Ways To Sport

adidas lately hosted an exclusive event to promote the launch of their new adiPower Predator boot, inviting football bloggers and selected fans to join the adidas crew and adidas sponsored footballers in testing out the new Predator, as well as hosting a football match between football bloggers (Soccerlens’ scored 2 goals and won the man of the match, heh!).

Props to adidas for hosting an awesome event and for inviting Soccerlens. Here’s a video montage of the event:

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As Manchester United parade their 19th league title, the rain-soaked celebrations are an proper metaphor for the 2010/2011 season.

On one hand, they’ve won their 19th league title (12th under Ferguson), a title United fans wanted far more than the Champions League for the last two years, and a title they’ve richly deserved. To put this title win into perspective, Chelsea won the league title last season with just 1 point – 1 goal conceded or one chance gone begging that that turned a win into a draw and pushed United to second place. In stark contrast, United won this year by 9 points – a clear margin of three wins much more than any other team.

On the other hand, Saturday’s loss to Barcelona a rude slap, a bucket of cold water thrown over this season’s celebrations, and a performance that left United fans (and players) feeling hollow and numb. The discomfort of United’s second defeat in three years to the exact same team, in the identical manner, was only alleviated by the brilliance of the three goals produced by Barcelona. Soon after all, if you let them play, they will tear you apart. Once again.

But that is in the past. Barcelona have their 4th Champions League trophy (their second under Guardiola), their third consecutive league title and Manchester United have their much-sought-right after 19th league title. All eyes ought to focus on the future, on the next two months as United brace themselves for a squad revamp, a summer tour to the US (where they play…Barcelona) and one more season with Ferguson at the helm.

I’ll leave it to ROM and Zonal Marking to analyse the final, let’s look at United’s future. In a two-component feature, you’ll read about how how Sir Alex Ferguson influences the club (below), and later on, what United need to do in this year’s summer transfer window.

Ferguson’s Manchester United

It’s always been the club over any single player, and by that extension, the manager over any single player as nicely. You don’t argue with a man who has lasted 25 years at one of the finest football clubs in the world and won an astounding 12 league titles in the process. He has much more trophies than many ‘legendary’ managers combined. If you ask me who’s knocked Liverpool off their perch, it is Sir Alex Ferguson. He has moulded the club in his own personality over the last two decades and the consistency, by no means-say-die attitude and a relentless desire to win has been evident in the club all through the years (see a prior post on Ferguson’s impact on Manchester United’s playing style).

But you also need to have to acknowledge the very good with the poor. And as considerably you herald Ferguson’s man-management skills and his brilliant football brain, you also have to question some of his policies and tactics.

Team v People

An obsession with control over his team’s fortunes means that Ferguson will always prioritise the team over a single individual. This has manifested itself in numerous ‘conflicts’ with star players at the club (the most recent being his decision to marginalise Berbatov), but possibly a lot more importantly it is his focus on creating players for the team as opposed to helping them fulfill their natural talents.

In the last 10 years Ferguson has built his teams around three people, forcing everybody else to adapt to the method to such an extent that arguably quite talented footballers who would have been good for United given more playing time at a young age have been somewhat frittered away.

When Ferguson built his team around Ruud van Nistelrooy, it was Diego Forlan, given a bit-component role where he necessary consistency, endure a torrid time at Old Trafford. When Ferguson built his team around Cristiano Ronaldo, not only was Ruud jettisoned but the likes of Nani and Anderson, brought the season following United won their very first league title in four years, got precious little playing time on the pitch as Ferguson time and time again returned to experience moulded to his team’s values instead of allowing youth the time to develop. It was as if you could only succeed at United if you sacrificed yourself for the team – character has often been ahead of footballing capability for Ferguson.

And now, as he builds (and rebuilds) his side around Wayne Rooney, there’s an additional crop of players young and old who will be marginalised. We’ve spoken of Dimitar Berbatov above, but you can put Michael Carrick in the identical category. Carrick, a player who can not play alongside Scholes (simply because Scholes is then the director and Carrick’s principal strength – his dual capacity to pass and intercept passes – is wasted) and yet is typically asked to play second fiddle to the fading master. Carrick, a player who won United their 1st of four league titles in five years, just like Berbatov has been essential for this year’s title.

And then there is the case of Fabio and Rafael, partially delayed by injury, and then by the likes of O’Shea and Patrice Evra ahead of them, and now while they are sufficiently talented to play for United, they haven’t gained the expertise they really should have in their years at the club, and will take one more year or so to develop into secure initial-team options.

The most damaging outcome of Ferguson’s selection process has been the stunted progress of Anderson, and to some extent, Nani as nicely. Even though Nani has developed well he, like Berbatov, continues to be marginalised by players who are supposedly much better at playing ‘for the team’. It’s a valid argument but it also begs the question – why sign Nani if he’s not going to be a standard starter at the club? Why not give the player sufficient experience – wherever that perhaps – to develop to his possible if you’ve spent funds on signing him?

Anderson though is a diverse story – many years at the club and his lack of positional sense – 1st exposed in a Champions League away game against Roma – meant that he rarely got a chance ahead of other players, and then injuries played their component as nicely. He’s now shown that he can score objectives too, but the kid is frustratingly talented and however not given the requisite match time at the correct age and stage of his development to increase his mental aspect of the game.

Now this isn’t a whinge against Ferguson – United have, soon after all, just won their 4th league title in 5 years (after winning it twice in the preceding five years), played in 3 Champions League finals in 4 years and are inarguably the greatest English club of the last two decades. And this success has been built on attacking, aggressive football, focusing on clinically dismantling the opposition.

But there is a human price of this success too, and it manifests itself in the unfulfilled possible of numerous of the players that passed via United in the last decade as Ferguson increasingly turned to expertise and mental strength over prospective talent and capability.

Understanding From Tactical Errors

Calling Ferguson a non-tactical manager is a deeply flawed claim. It ignores the fact that this manager has, over the last decade, lost to and then adapted to beat his closest rivals – this includes Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and even Manchester City. But there is also the undeniable fact that Manchester United lost twice to Barcelona employing the identical tactics – tactics that United are not built to execute to perfection, tactics that, if a single mistake is produced, can be ruthlessly exploited by an opposition as skilled as Barcelona.

Where United necessary to press, they stood off. Where United needed to stifle Barcelona’s central spine of Valdes, Pique, Busquets and Messi, they gave them space to play their game. Where United required to take their limited chances, they fluffed them.

Effectively, United lost the battle not in Rome or London but in Manchester, when they trained to play in a way not suited to toppling the opposition. This was a case where United did not adapt, as they have been so great at performing over the last two decades. And it brings home a glaring statistic – where United have been majestic in the league (12 league titles in much less than 20 years), they have been strangely unequipped to compete in Europe.

Soon after 2006, Ferguson created a concerted alter to United’s tactical approach and that has brought the club consistent success and progress to the final stages, and yes, United have been unlucky to face the greatest team in world football twice, but you still feel that this team would have learned from Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger, and their own performances of 07/08 and 08/09, and tackled Barcelona differently. Specifically considering that they had been more of a ‘team’ this season than in recent years.

But they didn’t, and it just might be that Ferguson, even though supremely capable of masterminding sustained domination of league competitions and two-legged knock out ties, still wants support when it comes to 1-off tactical battles where the team requirements to be able to change gears and approaches rapidly. He is the king of consistency and soaking up pressure over many seasons, pressure that has seriously affected the well being of a young manager like Guardiola. Nevertheless, in a 90 minutes tactical battle with little prior exposure and no second chances, Ferguson can be bested (and has been numerous times over his career).

Really a few fans have spoken about bringing in somebody like Carlos Queiroz, but whoever comes in ought to be able to work with the players on tactics long before they get to the Champions League final. It wants to be a person new, somebody with fresh tips and a modern day, fanatical, obsessive approach to winning matches. Possibly the next Villas Boas or the next Guardiola.

Whoever it is, he will be as essential to the team as the players United need to sign this summer to challenge Barcelona once again next season. And as Sir Alex Ferguson plots yet another title winning season, he knows far more than anyone else that he need to adapt once again to keep Manchester United at the top of the footballing ladder.

Part Two: What Manchester United Must Do To Knock Barcelona Off Their Perch

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The obituaries becoming written about Manchester United’s OAPs for the last five years are now finally relevant. Gary Neville and Edwin van der Sar have retired, Paul Scholes may have by the time you read this post and Ryan Giggs is holding back the development of younger players with more long-term value to the club.

Add that to the expected departures of Tomasz Kuszczak, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Owen (and / or Dimitar Berbatov) plus the require to push out younger players with no future at the club, and you have an expected 9-10 exits from the club this summer. These players will require to be replaced, from the youth team as well as via new signings.

In spite of the heart-breaking numbers of Manchester United’s debt and interest payments, the new owners have also brought a windfall in commercial revenue and Ferguson will have significant transfer funds accessible to him if he deems it needed to purchase talent.

The initial thing Ferguson requirements to do is to sit down with his staff (or in a room by himself and a bottle of wine) and select the United side for next year’s Champions League final. Merely put, if United had been to face Barcelona again in the 2011/2012 Champions League final, which of the existing United players would Ferguson pick for the beginning XI (and the bench)?

Players not fit to fight for the Champions League final next year, or players lacking the possible to develop into future stars – these require to leave this summer. The only caveat is that squad players that are essential for winning the domestic league can stay, supplied that they are delivering far more value to the team than the money they are becoming paid.

If Barcelona have become the benchmark against which each team is measured, United, a team unsatisfied with becoming second-finest, need to locate the tactics and personnel to beat them. It is time for United to knock Barcelona off their perch, and that starts with rebuilding the existing squad.

If you look at the current Manchester United squad in this light, specially the beginning XI from Saturday’s final, only Rooney, Carrick, Ferdinand and Vidic would be sure starters. United will require a new keeper regardless, although Fabio has much to do to prove his worth as a beginning option (although he has sufficient value to the club as a lengthy-term option), and Evra, while still an important player, wants a successor who is much more positionally conscious and defensively sound than the French left-back.

Valencia, Park and Hernandez would make the bench at finest in an ideal United side for next season, but each delivers plenty of value to the squad (similar to Evra), while Giggs in my books, value or not, really should not be near the 18 players producing up the matchday squad for the next final.

That is a remarkable challenge that Ferguson and the United players face. Ferguson now has yet another year to develop his existing players to the levels needed to beat Barcelona, and also to bring in new players that can play at those levels and fit in with his philosophy (hopefully with far better tactics).

Ferguson has spoken about the want for United and other leading teams in Europe to catch up to Barcelona. He’s appropriate about football teams moving in cycles – Manchester United’s had been themselves overtaken by Arsenal, who had been then overtaken by Chelsea, before United fought back and has, to the dismay of a lot of observers, stood firm in the face of strong challenges from Liverpool (one more cycle), Chelsea and Arsenal in the last five years.

But if we’re talking about cycles, Ferguson knows as a lot as anyone else the value of knowing what to aim for. The days of asking players to give their absolute greatest at half-time are lengthy gone, Manchester United are effective enough in the Premier League and the initial stages of the Champions League by being brutally consistent, but to overtake (or catch up to) Barcelona they will either need to have to retool the team or develop an efficient program B that wins them games not just against Barcelona but at times, the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool.

This new cycle for United need to begin now. United have learned to bypass their midfield completely in the last five years but that can not continue forever. This summer they will play a friendly against Barcelona in the US, a nonsense game that will nevertheless show what United have learned tactically (if anything, they ought to learn to press far more and play as a far more compact unit). This summer they will also embark on a substantial revamp of the playing squad, both in personnel and in expectations as young players are pushed to take on much more responsibility.

Fairly a couple of possible transfer targets have been mooted – but idle speculation does us no good. David De Gea and Raphael Varane are the only two players who are in advanced discussions and close to signing, whilst United only have Liverpool as competition for Ashley Young. Whoever else Ferguson signs will be based on the players leaving the club, and it might be that a central midfielder like Modric or Rodwell or even Nasri, and a striker (no clues but if Berbatov goes there will be a signing needed) will also be coming in alongside these 2/three players.

New signings will need to have to fit the team’s tactical outlook for the next five years, and have to be balanced alongside the promotion of youth / reserve players such as Cleverly and the sending out on loan of players in need of match expertise. Ferguson need to determine on the lengthy-term future of Nani and Evans. Both are talented, both are also exceedingly frustrating. United’s experiments with Evans and Smalling in the left and right fullback positions had been promising sufficient to suggest that Evans may be a lot more at property on the left as a backup for Evra.

With Nani, Ferguson need to either give him a lot more responsibility (ahead of the likes of Giggs, Park, Valencia and Hernandez), or think about cashing in on him in an year where his stock is at it’s highest since his arrival at Old Trafford. Fergie typically sells late, so Nani is unlikely to go until he’s turn out to be entirely expendable.

Manchester United will survive this ‘hiding’ from Barcelona, but they need to work challenging to make certain this doesn’t take place a third time, and equally crucial, they need to have to start preparing the team for the next Champions League final, just as Ferguson prepares his team for winning the league title each season. The challenge for Ferguson is to pick the correct tactics and the right players, and he has an year, not a couple of weeks, to program for it.

Part 1: United In Character: The Great And Poor Of Ferguson’s Manchester Reign

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Ligue 1 was the last of the large leagues to finish up. The league started off with a tight group with only Arles falling off the pace early. However, Lille emerged as the front runners and won the league for the initial time since 1953-54 season. Marseille and Lyon finished behind them in the Champions League spots while Paris Saint-Germain, Sochaux and Rennes taking the Europa League spots. At the bottom, Arles, Lens, and 2004 Champions League finalist Monaco were relegated.

Player Of The Season: Gervinho (Lille)
Eden Hazard and Moussa Sow obtain most of the publicity for Lille’s title win, but Gervinho deserves plaudits as he was the man that created opportunities for them as teams couldn’t solely focus on stopping the just those two. He ended the season with 15 goals and 10 assists. He might not have the hype of the other two, but every little thing was easier for Sow and Hazard with Gervinho producing.

Manager Of The Season: Rudi Garcia (Lille)
Lille had been the clear selections here as they ended a long title drought and even added a Coupe de France to their trophy cabinet this season. Lille are an impressive attacking side and a lot of that can be put down to Garcia’s coaching as he has built not only a winning side, but a side that wins in style.

Finest XI:
Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris (Lyon, FRANCE)
Defenders: Stephane Mbia (Marseille, CAMEROON), Adil Rami (Lille, FRANCE), Mamadou Sakho (Paris Saint-Germain, FRANCE), Taye Taiwo (Marseille, NIGERIA)
Midfielders: Eden Hazard (Lille, BELGIUM), Marvin Martin (Sochaux, FRANCE), Nene (Paris Saint-Germain, BRAZIL)
Forwards: Kevin Gamiero (Lorient, FRANCE), Gervinho (Lille, IVORY COAST), Moussa Sow (Lille, SENEGAL)

Nene was a breakout star in the initial half of the season, but faded a bit in the second although Marvin Martin is a rising star as he led the league in assists as he pulled Sochaux up into an Europa League spot.

Biggest Surprise: Sochaux
Sochaux were virtually relegated last season and there were massive question marks about their offense, but with Martin emerging as a playmaker, the team were easily secure from relegation and face a new challenge next season with a league and European camapign.

Biggest Disappointment: Monaco
Monaco have been struggling the past couple of seasons, but they constantly seemed to be too huge of a club to be relegated. However, their time ran out this season as they could in no way string enough performances together to get themselves totally free of the relegation zone.

Predictions:
The predictions weren’t too great. I predicted Lyon as the champion followed by Marseille and Bordeaux. Lille had been in my Europa League spots with Auxerre and Rennes. Bordeaux and Auxerre had underwhelming seasons. At the bottom, Arles was spot on although Brest and and Saint Etienne had been secure, despite the fact that Brest did come close to going down. As for leading goal scorer, two of my candidates, such as my pick, had been sold between the time of my predictions and the end of the August transfer window. My remaining candidate Lisandro Lopez was third, but Moussa Sow ought to have been mentioned as the spearhead for the Lille attack.

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The title race is looking like a genuine four-horse race for next season with any 1 of Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchesters City and United in with a shout of the title.

In this write-up, I look at why they fell short- or in the case of United, won the league- and what is necessary this summer for a profitable challenge in the forthcoming season. I have also included North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, to acknowledge what has successfully turn into a ‘Big Six’ in the last two seasons.

Arsenal

This season, with Chelsea’s horrific run of form in the run up to Christmas and Manchester United, on paper at least, possibly weaker than in prior years, Arsenal had their greatest chance in years for Premier League glory and even though there were some notable highlights for Arsenal, beating the mercurial Barcelona at the Emirates Stadium and Manchester United, but ultimately, Arsene Wenger’s charges fell embarrassingly short yet once more.

Arsenal’s main dilemma, while they do have personnel dilemmas (what side does not), is that they have a chronic inability to perform when in reach of any goal: they were outclassed at the Nou Camp when holding a one goal lead from the initial leg they infamously choked in the Carling Cup final against relative minnows Birmingham and worst of all, right after that defeat at Wembley, won only two of their remaining ten league fixtures which undeniably price them the league title. They make Cardiff look a bastion of steel at times.

It is on this basis that I have discounted them as title contenders next season. Any side that can not win a game from 4- up, cannot win the title Arsenal could be ten points clear with four games to go and I would probably put cash on them being caught, such is their mental fragility.

In personnel terms, they seem to have gone a lengthy way to solving their goalkeeping crisis with the emergence from the academy of Wojciech Szczesny, who at twenty-one, who is a fantastic prospect, but wants time, as the Carling Cup final illustrated. However, the Gunners are crying out for at least 1 centre-half. This weakness was exaggerated by the absence of Thomas Vermaelen all season by way of injury and Johan Djourou did a decent job in his location, but 1 is surely necessary.

The likely targets are Bolton’s Gary Cahill and Blackburn’s Christopher Samba there has been talk of a move for Werder Bremen’s Per Mertesacker, but the German is exactly the Koscielny and Squillaci-like defender- slight in frame and fragile in mind- that has landed the Gunners in so significantly trouble in the past.

Additionally, a holding midfielder to push Alex Song, who has no competition inside the squad, and I would question greatly regardless of whether Song is a title winning midfielder at any rate. Back up for Robin van Persie is also vital to Arsenal’s chances. Whilst he stayed fairly injury no cost this campaign, 1 by no means knows when the Dutchman’s body will give way and both Nicklas Bendtner and Marouane Chamakh have shown themselves to be inadequate substitutes.

As for the manager, no one can argue that he is anything but world class- his capability to spot a young talent and then nurture it is second to none. Even so, he has a significant blind spot at centre-half and may consider cashing in on a Cesc Fabregas whose mind appears to be elsewhere these days.

Wenger ought to get rid of: Manuel Almunia, Lukasz Fabianski, Sebastien Squillaci, Laurent Koscielny, Abou Diaby, Denilson, Nicklas Bendtner.

Chelsea

The troubles facing the new Chelsea boss, whoever that might be, will be twofold.

Firstly, they should deal with the most fickle owner in world football, who nearly single-handedly price Chelsea the title this time round. Will the new man be allowed to appoint his own staff? (In performing so, finding rid of Abramovich’s own spy, Michael Emenalo) and will he be allowed to leave out Fernando Torres and have control over transfer policy in general? Two vital problems. I suspect the answer to both is yes, so long as your name is Guus Hiddink.

Secondly, the new man will have to deal with an aging squad. It appears that several of the Chelsea squad are past their greatest, stalwarts from the Jose Mourinho days whose positions in the side have in no way been questioned, largely since of the immense player power, led by the eternally over-rated John Terry, that saw the ends of Mourinho, Avram Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari. Moreover, they need to have to establish no matter whether they are to play in a 4-three-three or play with two out and out strikers, an indecision that crippled Carlo Ancelotti.

Of course there is the question of who the new man will be. This appointment will present most of the answers to the queries posed. If it is Hiddink, then he will get a free of charge rein, but is he a much better manager than Ancelotti? I would say not. Hiddink has overachieved with minnows, like PSV Eindhoven and South Korea, but won nothing at big clubs like Valencia, only an Intercontinental Cup at Real Madrid and only finished third with Chelsea in his previous stint.

Other than that, Andre Villas-Boas has ruled himself out, not wanting to mirror the path of his predecessor at Porto, although the Special 1 himself is also staying put. All of a sudden there are few possibilities. Grant once more? Chelsea fans will pray that that curse is not placed upon them.

Who need to leave Stamford Bridge: Hilario, Paulo Ferreira, John Obi Mikel, Yury Zhirkov, Yossi Benayoun, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka.

Liverpool

Although Arsenal and Chelsea have been dogged by deep-rooted issues, Liverpool are extremely considerably a team on the up soon after torturous times under Rafael Benitez and then Roy Hodgson- although given time I feel Hodgson would have carried out a great job. ‘King’ Kenny Dalglish has rejuvenated the Reds, replaced Torres, and brought by way of some youth teamers- a policy that is lengthy overdue.

The likes of John Flanagan, Jack Robinson, Martin Kelly and Jay Spearing are the first youth items since the emergence of now thirty-one year-old Steven Gerrard to make the 1st team and have proven much more than capable in the world’s most demanding division. So long as the funds are made obtainable by new owner, John Henry, then there is no reason why Liverpool can not push on for a title challenge given the huge reputation of the club inside Europe.

Liverpool desperately needs cover at centre-half with Jamie Carragher aging rapidly and questions over the ability of Martin Skrtel. Questions also want to be asked as to no matter whether Glen Johnson’s defensive frailties are too grave for Liverpool to launch a serious title challenge, while an additional man in the middle of the park to help Spearing, Raul Meireles and the questionable Lucas Leiva would not go a miss.

Dalglish should get rid of: Sotiris Kyrgiakos, Fabio Aurelio, Christian Poulsen, Milan Jovanovic, David N’Gog.

Manchester City:

The sky is not even the limit. Several have argued that had City had a a lot more attack-minded and inspiring man at the helm this season, they could have won the title, and I agree, nevertheless, one should realise that these men are couple of and far between- Alex Ferguson, Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Ottmar Hitzfeld and I am out. With funds obtainable, Roberto Mancini will further improve an already impressive squad that no matter what your opinion of the manager, will make them a formidable contender next season.

The on-going Carlos Tevez saga needs resolving and ultimately, the only lengthy-term outcome appears to be his eventual departure from Eastlands- though who, apart from maybe Real Madrid, could match his quarter of a million a week wages I do not know. Tevez’s departure would mean that City would need to have a world class striker, although Mario Balotelli has the prospective to assume that role. Moreover, Gareth Barry is far from the player he was under Martin O’Neill at Aston Villa and subsequently requirements replacing and City need to uncover a good quality left-back with the signings of Aleksandar Kolarov and Pablo Zabaleta having not been justified.

Mancini ought to get rid of: Shay Given (simply because he is too excellent be sat on any bench, not simply because he is not great enough), Pablo Zabaleta, Joleon Lescott, Aleksandar Kolarov, Wayne Bridge, Gareth Barry, Patrick Vieira, Jo, Roque Santa Cruz, Emmanuel Adebayor.

Manchester United

Ferguson has as soon as once more proved that he is on a level well above everybody else. Where Chelsea’s veterans have floundered, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Edwin van der Sar have been ever-present at Old Trafford this season. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic reaffirmed their status as the Premier League’s finest partnership in the heart of the defence, even though Javier Hernandez proved the purchase of the season, a snip at only seven million pounds.

A lot of have criticised this United side for not having several genuinely excellent players- I must disagree. Wayne Rooney is certainly 1, and although his early season form was atrocious, he was imperious at the so-known as ‘business end’ of the season to play are huge role in United winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final.

Everybody would agree that that pattern of form is far a lot more desirable than that displayed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic each season-excellent until Christmas and then afterwards one of the most ineffective players in world football- however few question his reputation. The likes of Ferdinand, Vidic, Patrice Evra and even youngsters Hernandez and Luis Antonio Valencia are sublime players.

Ferguson does however want to strengthen. The retirement of van der Sar and Tomasz Kuszczak’s abysmal form late in the season means that the Red Devils will desperately need to have a keeper, with Spanish teenager David de Gea the favourite to replace the Dutchman. Scholes and Giggs will gradually be phased out of the side given their growing years and tiring legs, so United will require a creative midfielder and a holding midfielder to play in the middle of the park.

Darren Fletcher’s form this season has been indifferent, even though Michael Carrick, even though a wonderful passer of the ball, lacks pace at the highest level of competition, as was evident in Saturday’s Champions League final against the superb Barcelona. It looks as though Ferguson will give to triple the wages of Spurs’ player of the season, Luka Modric, who is only on forty thousand per week at the Lane, and who, of course, will be deprived of Champions League football next year should he remain. Elsewhere, Giggs’ lengthy-term successor looks likely to be Aston Villa’s Ashley Young, with reports suggesting that Nani could leave for the Old Lady.

Ferguson should sell: Tomasz Kuszczak, John O’Shea, Jonny Evans, Darron Gibson, Gabriel Obertan.

Tottenham

Spurs undoubtedly have the hardest task of keeping up with the pace at the leading- they do not fairly have the reputation and standing of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United- though their impressive Champions League campaign has certainly raised their profile on the continent -nor the war chest of Man City, plus they do will not have Champions League football. Spurs do have a lot of funds, but Daniel Levy is reluctant to shell out on excessive wages. Harry Redknapp’s nous in the transfer market will definitely be key.

Initial and foremost, Spurs need to make positive they keep hold of the mercurial midfielder Luka Modric with Gareth Bale’s susceptibility to injury and Rafael van der Vaart’s dip in form towards the end of the season, Modric has emerged as Tottenham’s most valuable asset and will have to hold off serious interest from Manchester United and Chelsea this summer. To launch a challenge for Champions League qualification and potentially the championship, they need to have to find out to kill off games too several draws have price Spurs dearly this season and no doubt progress in the Europa League will only hamper any domestic aspirations.

Spurs desperately require a marquees striker and have created serious enquiries into both of Porto’s frontmen Hulk and Radamel Falcao, although it appears Hulk’s cost tag of thirty-five million euros will deter Redknapp from tabling a formal bid even so, Andre Villas-Boas’ announcement that he is staying at the Dragao for at least another season may possibly be sufficient to convince the Porto squad to stick and launch what would be a strong bid for European honours next season.

Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko are all great, but they are not gamebreakers- to quote FIFA Street. How Redknapp wishes he would have accommodated the superb Darren Bent into his team. Moreover, with William Gallas the wrong side of thirty, Michael Dawson is the only leading centre-half at White Hart Lane.

Both of Birmingham’s steadfast pairing of Roger Johnson and Scott Dann have been linked with a move to North London, but once more, the Blues’ asking price of fourteen million for Dann will definitely make Redknapp think twice. Meanwhile, out on the flanks, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Alan Hutton are inept at full-back, although both Danny Rose and Kyle Walker look like decent prospects. Heurelho Gomes also needs replacing his capability to go from the sublime to the ridiculous is extraordinary- he broke the record against Blackpool, saving a penalty and then giving one away all in the space of thirty seconds.

Redknapp should sell: Heurelho Gomes, Alan Hutton, Sebastien Bassong, Jonathan Woodgate, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Jermaine Jenas, David Bentley, Robbie Keane.

Soccerlens.com

Soon after Cardiff City’s exit against Reading in the semi-finals of the Championship play-offs, Dave Jones has been sacked as manager. Jones spent six years at Cardiff, leading them to the 2010 play-off final where they had been defeated by Blackpool. The Liverpudlian has paid the ultimate sacrifice for his side’s inability to get over the final hurdle and get promotion to the Premiership.

An official statement was issued on the Cardiff City site by CEO Gethin Jenkins on behalf of the Chairman and executive board at the Cardiff City stadium. Jenkins stated: ‘We would like to thank Dave Jones for his considerable efforts with the Club over the past six seasons. He leaves his post in the information that he has left the Club in a far better position than when he arrived.’ When Jones arrived in South Wales, he revitalised the Cardiff side and turned them into a top six side in the Championship on a regular basis and also steered the club to the final of the FA Cup in 2008, where they had been beaten by winners Portsmouth.

The statement went on to say: ‘His efforts in the recruitment and development of players also meant that the sale of these players at times enabled the Club to survive. He has also had a substantial contribution in the development of training facilities and the stadium during his Cardiff City career. We thank him for all that he has performed and achieved with the Club and wish him nicely for the future.’

CEO Jenkins and club director Alan Whiteley will now start the search for a new manager at Cardiff City, which will be recommended to the board who will make the final choice.

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We tend to forget due to our overwhelming passion, that football is just a game. We perceive it as so a lot much more as we are enthralled every single single day of our lives with a topic, subject, drama or elation that entails of the sport we adore. Besides all that, other problems in the game happen that are a lot more important as they relate to serious aspects in life as a entire.

When Eric Abidal was diagnosed with liver cancer back in March, it hit him and Barcelona like a tonne of bricks, but what a considerable moment we witnessed soon after his club’s heroics in the Champions League Final last Saturday. He lived to tell the tale by lifting the European Cup from Wembley’s Royal Box as captain.

He is a considerably common member of the Blaugrana set-up. His peers had been well and truly stunned by the news that their team-mate would undergo surgery to eliminate a 4cm tumour from his liver.

The world of football joined together to show their support for the 31-year old. Even their rivals in the capital of Madrid paid some touching tributes by adorning t-shirts at the end of their Champions League victory over Lyon with the words “Animo Abidal”. Others paid tribute via their twitter accounts:

Cristiano Ronaldo - “I hope it all goes nicely with Abidal, and that he gets back soon. My pals Marcelo and Pepe told me right now that they are also praying for Abidal.”

Kaka - “What sad news about Eric Abidal, tumour in the liver! Let’s pray for him… God bless!!”

Gorgeous to see the fiercest rivalry in football put all that animosity aside to support one of their fellow specialists. Bravo Real and to the rest of those who expressed their support.

Abidal’s teammate Xavi was devastated by the news that his friend would face this horrible ordeal.

“We all offer our support to Abidal. We are positive that he will overcome this disease. This has been the most challenging scenario I’ve ever faced in my career.” he stated somberly.

He was in no way alone. As nicely as having the support of his pals and family, those in his profession joined in too.

Seven weeks after undergoing the operation and rehabilitation, he remarkably returned to the field of play at the Nou Camp. In the 89^th minute he came on as a substitute as his side had been on the brink of reaching the Champions League Final. The ground underneath the magnificent stadium seemingly shook from beneath as 90,000 spectators rose to their feet to welcome back their left-back. Joyous scenes at the final whistle as he was hoisted in the air by his team-mates who were not just embracing 1 one more simply because they reached but an additional final, but seeing their friend back to full-wellness and on a football pitch – magnificent.

He returned to 1st-team action prior to his involvement at Wembley on Saturday, but seeing him grace the biggest stage of club football, so composed, so efficient, as if he’d never been away, was a touching sight. We did not expect what was to come as the world of football braced themselves for goose bumps as captain Carlos Puyol handed over his privilege of lifting the European Cup to Abidal – along with the captains armband. With that it will now be remembered one of the most significant moments in the competition’s 51 year history.

Coach Pep Guardiola embraces Abidal following their Champions League triumph

Abidal was taken aback by the support of the Catalan giants and could not hold back the tears.

“I’m so thankful for the gesture from my team-mates. I can’t explain the emotions I have. It’s spectacular.” he said, overcome by emotion.

It was an emotional and amazing scene. Seconds prior to him lifting the glorious silver aloft, an evident roar could be heard emanating from the Barcelona fans as they spotted their full-back adorning the Catalan armband.

It was an honour for the 400 million of us watching around the world last Saturday to witness Eric Abidal overcome this horrendous ordeal and live to tell the tale at the home of football.

Follow Ross on Twitter: @RossMackiewicz

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At 40 years of age Pep Guardiola has already implemented himself into 1 of the greatest coaches in modern day history. 29 years his senior Sir Alex Ferguson, the man who sat in the opposite dugout at Wembley on Saturday night, conceded his Manchester United team had been inferior to the young pretender’s Blaugrana who put on arguably, the most beautiful 90 minutes of football in a European Cup Final. With Pep’s distinguished achievements ranking up in the greater echelons of world football, what lies next for the Catalan?

When he took over the senior coaching role from Frank Rijkaard in the summer of 2008, Barca had been not specifically in dire straits but they possessed an ageing squad that had seen better days. The likes of Ronaldinho and Deco had been coming to the end of their time and sought pastures new, as did the club as a whole, and the introduction of youthful exuberance not just in the playing squad but also within the dugout would breathe fresh life into the club.

Pep’s three years in charge has seen him pick up three consecutive La Liga titles, two European Cups, a Copa del Rey, a European Super Cup, a FIFA World Club Championship and two Spanish Super Cups. It is a glittering collection of silver and gold that has been racked up in three years by a man who has only been coaching for 4. There are creditable coaches in the game who haven’t even got close to a haul like that, let alone win one or two cups.

Guardiola’s modesty and humility makes his achievements all that much more respectable. Not 1 to glee in the spotlight nor pass judgment on his adversaries, he has kept his head down and stuck to the philosophy that Barca has believed in because Johann Cruyff laid out the blueprint over two decades ago.

Pep set out a standard four-3-three formation and built his team around the flair we have became accustomed to for twenty years in conjunction with efficiency. For all the gorgeous football Barcelona play, their work off the ball had been seemingly overlooked – possibly the superlatives to describe their attacking play had ran out and focus was drawn onto other aspects of their play. They suffocated Manchester United on Saturday by giving them no space at all to get out of their own half as they pressed up field, causing The Red Devils to hesitate in their play. It rattled the English champions and it was a main factor in their downfall. Guardiola’s pedigree as an accustomed central midfielder is mirrored by his players on the pitch. No matter whether it is Lionel Messi or Sergio Busquets, they will not give their opposition a pocket of space to work into. Cruyff brought in the tiki-taka play, but Guardiola implemented the potency.

The blend of the two has created already, one of the greatest sides in the history of the sport. It is impossible to judge just specifically who is the grandest eleven to play the game, but the world is currently witnessing a group of players who are going to be spoken in the exact same breath as Brazil’s 1970 World Cup heroes, Di Stefano’s Real Madrid, Bill Shankly’s Liverpool and Arrigo Sacchi’s Milan. They all had their pros and cons, but this Barcelona team is ultimately flawless. The vulnerabilities a lot of felt they had at the back have been nicely and truly quashed as even a makeshift centre-back in Javier Mascherano displayed a maturity at Wembley that made you feel he had played their all his life. It is yet another sign of terrific man management by Guardiola and those affiliated have reaped the rewards.

Guardiola is blessed to have the talent he has at his disposal but the vast majority of the side that has been a component of this dominant foray in football, underwent the exact same education as him at La Masia and it is a testament to Barcelona Football Club.

Pep’s future at the club has been questioned as of late, disputing his nicely becoming to carry on the job in hand. He has admitted that he feels genuine strain at coaching the club due to the political issues surrounding the hot seat. Managing the greatest set of players on the planet may possibly seem an effortless feat but it is the total opposite. Pep has also said a number of times that teams want change from time to time to freshen up their outlook – his current employers being no exception. He has been cagey on his future in the last year, specifically with Sandro Rosell being elected new president last June. Nevertheless why would you contemplate leaving this set of players for whatever reason? Yes he has achieved so much at the club but the job is not but complete.

He has an opportunity to implement this side as the greatest to have ever played the game. Several are under no illusions that he has already achieved that feat but with them now becoming reigning European champions, they want to do some thing no other club has done and that’s retain the Champions League. Because its transition from the old European Champions Cup in 1992, no team has ever successfully defended their crown. Milan were the last team to do so prior to the transition in 1990 and are regarded one of the finest outfits in the sports history. If it was not for Internazionale and Jose Mourinho last year stifling Barca, who were Champions League holders at the time, the European Cup they picked up at Wembley on Saturday could have been their third straight crown – how conclusive would that have been in them becoming regarded as the greatest ever?

Guardiola has yet another opportunity to take a side as reining European Champions and make them immortal by retaining their crown in Munich next May.  That is a challenge in itself but who would bet against it? Pep would also join the late wonderful Bob Paisley in becoming only the second manager to lift three European Cups – a chance to get one up on nemesis Jose Mourinho who is striving to do the same at Actual Madrid.

A European Super Cup and of course the World Club Championship in the fall await the Blaugrana as a reward for winning club football’s Holy Grail. If Barca do end up winning them, not only is it two much more extremely regarded honours added to their bulging cabinet, but their coach will overtake Cruyff as the clubs most productive coach – doing it in just three and a half years. What a staggering achievement that would be and as points stand, it looks inevitable he will do so by the end of next season.

His plans for the squad this summer will be one of interest. There is usually room for improvement, even for a side like Barcelona and Guardiola realises that. He will continue to bring by way of the youth and the emergence of the likes of Thiago and Jeffren will see them push for beginning positions next season. Actual Madrid will seemingly be stronger and will possibly present a sterner title race as Pep looks to equal Cruyff’s record of 4 straight league championships.

The world is there for the taking for Guardiola and his Barcelona side. Immortality awaits.

Follow Ross on Twitter: @RossMackiewicz

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“Totally outlcassed” “you just can’t argue with that – they’re just too very good!” “we’re the greatest of the rest, at least…”. But a selection of the comments I have heard from Manchester United fans in the wake of their club’s second capitulation to Barcelona’s incomparable passing football in 3 years.

These are comments from Manchester United supporters. You know, the aristocrats of British football to whom legions of young supporters flock in search of glory, the club which claims to be the most widely-supported in the world and which lately overtook Liverpool as the most profitable in the history of English football. They’ve seen Cristiano Ronaldo, the Giggs-Scholes-Beckham-Keane generation, Schmeichel and Cantona grace their turf throughout the 25-year tenure of their legendary manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. Their club has had epic encounters with the Actual Madrid galacticos, won a Champions’ League Final in two minutes and beaten the Arsenal Invincibles. Why have they suddenly imposed a limit on their own expectations?

Pure folklore. The fatalistic acceptance surrounding the develop-up to the game, as well as afterwards,was reminiscent of the fear among the noblest of warriors in ancient times ahead of a battle with an unknown enemy, believing they faced not men, but beasts an acceptance that their fate was in the hands of the Gods.

Manchester United’s fate was in the hands of Sir Alex Ferguson, who allowed his team to be exposed to the exact identical difficulties that have undone his side at the highest level for years. Why a proper defensive midfielder has not however been signed is as mysterious as Arséne Wenger’s policy on central defenders however, as I have argued in an additional piece, United could effortlessly have brought in the energetic Anderson to cover the space in between the defence and midfield into which Lionel Messi loves to drift. Fergie could have stationed two midfielders in front of him, such as Park in a dual left-wing/central midfield role. Admittedly, the Korean did appear to have instuctions to support the central location, but most of his time was spent out wide.

The greatest reason why this past decade or so will be remembered as that of the Galacticos of Madrid giving way to the ‘pure’ ingenuity of Barcelona  and not as Manchester United’s wonderful European era is actually rather a little section of grass, no far more than ten square metres. But it’s this little section of the pitch where the great players of the past ten years have most enjoyed playing which has hurt United time and once again, regardless of whether it’s been Messi, Kaká or even Zidane.

Last night, Sir Alex’s apparently unshakeable belief in the high-tempo English style combined with a bit of lengthy-range passing from midfield and width meant employing a central midfield pairing of Carrick and Giggs which left that very same old gap entirely exposed. It left United flat-footed for the opening objective it gave Messi all the time in the world to line up an average shot which was tragically misjudged by the departing Edwin van der Sar for the second it may well even be argued that David Villa may well not have had the space for a third – but by then the game was lost, adjustments had been made and this argument might have turn out to be academic.

The actual match ended up being practically identical to the one two years ago in Rome, the only difference becoming Rooney’s equaliser. United, matching Barcelona’s pressing game, had been able to generate pressure for the opening ten minutes. The trouble is that once Barca get into their rhythm, you end up pressing for a lot longer than they do, and you get tired. Therefore, Barca took control of the game and United were only able to manage sporadic forays forward which, after Rooney’s objective, never truly threatened. For Barca, Messi was however again able to skip freely into the aforementioned space, which meant Villa and Pedro’s runs inside became a actual threat, Xavi had a free choice of passes and Iniesta was able to burst beyond him.

Of course, all that will get talked about is the ‘brilliance’ of Barcelona, the ‘genius’ of Lionel Messi and martyr-like passion with which United threw themselves into the jaws of pre-ordained defeat. But the truth is that, as Barcelona might well discover before lengthy, no team is unbeatable. United have, a lot more than anything, their own tactics to blame for creating 2011 a repeat of 2009.

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Stephen O’Sullivan points out that if you’re playing the greatest team in the world, it’s never a good thought to make it easy for them.

The Manchester United players and staff queued up last night to hail Barcelona as, amongst other issues, the finest team they’d ever seen Rio Ferdinand (“they had been the deserving winners”), Nemanja Vidic (“we have in no way played against a team like Barcelona”), even Alex Ferguson himself (“I feel it is the very best team we have ever played”), all going on record praising their conquerors. It’s little wonder Dani Alves repeatedly known as United “caballeros” (gentlemen)  on Spanish Tv afterwards. Of course it’s all accurate, to an extent, but it would be a enormous mistake for United to completely free themselves of responsibility for what happened last night. What you would hope will haunt United’s players over their summer holidays, will be that they gave Barca all the assist they possibly could.

All 3 objectives came from individual errors. Patrice Evra and Antonio Valencia didn’t even look like expert footballers. Edwin Van Der Sar was strangely panicky from kick off, and seemingly some heads had been gone just before the game even began –  maybe even Alex Ferguson’s. Like the disastrous Bayern Munich game in Old Trafford last season, Ferguson froze when things began going wrong. The image that night, of him and Mike Phelan staring silently at the match soon after Robben had created it three-2, was a powerful one. As heads had been going at two-1 last night, Ferguson cut a similar figure, and brought on Nani and Paul Scholes far too late to make a distinction. The worst of all their failings last night, was that United basically gave up soon after the third objective, a shocking reaction from a team whose self-belief so typically defines them.

That all stated, absolutely nothing happens on a football pitch without having a reason. United gave up due to the fact they were mesmerised, rocked and depressed not just by Barcelona’s ball retention, but their constant threat. Valencia was dreadful presumably simply because the occasion got to him, but it’s not his fault Ferguson left him on the pitch. As for the goals, Evra was unforgivably out of position for Barcelona’s first since he’s been like that all season and wants to get his head together. Van Der Sar got his feet dreadfully wrong and was beaten by a shot straight down the middle of his goal, since his defence froze and gifted Lionel Messi a shot the Dutchman wouldn’t have expected. For the third, United won the ball back and then helpfully returned it inside their own box simply because their heads had been gone, Barca had reduced them to panic.

So, yes, all individual errors, but largely caused by being faced with a team of genius. Under near constant mental tension, individual United players cracked. I’ve written before about the myth that United had been taken apart in Rome two years ago. This time there’s no doubt: Barcelona controlled, dominated, mesmerised, whereas the English champions had been awful.

In a way we ought to be grateful for Barcelona. We’re all acquiring to see a truly great team, likely the finest ever, and in spite of their occasionally nefarious tactics, they play football in the right way. Keep in mind, it was less than ten years ago that the likes of Porto and Liverpool were winning the Champions League, Greece winning the Euros, a desperately poor Brazil team winning the 2002 World Cup. The game was crying out for a real team to step forward, and now it is happened with Barcelona and Barcelona B (or the Spain national team as it’s also recognized).

Greatness in sport really should be admired, and we ought to often feel privileged to witness it. It’s also pleasing that Barca’s total dominance has nothing to do with tactics, a topic that is getting increasing and ridiculous emphasis in modern day football analysis: Barca are the best due to the fact they work harder than everyone else and are better on the ball than everyone else. It’s that straightforward and that complicated.

Still, I can’t aid feel like I did when Roger Federer was dominating tennis a few years ago: he was so a lot greater than everybody else, it removed all interest from the sport for me. I think everybody, almost certainly even an ABU, would be happier this morning if United hadn’t gifted Barcelona so a lot and had given them much more of a match.

The question turns to how specifically someone is going to stop them. For United, who along with Actual Madrid are the team with most chance of doing it, it appears merely a matter of players. Carrick did the best he could last night, but United (and practically every single other team in the Premiership for that matter) don’t have a midfielder with the moral courage to maintain showing for the ball and take the responsibility for moving his team up the pitch. United dominated the first ten minutes, also had a lot of half-opportunities in the final twenty minutes, but that’s all they had been: half-opportunities. They didn’t have the aforementioned midfielder or the guy with enough cuteness in the final third to hurt a Barcelona defence clearly uncomfortable under pressure.

Unfortunately, Alex Ferguson mused following the game about whether or not it was feasible to locate players like Messi, Iniesta (who was absolutely nothing short of astonishing) and Xavi and concluded wearily, “Probably not.” That’s the issue for everybody else. There aren’t players like those three anywhere. He also acknowledged Barcelona as the best team he’s ever faced with the proviso that “success goes in cycles”. Frank Rijkaard’s superb Barcelona team caught Galactico disease a few years back, it’s possible this one will too. Although, I somehow doubt it.

So what’s there to conclude? Definitely, we really should celebrate Barcelona and all the great points they represent, but there were two sides to the equation last night: United’s poor things, Barca’s very good issues. United couldn’t get the ball because Barcelona play with telepathic precision and the calmest heads in world football, but United didn’t work tough enough or track their players. United couldn’t hurt them in possession because Barcelona worked and pressed continually, but then again United had been careless and panicky. Barcelona scored because of individual errors as considerably as their own precise finishing.

In fact, United’s only source of solace is that Wayne Rooney’s goal was the very best of the night, caused by incision and ruthlessness thinking and acting quicker than their opponents. Also, the most astonishing moment of the match, for me, was Vidic’s near-impossible dispossession of Messi in the United box very first half when a goal seemed specific.

Football’s a beautiful, basic game: control the ball when you have it, work tough when you don’t. That’s what Barcelona do. And if an individual desires to beat them, they’ll have to start by removing all the poor points from the equation.

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