Category Archives: La Liga

Barcelona: A Roller-coaster of a Season

  By O-Posts Team | June 7, 2013 - 23:51 | , , , ,
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Despite winning the Copa Del Rey, 11/12 was not a season to remember for Barcelona and the Blaugranes and following Pep Guardiola’s departure the club was open to criticism from the Spanish press.

Some newspapers disapproved of Tito Vilanova’s appointment because of his lack of experienced and they blamed his ‘over complication’ of tactics as assistant manager for some Barca’s home defeats that season. Vilanova and his players certainly had a point to prove.

The La Liga season started with two routine wins against Real Sociedad, 5-1, and an away win versus Osasuna. At this point Barcelona already had a five point lead over Real Madrid who had failed to win at home to Valencia and then lost to Getafe. Barca led the league table and would do so for the rest of the season, a new record.

Real Madrid, made determined by their humiliating start of the season, defeated Barca in the Supercopa Espanol in a tight affair on away goals. Given the way the season had started this came to Barcelona’s surprise.

El Clasico defeat is a bitter pill to swallow, perhaps more so for Barca given the political connotations, and it drove the Catalan club onto a 16 match unbeaten run in the league including wins against Atletico Madrid and Valencia.

Barcelona’s first league defeat of the season came at the hands of Real Sociedad, the eventual fourth placed club. Barcelona had gone 2-0 up at the Anoeta, Messi scoring a record 10th goal in a row in the process, before Sociedad fired home three unanswered goals.

In the month after Barcelona were disappointing, losing to AC Milan 2-0 at the San Siro, drawing with Valencia and getting knocked out by Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey.

The silenced critics started to re emerge, Barca’s ‘best team in history’ had people taking shots at it left, right and centre. Coping with success is easy, but coping with defeat is the hallmark of champions and Barca were ready to do just that.

Barca’s first game on their bounce back from El Classico failure was a 2-0 win against the subsequently relegated Deporitvo. Then, against Milan the sleeping giant was awoken. A 4-0 win at the Camp Nou once again silenced the critics.

Barca proceeded to knock out PSG, controversially, on away goals and beat Mallorca 5-0 away. A further two wins against Zaragoza and Levante appeared to have settled the ship.

Then it happened; in, perhaps, the most significant result in recent European football history Bayern Munich demolished, and that’s an understatement, 4-0 at the Allianz Arena. Catalan heads dropped across the land, maybe this was truly the end of an era, the end of the greatest side in history.

A rested Barca side failed to win at Athletic Club in a 2-2 draw but the big game of the week was the home leg versus Bayern Munich. Surely even Barcelona couldn’t turn the tables on this one. It was one thing turning round a 2-0 deficit against Milan, but four against arguably the best squad in Europe? That would be something special.

Unfortunately for the Blaugranas it was not to be, in fact it was humiliation once more as Muller and Robben ripped apart their team. Now, with just the league available, the team could focus its frustrations on league victory.

With Tito Vilanova back the Catalan club proceeded to be victorious in the remaining five games including a 4-1 success at home to Malaga; it was in this game they broke their own points record, 100, and led La Liga by 15 points ahead of Real Madrid.

It has been a rollercoaster season for Barcelona, but now they will be more determined than ever to win back the Champions League. Having added Neymar to their side they may become the undisputed Kings of Europe once more.

 

Written by Thomas Munson

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Manchester City: Navas will provide the Citizens with much needed width

  By O-Posts Team | June 5, 2013 - 13:36 | , , , , , , , ,
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Manchester City completed the signing of Jesus Navas from Sevilla earlier this week for £17 million plus add-ons. Having surrendered their Premier League title to Manchester United and parting company with Roberto Mancini this is the first statement of intent by the club.

Navas will provide City with the one thing they have lacked this season – width. During some games their dependency on Yaya Toure’s bursts through the middle made their play incredibly predictable. The Spaniard has pace to burn and will provide the new manager with another dimension in attack.

It is an exciting move for the former Sevilla winger who has suffered from extreme home sickness throughout his career. As far back as 2006 he was linked to the Premier League but his unwillingness to leave has delayed his move away from Spain. It has caused serious issues with his International career too and has resulted in him leaving training camps early to return home.

He emerged through the youth team ranks at Sevilla where his electric pace and ability to take players on has made him one of the most exciting players to watch in Spain. Unfortunately for the club and Navas the club has had a fairly inconsistent time in recent seasons and his desire to play at a higher level has resulted in his departure. The fact that Sevilla are also in severe financial trouble will also have hastened the move.

Having represented Spain at International level and appearing in Europe almost every season since making his debut he is accustomed to playing against the best. What will be interesting to see though is how he is deployed at City. He has spent the majority of his career on the right wing where he has terrorised the opponents’ left-backs time and again. This season however he has operated slightly more centrally where his pace can take him beyond the lines faster than others.

What City have been crying out for is some width but with Manuel Pellegrini seemingly waiting to be confirmed as the new manager at City this situation may change. There are also issues to be resolved within the team over the futures of several of their attacking players. It could be that Navas’ future in England could be more of an old fashioned inside forward rather than an out and out winger but it is mere speculation at the moment.

The fact remains though that Manchester City have completed an outstanding bit of business that benefits everyone concerned. If Navas can keep his home sickness under control his partnership with Aguero and Silva should prove to be fascinating.

It is sad to see another top player leaving domestic Spanish football but his progress will be followed closely by everyone associated with Sevilla.

 

Written by Andy Hunter

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Real Madrid: A Season Filled With Optimism, Ends In Derision

  By O-Posts Team | May 27, 2013 - 16:31 | , , , , ,
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Even before the season began, Real Madrid were being hyped as potential treble contenders and by looking at their squad and the special man sat on the bench, it would be foolish not to believe that they had a genuine chance at ending the Barca era.

The intensity at which Real Madrid ended their 2011-2012 season was not carried forward into the new season and they immediately stumbled in the race for the La Liga title. Two losses and a draw from the first five match days was a horrible start for the team as they fell back behind rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid and soon started to play catch-up from thereon.

Criticism and the “blame game” began to emerge in the Madrid camp as conspiracy theories were being published by the Spanish media, things which only added to the team’s declining moral. Most of the media criticism of Mourinho was based on his decision to bench club captain Iker Casillas; a decision which seemed quite logical given Iker’s poor performances and crucial mistakes, albeit a very upsetting decision for all Iker fans.

The Champions League told a completely different story, this year we have perhaps witnessed the most passionate and driven European campaign exhibited by Real Madrid ever since the 2002 title. By surviving the “Group of Death” and then going on to conquer Manchester as well as Galatasaray, the team was now set for a third semi final in three years.

But the title dream ended painfully with a crushing super hat trick for Lewandowski followed by a very close remontada at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid were out of the Champions League again but with heads held high after fighting for the last second against a more organized and more in-sync Dortmund side that did deserve to go to Wembley.

The league race was already lost due to the shameful start to the season, but something which perhaps softens the blow of losing the title is completely destroying the fear factor which Madrid had towards the Catalans after overpowering them in the Camp Nou and in the Bernabeu. The team showed a great spirit and fight at times, but the dressing room drama and inconsistencies in defense and attack cost Madrid too many points and the Champions League final.

Nevertheless, a great opportunity to salvage the season was presented to the team as they took on Atletico in the Copa final. However, salt was rubbed further into Madrid’s wounds as they missed chance after glorious chance and star man Cristiano was sent off, handing the title to the red and white side of Madrid.

This is a season to forget for Madrid and Mourinho after they take on different paths next season. Improvements must be made and dead weight has to be cut off. Promising canteranos such as Nacho, Morata and Jese Rodriguez should be given a promotion and a few big names must be signed. The Iker/Lopez dilemma has been a major factor in this year’s failure and a smart solution is the new manager’s first task.

For all Madridistas, next season will hopefully be the “La Decima” season.

 

Written by Ali Nasrallah

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La Liga: 2012-2013 Team of the Season

  By O-Posts Team | May 21, 2013 - 00:28 | , , , , , , ,
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Goalkeeper- Thibaut Courtois (Atletico Madrid)

The 21 year old Belgian still belongs to Chelsea, but he has provided the solid backbone to Atletico’s qualification to Champions League qualification. Superb shot-stopping and solid command of his defence has ensured he has conceded just 30 goals this season, giving Simeone’s men the best defensive record in La Liga.

With 18 clean sheets he has won the league’s “Golden Glove” award in a season where he broke Abel Resino’s club record of games without conceding at home, going 820 minutes without breach at the Vicente Calderon.

 

Right-back- Carlos Martinez (Real Sociedad)

Without Martinez, Sociedad began the season by losing five of their opening eight games. Since returning, the Andalusians have embarked on a run of just 3 defeats in their last 27 as they make a surprise challenge for a Champions League qualification place.

His no-nonsense style makes him effective in defence whilst he also likes to charge forward in Phillipe Montanier’s fluid 4-3-3 system, registering 3 assists with his impressive crossing.

 

Left-back- Damia (Osasuna)

Osasuna sit in 16th place in La Liga but they possess the joint-4th best defensive record with 45 goals conceded. The 31 year old full-back, who can also play on the right, has been central to such solidity under manager Jose Mendilibar, starting 28 matches and contributing with his cautious play and rigid positional sense.

 

Centre-half- Martin Demichelis (Malaga)

The combative Argentinean has been an immense presence at the back for Manuel Pellegrini’s team, defying his 32 years of age to play 37 times, in which his love for a tackle and superb ability in the air has contributed to Malaga’s challenge for a top four spot.

Despite their hopes dying out in recent weeks, Demichelis has reinforced his reputation as a hugely-promising defender as well as being comfortable on the ball.

 

Centre-half- Inigo Martinez (Real Sociedad)

That Barcelona have been intensely linked with the 22 year old to take-over from the ageing Carles Puyol at the Nou Camp is indicative of the standard of season Martinez has had. The Spaniard has made 32 appearances in Sociedad’s superb season, combining a fantastic reading of the game with strength in the tackle.

 

Despite being sub-6ft, he also competes well in the air with an impressive leap and, like all good Spanish defenders, is able to bring the ball out of defence, completing over 1,000 passes over the course of the season.

 

Centre-midfield- Geoffrey Kondogbia (Sevilla)

In his first year in Spain, the 20 year old Frenchman has grown into an excellent force at the heart of Sevilla’s midfield, attracting the likes of Arsenal to his availability. The ex-Lens enforcer patrols the area in front of his back-four with an intelligent positional sense and a dogged nature, winning 61 of his 78 attempted tackles.

As well as being able to win the ball back with impressive strength, he can also move it on effectively too, registering an 87% pass completion rate as he keeps possession ticking in Unai Emery’s midfield.

 

Centre-midfield- Benat Exteberria (Real Betis)

The 26 year old has made 30 appearances for Pepe Mel’s Europa League hunting side, scoring 4 goals and assisting another 8 with his ability to thread a fine pass from deep in midfield. Constantly on the look-out to play the ball around, he averages 53 passes per game, creating 2 chances per match on average too.

 

Benat also likes to get involved in the “ugly” side of the game judging by his 16 bookings, suggesting he is definitely not a tackler, but a gifted passer of the ball blessed with superb vision.

 

Right-midfield- Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad)

The 22 year old graduate of Sociedad’s impressive youth system has chipped in with 8 goals and 3 assists as La Real look on course for a Champions League spot. Able to play right across Phillipe Montanier’s attacking quadrant, he is most at home on the wing, cutting inside of his marker with electric pace and close control.

The French youngster has made 32 appearances this term for Sociedad, impressing with his direct, intelligent displays. He also shows a high-work rate, contributing heavily to the defensive side of Sociedad’s play.

 

Left winger- Pizzi (Deportivo La Coruna)

On loan from Athletico Madrid, 23 year old Luis Miguel Afonso Fernandes, shortened to Pizzi, has shown life is bright on the left side at the Calderon with 8 goals and 6 assists to help Deportivo in their fight against relegation.

Standing at just 5ft 7, his small frame may have seen him get edged out of games, yet his ability has progressed him into a complete winger, able to cut inside, take a man on to cross, get shots away from range or take a dangerous free-kick. His electric pace and fine balance also helps Deportivo on the counter-attack.

The Portuguese has shown enough in his 33 appearances to suggest his will be a bright future.

 

Attacking midfielder- Isco (Malaga)

The 21 year old is set to follow his manager Manuel Pellegrini to Manchester City and this year’s La Liga campaign has suggested he has everything it takes to succeed in the Premier League. Blessed with fine skill and control, he is able to weave his creative magic between the lines, producing a total of 42 chances for his side this term.

He has made 43 appearances for Malaga so far this season as they narrowly missed out on the semi-finals of the Champions League and sit 6th in La Liga.

Isco’s 8 goals has contributed to that, as well as his comfort on the ball when closely marked, averaging an 84% pass completion rate in the final third, helped by his fine balance and vision.

 

Centre-Forward- Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

It hasn’t been the most successful of seasons when you consider the Argentinean’s own frighteningly high-standards, but the stats speak for themselves. 54 goals from 43 games as Barcelona romped home to the league title, on top of 14 assists.

 

Dribbling like the ball is tied to his feet, playing like his on his own untouchable plateau, Messi was threatening to beat last season’s outrageous record-breaking goal-tally before a hamstring injury took its toll towards the end of the year, his struggle for fitness clearly felt as Bayern Munich demolished the Catalans in the Champions League.

Despite his troubles, he remains the best player in the world.

 

Manager- Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid)

Tito Vilanova deserves a big mention for guiding Barcelona to the La Liga title despite his cancer diagnosis, whilst Phillipe Montanier has done a remarkable job in guiding Real Sociedad to the edge of the Champions League on a limited budget.

But Simeone has built on winning the Europa League last season with a superb campaign, leading Atletico to third place, their best finish since 1996, and winning the Copa Del Rey.

 

The 28 goals of Radamel Falcao has been platformed by the consistent quality of Diego Costa behind him, whilst Diego Godin, Miranda, Mario Suarez and Gabi have embodied Simeone’s fierce nature in the spine of the team, providing a rock solid shield to Thibaut Courtois’s goal.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Should “Blizzard Soccer” Be Part of the Sport?

  By O-Posts Team | May 18, 2013 - 21:58 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The World Cup playoff game between the United States and Costa Rica on March 22, 2013 was especially memorable. Played in the middle of a storm in Colorado, the game was the closest thing to blizzard soccer fans had seen in awhile.

For 90 minutes, players had to contend with an increasingly torrential downpour of wet, white flakes. Afterwards, the severity of the conditions had millions of soccer enthusiasts wondering: should play in such treacherous conditions really be allowed?

 

Why Continue?

World Cup games are obviously the most important in the sport and can be difficult to reschedule. When a team and its fans have already traveled thousands of miles for the game, canceling is something to avoid at all costs. In addition, postponing the game may mean players won’t get enough rest before their next round.

In this particular game, it didn’t look like the weather would cooperate any time soon. If the game hadn’t been played that night, it wouldn’t have been for quite awhile.

 

Is It Safe?

In spite of tight tournament schedules and pending forecasts, the safety of the players should be the number one consideration when choosing to continue a game. Looking back, was it really safe to continue a game in the middle of a blizzard?

In defending their decision to continue play, refs saidthe players hadn’t been sliding on the snow very much. While this may be true, any soccer player will tell you injuries don’t necessarily happen during slides.

These players were cold, wet, and covered in so much snow that they could run it through an EDI water purification system and use it to hydrate themselves. In these conditions, even the slightest misstep can cause an injury. If nothing else, the players’ immune systems were lowered by the weather.

 

Who Should Make the Call?

If the game has already started, refs make the final call as to whether it will continue. However, is this fair? Shouldn’t the league, coaches and players have more of a say in whether conditions are safe?

 

Written by Michael Deaven

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Infographic: The Top Paid Football Players Throughout History

  By O-Posts Team | May 18, 2013 - 21:40 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The argument over how much footballers are paid in the modern era has been going on for years now and shows no sign of stopping. Some of the world’s biggest names are now playing with wage packets that let them take home more in a week than many of us will make in our lifetimes, and all for kicking a ball around – if they even get on the pitch of course!

It hasn’t always been the case that players earned hundreds of thousands each week, however. In actual fact, some players were earning the equivalent of £228 each week back in the 1900s, the same as what many full-time workers in the “real world” earn today.

This infographic, created by equipment retailer The Soccer Store, shows just how times have changed, from the early days of £4 per week right up to the £200,000-a-week contract signed by Carlos Tevez in 2009.

 

 

 

Written and created by Matt Rawlings

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Manchester City: Mancini sacked, but are City right to go for Pellegrini?

  By O-Posts Team | May 16, 2013 - 22:23 | , , , , ,
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Perhaps the most startling aspect of Roberto Mancini’s sacking as Manchester City manager on Monday evening was the speed of it, coming just over 48 hours after the Qatari owners watch their side produce a sluggish display in defeat to Wigan in the FA Cup final.

Rumours that the Eastlands hierarchy held a lack of faith in Mancini’s reign had been circulating in the build-up to the final, in tandem with City’s relinquishing of the Premier League title back to neighbours Manchester United, and the bubbling prospect of Mancini’s overhauling had almost over-shadowed City’s presence at Saturday’s showpiece event.

A fine Wigan performance subjected Manchester City to a trophy-less campaign and it proved to be the final scene in Mancini’s eventful three and a half year act in English football. The lack of success proved to have had little affect on the thinking of his employers however, hinting that as Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the City chairman, stood alongside his manager to convey the Wembley pitch in the build-up to Saturday’s kick-off, he was well-drilled in the Italian manager’s fate.

Having woke up on Saturday to intensified speculation that Manuel Pellegrini, the Qatari owner’s reported choice to succeed Mancini, was on his way in, City fans were vocal in their support of the manager at Wembley. Many also lined the streets of Manchester on Tuesday to remind the outgoing manager the high regard he was held amongst City fans who watched him deliver their first league championship in 44 years. A managerial sacking after a season which delivered a second-place league finish and a runners-up spot in the FA Cup seemed not to sit will with a fan-base still familiar with the trips to Grimsby and Stockport that illustrated the era of mundane failure at the turn of the millennium.

The statement which accompanied Mancini’s removal did mention that “he had failed to achieve on of its targets for the year”, hinting at the lack of silverware, but the meat of the parting prose came in identifying his successor as somebody who would “ensure a more holistic approach to all aspects of football at the club”.

A summer in which Mancini was restricted in the transfer market, adding just Scott Sinclair, Jack Rodwell, Javi Garcia and Matija Nastasic to his championship-winning squad whilst their city neighbours got significantly stronger with the acquisitions of Shinji Kagawa and Robin Van Persie, saw the Italian blame the board for his struggles to defend that title. From then on, there was a suspicion the writing was on the wall.

Frayed relationships have appeared not to have eased as the naturally abrasive and polemic Mancini has also publicly criticised his squad on numerous occasions as well as entertaining the circus of lunacy accompanying Mario Balotelli, before he was left with little choice but to jettison the young Italian back to Milan in January. Communication problems with the board seem to have passed beyond the point of repair as City have produced a laborious struggle on the field.

Whilst Mancini wrestled with his volatile nature and an unsettled squad, Sir Alex Ferguson managed to keep a tight reign on his despite the bitter failure of the preceding campaign and was fully-focused on retrieving the title, becoming his 13th of the Premier League era. The importance of maintaining an almost-autocratic reign on a club to ensure long-term success has been emphasised by Ferguson’s recent retirement and it is something City are looking to replicate, starting with the ousting of their quarrelsome coach.

It seems like Pellegrini, the Chilean coach of La Liga club Malaga, does seem to be Manchester City’s preferred choice to takeover as news of his talks with the clubs has emerged in the aftermath of Mancini’s passing. The 59 year old has built a reputation as a superb tactician during his time in Spain with Villarreal, who he guided to a Champions League semi-final in 2006 as well as a second place league finish in the midst of the Real Madrid, Barcelona duopoly in 2008, and now Malaga, whom he led to the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history last season.

The rise of the Andalusian club has been heavily funded by the riches of Sheikh Al Thani, though the financial turbulence caused by the benefactor’s possible withdrawal in the summer that sparked the sale of Santi Cazorla, Joris Mathijsen and Salomon Rondon as well as Nacho Monreal in January,  has failed to significantly hinder Pellegrini who has kept the club in the hunt for another Champions League qualification (though UEFA rulings have barred the club from competing in Europe next year due to financial irregularities) and came within seconds of eliminating finalists Borussia Dortmund from the quarter-final stage of this year’s competition.

The mitigating presence of the rich owner can be excused when it is considered Pellegrini was forced to spend nothing in the summer but has still churned out a year of relative success. Yet critics will point to his trophy-less year at Real Madrid, when he was backed to the tune of £200 million by president Florentino Perez, signing the quadrant of Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Xabi Alonso, as a foreboding aspect of Pellegrini’s arrival in Manchester, though one should expect less interference from the Qatari ownership in contrast to Perez, who prohibited Pellegrini from picking Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben and refused to speak to his coach when he did. The relationship with his president was further skewed by the decision to pick Gonzalo Higuain ahead of the £30 million signing Karim Benzema.

Despite the counter-productive political battle with Perez and the board, Pellegrini led Madrid to a 96 point finish, a club record, but finished runner-up to a Barcelona side the Chilean referred to as the “best Barcelona in history”. Bemoaning the reckless Galactico philosophy of Madrid on his way out, Pellegrini was duly sacked after just one year, but it is rather harsh to overlook the context which has caused the coach to be without any silverware outside of his native South America. Mancini has dictated that City should look to somebody who offers far more than just results and Pellegrini ticks that box.

The way in which Pellegrini has kept his side motivated in this season’s La Liga despite the prospect of no European football for next year has shown his ability to keep tight control over his players, whilst the impressive form of Javier Saviola, Julio Baptista and Joaquin, all players previously discarded on the continent, suggests the extent of what he can force out of stretched resources. His record in Europe is also already more attractive than Mancini’s, whose limitations were exposed most drastically on the continent with two-group stage exits during his spell at Eastlands.

With an FA Cup win and a Premier League title to his name from his time in England, there was possibly enough to draw a valid argument for Mancini to be given another year in charge of Manchester City, though the owners have chosen to dispense with the manager who struggled to grasp the aspects of football coaching other than simply getting results.

Pellegrini’s trophy cabinet is bare, but that should be irrespective to his possible succession, a manager’s validity should go deeper than that, something that City’s owners have shown their appreciation of.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Barcelona: Where did it all go wrong for the Blaugrana?

  By O-Posts Team | May 4, 2013 - 14:15 | , , ,
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When Rijkaard left his post as Barcelona manager in 2008, the recruitment of Guardiola brought glory days to the Catalan club which will live long in the memory.

On Wednesday night, all football fans from around the globe witnessed one of the most outstanding results in the past four seasons. Bavarian giants Bayern Munich had not only outclassed and outplayed their opponents but they did so in humiliating fashion, beating them with an aggregate score of 7-0.

In this article O-Posts’ Ahmed Assem examines the downfall of the Catalan giants.

 

The Transfer Policy

Even during Guardiola’s tenure at the club, the Spanish giants’ transfer policy had been anything but shrewd. After the new manager had announced the departures of Deco, Ronaldinho and the retirement of Thuram amongst others, he signed seven players.

Those players were Seydou Keita, Pique, Pinto, Caceres, Dani Alves, Hleb and Henrique. Out of those seven only three had a major impact.

Pinto is a back-up keeper and was initially signed as a back-up keeper, and shouldn’t be regarded as a player who was a major force behind the success of the team. Caceres was signed for €16.5m and only amassed thirteen caps for Barcelona between 2008-2011.

When Eric Abidal was ruled out of the 2009 Champions League Final through suspension, Guardiola opted for Sylvinho instead which just shows that he didn’t have faith in the Uruguayan and that a 34-year old full back was above him in the pecking order.

Hleb was signed from Arsenal with very high expectations from the Barcelona faithful, yet the Belarusian didn’t live up to those expectations and when called upon he was often erratic. Henrique however, was a signing who never lived up to his potential and he never made a single official cap for Barcelona.

In the following season, two signings caught the headlines. Ukrainian defender Dymtro Chygrynskiy was signed from UEFA Cup champions and Ukrainian powerhouses Shakhtar Donetsk, he signed for €25m and again proved to be another unsuccessful signing. He made just twelve appearances for Barcelona, and was sold in the following summer for €15m.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was signed for €66m, the third highest fee payed ever for a player. The Swede’s time was all about controversy, one of the few high points is the goal against Pellegrini’s Real Madrid.

2011/12 proved very successful for Barcelona as they won the Champions League and the La Liga. The acquisition of David Villa was decent, and the Spaniard added that energy to the dynamic attacking third. Adriano was signed from Sevilla, and the former Sevilla man can be inconsistent at times but he is ‘not bad’.

Lastly, Javier Mascherano was an interesting one, where will he play? To this day Mascherano is played out of position as a centre-back due to the defensive problems at Barcelona.

11/12 and 12/13 saw four big name signings arrive at the Camp Nou, and ironically the cheapest proved to be the most ‘vital’. Two of those four were Cesc Fabregas for a mammoth price of €40m and Alexis Sanchez for €26m. Did they live up to expectations? No – even the stats at www.footballscores.com can attest to that. Alex Song was the last player recruited, from North London giants Arsenal. The Cameroonian, albeit promising, was torrid.

From the first day, any Premier League follower would know that Song doesn’t quite provide that protection in front of the back four.

 

Outdated Tactics

When Guardiola first implemented the tiki-taka, it was a worldwide wonder. Everyone was talking about it, but now? It is becoming rather mind-numbing to watch them play, it is like they are obsessed with possession. One reason for that is lacking a target man.

Messi, never was and never will be a target man or a striker, simple. The Argentine is being used as a striker, yet he doesn’t have the physical presence and the attributes and that is a major reason why Barcelona have succumbed to several defeats this season in the Champions League.

Remember that man Samuel Eto’o? Whenever Barcelona were struggling to break a Catenaccio type defence or a condensed midfield they could drop it in to Eto’o. The Cameroonian would then re-distribute play and by moving into effective positions, he creates that hole in the back-line.

Eto’o….. the dream targetman.

When Ibrahimovic was signed, he did arguably the same role, for example remember that goal against Real Madrid? It was from a Dani Alves cross, or the goal against Racing Santander. After the falling out with Pep, Barcelona were left with a static front line who couldn’t break down Mourinho’s Inter, which caused them to bow out of the Champions League.

When David Villa arrived, he didn’t quite play as the main ‘striker’ like the previous two. David Villa’s role was transforming a static attack to a very dynamic one. The former Valencia man, used to switch with either Pedro or Messi, allowing them to find a soft-spot in defence. It was like a virus, very hard to stop.

Their movements would often mean Xavi finding a gap in defence in providing that clinical through pass in which any forward player would notch onto it. The opponent’s defensive line would think its offside, therefore they wouldn’t move to stop the attacking player.

Nowadays, we don’t find that as teams know how to play against them. Due to their short statures they know they are not going to expect a cross. Therefore, teams implement Sacchi’s ideology, ‘compact defending’. The defensive line would be very tight and in front of them, providing a screen, a very condensed midfield. This will limit the effectiveness of Barcelona as they are not going to score from wide positions.

If that continues, the ‘Dream Team’ will no longer be the side they used to be. Let’s not forget that arrogance is what cost Rijkaard his job.

 

Written by Ahmed Assem

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Match Preview: The Madrid Derby – Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid

  By O-Posts Team | April 27, 2013 - 17:01 | , , , ,
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EL Cholo Simeone has done great things at the Calderon since he took over in 2011. The ex-Argentine Midfielder succeeded Gregorio Manzano in December 2011 after a poor run of form that saw the capital club flirting with relegation at some point, going winless for long stretches. He steadied the ship and brought joy to the faces of avid Colchoneros when he delivered two European trophies in 3 months.

First, the Europa League in May (thrashed Bilbao 3-0) and then the European Super Cup in August (annihilated Chelsea FC 4-1). Colombian marksman, Radamel Falcao was the star of the show on both historic nights, scoring a brace in the first and a well taken hat-trick in the second to hand Simeone a dream start to life as manager of Atletico Madrid.

However, one thing still ails the Colchoneros. A win against their great rivals and neighbours, Real Madrid. The 32 time La Liga Champions have not lost to the defending Europa League Champions in 14 years, winning the last nine encounters on the bounce. This, they intend to stop today.

The task has been made easier with the absence of 51-goal Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese has been omitted from the squad that travelled to the Vicente Calderon because of a leg injury and most importantly, adequate rest for Tuesday’s very essential Champions League 2nd leg tie vs Borussia Dortmund at the Bernabeu. It has taken some shine off the much talked about battle, but it will do nothing to diffuse the tension and anticipation.

In Falcao, Los Colchoneros possess the best centre forward in the game. He has shown time and time again why he is so revered. 25 League goals this term, including crucial strikes in the Copa Del Rey show the stuff he is made of. Brazil’s Diego Costa has also been an able ally, providing the much needed support for the Tiger from Santa Marta.

This affair is seen as a dress rehearsal for the Copa Del Rey final on May 17. However, it is much more important than that. With three points separating both sides, second place in La Liga is up for grabs and today’s duel will go a long way to determine who’s favourite to claim it. Jose Mourinho and his side were dismantled in Germany on Wednesday.

Die Borussen inflicted one of the most disastrous defeats of the Mou era on the Merengues, with Robert Lewandowski shinning like a million stars. His four goals were expertly taken and the ‘whites’ were put to the sword. The almost impossible feat was accomplished in Ruhr with some of the most breathtaking displays you will ever witness. The ‘Only one’ as he chooses to be known as, is looking to turn around the tie in three days time when the German, well drilled machine comes to town.

A 4-1 deficit may seem unassailable, but if you remember what happened at the Riazor nine years ago, you will know that impossible is nothing, especially in football. Jose will be without CR7 and is also expected to rest some of the big guns for this particular game. La Liga is lost.

Although second place is far from guaranteed, the task ahead holds more substance for the Spanish giants whose chase for LA DECIMA continues in midweek.

PROBABLE LINEUPS

 

ATLETICO MADRID- Courtiois, Juanfran, Godin, Miranda, Luis, Garcia, Gabi, Suarez, Koke, Costa, FALCAO

Atletico’s rise in La Liga has been phenomenal and it wouldn’t have been made possible without the brave efforts of Belgian youngster, Thibaut Courtois. The 20 year old has been a revelation since his arrival at the Calderon. The on-loan Chelsea goaltender was part of the reason why the Colchoneros performed so well in Europe last season. He has carried that marvellous form this season. Only 25 goals have been conceded by him and the Miranda-Godin marshalled rearguard. The lowest in the Spanish top flight.

This has seen Miranda earn call ups for the Brazilian National team and the team in general has earned rave reviews.With Falcao and Costa in front, and the industrious Gabi in midfield, Diego Simeone is fast building a squad capable of competing for top honours in the near future. They are certainties to feature in the Champions League next season – most probably without the Tiger’s roar.

REAL MADRID- Casillas, Arbeloa, Pepe, Albiol, Nacho, Modric, Kaka, Di Maria, Callejon, Benzema, Morata.

The 4-1 thumping of Real Madrid was Jose Mourinho’s biggest margin of defeat in 106 games as manager in Europe’s biggest club competition. He was dazed at the Iduna after the match. Just like Champions, his wards are prepared to bounce back from that devastating blow and register a morale boosting win later today at the Calderon. Assistant coach, Aitor Karanka has confirmed that CR7 is OUT of this encounter.

Other regulars may be forced to sit out, thus channelling their attention to Tuesday’s showdown. The likes of Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varanae and Ozil may be rested. Iker Casillas may return, so Diego Lopez may sit out this game as well. The Merengues haven’t fared well away from the Santiago Bernabeu in recent times. Only one win from their last four away games in all competitions is a bad run.

Against Atletico, they will be hopeful that this can change. The home front has been defended with gusto by Atleti. Only one loss all season. The task is herculean for Real.

 

Written by Ohiskaka Eboreime

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The Upcoming Football Video Game That Plunges you Into the Seedy World of Match Fixing

  By O-Posts Team | April 26, 2013 - 19:33 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Video games and football have gone hand in hand for decades, with games like FIFA 13, Pro Evolution Soccer and Football Manager hitting the bestseller lists year on year, giving players the chance to play at managing or playing as their favourite teams.

A new game that is currently under development aims to turn the football management game on its head, taking players deep into the sinister underworld of football corruption and allowing them to play as a shady match fixer.

Game Changer – The Football Match Fixing Game is being made for iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices, and will be made available in early 2014 if the developers successfully gain funding with their upcoming campaign on popular crowdfunding site Kickstarter.

In Game Changer, you can bribe players, pay off police and officials, blackmail referees and do all kinds of other interesting and immoral things to try and ensure the results you want, and then make a fortune by betting on your fixed outcomes.

As you grow in influence in the criminal underworld, you can fix games in bigger and more prestigious leagues around the world to gain higher profits, as well as being able to team up with crime boss characters and even your real life friends (thanks to social media integration) to get better results.

The game promises to blend elements of conventional football games and sims with the kind of stories and gameplay you normally see in crime games and RPGs, as well as featuring a sophisticated gambling system that allows you to implement all kinds of interesting strategies to make your fortune.

The developers, Game Changer Games, are also keen to make sure the game contains plenty of dark humour, because match fixing is, after all, a pretty horrible thing.

If you are interested in finding out more about the plans for Game Changer and the Kickstarter campaign that will hopefully make the game possible, you can check out the official website at www.gamechangergame.com or follow the developers’ official Twitter account @gamechangergame.

 

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