NOTICE: Mid-Season Review

As we come to the end of a fantastic yet poignant 12 months of football, I will be publishing a review of the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League Season so far, in the coming weeks. Individual team reports and their transfer targets will be part of the agenda.

Wishing all readers a Merry Christmas

FIFA World Cup 2014 Draw: Assessment/Initial Predictions

Friday's draw for the 20th FIFA World Cup tournament saw a lot of surprises and shocks. The focus turns to all 32 teams who are taking part in Brazil next summer, as well as their chances at this early stage of prediction.

England. The eye of the nation is on the Three Lions who, it is fair to say, have been drawn into a tough group. In Group D, they are up against Italy, who last won the tournament in 2006 against France on penalties in Berlin's Olympiastadion, as well as Uruguay who claimed the final place for next summer's tournament beating Jordan in the play-offs. Joining the Three Lions are Costa Rica, with the two teams having never met each other before. Judging by current status, it would be hard to see England progress from the group stages. A win against Italy would at this rate, bring about complacency against Uruguay in Sao Paulo on June 19th and in effect, they could stutter against Costa Rica. They are in a group in which they will be up against world-class players such as Suarez, Cavani, Balotelli and Pirlo (if fit), and will therefore need to prepare well in advance, ensuring that injury does not cost them of their key players. Travel is a key issue, with The Three Lions having to embark on a 2,650 mile journey from their base in Rio de Janeiro to Manaus, for their match against Italy.

2,650 miles: But how far will Roy's boy's really go in Brazil?

The focus on key group games include the repeat of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final in Group B, as Spain take on The Netherlands, whom they defeated 1-0 in that tense, hotly-contested match on the 11th July 2010 in Johannesburg's Soccer City (now FNB) stadium, in the group's opening game. This time, in Salvador, Spain will need to prove that they still have an edge to their game and silence the critics after a humiliating 3-0 defeat to hosts Brazil in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup Final. The Dutch on the other hand, will be looking to prove that they are still a top team after bowing out of the group stages of Euro 2012 with 0 points. The "Group of Death" title belongs to Group G, where Germany, Portugal, Ghana and the USA will lock horns with each other. The bookies fancy the Germans and the Portuguese, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, to progress into at least the Round of 16, although Ghana, who also faced Germany in the 2010 tournament's group stage (losing 1-0 on that occasion), will arguably be the strongest African nation at next summer's tournament. Jurgen Klinsmann comes face-to-face with Joachim Low who was his assistant when he was Germany manager from 2004 to 2006.

Brazil: A nation expects

Before all of that, the tournament's inaugural game kicks off on the 12th June in Sao Paulo, where Brazil will open the first of 64 matches in their Group A game against Croatia, before facing Mexico 5 days later in Fortaleza; and will look to seal progress into the knockout stages by the time they play Cameroon in the capital city of Brasilia. They are firm favourites to win the tournament but will need the full vocal support of fans at matches to be a strong influence on team spirit and players' mentality. Neymar, Paulinho, Bernard and Fred are, so far, likely to be in Luiz Felipe Scolari's 23-man squad, with Philippe Coutinho, Alexandre Pato and Leandro Damiao also vying for a chance to represent Brazil on home soil. The Selecao could face The Netherlands or Spain in the round of 16 and in their best interests, will wish to avenge the "national tragedy" of the 1950 FIFA World Cup, where they lost 2-1 to Uruguay at the Estádio do Maracanã, and add a 6th star to their jersey.

Rest In Peace: Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Aside the preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the football world remembers Nelson Mandela, who sadly passed away on Thursday at the age of 95. Not only was he a pivotal figure in South Africa's successful bid (and tournament) for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but also a genuinely wonderful world leader and humble gentleman all round. He will be deeply missed. 

CREDITS:

Picture of Roy Hodgson: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02238/roy_hodgson_2238648b.jpg

Picture of Christ The Redeemer statue: http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/060/cache/brazil-christ-redeemer_6011_600x450.jpg

Picture of Nelson Mandela: http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/06/4985450/dh_mandela2-20131206092256146309-620x349.jpg

FIFA World Cup 2014: The Draw

As customary for football fans all across the world, it is this time in the year prior to the FIFA World Cup in which we can start to make predictions about the winners and losers. This Friday, the official 2014 World Cup draw will take place in the city of Costa do Sauipe (near Salvador), Brazil. All eyes will be on who England will draw in their group, as well as the big guns such as Brazil themselves, and Germany and Spain. The possibilities are in some ways, endless.

The stage is set: Or almost, anyway

The worry of the nation is who England will face in their group. Having been confirmed as an unseeded team (and rightly so), it is possible that the Three Lions could be moved to Pot 2 via a random draw, with the likes of Germany, Spain and Argentina. They currently lie in Pot 4, alongside France, Italy and débutantes on the world stage, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Should England remain in Pot 4, they will avoid such teams until at least the last 16. On the other hand, they will definitely face a Pot 1 team in the group stages, and will look to avoid the hosts, the Germans, Argentina and current world and European champions, Spain, at all costs. If England are moved to pot 2, they will definitely face a South American seed. The following are the best and worst-case scenarios for England:

BEST-CASE SCENARIO:

Pot	Team	FIFA World Ranking (28/11/2013)
1	Switzerland	8th
2	Cameroon	51st
3	Australia	59th
4	England	13th

WORST-CASE SCENARIO:

Pot	Team	FIFA World Ranking (28/11/2013)
1	Brazil	10th
2	England	13th
3	USA	14th
4	Portugal	5th

Without doubt, Roy Hodgson will be hoping that England face the teams of the first category rather than the latter. However, anything could happen and when looking at the worst-case scenario, England may well be in the "Group of Death".

Another "Group of Death" could see Brazil, Italy, France and Mexico in the same group. Furthermore, The Netherlands, Argentina, Ivory Coast and Japan are aware that they could be playing each other in the first round. No group may have more than two countries from the same continent face each other. In that case, it would be impossible for England, Spain and Portugal to be in the same group, despite what some fans may be hoping (or not hoping) for.

The view from other nations will be slightly different. Whoever Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Germany face, they will been safe in the knowledge that they are the favourites to lift the World Cup trophy on 13th July in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium. But victory is never a guarantee and either of the favourites know very well that they could bow out of the tournament as early as the quarter finals - something Brazil have experienced in the last two tournaments. Moreover, there could be surprise packages, the most likely of which is Belgium, who took qualification by storm and are in Pot 1 for Friday's draw. The likes of Mignolet, Hazard, Fellaini, Kompany, Witsel and Lukaku will be fighting long and hard for the remainder of the 2013/14 season in order to get on Belgium's plane to Brazil, come June.

Besides the draw, the preparations in Brazil are in turmoil. Last week's crane collapse in Sao Paulo, which killed 2 workers will have delayed the Arena Corinthians' completion date by a considerable number of weeks (or even months). Several other stadiums look unlikely to meet FIFA's end-of-year deadline and social unrest over infrastructure and public services still remains present, at large.

Nevertheless, Friday's draw is at the subject worldwide attention and will be watched with anticipation. Do not miss it.

Tune in to BBC2 on Friday at 1630 (4:30pm) for the draw


CREDITS:

Draw stage picture: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25153780

England vs Germany: A friendly by no means

"They think it's all over...it is now! These were the words expressed by the BBC's Kenneth Wolstenholme as fans made their way to the turf of the Old Wembley Stadium just seconds prior to Geoff Hurst's World Cup-winning goal as England were the victors of the 1966 tournament in a 4-2 victory over West Germany. At that time, England were officially the best national team in the world. Times have changed since. However, the rivalry remains the same.

The rivalry goes back all the way to the Christmas Day Truce of 1914, when the First World War was in its beginning months. English and German troops called an unofficial truce, exchanging gifts with one another, and playing a match which the Germans won 3-2. Although the truce was a great gesture between the two sides, it didn't last very long. Just days later, the two nations were once again firing bullets and bombarding at each other with no relent. The English were victorious in 1918, when the war ended. The two sides were enemies again in the Second World War too, again seeing the English triumph over the Germans. And what happens on the pitch also adds spice to the rivalry...

Hurst "scores" to put England 3-2 ahead

...In 1966, Geoff Hurst's famous and infamous "Wembley Goal" was at the centre of controversy. Hurst hit the bar and the ball, according to many, failed to cross the line. Among the 400 million viewers who watched the World Cup Final that day, it was inevitable that the English viewers would argue that it did cross the line, with German viewers resenting such a view. Goal-line technology was something which was not invented then and was at the subject of major public discussion when 44 years later, Frank Lampard's supposed equaliser did not count as Germany triumphed 4-1 in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in the 2010 World Cup's Round of 16. This time, TV replays clearly showed that the ball crossed the line, but referee Jorge Larrionda did not award the goal. For most German football fans, this piece of revenge was long awaited and was delivered after 4 long decades. But this will count for nothing on Tuesday night... 

One to watch: Julian Draxler

...The encounter between the two sides will be the first time the sides have met since that humiliating and controversial defeat for England in Bloemfontein. For Roy Hodgson, whose side lost 2-0 to Chile on Friday night thanks to two great goals by Barcelona's Alexis Sanchez, this game will be yet another test as he prepares to draw up his initial list for his 23-man squad that will be on the plane to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in June. Captain Steven Gerrard should be back from injury, with Hodgson expected to start Gerrard's Liverpool team mate Daniel Sturridge, as well as Wayne Rooney and potentially Kyle Walker. Germany on the other hand, are without their midfield talisman Bastian Schweinsteiger, who did not feature in the team's 1-1 draw over Italy which also took place on Friday evening. Joachim Low has stated that Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm and Mesut Ozil will not play the match and will instead experiment other players. Julian Draxler, Schalke 04's 20-year-old attacking midfielder, can pose a major threat from the middle of the field and can conjure up an attack from anywhere. He will be competing with Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Mario Gotze for a place in Low's starting 11.

Germany are by far the stronger and more talented team and are likely candidates alongside Brazil, Argentina and Spain to be the winners of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Rio de Janeiro on the 13th of July next year. Nevertheless, England will use this match as an experiment to see how they can fare against stronger sides in next year's World Cup. Furthermore, players such as Adam Lallana, Jay Rodriguez, Kieran Gibbs, Ross Barkley and Andros Townsend will have the chance, if played, to show that just like the Germans, the English can still produce talent which has the potential to have world-class status.


CREDITS:

Picture of Geoff Hurst's "Wembley Goal":
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/55/Ghost_Goal_World_Cup_1966.jpg

Picture of Julian Draxler:
http://media.bundesliga.com/media/images/02_international/dfb-team/draxler_ball_692.jpg

Arsenal vs Liverpool: A Premier League Classic

The 2013-14 Barclays Premier League  season so far has been one which has not disappointed. There have many shocks and surprises, as well as its fair share of controversy. In addition, many exciting games have been played, with another major one taking place on Saturday evening.

Missing me? Liverpool have Coutinho back from injury

Arsenal vs. Liverpool is one of the many Premier League fixtures that never fails to live up to expectations. In fact, it probably succeeds them most of the time. The Gunners play host to the Merseysiders at the Emirates on Saturday, with both teams arguably being the best of the season so far. At the beginning of the season, it was inevitable that not a single critic would place their money on either of the two teams being in their respective league positions. Both sides are unbeaten in the league and have played similar football in many respects too. Without doubt, the standout performers for the Gunners have been Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and the £42 million German playmaker Mesut Ozil, who have formed a formidable trinity in the middle of the park, terrorising defences with incisive and intricate attacking football. On the other hand, the Anfield faithful have witnessed the emergence of the striker-partnership which they dub as the "SAS" - Suarez and Sturridge. Brazilian attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho had also been in brilliant form until picking up a shoulder injury in September forcing him out for 6 weeks; however Brendan Rodgers had confirmed that he is in the squad to face the Gunners on Saturday evening. 

Double trouble: Ozil and Wilshere

In the build-up to Saturday evening's encounter between the first and third placed teams, there are certainly strengths and weaknesses among both sides. Both teams are under threat from one another's attackers, and will need their defenders to be fully motivated and prepared. Arsenal will want to avoid a third consecutive home defeat, with Liverpool hoping that their 4-game unbeaten run does not end in defeat at the Emirates. Arsene Wenger has described his team's 1st place standing has being one which is "no coincidence". Arsenal picked up 35 points from a possible 42 from the final 14 games of last season [1] and have only lost once in the league this season in the infamous 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa on the opening weekend of the season. Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers meanwhile said that striker Luis Suarez has shown improvements in terms of his "football ability and maturity". Suarez was widely chased by Arsenal in the summer, and after the infamous bid of £40,000,001 placed by the north London outfit, the Anfield club's principal owner John W Henry sarcastically but somewhat meaningfully asked on his Twitter account "What do you think they're smoking over there at Emirates?" . Nevertheless, Rodgers denied that the Suarez transfer saga will add spice to the fixture. 

Both managers are under no delusion that this fixture will be a walk in the park and will undoubtedly demand 100% effort and commitment from their players. Whatever the outcome is on Saturday evening, one thing is for sure - it will be game that will keep us on the edge of our seats.

CREDITS:

[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24771645

Wilshere and Ozil picture:  http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article8827074.ece/ALTERNATES/w460/Jack-Wilshere-ozil.jpg

Philippe Coutinho picture: http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1714923.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Liverpool%20v%20Swansea%20City%20-%20Premier%20League-1714923.jpg

Luis Suarez: Perhaps Liverpool's best signing of 2013

Staying put for now: Luis Suarez

When he scores a volley or when he scores with his head, Liverpool fans just can't seem to get enough of their special number 7, who goes by the name of Luis Alberto Suarez. The Uruguayan, having scored a hat-trick in Liverpool's 4-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, proved his worth to the Anfield faithful and it is not hard to see how valuable an asset the boy from Salto is, after having expressed his desire to depart L4 this summer whilst on international duty with Uruguay at the Confederations Cup in Brazil.

Last season, Suarez was voted Liverpool's player of the year and was at the subject of an infamous £40,000,001 bid from Arsenal, who were chasing a world class player all summer, before snapping up Mesut Ozil for £42 million from Real Madrid on transfer deadline day. Towards the latter stages of the 2012-13 season, Suarez and Sturridge formed a formidable partnership upfront which left Kopites reminiscing of the days of Toshack & Keegan, as well as Rush & Dalglish. Signed for £23 million in January 2011 along with Andy Carroll for £35 million from Newcastle, the pair were set to become one of the greatest partnerships in the history of the Merseyside club. Although Suarez settled in quickly, scoring on his debut against Stoke, Carroll didn't. Liverpool loaned the Geordie out in 2012-13 to West Ham United, who signed him on a permanent deal this summer for a fee in the region of £15 million. 

The SAS: Suarez and Sturridge

However Suarez has had more than his fair share of controversies, including the infamous bite on Chelsea's Branislav Invanovic in April 2013 and two years ago, when he was accused of racially abusing Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra. Both incidents led to him getting a total ban of 18 games, with the Uruguayan frequently being criticised for diving by managers and opposition players alike. Nevertheless, Brendan Rodgers knows that he has a gem in the form of Suarez, who doesn't just score and assist goals, but conjures up attacks from anywhere on the field, which leads to an exciting opportunity for a goal or a last-minute winner. As of 24/09/2013, The Reds' win ratio with Suarez in the team was a rather impressive 61% [1]. Many Liverpool fans would argue that if Suarez was sold in the summer and was replaced with another world-class striker, they would be able to cope without him. However, Suarez is a one of a kind player. He possesses unique dribbling skills that many legendary players didn't have and is a genuine team player, despite having been labelled "selfish" and a "ball hugger" by many.

However, since returning to Premier League action earlier this month, Suarez has been on fire and is proving his worth to Liverpool fans and the club itself, with Brendan Rodgers knowing that he cannot afford to sell the 26-year-old any time soon. With Philippe Coutinho's return from injury imminent, the Brazilian playmaker, along with Suarez and Sturridge can genuinely help Liverpool gain UEFA Champions League qualification for the first time since 2009.

CREDITS:

[1] http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/431872/Liverpool-better-off-with-Luis-Suarez-than-without

Suarez picture: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2013/5/31/1370020804357/-Luis-Suarez-008.jpg

Suarez and Sturridge: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Clubs/Club_Home/2013/10/25/1382699659322/Daniel-Sturridge-and-Luis-009.jpg

David Moyes: Why Manchester United have not lost their magic

Under fire, but determined and focused: David Moyes

Approximately four months ago I sat down writing how Moyes was the man for Manchester United, and nearly four months on I still maintain that view. In regards to Sir Alex Ferguson, it is easy to say how a great manager like him deserves to go down in history as the greatest gaffer to have graced world football, but it's not just a case of having 20 odd years of success and having a stand named after you, a statue outside Old Trafford, and a street re-named in your honour. It's about learning from failure and not allowing yourself to end where you started.

Moyes has not had the best start to his career as manager of Manchester United. But guess what? Neither did Sir Alex. In fact, Fergie finished 13th in his first season as the Red Devils' boss and it was the 1990 FA Cup Final victory over Crystal Palace that narrowly kept him in the job. Back then, Fergie's Fledglings were still in United's centre of excellence and Ryan Giggs was just under a year away from making his debut for the Old Trafford outfit. The current situation at Old Trafford is very difficult. Millions of United fans worldwide expect Moyes to guide United to at least a top three finish this season and as it stands, United look far from achieving that. But it's not the end of the road just yet. The team still needs to gel and the presence of United legends such as Giggs and Phil Neville amongst the backroom staff provides motivation and inspiration for players, and support for the Glaswegian, who had 11 fairly successful years on the other side of the East Lancashire Road with Everton.

An open option: Athletic Bilbao's Ander Herrera

The January transfer window will be an opportunity for Moyes to make signings he missed out on the summer. The options of Thiago Alcantara and Christian Eriksen are gone, but there are other creative players out there that United have the financial capability to get hold of, who are genuinely world class and could showcase their talent at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Ander Herrera, who United had an unsuccessful bid for on transfer deadline day this summer, still remains  an open option, and could be a deadly asset if utilised with Marouane Fellaini. Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas would be a great addition, but it is unlikely that he would join United after 8 years (2003-2011) with Arsenal. Moreover, United can look beyond the Spanish market. Lars Bender of Bayer Leverkusen could fill the void that has been left by Paul Scholes, although he is a more defensive-minded player rather than an attacking midfielder, but is a truly gifted playmaker nonetheless. PSG's 21-year-old midfielder Marco Verratti, also a member of the Italian national football team, is another option, as is Schalke 04's Julian Draxler.  

However, success in the world of football is a timely process. Purchasing players does not guarantee success - it's about utilising them to their very best. The cliché "Rome wasn't built in a day" is perfect here and as for Moyes, he is under pressure to expand the success of his predecessor and will need to have patience and perseverance in order to prove that he, just like Sir Alex and Sir Matt Busby, can be one of the greatest  managers to have managed from the Old Trafford dugout. United are by no means out of the title race but the fans should expect a period of transition instead of instantaneous success. The least the United faithful expect is a Champions League spot and a trophy - the FA Cup in particular, which if they win, will be their first victory of that accolade for 10 years, next year.


CREDITS:

Moyes picture: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/18/article-0-1ADB26AC000005DC-972_634x484.jpg

Ander Herrera picture: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02657/ander-herrera_2657922b.jpg

England: Re-building the national set-up

It cost over £100 million and is an absolutely amazing facility which houses a Wembley-sized pitch (another is currently in construction), 10 other pitches and a sophisticated hydrotherapy area. St George's Park is intended to, according to the FA's chairman Greg Dyke, improve the talent of English football by nurturing it and ensuring that it excels. In greater depth, the FA clearly want more English players playing for English clubs, which is something the Premier League lacks to a great extent.

National Treasure: Germany's talented players

Earlier last week, State of the Game released statistics which underpinned that of the 500-plus registered players in the Premier League, less than 1/3 are English. Just 32.36% of the players in the Premier League are English - an atrocious figure all round for English football. The FA only need to look as far as Scotland. Although they have the lesser talent, the Scottish Premier League houses a 57.19% (the season thus far) of Scottish players [1]. When taking a look at the European powerhouse of Germany, the Bundesliga is well over 50%, which comes to no surprise, given their largely overwhelming performances at the last four World and Continental championships [2]. Moreover, in Spain, just under 40% of the La Liga's total number of players are foreign [3]. However, just looking at the statistics does not make a difference... 

...Many strategies need to be put into place in order to squeeze the best out of the English youngsters. Greg Dyke's FA commission's first eight members were announced earlier this week, some of which came to the criticism of Gary Lineker who claimed that they were "pointless", although the image cannot completely be dismal. Glenn Hoddle, who is regarded to be one of England's finest talents of all time and manager of the Three Lions at the 1998 World Cup in France, has a realistic outlook on England's prospects over the next decade. Speaking to BBC Sport, Hoddle said that the Three Lions do not have a chance of victory at next year's World Cup in Brazil, but when referring to Dyke's aim of winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder said "I would hope to say that we could expect to get some success a little bit earlier than that". And when he says "earlier", he is referring to the 2016 UEFA European Championships in France. 

England Expects: Greg Dyke is the man with the plan

The Premier League supports Dyke's master plan, although they had rejected the opportunity to have an official representative on the board. Nevertheless, a bullish Dyke wants the FA to have links between Premier League clubs. A similar example took place in Germany after a disappointing Euro 2004 campaign. Links were made with Bundesliga clubs and since then Die Mannschaft have been fairly successful at the last two World Cups, especially in 2010 in South Africa. Jurgen Klinsmann and current manager Joachim Low were in the driving seat of this project, deciding to play predominantly attack-minded football. Like the Germans, it will take time for England to reach at least the semi-final stage of a major international tournament, but the talent is certainly there. Jack Wilshere, Ross Barkley, Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker, Tom Cleverley, Daniel Sturridge and many others hold the key for future success - it's their choice if they wish to use it or not. 

But the criticism does not end there. Harry Redknapp also resented the lack of street football being played by children nowadays. Speaking from his perspective, Redknapp said that his grandchildren are certainly not playing football. Instead they "sit there play on their little games they've got". Taking this into account, more children are swapping playing football outside for FIFA's officially licensed video games, which they play on their games consoles. Should there be a successful campaign to promote street football on an extensive scale, then the likelihood of prospective footballers maximising their potential will increase.

CREDITS:

[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24467371

[2] http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/default/gastarbeiterstartseite/basics.html

[3] http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/pain-in-spain-la-liga-in-financial-turmoil-8721595.html

PICTURES:

German players celebrating - http://thesoccerplanet.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/192697hp2.jpg

Greg Dyke - http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2013/9/12/1379015268751/Greg-Dyke-FA-chairman-008.jpg

Aaron Ramsey: Renaissance

Reborn: Ramsey celebrates scoring against Sunderland

It's Summer 2008. After a convincing performance in the FA Cup Final defeat to Portsmouth you pay £5 million for Cardiff City's young prodigy - one who goes by the name of Aaron Ramsey. Fast forward 5 years and this supposed "next big thing" is at the subject of injuries, injuries and yes, you've guessed it, even more injuries. But is that a recipe for disaster? Not unless you've really revived yourself and been at the top of your game.

Since the start of the 2013-14 season, Ramsey has been in scintillating form for Arsenal, earning rave reviews from the media, but more importantly, the Emirates faithful and Arsene Wenger. His magical start to the season all began with the UEFA Champions League first-leg play-off game against Fenerbahce, where his fantastic all-round performance bagged him the Man of the Match award. And since then, Ramsey seems to have not looked back and has arguably gone uphill grabbing 4 goals in 6 Premier League appearances thus far [1], as well as largely assisting goals from his assigned deep-lying midfield role. The Wales captain has had very little luck with injuries in the past, with his worst coming in February 2010 where he was involved in a cynical tackle committed by Stoke City's skipper Ryan Shawcross, breaking his leg as a result. According to Ramsey himself, he claims that it has taken him a prolonged period of time to get over the psychological impacts of the event.

The start of something new? Ozil and Ramsey in action against Swansea

Since his arrival at the Emirates in 2008, Ramsey has been loaned out twice, most notably back to Cardiff City in 2011, where he bagged one goal in six Championship appearances. He had a stint at Nottingham Forest in the latter months of 2010, with both loan spells helping him gain match fitness, after physically recovering from the horrific injury instigated by Shawcross just under a year earlier to either of these loan spells.

Ramsey's contributions alongside those of fellow British midfielder Jack Wilshere and Germany's talisman Mesut Ozil, have led to many believing that as a whole, Arsenal's performances depict the hallmarks of a successful 2013-14 campaign. By the end of the season it will be 10 years since Arsenal claimed their last league title, in which the famous "Invincibles" claimed their name as Champions of England at arch rivals' Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane. Ramsey's individual performances have reminded many fans of the days in which Patrick Vieira was the main midfield man for the Gunners. Only time will tell if the 22-year-old Welshman will become as a great a legend as the former Senegal-born France international, but for now, fellow Premier League clubs are aware as to how great a threat the boy from Caerphilly is. 

Alongside the £42 million Ozil, Ramsey aided Arsenal to their best performance so-far this season in Tuesday night's dismantling of Italy's Napoli, who were beaten 2-0. Having set up a goal for Olivier Giroud, Arsenal fans were left singing long into the night, after such a wonderfully exhibited performance left them reminiscing about their golden days, which brought much silverware to Highbury. At the Emirates however, the Gunners' home since 2006, there has been major trophy placed in the trophy cabinet. More great performances means more pressure, and Ramsey cannot rest on his laurels just yet - can he, alongside the rest of Monsieur Wenger's side end a 9 year trophy drought in 2014?

CREDITS:


[1] Statistics http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/players/profile.career-history.html/aaron-ramsey

[2] Ramsey and Ozil against Swansea - http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/aaron-ramsey-targeting-title-arsenal-2317265

Ramsey celebration picture - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23999428

Paolo Di Canio sacking: The first major shocker of the 2013-14 season

13. Unlucky for some, and Paolo Di Canio, whether he be superstitious or not, was unlucky to face the sack last weekend after Sunderland, who lie at the bottom of the Barclays Premier League Table, claimed just a sole point within their first five league games of the 2013-14 campaign. 

Frustrated and in wrath: Di Canio's reign ends in defeat

The Black Cats' senior management team are now searching for their 6th permanent manager in under 5 years - Steve Bruce and Martin O'Neill have been the biggest managerial departures from Wearside in recent years. 

THE PLAYERS' WORST ENEMY?

Di Canio, who maintains his aura of aggression from playing days, was at the subject of pressure in the weeks leading up to his sacking. After the Black Cats were thrashed 3-0 by West Bromwich Albion last Saturday, Di Canio held a fiery team meeting, which ultimately led to a vast number of first-team players calling for his sack which they instigated by reporting to Sunderland CEO Margaret Byrne. However, it can be argued that the players were at large, unhappy with his somewhat irrational regime. Towards the latter stages of the 2012-13 season, Di Canio infamously banned the use of mobile phones, tomato ketchup and mayonnaise at the club's Cleadon training ground. In addition, he also condemned the addition of ice to Coca-Cola. Although it may not be crystal clear right now, it can be argued that some players might have rebelled against Di Canio and perhaps even hated him for his strict diet.

This is not the first time that there has been a misunderstanding between Di Canio and his players. In August 2011, whilst at charge at Swindon, the Italian who intervened in an argument between then-new signing Leon Clarke and fitness coach Claudio Donatelli, was embroiled in a row between the former and had to be separated. This came after the Wiltshire outfit lost 3-1 to Southampton in the League Cup 2nd round that season.

If any positives can be taken from Di Canio's short-lived reign, the 3-0 win over North-East rivals Newcastle in April was one for the history books. What made that win all the more emphatic was that it was his first home league game in charge at home. His first game in charge of the Black Cats was a 2-1 away defeat to Chelsea, a week earlier.

And wherever Di Canio goes next, potential recruiters will undoubtedly be aware of the Italian's controversies, of which consists his former Fascist views and admiration of former dictator Benito Mussolini whilst as a player at Lazio. It can be argued that he is not a man in demand and it is fair to say that at large, he will not be welcomed warmly at his new employers, should he find a new club.

For the fans, who were extremely critical of Sunderland's start to this season, they will be demanding a change in fortunes from caretaker manager Kevin Ball, when the Black Cats face Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool at home this Sunday.

WHAT NEXT FOR SUNDERLAND?

Although Ball has expressed his desire to take the Sunderland job full-time, he may not be favoured by the fans and could thus be better off maintaining his role as senior professional development coach. There is no doubt that an experienced coach would be best fit for the Black Cats hotseat and below are a number of potential coaches Sunderland could recruit:

1) Roberto Di Matteo: Has been without a job since leaving Chelsea last year. He led the Blues to a historic UEFA Champions League triumph in 2012.

2) Gus Poyet: The Uruguayan was sacked whilst on-air on the BBC this summer after a largely successful spell with Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.

Get Him: Dick Advocaat

3) Dick Advocaat: Rightly considered a world-class coach, the 66-year-old has been in management since 1980 and among his honours is the attainment of two Scottish Premier League titles with Rangers.

Whatever happens, if there is something that the Stadium of Light faithful demand, that is results - positive ones.

CREDITS:

Di Canio image: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/comment-it-was-not-just-paolo-di-canio--the-whole-sunderland-shakeup-looks-risky-8833153.html

Dick Advoccat image: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/7594670/Dick-Advocaat-resigns-as-Belgium-coach.html

STATEMENT

I would like to apologise for being off-air for two months. I will be back to blogging from this month onwards.

Thank You

Jasraj Singh Thiara

Bayern Munich: FC Hollywood are back to the big time

Farewell, Jupp

When many think of vintage FC Bayern Munich, the names Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeness, Paul Breitner, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Gerd Müller are just a few player identities that spring into their minds. One of the greatest Bayern teams was that in the 1970s which won three consecutive European Cup titles in 1974, 1975 and 1976.  Fast forward nearly 30 years, and what you have is the same club based in the Bavarian city of Munich, which has an excellent crop of world class first-team players and an ever-wonderful youth academy.  Last season, Bayern Munich proved that they are a force to be reckoned with, after completing a historic treble – the first in the history of the German club.  Unquestionably, the most significant aspect of their treble season was the 2-1 victory over Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final which took place at the Wembley Stadium in May 2013.  Having lost the final the previous year to Chelsea, it is needless to say that Heynckes, his players and the rest of Bayern’s management team used that agonising defeat (which was on home soil at the Allianz Arena) as a catalyst for an astounding 2012-13 season. The Bavarians announced in January that Pep Guardiola would be taking over Heynckes as manager of the club in June this year – coming off the back of a year-long sabbatical – indicating that there is a new era in German and perhaps European and world football.

THE TERRIFIC TREBLE: IT’S ONLY THE BEGINNING

Its summer 2012, and Bayern have acquired the services of Javi Martinez and Mario Mandzukic – two standout performers at Euro 2012. In addition, Xherdan Shaqiri and Dante were two of the biggest bargain deals which Bayern made this time last year.  Once these players gelled with the likes of Robben, Ribery, Schweinsteiger and Badstuber, it was clear by January that the Bundesliga title was destined for the Allianz Arena, for the first time since 2010. By now, Die Roten were cruising and excelling almost perfectly. They clinched the title on 6^th April – the quickest acquisition of the Bundesliga title in Bundesliga history. Furthermore, FCB broke many a record within the league, overwhelming Borussia Dortmund’s most away points of 37 in the 2011/12 season (same for Werder Bremen in 2003-04), by 10 points. And that’s not all – they emulated longest winning streak within a single Bundesliga season – Borussia Monchengladbach ( 1986/87) and Wolfsburg (2008-09) both had their 10 game win streak toppled by Bayern’s emphatic 14 match win streak [1]. Muller, Mandžukić and Gomez were imperative for Bayern in terms of obtaining goals, and although the latter has joined Serie A club Fiorentina, Die Roten will still have a fabulous crop of attack-minded players for 2013/14.

One, Two, Three for Bayern

And who could forget that exhilarating Champions League triumph over Dortmund at Wembley?  Arjen Robben, largely determined and focused, made up for his pain-drenching penalty miss against former club Chelsea in last year’s Champions League final, by netting the winner for Bavarians in the 89^th minute. But the final alone cannot do justice to Bayern’s amazing European campaign. The 4-0 demolition of FC Barcelona, which contained the likes of Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas, at the Allianz Arena, has sounded out a severe warning to all clubs competing in the top tier of European football next season. What was even more emphatic for Die Roten was that they played the Catalan club off the park at the Camp Nou, winning 3-0 as a result. If similar performances in Europe are seen next season, then it is very much possible that this current Bayern squad can emphasise that the Bavarian club is, deservedly FC Hollywood, and repeat (or even emulate) the famous European cup hat-trick of 1974, 1975 and 1976. Will people, in the next two or three decades be speaking of Bayern’s potential hat-trick of 2013, 2014 and 2015 Champions League victories? Only time will tell.

Muller and Beckenbauer in the 1970s...

The DFB-Pokal (German Cup) was the icing on the cake as Bayern defeated Stuttgart 3-2 in an epic final which saw Mario Gomez (now of Fiorentina), net twice against his former employers at the Olympiastadion, located in Germany’s capital city, Berlin.  It was Jupp Heynckes’ final game as Bayern Munich manager, and the game in which the historic German treble was accomplished by the club based in south-eastern Germany. The FA Cup in England may not be regarded as highly as it was 5-10 years ago, but in Germany and Spain, the DFB-Pokal and the Copa Del Rey respectively are highly sought-after domestic cups, which are expected to be claimed by the top teams in such countries. In this case, Bayern added a magnificent piece of silverware to their trophy cabinet, which effectively capped off a scintillating season.

...And another Muller in 2013! 

But why is it just the beginning for Bayern? The signings of Mario Götze, Thiago Alcantara and Jan Kirchhoff have added to the star-studded crop of players currently on the books at the Allianz Arena. If utilised properly and regularly rotated, then it is possible that Bayern Munich will once again be victors of yet another German treble. In August, they come up against Chelsea, who they lost to in the 2012 Champions League final on home soil, in the UEFA Super Cup. No team from Germany has lifted this trophy and they will want to make history yet again, as well as avenging that pain-staking defeat to the club based in west London. Pep Guardiola certainly has the vision and capability to emulate what Heynckes achieved in his third stint as Bayern manager, and if his philosophy works to its optimum with the Allianz Arena outfit, then the success he delivered at Barcelona can be replicated at Bayern.

The implications of Bayern’s historic season are also on an international scale. Neuer, Lahm, Badstuber, Schweinsteiger and Müller are among the many talented German players at Bayern. Last season, they proved that not only can a German team dominate Europe, but also the world. Germany will be pursuing a 4^th FIFA World Cup title next summer in Brazil, and such players will be largely pivotal in helping the country located in central Europe bring home a trophy which it last won as West Germany in 1990. 

MARIO GÖTZE AND THIAGO ALCANTARA: ADDING TO THE SQUAD DEPTH

Controversial: Gotze with his Bayern shirt

On the day they thrashed Barcelona 4-0 at home, Bayern announced that Borussia Dortmund’s 21-year-old (then 20) attacking midfielder  Mario Götze would be joining them this summer, on a 4 year deal for £32 million, making him the most expensive German footballer of all time. This move came much to the anger of Dortmund fans who felt betrayed and deceived, especially during the latter stages of the 2012-13 season in which they were dearly fighting for a place in the Champions League final (which they achieved by defeating Real Madrid 4-3 on aggregate), having lost out on the opportunity to clinch a third successive Bundesliga title. Marco Reus, who re-joined Dortmund last year from Borussia Monchengladbach, stated that he cried when Götze said that he’d be leaving at the end of the season. Götze finished the season injured and thus missed the Champions League final, which was ironically against his current club Bayern.  Many have criticised the fact that the signing of Götze is a “waste of money” or “pointless buy”, given the readily available attacking midfield crop at Bayern of Robben, Ribery, Shaqiri and Kroos. The competition for places may indicate that Götze may not get as many games as he did at Dortmund, but on the plus side, he has made a choice which he believes is the right one for his career, in terms of progression and the chance to win more trophies. There is a possibility that Guardiola will deploy the former Dortmund man as a “False 9”, which he did so with Lionel Messi at Barcelona – a role which so profoundly suited the Argentinean winger-turned-striker. The sale of Mario Gomez to Fiorentina means that Thomas Müller and Mario Mandžukić are the only two prominent strikers Die Roten have, thus implying that Götze will play more games as a “False 9” than he would have expected to at Dortmund (which was quite a rarity when he was on the books at the Signal Iduna Park club).  But it’s not just the 21-year-old German prodigy who’s the new boy in Munich…

A Re-union with Pep: Thiago Alcantara

…Thiago Alcantara, who was considered to be Xavi’s natural heir at Barcelona, re-united with his former coach last week, who was adamant that there was no alternative as to signing Thiago. Ironically, when Guardiola was Barcelona manager, the Blaugrana beat Bayern 2-0 in the 2011 Audi Cup final, thanks to a brace from Thiago, which was a game that indicated that there was a new star in Europe. The most primal reason why the 22-year-old attacking midfielder departed that claret and blue Catalonian outfit is the fact that he did not get as much playing time as he deserved, making 31 appearances in all competitions [2], with Xavi being preferred to him in Tito Vilanova (who has just been replaced by the Argentinean Gerardo Martino) side’s pecking order. Despite a far from impressive season with Barcelona, in the European Under-21 Championships, Thiago, alongside the rest of the Spanish Under-21 squad, played magical football to claim a second successive Euro U-21 title, with the ex-Barcelona prodigy netting an excellent hat-trick in the final, where Spain defeated Italy 4-2. Not only does Thiago’s move to Bayern help him make the most of his club career, but increased opportunities to play first-team football is extremely essential for him in terms of getting on to Spain’s plane for the 2014 World Cup.  

But how would the two youngsters fit into Bayern’s team if playing together? Guardiola will have many a selection headache next season, and will hence feel the need to rotate his squad regularly, although it is likely that he will play 4-2-3-1/4-5-1.

•        Formation A: 4-5-1
  

 Martinez plays as a holding midfielder, with Schweinsteiger and Thiago having flexible roles, with the latter predominantly aiding Robben and Ribery. Götze plays as a false 9, leaving main forwards Müller and Mandžukić on the bench. 

• Formation B: 4-2-3-1

Guardiola drops one of Robben and Ribery, with Götze playing just behind Müller, and Thiago on the right hand side of the attacking midfield position zone.

All in all, Bayern have acquired two wonderful youngsters who will be both crucial first-team players and will be adhered to accept a potential squad rotation policy at the club. If utilised properly, then Bayern may emulate the benchmark they set last season.

WHAT CAN BAYERN’S UNIQUE 12^TH MAN EXPECT IN 2013-14?

Fanatical fever: The Allianz Arena faithful

One would expect the answer “trophies galore”. Indeed, Bayern have heavily invested into the signings of Götze and Thiago, but that does not guarantee that they will be treble winners again in the season ahead. It will take time for Guardiola and his players to gel and utilise a philosophy, just as he did at Barcelona. It is without question that Bayern may still require another centre back, and David Alaba, who was marvellous for the Bavarians last season, will still need to cement a regular starting place. Bayern are absolutely spoilt for choice in terms of first-team players, so much so that not every prominent player will be able to make Guardiola’s match-day squads. The atmosphere will, as always at the Allianz Arena, remain electric and mesmerising, with Bayern fans demanding more of the same of last season, and perhaps this time, an unbeaten season, given the quality of the manager’s squad and the manager’s ability itself.

 Borussia Dortmund are keen to bring the Bundesliga title back to Signal Iduna Park, having won it in 2011 and 2012, with Jürgen Klopp’s side taking German football by storm and defying the odds. The transfer of Gotze from Dortmund to Munich has unquestionably intensified the league rivalry between the two clubs, and the former club in particular will want to impress their fans, who want Dortmund to win the domestic campaign, in order to make up for Götze’s controversial move. The two clubs first meet next season in this year’s DFL-Supercup, which is a re-match of last year’s match, in which Bayern were the 2-1 victors on home soil. It is a trophy which both clubs are vying for, although Klopp’s Dortmund will want to claim victory in front of their former man Götze.

In addition to the German Supercup, Guardiola’s side face Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, in a re-match of the 2012 UEFA Champions League final. In this case, the rivalry between Guardiola and Mourinho will begin another chapter, which in the last 3 years has grabbed the attention of football fans worldwide. In December, Bayern will fly to Morocco to compete in the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, where they will compete against other continental cup winners, in order to officially claim the stake of being the “best team in the world”. If Bayern scoop up these three trophies, they will once again make history by becoming the first German team to have won the sextuple – 6 trophies in a calendar year – this was something which Guardiola achieved in 2009 with Barcelona, and although he has players of a similar (but not of the entirely same) ability at Bayern, there is absolutely no guarantee that Bayern will achieve such honours in the latter parts of the 2013 calendar year. But if there is any guarantee, then that is that the club certainly has a love affair with silverware, and is hungry for more.

Will Mitchell Weiser get any game time this season?

Moreover, homegrown talent is something that is imperative at any club in the world. The likes of Hargreaves, Beckenbauer, Schweinsteiger, Lahm are just some examples of Bayern’s finest homegrown players in the past and the present. It’s anyone’s guess who’ll be there in the future, but a name spoken of so significantly amongst die hard Bayern fans is that of Mitchell Weiser’s – a 19-year-old winger who spent the latter parts of the 2012-13 season on loan at FC Kaiserslautern, and is an exciting young talent who has starred for Germany’s under-18 team. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, aged 17, is also an excellent prospect for the Bavarian club. Appearances may be limited to the DFL-Pokal for Bayern’s youth players, which they will need to grasp with both hands, in order to prove that they are future first team players. At Barcelona, Guardiola blooded in the likes of Thiago, Isaac Cuenca, Christian Tello, Marc Bartra and Sergio Busquets from Barcelona B, into the first team. All of these players, bar Thiago are currently on the books at Barca, and are showing promise each game they play. Bayern’s 12^th man can expect some youth team players to make first team appearances, and if successful, in a few years, they can cement a place in Guardiola’s starting line-up. There is no doubt that Bayern’s players will put in a minimum of 100% effort in order to be successful in the 2013-14 season on all fronts.

PREDICITIONS FOR THE SEASON

Hola, Signor Pep

With their current squad, every Bayern fan will expect their club to be Bundesliga champions yet again, though perhaps not by as great a points margin as last season. They will be pushed hard by Borussia Dortmund, and even FC Schalke 04, who haven’t won the German league title since 1958. The DFB-Pokal is another trophy Bayern are expected to retain. They are capable of repeating last season’s treble in 2013-14, although in terms of the Champions League, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Chelsea will have strengthened to the extent that they are capable of adding a 2014 Champions League victory to their scroll of honour. Barcelona are tipped to snatch the trophy off the team that annihilated them on both legs of the semi-final of the tournament last season, with the anticipated Messi-Neymar partnership expected to be the most feared in Europe.

In conclusion, Bayern are the champions elect for the Bundesliga and will be a threat across Europe in 2013-14. However, opposition teams will not accept failure without a fight, so we may well see the Bavarian club winning the German league title by tight margins, in Guardiola’s first season in Germany. 

IN A NUTSHELL:

• Bayern are expected to build on last season's treble and claim the sextuple
• Guardiola has the ability to make even more history with Bayern
• 2013-14 will not be as easy a season for Bayern as fans would expect

CREDITS FOR STATS:

[1] http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/lists/166027/comprehensive-list-of-all-bundesliga-records-broken-by-bayern-munich-this-season.html

[2] http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=53707&season_id=142