‘The world’s best side’, ‘The number one team in Fifa’s rankings’, ‘The World Cup favourites’. Just a few of the quotes retrieved from ITV’s coverage of England’s defeat versus Brazil on Saturday, as Clive Townsend and Ian Wright jumped on Dunga’s ever-growing bandwagon of praise. Granted, Brazil were better than England and deserved their victory, yet Dunga still has much work to do before Brazil have a chance of winning the World Cup next summer.
It’s Arsenal vs Newcastle, at St. James’ Park. Pires picks up the ball and advances into Newcastle’s half. Dennis Bergkamp, now a Premier League veteran bordering on the age of 30, heads towards the edge of the area, guarded closely by Nikolas Dabizas.
Real Madrid’s faltering start to the season has provided an anti-climax to a summer of mass, yet questionable spending. The Madrid president, Fiorentino Perez, is rumoured to be considering Manuel Pellegrini’s future as Madrid coach, following losses against likes of Milan, Seville, and even a Segunda side, in the Spanish Cup. So what exactly, at least in the eyes of Perez, in the ex-Villarreal coach doing wrong?
Torres left devastated, as Liverpool concede late to draw
Liverpool’s European aspirations were left devastated last night, as Lisandro Lopez, having capitalised on a defensive mistake from Nikolas Kyrgiakos, equalised within moments of the final whistle, to send Lyon through to the the knock-out stages of the Champions League. Liverpool now require Lyon to beat Fiorentina, while claiming two victories in their own remaining final games, in order to progress. The media typhoon which has been in gradual development since the opening day of the season, is now in full-plight over Anfield, as Rafael Benitez faces mass media accusation regarding team selection and tactics, as the Red’s have failed to claim more than points in eight games, both in Europe and domestically.
The shortlist regarding potential candidates for the Fifa World Player of the Year has just been released, causing many pundits to acknowledge Lionel Messi as the rightful winner. Other glamorous players, such as Fernando Torres, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto’o also littered the list. Granted, Messi has had a terrific season at Barcelona, has altered results simply on his own at times in La Liga and was instrumental, playing as a makeshift second striker, in Barcelona’s triumph versus Manchester United, and in general during the Catalan club’s European campaign.
It was of course, Messi’s linking with Barcelona’s central midfielders which allowed for total domination of United’s midfield. It was also the composure and cool-head of Messi, which amid the immense emotion accumulated during the match, looked for the pass when many others would have shot and laid off the strike which knocked Chelsea out of the semi-finals.
Could it be that Carlo Ancelloti directs Chelsea to the Premier League title, in only his first season? It certainly appears that it could well be the case, with Chelsea currently atop of the table, and reaping the benefits of an on-song Didier Drogba, a man who when in form, is generally regarded as the world’s best hitman. Chelsea started in similar vain last season under the guidance of Phil Scolari, yet soon found themselves out of the title race due to defensive issues and tactical dysfunction.
So how has the Italian changed things from his Milan days?
A great first half performance, yet one which epitomised our sheer lack of squad depth. We tore into Fulham, retained the ball with class and trenchancy, yet only Torres could offer a goal threat of any kind within the final third, and it was rather depressing that we were forced into playing Voronin in the absence of Gerrard and Riera. Once we went behind, the side’s collapse was frankly shambolic; we finished second last season due the countless times we maintained composure and came back from behind to clinch victory against the odds, against Manchester United twice, most notably.
Rafael Benitez looks to build on last weeks victory versus Manchester United, by overcoming Fulham at Craven Cottage. However, Roy Hodgson has built a side capable of passing with the best of them, at Liverpool will have to be trenchant and confident in attack, if they are to come away with a win.
‘So Michael, do you think you are edging closer to the England squad?’, queries a journalist. Owen feebly feigns a passionless look, masking an expression of frustration and bewilderment, before stringing together a couple of basic sentences, to the effect of, “I’m focusing on me. You’ll have to ask the England manager.”
An average Liverpool were outclassed by Arsenal at the Emirates. Arsenal’s typical pursuit of an inch-perfect passing game was too much for the Reds, as Jay Spearing and Damien Plessis, Liverpool’s stand-in holding midfielders, were displaced, out-muscled and bypassed far too easily. However, Rafael Benitez will certainly be satisfied with his team’s general performance; Liverpool seem to have finally attained a rhythmic flow to their passing game, a lack of which has decayed their attacking play this season, with the central midfielders far too often being isolated and unable to play the short pass. Last night however, the likes of Kuyt and Voronin were constantly dropping deep to link play, helping to lubricate ball retention in midfield, and Benitez will pray that a similar vibrancy and fluidity will be apparent in the play of his first team.
