It seemed pretty straightforward at the time. A day after the transfer window closed write a column on some of the bigger moves and some that didn’t come to pass. Then yesterday came and we were hit with the equivalent of a category five hurricane.
Who could have possibly thought on Sunday evening that within 24 hours Manchester City would be turned into a financial powerhouse and that the new owners (Abu Dhabi United Group) would mark their arrival by signing Robinho?
After all, a week ago the general consensus was that City was in financial and organizational disarray and that the best route for manager Mark Hughes was the door marked exit. Now, he has a board of directors talking instant success, and all funded by a budget that even Roman Abramovich might hesitate to sanction. (Some may argue that the best route for Hughes remains the same.)
The remarkable events of yesterday has left writers, bloggers and fans stunned and grasping to try and understand the full implications of the audacious takeover for the Premiership, as well as European and World football. It has also not stopped many resorting to received wisdom cloaked as insightful comment.
Most would argue under more sober circumstances that joining the dots between unlimited funds, success and world domination is a tad simplistic but it hasn’t stopped some jumping on board the hyperbole bandwagon as it heads to the north-west of England. Lots of cash + best players in world = World Domination.
If that is the case then examples should readily come to mind. Chelsea under Abramovich – not even domestic domination let alone global. Real Madrid and the Galacticos era – yeah that worked. Check out how much Inter Milan spent trying achieve success during the 90s – in terms of major trophies it was ####-all squared. Barcelona have spent many fortunes over the years and have won the European Cup just twice in over half a century.
That is not to say that the availability of money doesn’t matter. Money has always being part of the game and identifying and buying the right talent at the right price has always been a key skill set of any successful manager. In terms of British managers from Herbert Chapman and the Bank of England Arsenal side of the 30s to Sir Matt Busby, Bill Shankly, Jock Stein and Brian Clough, all were astute buyers of talent.
For Manchester City the requirement to buy at the right price appears to no longer apply but building a team is much more than just signing “world class” players. Quite simply I would refer to a basic definition - “a team is a group of people with complementary skills committed to a common purpose and a set of goals.”
It is not a group of high priced mercenaries unwilling to sacrifice self for the common guide. Separating players with character from the imposters takes skill, experience and insight – it takes smarts.
Until Manchester City show that they have the smarts I would suggest that a Global Domination Tour 2010 (or 2015 for that matter) might be premature.
Transfers
For the last three months we have been inundated with news of transfers that were sure to be consummated, deals that only needed a signature and daring multi-million dollar raids being planned in bunkers deep below Premiership grounds.
With a lot of last minute wheeling and dealing we are told that a new Premiership spending record of around $1B has been set during the just completed transfer-window. But what of the transfers that didn’t come to pass?
Here is a list of my top 25 non-transfers.
1. Samuel Eto’o – Barcelona to assorted clubs. My biggest surprise when you consider that Barcelona was happy to see the back of the former African Player of the Year. A clear indication that the top clubs believe Eto’o to be more trouble than he is worth.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United to Hartlepool United. Forgiven but not forgotten and with cash from the Robinho in-hand we are sure to hear more in ten months time.
3. Gareth Barry – Aston Villa to Liverpool. Wasn’t about the money? Right.
4. Andrei Arshavin – Zenit St. Petersburg to Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur. You have to feel that Arshavin’s magical European Championship semi-final appearance against Spain cost him dear. Magical? He disappeared.
5. Emmanuel Adebayor – Arsenal to Barcelona or Milan. So much press but just a reincarnation of numerous Patrick Vieira summers on a smaller scale.
6. Xabi Alonso – Liverpool to Arsenal, Aston Villa, Juventus. Poor Rafa Benitez. Has to make do with one of the best passers of the ball in the Premiership – with both feet.
7. David Villa – Valencia to Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid. Real Madrid was going to be his destination if it was to move but Valencia decided to continue their flirt with insolvency. Here’s betting that he will have to be sold at a much lower price than Valencia might have demanded coming off the Euros.
8. David Silva – Valencia to Liverpool, Manchester United. Similar scenario to his teammate Villa.
9. Frank Lampard – Chelsea to Inter. Frank demanded a five-year deal and Chelsea with a back bone of jello gave it to him.
10. Kaka – Milan to Chelsea. Good headlines but little chance that it was actually going to happen.
11. Gennaro Gattuso – Milan to Bayern Munich. The German club seemed genuinely interested at the start of the summer but it faded quickly. The January transfer window might find Gattuso moving but not to Bayern Munich.
12. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar – Ajax to assorted clubs. Every year Huntelaar is rumoured to be a target for the big clubs of Europe. And every year nothing happens. I think the message is loud and clear.
13. Adrian Mutu – Fiorentina to Roma. Mutu opted to keep faith with the side that resurrected his playing career but with a hefty invoice arriving soon from Chelsea Mutu might have to find funds quickly.
14. Roque Santa Cruz - Blackburn Rovers to Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United. Another player showing some loyalty to a club that offered an opportunity when many would not.
15. Thierry Henry – Barcelona to Seattle Sounders, New York Red Bulls, Manchester United. The most unbelievable rumours of the summer.
16. Diego Forlan – Atletico Madrid to Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur. Forlan may have struck gold in Spain but he will never live down his spell at Manchester United. It would take a gutsy Premiership team to offer Forlan a second chance.
17. Joao Moutinho – Sporting Lisbon to Everton. An on-going frustration for Everton but I can’t help but feel that Moutinho would not have filled Everton’s needs.
18. Javier Saviola – Real Madrid to Newcastle. A summer has gone by and Saviola did not change clubs.
19. Ruben de la Red – Real Madrid to Arsenal. Real Madrid is not so deep in great midfield players that they can afford to let de la Red slip away.
20. Gokhan Inler – Udinese to Arsenal. Inler enjoyed an excellent European Championship for Switzerland and just signed a long-term deal with Udinese of Serie A.
21. Branislav Ivanovic – Chelsea to Milan. Signed with a great deal of fanfare last January Ivanovic is on course to challenge Winston Bogarde as Chelsea’s worst signings of all-time. He has been described as a versatile defender who is able to play any position on the bench if given a chance.
22. Vagner Love – CSKA Moscow to Everton. This one enjoyed some prominence for a week or so in the form of a loan deal or a transfer.
23. Karim Benzema – Lyon to assorted clubs. The young man has showed a great deal of common sense by realizing that he is going to become a better player playing each game for Lyon rather than being rotated at another club. His time will come and it will be big money. (I wonder if he supported Manchester City as a boy?)
24. Sergio Aguero – Atletico Madrid to assorted clubs. Sit back and wait for the English media to discover a player that by the time the World Cup comes around in 2010 will be regarded as one of the top five talents in the world.
25. Luis Figo – Inter to UAE, MLS. Remember that back in January Figo was reported to have signed a contract to play in the Middle East? On Saturday there was Figo at 35 starting for Inter.
Newcastle Whether Kevin Keegan has been fired or has resigned or will be taking training tomorrow doesn’t really matter. Newcastle continues to operate in a shambolic manner with owner Mike Ashley showing he would have trouble finding the ground if he fell out a tree – beer or no beer.
Ashley is another example of the misplaced faith that fans put in businessmen that have a “passion” for their club. It is the “passion” that causes the problem. Better to look for an owner who has a solid long-term plan rather than one who has a desire to kow-tow to the supporters.
I said in the pre-season preview that Ashley had “bit off more than he could chew” and “despite stories of how much money Keegan was to be given to bring new players to St. James’ there has been little indication these past months”.
Less than a month in and Ashley has admitted that he did not undertake any due diligence when buying the club and has been shocked at how much transfer money was owed in deferred payments. (Must have glass doors at St. James’).
Furthermore, it has become clear over the last week that the Newcastle board is willing to sanction the sale of players no matter what the manager thinks.
There have been more than a few articles written after Arsenal’s recent
slump in the Premiership and their exit from the Champions League to Liverpool.
The themes are common, Arsene Wenger should have strengthened the squad during
the January transfer window (as if signing players comes with any sort of
success guarantee); Arsenal needs to rebuild; too young; too old in the case of
Gilberto; “poor me” ala Jens Lehmann.
But how many of these writers, pundits and bloggers picked Arsenal to win
the Premiership this season or even to finish in the top three? My memory of
last August is that a lot of them – even a few Arsenal fans – were looking at a
fourth place Premiership finish at best.
A good number were suggesting that in the wake of Thierry Henry’s
departure for Barcelona that 5th place might even be a more
realistic target. A good run in the Champions League and beating the reigning
European Champions along the way? Not even on the radar.
So how can a team that was so widely dismissed just eight months ago overachieve
and still be considered a failure? The fact of the matter is that Arsenal have
become victim of rising expectations rather than of under achievement. What if
instead of starting the season undefeated in 15 games they had started
disappointingly like Liverpool or even Chelsea and then hit a winning streak
that took them up to third place in the Premiership? We would be inundated by articles fawning
over this Arsenal side as one on the rise and the team to watch next season.
What about the Champions League you say? Liverpool won but the two legs
largely hinged on two penalty decisions that both went Liverpool’s way. Winning
and losing at the top level often sits precariously on a knife edge and in
these two situations the breaks went Liverpool’s way. And sometime in the
future they won’t – as has happened in the past (Chelsea penalty at Anfield in
October anybody?).
But that doesn’t seem to matter to those prone to knee jerk reactions and
with a proclivity to throw a whole nursery class out with the bath water let
alone just one child. With five games to go Arsenal are favourites to finish
above Liverpool in the Premiership and could still finish second ahead of
Chelsea – or even Manchester United.
Given that Liverpool or Chelsea is going to be knocked out at the
semi-final stage of the Champions League and both were knocked out of the FA Cup by Barnsley, can we
expect to read articles about the need for Liverpool or Chelsea to rebuild
their sides?
After all, if Arsenal finishes above them and needs to start over then
why not other teams who finish below them? With five Premiership games left
Arsenal have already gained more points than last season, have a much improved
away record and progressed further in the Champions League than twelve months
ago. The team is younger than their main rivals. What’s more Wenger now knows
for sure what his younger players are capable of – they have been given a
chance. Some have passed examination and a few have come up short.
The short comings of the current Arsenal squad have been made clear but
it is a side that is far more likely to get better than one that might slip
into reverse gear. It does need selective strengthening but it is no time for
lemming-style talk of dumping players and starting all over again. The last flock went over a cliff at the end
of the 2003 season and look what they missed.
Bobby – The answer was Chivas but for a different reason. The only team in the leagues listed that doesn’t have a part of its name a city, state or nickname of the state.
MasMaz – Please give us your opinion of Fabregas. I have beaten the dead horse in exclaiming that he is a very skilled but limited player. Wenger is making a huge mistake in building his team around him. He was terrible on Saturday. I realize he is young but he shows me nothing of a player who could become a match winner or tempo controller. His crossing, corners and free kicks are the worst in the league. Arsenal is supposed be a top class side yet, corner after corner and free kick after free kick is poor. These are fundamentals. I think Arsenal will miss Eduardo most on corners.
Bobby –If you can’t see what Fabregas brings to the game then it doesn’t matter what I say because it won’t change your mind. He is playing in the most difficult position on the field, he’s not twenty-one yet and he rarely makes a poor decision when he has the ball. However, I see that you are reevaluating!
Henry14 - I think you know l feel Arsenal can win in Milan, historically I do think wins in Europe when you are in an iffy period tend to help in the League and the opposite is not true , as how Arsenal consolidated 4th and got to the final , l think a win in Milan is what the Gunners need right now.
Bobby – Great call.
Zuco2 – The FSR studios are in Winnipeg so you must be living in Winnipeg, right?
Bobby – Correct.
Djnima -My question is, 70 million quid for Lyon? I don't think United would be willing to drop that much dough for the kid. That's Real Madrid and Chelsea money. When Fergie signed Nani and Anderson it was very hush hush. In contrast with Hargreaves he was very vocal. Do you think this is Fergie's way of calling dibs on Benzema? Do you think it will work?
Bobby – I think it was Fergie’s way of hopefully putting Benzema off his game. (I agree with Venti.)
Ringo - Are you interested in the UEFA cup yet? And I can't pick up the Beeb on my telly ,can you help me out?
Bobby – Getting there. Everton – Fiorentina, Spurs – PSV and Rangers – Werder Bremen have me a bit more interested. We get the BBC ……Canada.
Craigy_f -MLS starts in less than a month - what's your take? Do you have any thoughts on the UEFA CUP first leg round of 16? Particularly Fiorentina V EFC, although I'm interested in all the games. 20-30 years ago that many black players on a pitch at Goodison (many of them wearing blue) would have been unheard of/greeted with bananas and #### calls. Happily that sort of malarkey seems to be behind us. What vestiges of racism do you see in the modern day game, fans or pundits (if any)?
Bobby – I think it will take me a month to catch up with who is playing for which MLS team. To be honest I totally switched off at the draft stage. Far too much space and discussion dedicated to a bunch of young players who largely will have little or no impact for a couple of seasons. I can understand it is a fantastic thing for them to be drafted but the coverage is way over the top.
As I said above there are some very good looking ties and if Everton and Fiorentina both take the games seriously – and you would hope at this stage that they would – it will be a great match up and a real contrast.
I was praising Prandelli on Monday and the same goes for Moyes - two managers who have worked at it and learned their trade.
As far as racism is concerned you would have to differentiate between the clear and very obvious types we have seen and heard about in certain European countries and the overt stuff such as why are there not more black managers in the English game? It’s a fight that will never be totally won as far as soccer and society in general are concerned.
Redfan2000 - With all the chat about bad fouls in the press after the Eduardo tackle, do you think there is a marked difference between the English game and the rest? I am wondering if the FA or even UEFA will start to crack down on the players by maybe bringing in the FIFA standards, as used at World Cups, across the board. Would that be good in your opinion?
Bobby – I think that a lot of people mistake physical contact and speed with dirty play. I also go back to a comment I made last week that we don’t often see the really dirty players as they are better at disguising it.
There was also a host of bad fouls from other leagues that illustrated that no one league has a monopoly on awful fouls. The game is much cleaner than it was thirty years ago.
As for FIFA World Cup standards would you be meaning something like this game from the 2006 World Cup?
Craigy_f - You've alluded to the corner kick prowess of Villa and the Blues on the show (and Bolton are still dangerous on set pieces). What makes them so dangerous? The delivery, the organization, the defenders coming up or what? I'll rephrase, can you dissect a good corner kick for us?
442 still seems most popular in the PL (with the odd 451 or 433) In Serie A there is still a lot of 442 but also a fair amount of 433 and 352) - the Pl is filled with 'foreigners' so why do you think the 442 remains so popular and nobody is even trying a 352. This question comes of the article in the latest 442 about the 460 formation and how it could be very dangerous if used correctly.
Bobby – First of all here are some stats as of the end of January. The first number is goals scored from dead balls, the second is the total goals scored. I went back to the 2004/05 season and worked forward to this season. Bolton 20/49, 16/49, 17/47, 7/24; Everton 15/45, 13/34, 17/52, 10/40; Aston Villa 16/45, 8/42, 10/43, 16/43.
As for what makes a team dangerous on set pieces? First off a lot of preparation and practice. A good delivery, movement and trying to isolate the defending sides weak spot to match up with your strength. I was going to add height and strength but that probably helps but is not necessarily decisive. Finally execution – someone who is confident and attacks the area that the ball is played into.
Formations – I’m a bit surprised that Martin O’Neill hasn’t given 3-5-2 a shot as he favoured that set-up when at Celtic. Overall it is probably down to a comfort level with the system. After all it has been around since the mid sixties. I don’t think it is necessarily a case that the system has not changed but I think we are seeing more team use 442 in different ways. United has used two defensive anchors at times this season when there is usually a balance with one attacking midfielder and the other shielding the back four.
Cabby - Almost a perfect day on Sat. - the Dee win in the last minute and Hamilton only 1 minute away from defeat. I used to think you were lousy when i watched you on Fox but when i found out you were a Dundee supporter I now think that you are brilliant - keep up the good work.
Bobby – Thanks for the ringing endorsement. If I am ever looking for an agent I will make sure and try Andy Millman’s first.
Neophyte - Did you see Robinho's performance this weekend? There is a lot of talk on the blog about c. Ronaldo. Yet Robinho is never mentioned in the list of top players. Where do you think he is in his development and do you expect to see him take over the world like his country man (Ronaldinho) did a couple of years ago?
Bobby – Only bits and pieces as the broadcaster could not decide which game they wanted to follow so they opted for neither. Comparatively I don’t think all that much of him to be honest and this stage in his career he would not be on my list of the top ten players in the world. There again I doubt he will lose any sleep over my opinion!
Elliot123 - Based solely on this season's performance to date, who would you select for a Merseyside Top XI?
Bobby – Here goes and light the fireworks. Reina; Jagielka, Carragher, Yobo, Lescott; Gerrard, Mascherano, Cahill, Arteta; Torres, Yakubu.
Jagielka at right back because he seems comfortable anyplace – even in goal. Finnan has been poor and Tony Hibbert has looked a bit off at times. I just can’t pick Phil Neville and Carragher is a terrible full back. If he had not been injured so much I would have expected Agger to be in. Leon Osman is unlucky not to have made the eleven.
Henry 14 - Bobby has a great big egg on his face after Arsenal went through.
Bobby – Nice one coming from someone who at various times has wanted to get rid of half the Arsenal side and wanted Wenger sacked. (Henry14 – all this stuff is archived and can be easily traced to you). I’m amazed that you have not done yourself some serious damage leaping on and off the bandwagon.
Foxcube - Enjoyed your sharp wits and bright insight, but please DO remember to raise questions to Bobby, or he'll feel not needed again like on Feb 24, and we don't want to lose this space.
Bobby – Don’t worry about me. There are more than enough questions buried in the banter.
Craigy_f – 1. Your comment (on Friday) about the ‘top teams’ wanting the ties at this stage of the FA Cup to be ‘easy (pardon my paraphrasing) was spot on. When do you think this kind of thinking emerged? 2. So which two Serie A games did you watch, your thoughts. 3. I’ve seen stuff questioning whether the Tykes can actually claim to be ‘giant-killers” in the FA Cup sense – thoughts? 4. No matter the draw permutations, do you see a final involving two Premier League sides? 5. Do you see the same disdain in other leagues for the domestic cups that seems to exist in the Premier League? 6. When was the last time a midfielder scored 30 goals for a English top flight team? 7. As an analyst on a nationally broadcast TV show do you get invited to many games? 8 Is the number of Premier League clubs left in the FA Cup indicative of: Lack of skill gap in the Leagues, Lack of desire to win it amongst the Premier League teams, The Magic Of The FA Cup, A.N. Other.
Bobby –1. I think it has come about perhaps as a distorted sense of entitlement based on the ever increasing amount of money that comes the way of Premiership teams. 2. Juventus vs. Roma and Genoa vs. Sampdoria. The derby was the most enjoyable for me. Even though it was scoreless until late in the game there were chances and every time Cassano got the ball you felt that something great might happen. He is a fantastic talent – pity that he is such a nutter. 3. Barnsley deserves the moniker after Saturday’s display. 4. If I had to bet on it yes. But I hope not. I would like to see WBA make it. 5. I think a lot of the other leagues are worse in terms of their domestic cup competitions. Many Coppa Italia matches are played in front of ridiculously small crowds and the two leg final in midweek hardly helps. Copa del Rey is a bit better but from what I have seen weakened teams being fielded is common place and again scheduling on midweek days does not give it much prominence. Real Madrid hasn’t won the cup since 1993 and Barcelona since 1998 so that probably tells you something about the priority. The Germans and the French seem to take their cup competitions a bit more seriously and it still has some importance in Scotland. I would suggest that the competition started to be devalued in England when the European Cup Winners Cup was scrapped, and shortly after Manchester United opted for a trip to Brazil.
However as a footnote the FA website had the following piece up on Monday – “The weekend's eight FA Cup Fifth Round ties attracted 248,795 fans, producing an average of 31,099 per tie. This is the highest since 1981, when the average for the completed round was 32,053. In that year the clubs drawn at home were Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, Peterborough, Southampton, Tottenham and Wolves”.
6. I can’t think of one - particularly if you are talking league goals. You would have to go back to years to the days of inside forwards who you could argue would be today’s midfielders. In that case it might by the late Dennis Violet for Manchester United in the late 50s when he scored 32 goals. If it goals in all competitions then Matthew Le Tissier would probably be the answer in the mid nineties.
7. No.
8. Fear of negatively impacting on their Premiership position and sometimes the luck of the draw with top flight teams going head-to-head.
LGB or EGB – 1. Do you think Rafa is gone at the end of this year? 2. If so, who’s an ideal replacement? 3. Also, whether it’s Rafa or a new gaffer, where does Liverpool need to strengthen? 4. Where you at all surprised at the result by Liverpool v Barnsley? 5. Have you seen a more under-achieving team than this? In any sport for that matter?
Bobby –1. It is pretty close to the Topic of the Week question so I will keep my powder dry. 2. You need to see who is available - to early to tell. 3. Covered last week and I believe Redfan2000 reposted. 4. Yes. 5. Lots of them – your expectations are higher than mine.
Footiefan - Why didn't Gallas get punished? He clearly made contact with Nani. Doesn't send out a bad message that you can kick someone from behind and get away with it?
Bobby – JayAlves has provided a pretty good summary of the FA’s position on it. When I saw the incident I was sure he was going to get sent off.
Craigy_f – Creative players for Inter - just Figo - you've got to be joking Pele, Stankovic, Jiminez. Right about Ibrahimovic, likes to come deep and create. Cesar is having a good season.
Bobby – Can you see Mancini fielding Pele and Jiminez in a Champions league match against Liverpool? Same comment is probably just as applicable to Cesar. As for Stankovic I haven’t seen much in the way of creativity out of him for at least the last two seasons. Very good player but very little in way of flair anymore.
RINGO - Ron Harris against Cristiano Ronaldo. Who comes out on top? A) On the pitch. B) In a back alley.
Bobby – On the pitch Chopper. In a back alley Ronaldo – because he can run quicker.
Henry14 - Q1 Where would you rate Ronaldo in terms of trophies and individual accomplishments in the list of all time greats? Q2 Spurs v Chelsea who will win? Q3 Is the Barnsley result the biggest Cup shock in this Millenium?
Bobby – Q1. Close to the top ten all time as a player – I don’t know how to rate a player in terms of trophies. He would be a shoe-in to the top ten if he had played more seasons during his prime years. By the time he hit 23 he had a lot of miles on him and a body that was breaking down. Q2 – Tune in Friday and I might hazard a guess. 3. No – I think Shrewsbury knocking Everton out in 2003 was a bigger shock.
Gregz - What is your thoughts on the commentating of Ray Hudson? A bit of an acquired taste isn't he.
Bobby – An acquired taste is a good way of putting it.
Gunner44 - You got all of today’s prediction wrong except Roma/Madrid hope it's the same for the Arsenal-Milan game tmrw.
Bobby – That’s fine but the picks were over the two legs not the first leg. I may be wrong in all of them after two legs but at least give me a chance!
African_Footballer_of_the_Year - The proposed transfer of Daniel Cousin from Glasgow Rangers to Fulham that was agreed on January 22nd is still awaiting FIFA aproval. What gives? Is it really that complicated of a question that it takes nearly a month to make a ruling?
Bobby – I had read someplace that FIFA was awaiting documentation from Fulham and it only arrived at the end of last week. I don’t think they are going to make a decision without having all the right forms filled out.
Ringo - An easy one for you this week. Dundee can win the FA Cup or Tayport can win the Junior cup. Which one do you take?
Bobby – Dundee has a slightly better chance of winning the Scottish Cup this season than Scotland does of winning the European Championship this summer. A trip to Motherwell in the next round might have the making of a wee surprise but the focus of the team must be on promotion back to the SPL.
Tayport drew at home to perennial contender Pollok (viewer discretion is advised) last Saturday and they travel to the west of Scotland for the replay this weekend. The Scottish Junior Cup is a tough nut to crack
Carljamaica - Greetings from Jamaica. Do you think this Manchester United team is as good as people are saying? Do you think they are serious contenders for the Champions League meaning do you think they have what it takes? If not where do you think they are short. Is Ronaldo just going through a purple patch or is he really the real deal? Awaiting your thoughts.
Bobby – Much warmer than where I am! United deserve to be considered as one of the favourites to win the Champions League. They have been given a decent draw (not easy but Lyon are a side that United can beat) but often a bit of good fortune is also needed along the way.
There is still a month to go before the first leg of the first knock out round and things can change very quickly. Injuries, suspensions and key players losing form can all hit at an inopportune moment. In terms of their most significant weakness it is probably a lack of height and power up front.
You can see in some of the league games this season that without that option it gives the opposition one less thing to worry about. Having a big strong forward on the bench that could go on just to mix things up a bit would provide that additional alternative.
Since Ronaldo joined United he has improved every season. If you look back at his play when he joined United in 2003 the raw talent was there for everyone to see. Four and a bit years on and every aspect of his game has improved – some parts by leaps and bounds.
Craigy_f – 1. Was Probert correct to book Arteta? Has a card ever been used in that situation that you are aware of? 2. Does the lack of ACoN on any American network show the ignorance of the American networks as to the value of the tournament in Ghana? 3. Was it omitted for the same reasons that the Asia tournament was omitted? 4. What’s your impression of Lord Coe? 5. What’s your:- Goal of the week, Save of the week, Game of the week, Referee of the moment. 6. Favourite clip from Flash Gordon 7. What was your take on the teams and the result for the USMNT against a Sweden B team? 8. Will you and the boys try some colour this week?
Bobby – 1. It seemed to be a strange decision. The only way that I could see the referee having a valid cause would be if he had told Arteta to wait for the whistle.
2. The value is set by the number of people who would watch the tournament and despite what we think soccer on English language stations in North America do not regularly draw big numbers. A tournament that has games scheduled during the work day is an obvious problem.
3. I don’t know the reason why the Asia tournament was omitted so I can’t answer the question.
4. He used to be a very fast runner and was able to turn left? You can’t hang-out at the upper echelons of global sport without being forced to hold your nose at the goings-on. If you decide to hold true to your principles at that level it means you will have a short and largely ineffective career in the political world of sport.
5. Sully Muntari’s winner against Guinea, can’t think of one, poor weekend nothing stood out, oops the moment just went.
6. The End
7. Meaningless friendly for all except for the players and coaches.
8. Probably not.
GSfromWinnipeg - How about opinions on possible rule changes? You can certainly throw in your two cents, as well as everyone else.Here are some of my thoughts: 1. Why do we need to get so fancy with goal-line technology. Chips in the ball? Come on. If you want to position cameras along the line, fine. But, why can't they just add a back-line official who is in charge of watching for balls crossing the line? He could also assist with fouls in the box. It seems to me this would satisfy the purists and be at least as effective as technology that often still doesn't answer the question 100%.
2. Get rid of this passive offside rule. It just adds to the confusion. Vassell's goal on Sunday was a perfect example. Since the ball does not go to him, is that the end of Phase 1? Then he is back onside by the time the ball ricochets to him, so that makes it a good goal. But this must be a nightmare for the linesmen. Especially when it seems standard practise for players to line up offside on deadball situations to try and confuse the defense. By the way, since you are supposed to play to the whistle, and, as a defender, a man is behind you heading for goal, therefore you have to make an attempt to catch him, pulling yourself out of position. But the ball never goes to that attacker so he is "passive" while the onside attacker takes advantage of the space left by the defender to score. How is this helping the game.
KEEP IT SIMPLE (which offside will never be). If anyone is offside, play is dead. Period.
3. NO TO SIN BINS. As Harry Redknapp says, that will just encourage 10 minutes of time-wasting and defensive play. Just what football needs, 10 more minutes of 10 men behind the ball.
4. 3 YELLOW CARDS BEFORE YOU GET A RED. Encourage the refs to hand out a yellow every time a foul deserves it. I think they often don't give a yellow, because they know how serious the ramifications a second yellow is. This leads to inconsistency. The good refs talk to a player first and warn him a yellow is coming next time, but we can get rid of that need. The "talking" will be the first yellow. This would especially be of use in internationals where language is often a problem.
Also, get rid of suspensions for accumulated yellows (or at least increase the number of yellows before suspension). This almost always ends up excluding the best players from the biggest games due to some idiotic decision by the player or the ref, three games ago. I am thinking of Roy Keane missing the Champions League final in 99, Ballack missing the 2002 World Cup final, Zidane missing a key match in the 98 Cup, etc.
5. GOLDEN GOAL IN TOURNAMENTS AND ENDLESS OVERTIME. I know, this is a pipe dream. But how about giving it a try. I agree with Bobby, penalty kicks is dramatic and a test of mettle and skill, but it isn't the game that was intended. I think overtime rarely works as is because at least one team plays for the penalty kicks, and both teams are so afraid of conceding, they hang back and trust to fate in the kicks. If there is no promise of penalty kicks,
Bobby – 1. Sign me up for that position. Six officials for a game of football? Don’t like that idea.
2. That’s fine make it simple but just wait and hear the cries when someone slots one home into the top corner from 35 yards out and the goal is disallowed because one of his team mates stopped to tie his bootlace and was offside on the other side of the park alone on the touchline.
3. Sin bins are one of the stupidest ideas to come out and until you brought it up again I thought it had died.
4. The language problem was the exact reason that coloured cards were brought in so now to have a mandatory “talking to” being a warning before a yellow card only compounds the problem. Players will just claim that they didn’t know they were on a warning.
Idiotic decisions - Zidane missed games in 1998 because he stomped on a Saudi player. Your basic argument is that players should be given more leeway to foul. I don’t think that is going to encourage anyone to think twice about sliding in late.
5. I####ame goes to overtime the least that both teams deserve is the opportunity to fight back should they go behind. With the Golden Goal rule we would never had the likes of West Germany and Italy sharing five extra time goals in 1970 or France and West Germany playing an epic extra time in 1982.
Mts2284 -1. Recently, a reader asked you about commentators and which ones you liked. What’s your take on BBC’s John Motson? I live in the States and don’t get BBC but I’m a huge fan. Just wanted your opinion on the matter. 2. Why have Thierry Henry or Premiership players like Cristiano Ronaldo not won the FIFA Player of the Year award? Its always players from Serie A and La Liga, like Messi, or Ronaldinho. 3. Why does Ryan Babel not feature more in Liverpool’s starting 11? He’s a fantastic talent with loads of potential.
Bobby –1. His biggest break came when Ronnie Radford thumped the 30 yard winner for Hereford against Newcastle in the FA Cup. I was never a huge fan (although there were many who were aweful) when I lived in the UK – my preference would be for Martin Tyler.
2. I think basically because although they may have good domestic seasons they fail to make a real impact in the Champions League, European Championships or World Cup. Like Ronaldo I don’t think Messi has ever won a senior world or European individual award. 3. You probably nailed it with “loads of potential.” There are few teams willing to commit a regular spot to a player who is not considered the finished article although he may have potential. Having said that I’m also a bit mystified given that a couple of Liverpool players are having poor seasons so far.
Gregz - I was just wondering how much have you seen of Angel di Maria. How goes his development at Benfica and why would he choose to go to Benfica over Arsenal?
Bobby – Not very much since his move to Benfica. Di Maria has yet to score a league goal although the statistics show him with three yellow cards. He has been called up for the Argentina Olympic squad that has a friendly against Guatemala on February 6. Javier Mascherano is in the squad as an overage player. Benfica over Arsenal – probably thought there was a chance to play more at Benfica.
4Everton - Chris Coleman just left Real Sociedad after new management/ownership took over despite getting the team to within three points of promotion on the table. Coleman kept Fulham up even though he was not given a war chest of funds (see Sunderland) last year. Do you see him coming back to the Prem anytime soon?
Bobby – Managers that leave English football for some continental adventures take two routes. If you are the likes of John Toshack or Gordon Milne you don’t come back and instead you make a career of it in foreign lands.
On the other hand there are the likes of Howard Kendall and Graeme Souness who were adventurous enough to try their hand but returned after a relatively short time. I think Coleman will be like the latter.
Ollofan - Did Jeremy St. Louis leave the FSR?
Bobby – He is using up his vacation time.
Redfan2000 - While you are all watching Spurs spank Arse, I just found this on Aunty Beeb and you gotta laugh at Mark McGhee. George Burley is to be offered the Scotland job and Mark McGhee said after he found out: "If George does not win the World Cup then it opens it up for me to be one who does" Thoughts on this one?
Bobby – If it is George Burley then I like the choice. Understated but a very competent manager who has a good track record of getting the best out of his players.
Henry14 - q1 What is your assessment of Adebayor as player bearing in mind you thought he would be on the bench if rvp and da silva were firing?
q2 If you were Liverpool owner would you stick with Rafa?
Bobby – 1. If you said I said that then I guess I must have although I don’t recall that particular statement. I do remember defending Adebayor last season when you wanted him punted out the Emirates. 2. If I was the Liverpool owner I would be focused on whether or not I wanted to remain as owner rather than worrying about the manager.
And finally the resurrection of Chelsea. I may have missed it and apologize if someone got there first. But it seems to me that Glenn Hoddle was the catalyst for the Chelsea revival.
Rod Liddle's take on the Hedonist United Christmas Party. And for those with some extra time on your hands FIFA.com has a interactive trivia quiz that can help kill a few hours.
And for those with some extra time on your hands FIFA.com has a interactive trivia quiz that can help kill a few hours.
No comment from the club on the incident which would lead a cynic to believe that a member of the United staff is involved. We will see.
Craigy_f – 1) The professionalization of referees – your thoughts? 2) Mathematically it’s still wide open but psychologically the title chase seems to have become a two horse race – the bookmakers certainly think so. Wenger may not think so but he’s just playing head games. Neither Manchester nor Arsenal is likely to do what Newcastle did. Your thoughts – not on the results or matches – but the psychological effect of the results on Sunday. 3) Goals, results or refereeing decisions that stand out (good or bad) for you this weekend. 4) The Tunisian side substituted its goalkeeper in the 90th minute then lost the penalty shootout 4-2 – your thoughts on this odd move which went awry. 5) The ‘root and branch’ review promised by the FA seems to have been put on the back burner with the search for and arrival of Capello. Will it be resurrected or conveniently shelved.
Bobby – 1. Something that has to continue and grow. There is no going back to the previous system.
2. United slight boost; Liverpool depressing result; Chelsea just slightly negative with some positives; Arsenal probably happy and a bit relieved that they have finally beaten Chelsea and put some doubt in their minds.
3. I thought Milan were just about at their best – apart from the first goal that they conceded. Liverpool and Manchester United game was a massive disappointment. Hargreaves and Ferdinand are getting praised for their performances – it’s difficult to play badly if you are one of four central defenders. My sense is that Ferguson is giving Europe one more go and he thinks the system that he used against Liverpool is the answer. I also have a feeling that this may turn out to be his last season at United – just a hunch.
4. It has happened before – although I cannot quote the games – and it is something that sounds good in theory but comes with a lot of negatives. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me – sounds like something an inexperienced coach would do.
5. If Capello gets off to a good start then the review will not see the light of day.
Neophyte - Did you see the Barcelona/Valencia match? Eto'o was incredible. Does he get the start this weekend over Henry? As much as I respect the Frenchman's game I just don't think Eto'o should be sitting behind anyone when he is healthy. Your thoughts?
Bobby – I saw the goals but not the game. I don’t think it is a case of playing one or the other and I don’t think Barcelona is looking at either them as a back up to the other.
Atayaagun - I don't see any article mentioning the way Fabio Capello has managed Beckham at Real Madrid. It proved that Capello has badly ignored a very talented played that he had in his squad. It was thanks to Beckham's great form that Real Madrid managed to clinch the La Liga title. Business wise, Capello's treatment to Beckham made Real Madrid miss out huge money by the way Beckham left Madrid to LA Galaxy. Are these things minor elements in the selection process of a new manager to England? Especially because Steve McClaren has made the same mistake by initially dropping the same player, David Beckham.
Bobby – Capello was responsible for the team at Real Madrid not the business side of it. I would be very surprised if the issue came up at all in the decision to hire Capello. McClaren made the decision to drop Beckham because he thought it would give him the aura of being the man in charge. It was also because most England supporters at the time wanted Lennon to replace Beckham – something that has been conveniently forgotten.
CIAO - Is there any possibility for Larsson to end up at Arsenal? I think his inclusion in the squad would bolster the line up without taking away from it. It would help Wenger keep his forwards fresh leading into the second half of the season.
Bobby – None whatsoever. Wenger has Adebayor, Van Persie, Bendtner, Eduardo as front line strikers with Hleb and Walcott who can play just off the main striker. Wenger’s bigger problem is keeping his players happy – not bringing in more players.
Milan4ever - In the Champions League, why are some away teams allowed to leave their sponsor's name and logo on their jerseys while some are not?
Bobby – Another poster has mentioned advertising laws in some countries affecting alcohol products. There is also another possibility. In cases where team sponsors are in conflict with any of the Champions League sponsors. I don’t know for sure but I would expect that teams would not be allowed to “ambush” UEFA sponsors.
Oldcoach - Sports psychology and England. Do I detect a humorous jab on your part? The "dramedy" that is England's pursuit of international hardware has to be the longest running and most amusing soap opera in world history, fuelled in large part by a delusion and hyper active press corps. Is there even the slightest chance that the media will back off some with a hard man like Capello in charge?
Bobby – No jab. I am surprised that we don’t read more about sports psych and football as I know that it a rapidly growing field in relation to other sports. Capello will have an extended honeymoon period but if there is any sign of blood in the water after a couple of games the sharks will start to feed.
Neophyte - Crazy question. I once heard a rumor that Capello was looked at for a "Technical Director" for the USMNT. Then the rumor was gone as fast as it occurred. Do you think that England hiring a non-Englishman for their National Team will bring more precedent for the same thing happening in the US?
Bobby – Crazy rumour. I very much doubt that Capello applied for such a job or was interested in any way. Your question seems to be predicated on Capello being the first foreign manager of England which he is not. If it was to make a difference we would have seen it after Eriksson was hired – and it didn’t change anything.
Atayaagun - I am always astonished by the number of goals scored on free kicks. Several of these goals are due to a bad wall. For example, small players should never be part of a wall, but you still see them in the world highest level matches. But the worst, is to see a wall open up, leaving the goal keeper powerless when the ball "goes through" the wall. That's how Gerrard easily scored against Arsenal this season. And there are many goals like this one because of such a fundamental mistake. If a player is part of a wall, why move? The wall is expected to stay compact, even if the free kick is taken indirectly. The players should have faith in the keeper, and they should stick to their task. For instance, during yesterday’s match between Arsenal and Chelsea, Shevchenko’s powerful free kick that was directed to the part that the wall was not covering, was brilliantly saved by Almunia. My question is why such basic things do not seem to be addressed by the best teams in the world, since every aspect of the game is expected to be analyzed and taken care of? I am so puzzled that I believe someone should gather all these goals and put them in a DVD and title it: "The evidence that top football players don't understand some rudiments of the game." Even thought, the free kick takers do understand very well this specific flaw. That's the reason why some free kicks are directed towards the wall, in case it cracks!
Bobby – In theory you have a point – from a practical point of view I am not so sure. You don’t want small players in the wall – then where are you going to put them? Do you really want a small player up against a centre back? A big player on the end of the wall - yes. Banishing all smal players from the wall - the little buggers will just let you down someplace else!
Your thoughts are based on a direct shot on goal being the only option but that is rarely the case. A shot, a cross, a lay off, a trick are all possibilities.
The dynamics of a free kick are going to change significantly based on the position of free kick, the taker (left foot, right foot, a bender, a rocket), the weather conditions (surface, wind direction) , opposition in the wall or the vicinity, and other factors.
There is also another thing you need to consider. How many goals are averted by the wall breaking and the shot being blocked? It is like saying that goalkeepers should just stand in the middle of the goal and not move on penalty kicks because so many go down the middle. They would save some but would they save more than by diving to one side or the other?
Shevchenko’s shot was saved because he did what Almunia thought – unfortunately not all players cooperate. Ronaldinho in the same circumstance would have put the ball in the keepers top right hand corner with Almunia frozen to the spot.
WeneedmoreFriedel - I'm interested to hear your current thoughts about Shevchenko. How do you see his future at Chelsea, or his playing career for that matter? Is there a possibility he would ever consider going to MLS to end his career?
Bobby – I just can’t see it turning round for Shevchenko at Chelsea. I thought a loan deal might be best for him but with Drogba out I think he will be sticking around. His wife is American so MLS at some point is an option. However, some point is not now.
Neophyte – Ringo, we all know you were a Beatle in the 60's, a Sex Pistol in the 70's. In the 80's were you known as Ranking Ringo...dressed in a pink suit, loafers and shades following your favorite Ska band from pub to pub? Can you see Bobby with a Flock of Seagulls hair doo? Or was he more of the Rod Stewart type during the 80's? Which was it Bobby?
Bobby – None of the above. By the 80s it was Captain Sensible for me.
Ringo - Which blogs do you read? How many World Cups and Euros will England win under Capello? And what was on your football wish list to Father Christmas?
Djnima - 1. With Hleb and Van Persie back in the mix and Eboue now sidelined, do you see Wenger using Van Persie and Adebayor up front w/ Hleb slotted on the right? 2. Did u catch the Arsenal Blackburn match? Eduardo looks deadly. I think he is going to be huge for Arsenal down the road. 3. Do you think Utd will be on top in the New Year? They seem to have an easier schedule than the rest of the big four, but I think Arsenal is looking fierce as well.
Bobby – 1. It is an option that you will likely see but will he use these three in these positions every game with no changes?– no I don’t think so. Walcott and a number of other players come into the equation as well. So does the oposition and state of the game.
2. I did. The way he rolls the ball into the net reminds me of Jimmy Greaves and Romario.
3. The fixtures for the top six from now to and including the first game in the New Year are: Manchester United – Everton (h), Sunderland (a), West Ham (a) and Birmingham (h). Arsenal – Spurs (h), Portsmouth (a), Everton (a), West Ham (h). Chelsea – Blackburn (a), Aston Villa (h), Newcastle (h), Fulham (a). Liverpool – Portsmouth (h), Derby (a), Manchester City (a), Wigan (h). Everton – Manchester United (a), Bolton (h), Arsenal (h), Middlesbrough (a). Manchester City – Aston Villa (a), Blackburn (a), Liverpool (h), Newcastle (a).
I went back over the last four seasons and looked at how Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have done over the last four seasons. Not surprisingly they have done pretty well. Each team played four games over the holiday season – 03/04 first with the total in ().
Manchester United – 12, 10, 8 and 10 (40). Arsenal – 8, 10, 8 and 9 (35). Chelsea – 6, 12, 12 and 6 (36). Liverpool 7, 9, 10 and 9 (35).
I would be surprised if Arsenal is leading the Premiership when the 3rd round of the FA Cup comes around in January.
Atletifan - Can Atleti really break into the top 2 of La Liga?
Bobby – I would echo Atleti’s comments. The one thing I would add is that of the major leagues in Europe Spain over the last decade has been the hardest the pick and the league title has rotated through a few teams with others coming close. Deportivo, Valencia have both won titles while Villarreal and Sevilla have given it a good shot.
I’ll start off with a couple of questions that made it on to other blogs but were never answered.
Nnogomes21 - I was wondering if you know/ have any idea's why Portugal's S.L. Benfica is struggling so far in the Liga Portuguesa and in the UEFA champions league, they have a lot of great players like...Nuno Gomes [C], Rui Costa, Silva ####, Fabio Coentrao, Oscar Cardozo... they have more but, they have a lot of great players, is it their chemistry that’s hurting them or is it a technical problem.. Explain please.
Bobby – I haven’t seen Benfica play this season so I may not be the best source of information. However, there are unbeaten in the league although the problem is that they’ve drawn four of their seven games. Probably the biggest disappointment has been the two defeats in the Champions League – away to Milan and at home to Shakhtar.
The goals have not been flowing freely – only 10 in 9 games and they’ve been shut out four times. Gomes is in his thirties and Rui Costa is well into his 30’s so there may be an issue - although I have read that he is playing well. In terms of player turnover fom last season Fabrizio Miccoli has returned to Italy and he seemed to have been a very important player from Benfica over the last two seasons.
The thing that stands out for me is the managerial turnover – nine in the last seven years. Jose Antonio Camacho is back for his second spell at the club after stepping in again this summer. Benfica needs to beat Celtic tomorrow in order to get back into contention in the Champions League. That might be easier done than trying to catch Porto.
Benfica is already 8 points behind Porto (100% record) after seven games and it is only a 30-game season in Portugal. Benfica plays third place Maritimo this weekend. In the meantime here is an article from Ben Lyttleton on the Wednesday’s Champions League game.
Jaredlampard - I'm a huge Celtic fan. 1. I really want to know on what you think of their poor performances away from home and if they really are one of Europe's top clubs. Two years ago, I drove 195 miles to a game to see them get thrashed 4-0 by D.C. United. This year, I went to two of their games which were against the MLS all-star team which they lost 2-0 and a game against Chicago which they drew 1-1. 2. I also want to know based on these results if you think that American clubs could perform well against Europe's best or it's just that the Uefa clubs are just in pre-season from.
Bobby – You have to define what constitutes a top club in Europe. If it is based on fan support, then Celtic are one of Europe’s top clubs. Based on performances in Europe over the last thirty years and the answer is no. I would not read too much in pre-season results in terms of the relative strength of European sides version the MLS. Here is an article by Andrew Smith on Celtic’s away performances.
There was also a very good article in the October/November issue of Champions magazine that dealt with home advantage – it had Celtic top in terms of home performances over the last three or four seasons.
Dasayev - I've been puzzled by the team selections and tactics of Sven Goran Eriksson and Mini-Sven, Steve McLaren. In terms of selection, they both seem desperate to curry the favor of "star" players and are reluctant to withdraw them whether they are in-form or not. So...we get the Gerrard/Lampard combination when it clearly doesn't work and the strange devotion to Paul Robinson when the likes of Robert Green and David James are clearly in better form. Wouldn't everyone be better served if Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Bentley, etc. were fighting for these spots? Pushing each other to greater heights?
Of course, it would be benefit club and country for these places--and all others--to be up for grabs, so to speak. If you are doing the business for your club then you'll see time on the pitch. If England would have a stable pool of 30 or so players, all of whom were in contention and knew that their form would be a key to squad selection it would also give the team stability as you wouldn't have people constantly coming and going.
England has so many potential performers that I would think keeping an England "B" squad would be a great way for the manager to see players under pressure. For example, I can only think Lescott would have benefitted from such an experience while the more accomplished left-backs Shorey and Bridge deputized for Ashley Cole.
Bobby – An interesting theory but I would wager that the most successful countries have been the ones that have kept the most stable sides. It’s difficult enough to get players used to playing with each other let alone magnifying the problem by constantly changing based on club form. You often hear international managers talk of the need to generate a club spirit at the international level.
Although it is a different generation England’s most successful manager Sir Alf Ramsey was exceptional loyal to his players and was known on occasion to field a player in an international game who was struggling to get a game for his club.
As for having a stable pool of 30 international players to choose from – is that not an oxymoron? There just isn’t 30 English players capable of playing at the highest international level and if there was how could the team by stable?
Craigy_f – Q1. Do you have any impressions of Warner you’d share Bobby? Q2. Will FSC be showing any ACN games? Q3. Will Yallop stay or go? Q4. Which games tickle your fancy in the play offs? Q5. Who is a team you think would slip up or be surprised in this weeks, UEFA Champions League or UEFA Cup?
Bobby – 1. I met Warner in 1999 during the Pan American Games in Winnipeg and he was pleasant enough. However, his track record shows him to be anything but. 2. I have no idea – that’s a question for the FSC programmers. 3. I would bet on him leaving. 4. In the first round Houston vs. Dallas because of the rivalry. 5. Slavia Prague – I think Arsenal may score 7.
LParker - How long do you think it's going to take for Mourinho to surface at AC Milan? They looked awful this weekend against Empoli, haven't won a home fixture, and are now in the bottom half of the table. It's like they're moving in slow motion. If they lose or draw to Shakhtar on Wednesday, will Ancelotti be sent packing? Also, what does AC need in January (player/position wise) to find resurgence in Serie A and the Champions League?
Bobby – After 7 games last season they had twelve points – this season 10. Without the points deduction last season they would have finished on 69 points. Take Kaka (and Gattuso) out of the team and it is a very different side.
Even so I don’t think you will see Milan making too many moves in January – their hoping Ronaldo is back soon, and Pato will be available in the New Year. There has been a discussion on the blog about the importance of domestic league vs. Champions League. Milan may just think the scudetto is a route to the Champions League. As for Ancelotti I have predicted his demise for the last three seasons so I’m probably not a good judge in this case.
Henry14 - q1 What is the deal with Gerrard clear the air, do you mean he cannot be subbed, if Fergie or Wenger sub a Rooney or Ronaldo or Cesc there will not be any clear the air talks what’s your take? q2 l think Wenger is probably more ruthless than Fergie but less confrontational do you agree? q3 How do you rate Keane' signing this season, the likes of Halford, Cole.
Bobby – Q1. I think I answered that question both on the blog and on Monday’s FSR. Benitez made a gutsy call and a correct call.
Q2 I would try telling that to Beckham, Stam, Van Nistelrooy, Ince, Kancheskis to name only a few.
Q3 – Keane has made some signings that I think will work out very well – Kenwyne Jones may not be everyone’s idea of a silky striker but he will cause defenses a lot of trouble in years to come. Craig Gordon will repay his transfer fee many times over. I only saw Halford play once for Reading this season and I think once this season so I can’t really comment.
Cole was signed for cover and to contribute as a late substitute. You have to take into consideration that Keane made around 10 signings last season and they were more geared to getting them out of the Championship. Now he is finding out who can play in the Premiership.
Bayareasoccerfan - It seems like West Ham and Sunderland have spent comparable sums of money to Man City, but have been less successful. Do you think it is because British managers make poor signings? I do not see a playmaker (like Elano) in these sides. Are they trying to build a high-tempo English long ball squad which does not require a playmaker?
Bobby – If success is judged after 10 games then you are correct. But there are another 28 games to go. I’m not sure that the comparison is necessarily a fair one. You have to consider the number of players signed and to an extent their age.
According the numbers (they are imprecise as transfer fees tend to be nowadays) Keane has spent around 37m pounds, Sven 29M pounds and Curbishley 23M – all net numbers. Keane has signed 12 players at an average net cost of 3M pounds and the players are almost all exclusively young and with room to improve. Sven has signed five players (he has some on loan or on a Bosman) at an average cost of a little under 6M pounds.
Curbishley seems to average around $3M with a greater emphasis on “proven” players. I would not go along with the argument that because a manager is British that he makes bad signings anymore than I would offer up Gerard Houllier as proof of the opposite.
Yohann - What do you think is the source of England's problems on the international stage? England hasn't won anything even when Eriksson was there. It’s the whole program that should be analyzed. But I do think McClaren should be sacked... especially because he tried to make the players fit in a mold, instead of shaping the formation to suit the type of players he had.
Some players are overrated... like (I know you guys won’t like it..haha) Lampard and Joe Cole, Gary Neville, Ashley Cole. Some players are injury prone like M. Owen, O.Hargreaves, Lennon and J.Terry. Some players are underrated and should get a bigger share of playing time... Carragher, Sidwell and even Pennant come to mind.
Bobby – I have tried to find a way to answer your question but I can’t. You mention McClaren fitting players into a mold – what mold was that? When McClaren moved to a 3-5-2 from a 4-4-2 it failed so where was the mold in that case.
Just because players are “overrated” it doesn’t mean that “underrated” players are better. Sidwell is an effective journeyman and Pennant is generally a very poor crosser of the ball. I just can’t see myself dropping Joe Cole in favour of either of them. Maybe you can give us your England starting line-up and the formation and then we might have something more meaty to discuss.
Chinaski - Berbatov looks ecstatic, anyone think he'll ask to move in January? If so where?
Bobby – A lot can happen between now and January.
Gregz - Do you see Wenger letting Gilberto move on in the January transfer window, especially with Flamini playing so well and Diarra and Denilson bidding for a spot?
Bobby – I would be very surprised if he did. For a start there is no benefit to letting him go. He can play at centre back at a push and I think you will find him getting more game time once the next round of WC qualifiers are passed in November. Flamini is laying well but it is a long season. Diarra is largely untested at the top level at that position and Denilson is more of a cover for Fabregas than as a defensive midfielder.
MasMaz - Is there any mention of intent in the rule book when the last defender prevents a goal scoring opportunity? I believe there is an intent clause for handballs, but is there one for honest but mistaken defending so that only a yellow and a penalty is given?
If there isn't there should be, I just can't see how Hibbert tried to intentionally prevent a goal scoring opportunity, I still don't think it was a foul. Anyone could stop running any time to create contact with the defender.
Bobby – As others have pointed out there is no mention of intent. The wording on hand ball is “handles the ball deliberately”. In terms of yellow or red card the wording is “denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player's goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick.”
I know there has been discussion on goalkeepers getting yellows as opposed to red cards. It would suggest that the difference is based on the referee’s judgment of “moving towards” the goal. I would add that I don’t think moving towards the goal is necessarily meant to be limited to a straight line to the goal. As for the theory of a player stopping running to create contact – that would then be obstruction on the attacking player. I think it would be a bit obvious.
Henry 14 - l thought your defense of Gerrard was ridiculous, every time we talk of poor officiating there are people who feel it is a good or a bad decision and one of them will be correct. If players go and tell referees and then seen to change their mind then we have a problem. We are not saying Hibbert should not be sent off but the precedence of a player going to the ref and then appears to change his mind is wrong.
Bobby – I have come to the conclusion that you watch and hear a completely different show than I appear on every Monday and Friday. How the hell do you come up with “defense of Gerrard?” You and I do not know what was in the referee’s mind nor what Gerrard said – the bottom line is that Clattenburg got the call right. It seems that you would prefer he got it wrong.
Victoriakevin - I emailed this to the MLS: What is the point of the season, it ends and nobody wins anything and then some of the teams play on in "the playoffs"?? Why have a season? Why not just play the playoffs? I don't get this. What do you think about the farce of the MLS season?
Bobby – As others have pointed out it is a North American thing. But given your thoughts, are you intending to e mail the Football League and the Dutch League as well? Most people in England love the play offs and hockey seems to have a good following in Canada with a format that involves 80 meaningless games before the play offs. What’s your solution?
LetsGoBuffalo - In today's football, do you think European clubs would rather win the Champions League or the home league? Or do you think its a club-by-club basis?
Bobby – Obviously club by club. It would be hard to convince me that winning a 7th straight Ligue U
