.
6. GIVE THEM HANDS! Two very similar situations and two vastly different results. Carragher gets the benefit of the doubt when his hands block a Murphy shot in the area – Styles waves play on. Zaccardo blocks the ball with his hand - Bergzoni immediately and calmly points to the spot. You can see why fans, managers and players get frustrated. The commentators always seem to talk about how you have no control over your arms in situations like these. Your take on this issue - which seems to have cropped up a fair bit recently - if you please.
7. And finally... Five footballing people agree to be interviewed by you - who would you pick?
Bobby – 1. Sorry to disappoint but the only piece of the Everton and Blackburn game that I saw that was controversial was Khizanishvili pole-axing John son in the penalty box. Didn’t see the offside decision although certainly sounds as if the officials made a mistake.
2. Pointless exercise – purely subjective.
3. The weather – Drogba’s goal against Guinea.
4. I don’t think you could do the analyst thing for any length of time without being a fan – it would drive you around the bend. However, I think it is even more important to be a student of the game if you are trying to analyze it.
5. It needed a goal early on and probably from Fiorentina. As it was I think both teams were well prepared and cancelled each other out. A massive disappointment.
6. I was always taught that if you “wave your arms around” (i.e. away from your body) when trying to make a block then there was a very good chance that you were going to get called for hand ball.
Claiming that players have no control of their arms is almost always rubbish. You may as well claim they have no control over their legs. I say almost always because in a situation when a player is falling after a challenge or has slipped then arm movement becomes instinctive.
I was surprised that Styles did not award a penalty against Carragher.
7. Luis Cesar Menotti, Jim McLean, Guy Roux, Alfredo di Stefano and (I don’t know of fits the definition) Hugh McIlvanney.
Gregz - Q1.What do you make of Abou Diaby? At times doesn't he seem too selfish & hence out of place for Arsenal's team play. Q2. Lionel Messi has become a bit predictable in his play. He most times dribbles too much instead of go for the quick pass or quick shot. What do you think?
Bobby –1. He is there primarily to give the team a bit more grit in midfield. I would not consider him a selfish player. When he dribbles there mostly seems to be a point to it rather than just holding on to the ball for the sake of it. He has a terrific shot and if needs to take a couple of players on to open up a shooting opportunity then it is probably a good decision.
2. If I was a defender facing Lionel Messi I would certainly want him to make the quick pass. That way I could escape with some self respect intact.
Players like Messi have been blessed with special skills and should be appreciated for what they have rather than trying to turn them into something they are not. I don’t want to tune in a year from now and find that Messi has been turned into a useful midfield player who just sits deep and hits nice passes.
Did you ever consider that someone might have said the same thing about Maradona? Instead of running through the England team in 1986 perhaps Maradona could have laid a nice first time ten yard pass back to Jose Luis Brown. Over twenty years on do you think we would be replaying that ten yard pass?
Ursusarctos –1. In Bill Edgar's latest quiz the answer to the question "Which two league clubs’ grounds in Britain are the closest together?" is Dundee and Dundee United. I've never been to Dundee, so I looked up a picture of the setting)- holy ....., they're just across the street from each other! Do you have any stories about what it is like for fans to be so close to the local rivals (and here I thought the width of Stanley Park was close proximity ...)? 2. I forgot to add that in the same quiz, Bill Edgar asks :"How many times has one club won the FA Cup and League Cup in the same season?" ...... and gives the answer "2. Arsenal in 1993, and Chelsea in 2007." Now, advancing middle age may be robbing me of essential cognitive functions (certainly yes, but beside the point ...!), but I would have added Liverpool in the year of the Cup Treble, 2001. Can you tell me what twist to the question I am missing? Or did Bill Edgar mess up? Thanks!
Bobby –1. With a helpful gust of wind you could probably punt the ball from Dens to Tannadice and there are a number of wayward strikers from both sides who have tried over the year. It may have again since I left but I can only remember game being played on the same day.
I had to do a little bit of checking back on this one but I am pretty confident that Dundee and Dundee United were both drawn at home in the Scottish Cup in 1968. This was a few seasons before the advent of Sunday football so they decided to have one game kick off earlier than the other – I can’t remember which was which.
I was at Dens to see Dundee draw with Rangers 1-1 while Dundee United lost to Hearts by the odd goal in 11 – yes they lost 6-5. Hearts went on to the final that season but lost 3-1 to Dunfermline. Dunfermline knocked out the European Champions Celtic in the first round by a score of 2-0 at Parkhead.
Rangers beat Dundee in a replay 4-1 in extra time and I think Jim Easton the Dundee centre half who later moved to Vancouver scored an own goal in one of the two games.
Nobody would even give a seconds thought to playing both games on the same day nowadays.
2. I think Mr. Edgar may have got that one wrong. It even happens to the best.
Yrusodull - Please, a clear headed, unbiased account of the Spurs - Manu match a White Hart Lane. I don't want to appear to whine (as the majority of gooners do, when things don't go their way!!), but I was sure there were 93:+ mins. on the clock before the corner was given. Is it my imagination, or do Spurs consistently get the short end from the officials?? Please give me your take!
Bobby – The board that goes up it supposed to show the minimum amount of time to be added so I would not hang my hat on that one. There were four substitutions (one was a double) as well as five yellow cards in the second half including one to Cerny for time wasting. So I don’t think the added tome was out of line. Bottom line is Spurs had chances to win the game and they defended the corner kick very poorly.
Shmish - With regards to the Kuper article, not being much of a soccer player myself I've never quite understood the concept of "old" for players. I always thought that soccer was a bit of an endurance sport, in which case men in their 30's should be very comfortable.
Okay, so here's two comparisons. First, professional road racing. Erik Zabel is still a force in cycling and he will be 38 years old this year. He is primarily a sprinter with explosive speed. Lance Armstrong, 37 this year, would probably still be the premier racer if he didn't retire.
His schtick is everything but sprinting (which he probably wouldn't be bad at either). Secondly there is ice hockey. It is not uncommon for top players to be in their mid thirties. Hockey is mix of speed and power, and physical durability.
So why would we expect a 37 year old to be over the hill in soccer? Don't be me wrong, I'm 37 and a bit out of shape so I can relate to the article and the joy of playing for the sake of playing. But I also know that even at 37, a person should be able to be as competitive as they want.
I know that Bobby has alluded to Drogba's age a few times. I don't want to misquote Bobby but my general impression is that he thinks Drogba's age will start to have a detrimental effect on his play. While I won't argue that perhaps Drogba is at his peak, I also don't see why he couldn't play at almost the same level for another 5 years. The "best" in other sports do.
Bobby – Endurance is only part of it. Without quickness of thought and foot as well as technical ability having endurance is only going to allow you to run around and be an irritant for ninety minutes.
I don’t think your comparison with cycling and hockey stands up. I cannot speak on cycling per se (even though the lack of physical contact likely precludes any valid comparison) but can on hockey.
Over the years I played with a number of team mates who were very good hockey players and in a couple of cases they played professionally. The conditioning for soccer and hockey is very different.
It shows in the way hockey games are scheduled – often back to back or three games in four or five nights. That is just impossible in terms of soccer.
It is not about wanting or not wanting to be competitive it is about having the physical capability to play at the highest level where a fraction of space given or taken or split second decision making often separates winning and losing.
Although the lifespan of a player tends to decrease as we move from front to back there are exceptions as there is to any rule. Strikers generally have the shortest lifespan given that to be successful they generally need the full package of technical ability, endurance, quickness and strength –Super Pippo the exception!!!
It is not a case that I think age will have a detrimental effect on Drogba’s play – it almost certainly will, it is nature taking its course.
Take a look at how George Weah’s production quickly waned at the end of his career. He didn’t stop scoring goals – he just stopped scoring as frequently and against good teams. If Drogba is still producing at the same rate and at the same level in five years he will be abnormal. More likely whoever he is playing for will not be a very good team.
CIAO - Do you know whether or not Nick Webster gets "the beers in..." before he writes his articles?
Bobby – You will have to ask Nick. From experience it is not a good idea. Something written after a few beers is not nearly as funny the next morning.
Apad03 -1. What do you think of the outcome of the upcoming US V MEX game will be?
2. The US has something of a streak going against Mexico lately and many people say that the US is getting in Mexico’s head. They (Mexico) seem to dominate the possession and outplay the US but fail to score and end up losing in the end. Mexico is trying out many players that have not been on the team for the previous losses to the US, could that affect the outcome?
3. I read a blog post by Chang over at ESPN and he was talking about what a great season Bradley is having over there in Holland. Have you seen him play and how would you rate his progress?
I think he has really developed a lot this past year. Really earned his spot on the USMNT and has become a better two way player. Gets behind the ball well but also is very good at starting counter attacks and showing up in the box at opportune times. Chang was also writing that he would probably move on in the summer to a much bigger club, have you heard anything about that?
Bobby –1. One of three possible outcomes I would say. In the end it is a friendly international and friendlies are there to help the coaches. The only results that count are the ones that lead to a trophy.
2. It is rarely about possession it is how effective you are when you have the ball. If Mexico wins then I’m sure someone will claim it is down to new players. If not another excuse will be trotted out – there is never a shortage of excuses for losing a game.
3. I saw Bradley at the under-20s and thought he played very well. I have not seen him since. There are stories out there about Bradley moving to a Premiership club but there is no indication that at the moment these rumours are anything more than a product of someone having to write a story and needing a tidy ending. If 1% of transfer stories ever come to pass then I would be surprised.
Henry14 - Q1 Do you think the Ivory Coast potentially or still have probably the best African squad ever? Q2 - Do you think rotation alone is the reason Liverpool are down in fifth or they just do not have Liverpool type players apart from the obvious 4 players? Q3 Who is the mvp in the premiership not necessarily from the top 3, but the most pivotal guy to a team? Q4 Can Fulham survive given that they are 3 points from safety?
Bobby –1. Nigeria in 1994 (World Cup) and 1996 (Olympics) was pretty good.
2. You are not allowed to mention the R-word it upsets L-fans. I noticed when the stock market slumped a couple of weeks that news commentators and economists were pointing out that that the R-word was being talked about. Personally I was a bit baffled as to how Rafa’s choices would impact the stock market but there you go.
3. How about Martin Laursen at Aston Villa?
4. There are 39 points still at stake and with a three point deficit I would have to say that yes Fulham can survive. Will they survive – I still don’t think so.
Mts2284- 1. I was wondering what your thoughts were on Mohamed Sissoko and Lassana Diarra. I know both struggled this season for first team action with Liverpool and Arsenal considering both team’s depth at midfield. Do you think Sissoko and Diarra will get more chances to play for Juventus and Portsmouth and become better and more seasoned players? I thought Diarra played rather well against Chelsea.
2. Also, who do you like in the FA Cup 5th Round match between Arsenal and Manchester United?
3. Who is your favorite for Champions League glory? And who do you like in the AC Milan Arsenal Group of 16?
Bobby –1. Sissoko started strongly but has not really delivered after that early surge. Ranieri may have had Sissoko at Valencia so he is likely going to play for a manager who has bought him with a specific purpose in mind. I think you will see both players get more playing time initially but as with any other player they will only consistently start over the long haul if they are delivering the right stuff.
2. I haven't really given up much thought so far.
3. I said at the beginning of the season I thought Inter Milan had a good shot. Oddly enough I could also see things lining up for Chelsea – maybe not to win it but maybe a spot in the final. Arsenal or Milan – I would give Milan the edge.
Redfan2000 - Questions and discussions abound on why Liverpool are underachieving or underperforming. As a qualified and well experienced ops manager I know well enough that the off field antics of Laurel and Hardy have destabilised the ship.
Such is the embarrassment in Hicks' camp that he has not been seen at Anfield since the Man Utd game I think. His only interview this year done with BBC or SKy but not with the club TV station and there have been no letters or articles to the club website, all to compound a communications disaster like none other in Premiership history.
Despite all the noise, which has become repetitive and boring, I was pondering a remark Bobby you made on Friday (I think) that many of the current squad are not of the calibre of a club of Liverpool's stature. Aside of the above mentioned mess and upsets, I have been wondering what else would take a team of CL winners and make it worse 3 years later?
Since the Champion's League win we have had a massive turnover in players. We have lost: Baros, Hammann, Traore, Smicer, Warnock, Henchoz, Cisse, Fowler, Dudek, Garcia, Biscan, Pongolle, Cheyrou, Le Tellec to name but a few.
In we have bought the likes of: Alonso, Nunez, Josemi, Pellegrino, Morientes, Sissoko, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Torres, Benayoun, Pennant, Crouch, Babel, Veronin, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Skrtel, Agger, Reina etc etc. Some of these have now gone too.
I am bound to say that a little spoken factor has to be change. So much has changed in the last 3 years including ownership, but especially player turnover as can be seen. The actual lists of players in and out is huge.
Such changes will take time to settle. Some players may never settle or adapt to the premiership, but molding so many new faces into a team is a long job as the likes of Shankly, Wenger and Ferguson have proved.
Not only are the changes so many and too many in so short a time, the players brought in, especially before Hicks and Gillett took over, were not necessarily much of an improvement and in several cases far worse. Losing Biscan and Henchoz for Pellegrino for example was not an improvement. Many bad buys among the few good ones. I wonder if Rafa needs a director of football?
There are clearly right now several Heinz 57 mutts standing in the greyhound derby and it shows. More spending is needed for wingers and defenders, or some of the reserves have to be given a shot. Either way the changes will take time to settle down and like Gwillem Bellague, I thing the Premiership is two seasons off yet and then only if the right pegs are found to fill vacant holes. Any further thoughts.
Plus - Gerrard is today named as captain of England to play Switzerland tomorrow. Another question for you to ponder regarding his position as skipper at Liverpool: Do you think he would be a better player at Liverpool (and maybe England too), if Carragher or another senior pro was skipper (of LFC)? I named Carragher because he is vice captain.
Bobby – I think that is a pretty good summation of the Liverpool situation. There are a couple of things I would add. There is no doubt in my mind that this Liverpool team is a better team than 2005 even though that side won the Champions League – that is not to say that it doesn’t come without glaring weaknesses.
The fight back from 3-0 was probably the greatest seen in the final of a major competition and I think because Liverpool won very little is said about how they came to be down 3-0 in the first place. Rafa put out the wrong players out playing in the wrong formation.
His half time substitutions only rectified his original mistake – not a bad gig if you can get it. Receiving credit for solving the problem you caused in the first place.
And that leads me to the second point. I just keep on getting the feeling that Benitez thinks that he has to get every team and every formation just right for every game. It leads to odd formations, players out of position and the team generally looking disjointed and confused.
I think he gives three-quarters of the Premiership far too much credit. If he has a more settled formation he could throw the team out most weeks and they would come back with three points.
It’s not to say that formations cannot change based on the level of the opposition – Benitez has shown a masterful hand at times in one off games – but every game?
Liverpool does need a couple of better fullbacks going forward. There are not many teams that are successful without solid attacking options at full back.
I don’t see Gerrard captaincy as being an issue.
OrangeSpur - I've enjoyed your opinions over the years and I'm curious on your take on Tottenham's current CB situation. Can Tottenham really afford to accommodate Ledley King with playing him in one out of every 3 games?
I've been after my glory-glory.net mates that Spurs need to move on a plan for life without King and should his health turn around then it is a bonus for us.
Secondly, what do you think about the thought that Berbatov is the new Zizou - well the closest thing we have to Zizou in today's game? Take care!
Bobby – A few months ago I took a look at Spurs point production with and without King. There is no doubt that Spurs are far more productive with King in the side. However, I am not sure I understand what you are getting at when you refer to a plan for life without King. What are you suggesting?
The thought that Berbatov is the new Zizou? Well, it is a unique thought given that they play(ed) in very different positions and not an idea that has ever crossed my mind. I thought the comment from last season that Berbatov was the new Alan Gilzean was closer to the mark.
Henry14 - What do you think of the statement that Walcott is more of an athlete learning to play football rather than a footballer who becomes a great athlete? What do you think of such an assessment?
Bobby – I would say that anyone that came up with that doesn’t know very much about what it takes to develop a professional soccer player. If you are not a great athlete to start with your chances of getting a look in are pretty slim. I can’t think of one player who was a great player who became a great athlete.
Gers4Lyfe – 1. Will Dundee make another run at Hamilton? 2. Do you think Celtic's additions will push them past Rangers in the second half? 3. How do you rate Hutton's debut performance for Spurs over the weekend? 4. Your views on the coaching staff for Scotland?
Bobby –1. Sincerely hope so. Still a good bit of the season left. 2. I would say it is Rangers league to lose. 3. I thought he played very well – in no way did he look out of place. 4. If George Burley is happy with Terry Butcher then I am happy to give it a chance. However…….
Jeremy St Louis is back in the blogging business and don’t forget that England vs. Switzerland is on both FSC in the US and FSWC in Canada.
Tamerlin - How does the financing of the Champions League and UEFA Cup work? I've heard that the CL pays each club for everything (hotel, travel, etc.), whereas UEFA Cup requires the clubs to pay. Therefore a club needs to get to the Semi-finals in the UEFA Cup to actually make any money.
- Where do you place the ref's call that ejected Shanon Boxx among the worst World Cup calls? The Brazilian fouled her!
Bobby – UEFA controls both competitions and generally owns the media (TV etc) and sponsorship rights. I say generally because my understanding is that the clubs are able to sell the rights to qualifying round games in the Champions League but all rights revert to UEFA once the group stage starts.
The home team gets to keep their gate money but I have no idea who pays for hotel, travel etc. I would be surprised if UEFA paid for hotel, travel etc as it would be easily abused. The prize money is allocated based on qualification for the group stage, points collected in the group stage plus how far the club progresses in the knock out rounds. The prize money is a combination of money from a general rights pool (sponsorship and TV) and money allocated based on the TV money generated domestically and paid out based on how all clubs from that country do. That’s why we get situations where Champions League runner up (or even beaten semi finalist) can be awarded more prize money than the actual winner.
There are also payments made to teams that are knocked out in the three rounds of qualifying. Here is a UEFA article that outlines the process with pay out amounts for 2006/07 for both competitions.
I stand to be corrected but I believe UEFA only sells TV rights from the last eight of the UEFA Cup on and before that the home club owns the rights. Sponsorship is limited compared to the Champions League. Clubs also keep the home gate so I think the stories of having to reach the semis to make money are far-fetched – after all if that was the case why would teams bother competing?
I didn’t watch the WWC so I can’t comment on the referee’s decision.
Yohann - Are you confident about Chelsea (in Champions League)? I feel like the Blues will have trouble finding the net, especially if Drogba isn't on fire like last year... They tied Rosenborg and are in a group that includes Schalke and Valencia, a team that has an extra motivation against Chelsea.
Bobby – I stand by my prediction. There are six games and a home draw against Rosenborg is not the end of the world. Schalke is average at best. Valencia are a good team with solid European credentials.
Ringo - Either Duncan Castles is now part of the inner workings at the Bridge, or he`s auditioning for a job with the Sun.
Bobby – I was a bit cautious on some stuff he wrote earlier as I was thinking the same as you. But based on the stuff he has generated lately and after listening to him on the GU podcast I would say that someone (or a couple of people) are feeding him a lot of inside stuff. Or someone who has now left was feeding him information!
MDMcAuley - Maybe you've been asked this before; but as the wise seer of all things Scottish and most things soccer, do you think Celtic and Rangers would consistently compete and stay clear of relegation if they were in the English Premier League? If so, roughly where would you put them in the table? Is there any serious interest in their managements in joining the EPL for financial reasons?
Bobby – Without a doubt over an extended period they would compete and would both be strong teams. Celtic and Rangers enjoy massive global support and with the money generated from playing in the Premiership they would both comfortably be in top ten after they settled in. The most difficult period would be the first year. Both clubs would jump at the chance to join the Premiership but it will not happen. Not because of UEFA or FIFA but because they would be taking the place of two English teams and you don’t find turkeys voting for Christmas too often.
Just a general comment about a UK side. Anyone who suggests such a possibility has no idea of history, culture and pride. There are more important things than winning. As for the Republic of Ireland taking part as well – a history lesson is badly needed.
Henry14 - q1 What do you make of the Flamster's impact at Arsenal, what have you made of him? l have to say l am changing my opinion q2 You predicted Chelsea as the champs at the end of the season are you ready to throw the towel that they will not retain? q3 Do you see Kaka staying at Milan if they keep not taking anything serious other than with a Champions League athem (sic)? q4 Spurs or Man City who is your pick now for fifth?
Bobby–1. Flamini has played very well and looks to have come of age. 2. No. I don't normally change predictions. 3. I must have missed the press release that said Milan was only taking the Champions League seriously. 4. I picked City to finish 12th and Spurs 5th. Two seasons ago after 7 games City had 11 points and Stuart Pearce was the saviour. They finished 15th. Two seasons on they have two more points and this time SGE is the saviour. The problem with a team having an unexpected good or bad start to the season is that we tend to project the trend as upwards and onwards.
However, there is not a lot of evidence to support that view and over time things average out. Yes, City have recruited some players who have made an initial impact but the rest of the Premiership isn’t sitting around in awe. They are looking at City matches and they are looking at ways to blunt their strengths and to take advantage of their weaknesses.
Craigyf - How long has it been since the top two in Scotland were both managed by Scots?
Bobby – Not very long given that both Smith and Strachan are Scots and with the exception of a brief French interlude it was McLeish and Strachan.
Craigyf - Marcotti on Super Pippo! – Really Gabrielle, how many games of Pippo have you actually watched? Saying that Pippo doesn’t fit in with Milan is akin to saying that Antipasti doesn’t fit in with an Italian meal. The article is basically tosh; Marcotti really doesn’t know what he is talking about. He scores goals for a living and does it with immense passion, obviously a dullard such as Marcotti doesn’t get football. Interesting choice of articles this week, some good and some are just awful, how do you pick them?
Bobby – Did you read the article? How anyone could interpret the article as anything but complimentary to Inzaghi beats me. The articles are chosen based on what I think readers might find interesting, or perhaps a contrary view that is worth considering. Based on your interpretation of Marcotti’s article on Inzaghi I can’t even attempt to guess which ones you think are good and which are awful.
popculturejon - This is a bit off topic Bobby, but stay with me. Would it be possible for a company like Nike to buy a small EPL club (Like Derby for example) before a WC (so 2009). Then sign a lot of American players and an American coach to try to get a squad together that plays every week and trains as a unit over a season? Granted, not all players would have to come from this project team, but it would give the US an advantage as far as team chemistry and EPL experience.
Bobby – Well Spons46 makes a very good and valid point – there are work permit restrictions to overcome. But beyond that you may (or may not) be surprised that such a notion has actually been put into practice a couple of times.
In the late 70s (?), Dynamo Kiev became the defacto Soviet Union national team. The experiment was abandoned after a couple of seasons. The same could be said for a large number of eastern-bloc countries before the Berlin wall came down. The sports ministries often used their power to allocate large numbers of national caliber team players to one or maybe two club teams. The great Hungarian national team of the 50s had a significant number of players from Honved.
However, the most relevant example is much closer to home. A Team America was fielded in the NASL around 1982 or 83 with the same logic as you sugested. I believe they played as Washington (maybe a NASL fan can confirm) and it was a disaster. Canada was ready to undertake the same experiment in Montreal but baulked after the USA plan bombed.
Ulsterson - Last night you talked about Kasper Schmeichel’s youth and experience affecting his performance on crosses and I think you mentioned his height (at 6'0", a good 4 inches shorter than his old man) on Friday. I agree, and there is, in my view, another issue of his game where his stature is also detrimental. This one more directly related to his father. The young Dane mimics a distinctive technique his father was famous for called the "starfish". Just as it sounds, the arms and legs splay out like an open jumping jack to try to make as big a target as possible. Peter used the maneuver if the ball was off the ground and he was too close to the anticipated shot to react, jumping before he had any real idea where the ball would go. It was quite successful for Sr., in part, because of his massive size, but because it required the size of Peter’s XXXL frame and of the risk involved in leaving the feet before the shot I don’t think it is often taught. From what I have seen, Kasper seems to rely on the "starfish" more than he should (it almost seems to be his default save, even when he is too far away from the shot for it to be prudent or even when the ball is on the ground) and his smaller stature leaves too much room for balls to get by. Watch the goals scored on him by Fulham and tell me what you think.
Bobby – Good point. If I remember correctly Schmeichel senior borrowed the move from playing in goal at handball or at least watching the sport. Before I heard that I was in Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics and took in a handball game one day. I was surprised to see (what I thought to be) the goalkeepers pulling off Peter Schmeichel style saves! I guess I got it the wrong way round.
A little piece on Brazilian Jose Altafini who scored twice in Milan’s first European Cup Final win in 1963.What the article doesn’t point out is that Altafini scored 8 of his 14 goals against Union Luxembourg in a 14-0 aggregate win. In the same round Ipswich Town, with Alf Ramsey as manager, beat Floriana of Malta 14-1 with Ray Crawford scoring seven. Milan and Ipswich were drawn together in the second round.
Technology and its increasing application in the game.
Joachim Buwembo on a “surprising” result in last weekend’s African Cup of Nations qualifying round.
Lithuania midfielder Saulius Mikoliunas has been given a two-match ban for diving.
This weekend has a number of exceptional match-ups. Over the last few seasons any time Manchester United has played Chelsea the hype has been extraordinary although on occasion the actual performance has disappointed. Even without the exit of Jose Mourinho this game was going to garner all sorts of attention but Wednesday’s dramatics will only bring to bear more story lines.
Neither side has started this season strongly. Both sit with 11 points from the first six games and goals have been difficult to come by. Manchester United has not scored more than a goal in a game and has been shut out twice. Chelsea has been kept off the score sheet in the last two Premiership matches and will likely be without their two greatest attacking threats – Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.
Given the background to this game there will be a terrific temptation to read more into the result than there might actually be. A United win and Grant’s reign as manager might be counted in days rather than weeks; a Chelsea win and the knee jerk reaction will be Jose who.
Perhaps the more interesting contrast between these two teams is not on the field but in how the two organizations are managed. The Glazers have come in for a ton of criticism – mainly for burdening a debt free club with a debt-load that might sink a small country – but when you consider the shenanigans at Stamford Bridge you quickly realize that they understand how to run an organization - division of responsibility, accountability and singing of the same song sheet.
At Stamford Bridge you have a business working without a common purpose, layers of management that appear to overlap and an owner that thinks that money endows with football knowledge. What is worse are the indications that things will only get worse. This mornings English papers are suggesting that Abramovich “will take a more active role in team affairs after the departure from Chelsea of Jose Mourinho”, - (RA on the tracksuit will be next).
