Category Archives: Barcelona

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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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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. 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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Gareth Bale: Can Spurs really hold onto their award-winning winger?

  By O-Posts Team | May 3, 2013 - 22:31 | , , , , , , , , ,
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After seeing his star-player achieve the individual clean sweep by picking up the PFA Player of the Year, Young Player of the year and the FWA Player of the Year, Andre-Villas Boas remained predictably calm and assured when it came to the inevitable question of Gareth Bale’s future. “I’d be extremely surprised if Bale left, because this is the assurance I have” said the Portuguese coach, “the information I have from the club is he is here to remain”.

It was an answer typical of the manager whose dealings with the media usually verge on the languid and serene. Keen not to transfer attention from the conclusion to Spurs’ season which remains immersed in the battle for Champions League qualification, Villas-Boas carefully trod around the subject, giving the most diplomatic of answers. The chairman has sorted it. Bale will remain at Spurs. There is nothing to see here apart from Bale accepting his award.

It was curious enough however to hear Villas-Boas apply the responsibility for keeping Bale to Daniel Levy, suggesting that he is under no illusion that if the club received a mammoth financial offer for the winger in the summer, the decision-making will be down to those in charge of the accounts, not the team. “It’s not up to me to judge the finances of the club- I’m the head coach, it’s the chairman’s decision.”

Such recognition and acclaim in the form of Bale’s individual awards this week will only intensify the anticipation that a sizeable bid for the winger will arrive in the summer. Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have been repeatedly linked with the 23 year old and in the week where both club’s need for squad renovation was made so glaringly obvious in the Champions League, Bale is likely to have become a genuine target.

There could be no argument as to the validity of Bale’s awards given he has contributed 24 goals to Tottenham’s overall season and provided another 8. In the Premier League, he has been the driving force behind the club’s quest for Champions League football, his 19 strikes directly contributing to 24 of Spurs’ 62 point tally.

His versatility has been seamless, performing the attacking midfield role as well as that of a central-striker with the same unrelenting power and athleticism that has seen many full-backs dismissed from his usual left-wing home. He has burst past defenders with skill and dynamism, applying a devastating finish to his near-imperious armoury.

He can be the one man wave of momentum that tore through Aston Villa, Norwich and Newcastle, the precision passer that turned the game with Manchester City, or the thunderous goalscorer of unerring accuracy and power that did for West Ham and Swansea. It is the wide range of attributes that drew comparison to Cristiano Ronaldo during his February form.

Perhaps it was obscene and sensationalist to elevate Bale to the esteemed company of the unstoppable Madrid winger, but there is nothing strange about suggesting Bale hints at the same muscular physique and majestic ability as the Portuguese four years his senior.

There is no doubting he has entered into the same mould of player who possesses wonderful physical vigour to compliment the dexterity of his feet. “World Class” can be an over-used adjective in the modern game but it is hard to argue with the perception that Bale has the potential to join that bracket.

It is the immediate future that will go some way to dictating how far that potential will take Bale, with the prospect of again having to miss out on participation in Europe’s premier competition becoming increasingly possible as Spurs cling on to fourth spot.

Villas-Boas was unequivocal when it came to “the player remaining independent of the objective of achieving Champions League qualification or not”, but there has to be a suspicion that missing out once again on a place with Europe’s elite would weaken the bargaining power of Levy and co.

It was Zinedine Zidane who recently vocalised his opinion that Bale is the best player in the world and predicted that many top level clubs would be waiting patiently with astronomical bids designed to lure Bale away from his north London home. As the individual awards gleamed, it was a certification that Bale’s has been a campaign of the very highest standard, 53% of the Football Writer’s vote being a ringing endorsement of such notion.

Expect Spurs’ resolve to be under the toughest examination in the summer, but expect the final decision to be made in the board-room.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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Marquinhos: Defensive prodigy – a rare breed in Calcio

  By O-Posts Team | April 28, 2013 - 18:20 | , , , , , , , , , ,
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Every year, upon the start of the European football calendar after each Summer, names are touted around of suggestions and hot tips for the new campaign’s “breakout stars”. 8 months ago, few people would’ve paid any attention to the name – Marcos Aoás Corrêa – on Italian outfit AS Roma’s “Transfer Ins” list.

Signed on a loan deal with a permanent option, the young Brazilian with his moniker – Marquinhos – is now an in-demand starlet and highly tipped to be a future Seleção star.

 

Background:

Marquinhos joined Cornthians in 2002, at the age of 8, and proceeded to move up the youth ranks of the Timão over the next 10 years. Marquinhos impressed so much during his time in Corinthians’ youth ranks that he was called-up by and made captain of Brazil’s U17s in the 2011 South American Under-17 championship. With Brazil winning the South American U17 title, they qualified for the U17 FIFA World Cup that year, with Marquinhos again being handed the captaincy.

In Mexico, Brazil finished 4th, with Marquinhos playing 6 of their 7 matches and earning only 1 yellow card. After a stellar 2011, Marquinhos continued to shine in 2012. In the 2012 edition of the prestigious Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior (São Paulo Youth Football Cup), the young Brazilian added more impressive displays to his CV, culminating in a 2-1 win over Fluminense in the Final. Marquinhos was clearly banging on Corinthians’ 1st-team door.

With his maturity and leadership qualities, and not forgetting his on-pitch quality, it was of no surprise that Marquinhos eventually broke into Corinthians’ 1st-team.

 

Breakthrough at Corinthians:

With his impressive performances at youth level, Marquinhos’ form in the aforementioned prestigious Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior proved to be the final piece in the jigsaw of proving to Corinthians 1st-team Head Coach Tite that he was ready for a shot in the 1st-team. A 1st-team debutant at the age of 18, Marquinhos went on to make 6 1st-team appearances in the 2012 Brasileirão, playing the full 90 minutes on 5 occasions, and providing 1 assist.

While impressive when given the chance, the youngster also showed some versatility – playing in central defence in 2 full matches and as a defensive midfielder in 3 full matches. Coach Tite was so impressed with Marquinhos that the young Brazilian, then aged 17, was on the 1st-team bench for each and every one of the knockout stage matches of Corinthians’ victorious 2012 Copa Libertadores triumph.

Just look at that, within the span of 6 months, Marquinhos had become a Copa Libertadores champion and also turned 18 along the way.

 

Into the big time – AS Roma:

After catching the eye of Roma’s South American scouts, they took the gamble of signing the then 18-year-old in the summer of 2012, despite him having just 6 months of 1st-team experience in Brazil. The deal was a loan (€1.5m fee) with a €3m permanent option – with the trigger being Marquinhos making 8 1st-team appearances of 45 minutes a piece.

Barely a few weeks after his signing was formalised, Marquinhos made his 1st-team debut on 16 September 2012, playing the last 16 minutes of a 3-2 loss to Bologna. A fortnight later, the young centreback came off the bench to play an hour of a catastrophic 4-1 thrashing at the hands of defending Italian champions Juventus.

Slowly but surely cementing his spot in the Giallorossi Starting XI, Marquinhos has gone on to make 23 Serie A appearances(all but 3 as a starter) and 3 in the Coppa Italia. The only thing that broke his string of 12 consecutive 1st-team appearances is a suspension from being sent off, following a late handball, in a 3-1 win over Milan just before the winter break.

Roma’s summer signing became such as crucial 1st-teamer that the club withdrew him from international duty at the South American Under-20 championship, held in January 2013.

 

Overview – Majestic debut season in Calcio:

An 18-year-old holding a starting spot Serie A is most rare, let alone at a team as big as La Maggica. Marquinhos is a rare breed, such is the unforgiving nature of Calcio, what with the intense scrutiny of TV pundits on the various well-followed match review shows.

Leandro Castan, Marquinhos’ former Corinthians team-mate, has been left to fight for the other starting spot in central defence with Nicolas Burdisso. Ironically, 2012 summer signing Leandro Castan had insisted upon Roma signing Marquinhos.

In light of Roma’s much-talked-about defensive problems – a negative of Zdenek Zeman’s gung-ho offensive tactics – this season, Marquinhos has more-or-less escaped criticism, a result of the 18-year-old consistently delivering impressive performances every week. Despite still being only 18, Marquinhos has been Roma’s most important defender since cementing his starting spot in the middle of the Giallorossi defence.

(All stats are from WhoScored.com)

At first glance, standing at 1.83 metres, the lean Marquinhos is not the most intimidating of central defenders. That said, he does win his share of aerial duels, at 2.3 per game. That figure is the best at Roma and, league-wise, is better than that of bigger names like Philippe Mexes.

Being still only 18, the Brazilian still has room for more physical growth, which can only be a good thing. However, his natural athleticism does more-or-less cover for that, as they enhance his key attributes – his maturity and game-reading ability. Marquinhos evidently has, as the saying goes, “an old head on young shoulders”.

He is currently 18th in the Serie A interceptions chart, on par with veteran Andrea Barzagli, and better than the highly-rated Facundo Roncaglia and Napoli captain Paolo Cannavaro. With only 19 fouls (0.8 per game) at the time of writing, Marquinhos is currently 352nd on the “Most Fouls” chart. As with all modern day central defenders, Marquinhos is good on the ball and playing it out of defence, with an impressive 88.8% passing accuracy.

Almost every Serie A centreback would like to have Marquinhos’ statistics, which makes the fact he’s still a teenager all the more staggering.

“No Serie A player has made more last man tackles this season than the teenager (10), who leads his side for both interceptions (2.9) and aerial duels won (2.2) per game, proving that his reading of the game is at the level of a far more seasoned pro.” – Martin Laurence of WhoScored.

 

A look to the future:

Marquinhos has thus far shone, not just adapted, whenever he’s been pushed to the next level – youth team to 1st-team, Corinthians to Roma. This bodes well for the young Brazilian’s career prospects, as football has seen all too many a promising youngster fail to make that “next step”, rendering him unable to realise his full potential.

I’m confident that Marquinhos will not fall under the “what could’ve been” category. With his leadership qualities, maturity and talent, and not forgetting his current high performance level in such a prestigious league, long story short – the sky’s the limit for Marquinhos.

Roma are currently looking to upgrade the youngster’s current €0.8m (per year) wage to fend off interest from elsewhere. With his impressive and mature displays in his debut season in Italy, some of the Football’s biggest clubs are looking to sign him. Among others, FC Barcelona and Manchester City have been linked as potential new employers.

However, the Roma stopper is unlikely to leave the Stadio Olimpico anytime soon. There is still much room for improvement and staying at Roma for at least the next few years will provide the stable environment that promising youngsters like Marquinhos need to develop and, eventually, realise their potential.

Considering the ambitions of this AS Roma “project”, Marquinhos could possibly play out his peak years in the capital club.

Marquinhos told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “I am not thinking about a transfer. I owe Roma a lot for the chance they gave me.”

Whether Marquinhos eventually leaves Roma or stays for the long haul, one thing’s are for sure – Marquinhos will become a Seleção star sooner rather than later. Furthermore, with his past as Brazil U17 captain, Marquinhos could eventually captain Brazil at senior level.
Over the course of this 2012/13 season, Marquinhos has proved his worth enough to be justly rated as the best young central defender in the world at the moment, alongside Real Madrid’s Raphaël Varane.

Of all the possible “breakout stars” that had been tipped to emerge in the 2012/13 Serie A season, few would’ve bet on an 18-year-old Brazilian centreback being on that list.

Marcos Aoás Corrêa is indeed a rare breed in Calcio.

 

Written by Mark Ooi

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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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Dede: Towering Brazilian Attracting Some Of Europe’s Biggest Names

  By O-Posts Team | April 25, 2013 - 15:58 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Brazil have created some of the most talented and gifted footballers over the years. The likes of Pele, Falcao, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo have all dazzled the world with their samba brilliance, yet their footballing history has possibly been too top heavy. Too many attackers, not enough defenders to be held in such wondrous regard.

Even full-backs, Roberto Carlos, Carlos Alberto and Cafu have been marvelled at, but not centre-backs. Anybody but the centre-back, the unheralded job that provided the base to a side seemingly not cool enough for Brazilian recognition.

But now, with Bayern Munich’s Dante, Chelsea’s David Luiz and PSG’s Thiago Silva, that is all due to change. The Brazilian centre-back is entering a new age; big, physical, strong and extremely comfortable on the ball, they are all attributes that makes up the aforementioned trio as well as Dede, Cruzerio’s much-coveted 24 year old. Who is he?

Let’s take a look at Anderson Vital De Silva.

 

Background

After impressing with his hometown club Volta Rotunda in the Brazilian State Championship, the big defender earned himself a move to Vasco De Gama in 2009, only to find first team opportunities hard to come by upon his initial arrival. With his one year deal running out a year later, it looked like he may be returning to Volta, or even moving to South Korea.

Dede, however, had other ideas, “there was something I was determined upon” he told World Soccer Magazine back in 2011, “I wasn’t going to leave Vasco by the back door”. And so he didn’t, with injuries hitting the club in a Brazilian Cup game against Vitoria, he was given a chance, repaying the opportunity with a performance of such authority and assurance that it instantly certified him as first choice and earned himself a new contract, stretching to 2014.

He went on to produce some imperious form for Vasco, being recognised as the best right centre-back in the Brasileirao of 2010 and generating comparisons to the Fluminese-made Silva, then at Milan, who was widely-regarded as the most outstanding centre-half to recently hail from Brazil.

His commanding performances helped Vasco to win the 2011 Brazilian Cup and his partnership with Anderson Martins saw them both elected as the best central-defenders of the 2011 Campeonato Carioca. His impressive form also alerted former national-team coach Mano Menezes who included him in the squad for friendlies against Germany and Ghana in the autumn of 2011.

His transformation with Vasco from potential discarded talent was meteoric. By the end of 2012, he was considered as one of the best centre-backs in Brazilian football, seeing high acclaim from Vasco fans who endeared to him by giving him several nicknames; “O-Mito” (The Myth) and “Dedelicia” (or “Dedelicious” as female fans chose).

He was included in numerous advertising campaigns for the club and was elected by SBT, a Brazilian television network, as one of the 100 greatest Brazilian’s of all-time. His popularity in Vasco was clear and he honoured his potential departure by kissing the badge in one of his final games for the club. In total, he made 154 appearances for Vasco.

To date, Dede has received 7 caps for the Brazil national team, appearing often in friendlies and tournaments that are only eligible for native-based players, allowing him to win the Superclasico De Las Americas in September 2011.

Dede is currently the fourth-choice centre-half in the Brazil squad and he will be hoping that his exemplary performances, partnered with Luiz Felipe Scolari’s insistence that he will look more to the Brazilian league set-up for options, will help his cause for regular call-ups as the team head into a World Cup year.

 

Strengths, style and weaknesses

Dede is strong, powerful and athletic, making full-use of his 6ft 3 inch frame in order to be adept at winning challenges in the air or on the ground. His height means that not many strikers are able to beat him in the air whilst a fine reading of the game, impressive at the relatively young age of 24, sees him able to cut out danger on the ground. His imposing height also makes him a threat at set pieces, suggested by his 18 goals during his time at Vasco.

His extremely impressive pace also means that he is rarely out-foxed by the through ball, cutting out the threat that strikers pose lying on the shoulder of the back four. As well as boasting fine intelligence and strength to block and intercept many shots and dangerous passes, he also possesses superb technical ability that allows him to be comfortable in bringing the ball out of the defence and moving it on.

As well as the two nicknames Vasco fans creatively derived for Dede, they also named him “Dedekenbauer”, suggesting his likeliness to the famous German defender who revolutionised the role of the central-defender, operating on a fine reading of the game, imperious positioning and superb ability on the ball.

Dede really is a complete defender who has attracted the interest of Manchester United, Milan, Benfica and Liverpool during his time with Vasco, all top European clubs basing their interest in the knowledge that Dede, with his physicality and ability on the ball, would not look out of place on the continent should he ever head east from Brazil.

 

His move to Cruzeiro

With the Selecao heading into their home World Cup of 2014, Dede has seen best to stay in his native league and head to Cruzeiro in a deal that is worth £4.7 million. The two clubs are believed to have arranged a 55% and 45% share in player ownership which helps to ease cash-strapped Vasco’s financial troubles. Three players, Diego Rennan, striker Allison and Wellington Paulista will also head to Rio in exchange for the defender.

After moving, he voiced his reluctance to leave Vasco De Gama but understood such a move would help to aid the financial crisis at his former club. He said that even though he was moving to a new setting, his heart would remain with the Rio-based club.

There has been a financial dispute with the transfer, with the move being blocked by the FERJ, a main football institution from Rio, who claim Vasco owe a debt to the Brazilian Federal Justice. They have ruled that until the dispute is sorted, Dede is unable to play for any club, disrupting his immediate start with Cruzeiro. However, that will only be a small snag in a career that threatens to go very far.

Look out for Dede at next year’s World Cup.

 

Written by Adam Gray

Follow Adam on Twitter @AdamGray1250

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Champions League: The Semi-final Preview

  By O-Posts Team | April 23, 2013 - 18:08 | , , , , , , , ,
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An enthralling and exciting semi-final slam awaits us. Four European giants, who play some of the most brilliant football ever seen throughout, battle it out for the chance, the opportunity to take the most prestigious club competition on the continent. Who are the favorites? Who are the underdogs? Here’s our world-class (somewhat) preview of what potentially awaits us all.

 

Bayern Munich – Barcelona

Bayern Munich have turned things around this season in grand style. It has even been said that Pep Guardiola might have nothing left to achieve by the time Jupp’ Osram’ Heynckes quits the Bavarians. News coming out of Germany this morning say that Mario Gotze is switching allegiance next season.

His next destination? The Allianz Arena to join his Nationalelf teammates, Neuer, Muller, Lahm, Schweini etc in what will be perhaps the best squad of players even assembled in Munich. The 6-1 mauling of Hannover 96 at the weekend was too good to be true. The Roten have scored for fun from the beginning of the season and only Arsenal have beaten them since the turn of the year. Against Wolfsburg in the Pokal Semis, Bayern also scored six and conceded one-a beauty from Deigo Ribas.

These goals galore have been done without the bulk of their first team players. The likes of  ‘EL Conquistador’ Pizarro who has been described as the best ’3RD STRIKER’ in the world by many, Jerome Boateng who has dropped to the bench since the start of the season, Xherdan Shaqiri, the diminutive Swiss winger, Arjen Robben who has found himself among the starters recently because of Toni Krooss’ layoff, etc have come in and done a great job. The Bundesliga champions are battle-ready for any team. Even Barcelona do not scare them considering the form they are in presently.

Barcelona are one of the favourites for Champions League glory. But before they secure a Wembley date against either Real Madrid or Dortmund, Bayern Munich must be stopped. However arduous it seems to be, the Blaugrana are unfazed by the challenge in front of them. A late 1-0 win over Levante nonetheless, the Spanish champions-elect have the ability to unsettle any team.

Tito Vilanova and his coaching staff are sweating over the fitness of star man, Lionel Messi. The Argentine has been sidelined for the last three League games and only came on versus PSG because it was absolutely expedient. Whether he can feature from the start today is something the management have kept close to their chest. If Messi does not play, the task will be made all the more difficult.

Barcelona have stars like Iniesta, Xavi, Fabregas, Villa, Busquets, and Pedro, but without Messi, they are not so special. Forget the 5-0 success over an already condemned Mallorca. Carles Puyol and Javier ‘Jefecito’ Mascherano are currently sidelined through injury.

That leaves gaps in the Catalan rear guard which is likely to be filled by the returning Eric Abidal whose story has been one of greatness and determination. The Frenchman completed 90 minutes against Levante on Saturday. His height and balance will give him an edge over Adriano because of the giant nature of the Bayern point men.

Marc Batra can also line up alongside Pique if Abidal is not trusted enough to carry the responsibility.

 

PROBABLE LINEUPS

BAYERN: Neuer, Lahm, Van Buyten, Dante, Alaba, Martinez, Schweinsteiger, Robben, Muller, Ribery, GOMEZ.

Lahm and Schweini return to the starting eleven after being left out of the team that won emphatically at Hannover. Mario Mandzukic is suspended for this fixture, so the other Mario, Gomez, will step in his shoes. Javi Martinez has been vocal in his praise of his Spanish friends at Barcelona. Paying homage to Xavi and Busquets especially. He must perform every well to also earn their eulogies. Arjen Robben has a point or two to prove tonight. His mistakes cost Bayern dear in last year’s final. He must make amends to get back into the fans hearts in a positive light.

Bastian Schweinsteiger, as usual, has a big role to play tonight. The German machine kept Andrea Pirlo quiet in the two matches against Juventus. A similar showing is expected of him when Xavi steps foot on the Inflatable boat in a few hours. Lahm, Gustavo and Dante will all miss the 2nd leg at the Nou Camp if they are cautioned in this game.

 

BARCA: Valdes, Alves, Pique, Batra/Abidal/Adriano, Alba, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Messi, Villa.

For all of Christian Tello’s runs, goals, and assists in the last couple of weeks, it is unlikely that he will start tonight. The experienced heads of Villa and Pedro will be preferred to the youthful exuberance of the pacy winger. Messi could return to the team and Sergio Busquets has shaken off a hernia problem to face the Bavarian giants.

It is in defence that the problem lies. Bartra, Adriano or Abidal? The answer lies with Tito and Jordi Roura. Gerard Pique was uttering some annoying things against Germany in the build up to his great game. He has  to do the talking on the pitch tonight.

 

Real Madrid – Borussia Dortmund

The Schwarzgelben might have shot themselves in the foot with the shocking news that Mario Gotze is set to join arch-rivals, Bayern Munich in the summer for 37 Million Euros. However tempting the offer may be/or have been, Germany’s Lionel Messi who says he’d rather be called the CR7 of DIE MANNSCAFT, should not be allowed to go for any price.

The Signa Iduna landlords are becoming a major force in Europe and to move further, their best players must stay put. That is beside the point. Some of immediate greater importance is before them. The visit of high flying Real Madrid who are so willing to win their 10th European trophy popularly called ‘LA DECIMA’ by the Merengues faithful.

Borussia Dortmund do not give a hoot about Real Madrid’s quest to win the Champions League – they harbour their own ambitions, too. The Borussens have relinquished their Bundesliga crown to Bayern already and are looking for silverware this season. A 2nd European triumph, 16 long years after the first, will be a fantastic accomplishment. Jurgen Klopp has been bullish in his assertions that BVB can do the impossible this term. No one can doubt the quality they possess.

Robert Lewandowski cannot stop scoring. If the Pole scores in his next 5 league games, he will break Gerd Muller’s long standing record of scoring in 16 consecutive League games  Mats Hummels has returned to full fitness and is poised to start alongside Neven Subotic in defence, leaving Felipe Santana on the sidelines. The Brazilian will be infuriated by this. After all, it is because of him that Dortmund are in the semi-finals. Rolls Reus scored against Real at the Bernabeu in their group encounter and can repeat the same feat if given the opportunity.

Real Madrid have a few injury problems. The war against Betis was won not without a few casualties. Benzema and Modric picked up minor injuries, while Marcelo was stretchered out of the pitch following a hamstring issue. Varane, Coentrao and Sergio Ramos are all likely to return to the starting 11 tomorrow. Di Maria and Xabi Alonso are also set to take their places in midfield and Pipita Higuain will lead the line with CR7 as usual, carrying the team’s hopes and aspirations.

Jose Mourinho has to decide yet again if Iker Casillas will return between the sticks or continue with the very impressive Diego Lopez. He wants to win the Champions League at all costs after three consecutive semi-final appearances. Dortmund stand in the way, just like Bayern last time out and Barcelona two seasons prior. The Portuguese is set to leave the Spanish capital at the end of the season. What better way to sign off than with a record breaking 10th UCL title.

Real will not look beyond this game despite the capital derby showdown at the weekend which will go a long way to decide who finishes as La Liga runners-up. The’whits’ must do better than their last showing in Rhine-Westphalia. The 2-1 loss was deserved by the Ruhr giants and they almost won at the Bernabeu until a late Ozil free-kick sealed a 2-2 draw for the hosts.

Tomorrow night, both sides will attempt to get an early goal and ultimately secure an unassailable advantage before the 2nd leg in Spain.

PROBABLE LINEUPS

BORUSSIA DORTMUND: Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Hummels, Subotic, Schmelzer, Bender, Gundogan, Kuba, ROLLS REUS, Gotze, Lewandowski.

Lewandowski has shaken off a minor problem to play in this game. Despite Gotze’s imminent departure, the playmaker will do everything humanly possible to destroy Real Madrid. Captain Sebastian Kehl who just signed a contract extension will start on the bench with Bender taking his place.

 

REAL MADRID: Lopez, Ramos, Pepe, Varane, Coentrao, Khedira, Alonso, Di Maria, Ozil, CR7, Higuain.

The back four will feature Ramos-Pepe and Varane from the start for the first time this season in Europe. Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira return to their adopted country. This time around, not to represent them, but to stop one of its leading teams from emerging victorious tomorrow.

CRISTIANO RONALDO is the top European goal scorer this season with 11 goals. Two more and he will reach the 50-goal milestone in the Champions League. He has 50 already this season in all competitions and 196 in Real colours.

 

Written by Ohiskaka Eboreime

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Bayern Munich: Gotze deal shifts the landscape in Munich and further still

  By O-Posts Team | April 23, 2013 - 16:23 | , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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There was only one thing for Bayern Munich to do after storming to the Bundesliga title by a margin of 20 points with 6 games left, and that was to exercise their financial muscle in order to get even stronger in anticipation for the arrival of Pep Guardiola in the summer. A campaign in which they have lost just once, scored 89 goals and conceded just 14 is seemingly not enough for the Bayern hierarchy as Karl Heinz-Rummenigge, Mathias Sammer and Uli Hoeness have green-lighted a €35 million euro move for Mario Gotze.

20 year old Gotze has been integral to Borussia Dortmund’s recent success after emerging from the club’s impressive youth system back in 2009. Two consecutive Bundesliga titles and this season’s run to the semi-finals of the Champions League are already on the honour role for the youngster who Sammer once described as “one of the best we’ve ever produced” whilst in his role as technical director for the German FA. Blessed with fine balance, skill and the nimbleness that allows him to dictate play so majestically in the final third, he fits the mould of a Guardiola footballer quite perfectly.

The attacking midfielder has already scored 31 goals for Dortmund, 10 of which have come in this campaign alongside 9 assists as he remains pivotal to Jurgen Klopp’s wonderfully-gifted young side.

It was Klopp who sparked Bayern’s regeneration after he guided Dortmund to the championship in 2011 and 2012, also managing to land the DFB Pokal with a 5-2 demolition of Munich in Berlin. To compound the frustration, Hoeness and co. had to watch Chelsea steal the Champions League title in their own backyard of the Allianz Arena as Bayern could not turn their dominance into goals. That was the watershed, the club president could take no more and he used last summer as a launch-pad for a relentless pursuit of dominance that has intensified with the acquisition of the mesmerically talented Gotze.

Domestic dominance has been achieved as the club have marched to the title with the utmost arrogance and hubris, also booking another spot in the final of the DFB Pokal with a 6-1 thrashing of Wolfsburg in the semi-final. Now the target is the continent as the Champions League has proved elusive for eleven years despite two recent finals and the recruitment of Guardiola, who won the coveted trophy twice with Barcelona in four years, instigated immediate big-spending to suggest the Bavarians are obstinate on ending their barren-run.

It is Barcelona who stand between Munich and another Champions League final this season, but there is a over-hanging feeling of doubt that Jupp Heynckes, despite transforming Bayern into a Bundesliga behemoth, he does not have the charisma or guile to finally end their long-wait for European success. Hence his ruthless ousting in favour of Guardiola who directed the Barcelona juggernaut to a zenith of footballing brilliance during his four years as coach in Catalonia.

The announcement of Gotze as his first signing suggests he will go about turning Bayern into a nouveau Barcelona, with the German’s technical brilliance joining Toni Kroos and Franck Ribery in an interchangeable attacking-midfield trio.

Gotze’s versatility will allow him to play anywhere behind the potent striking force of Mario Mandzukic, scorer of 19 goals in his debut season at Bayern, or Mario Gomez, who has built on his 83 goal-total of the last two years with 11 this time round. Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller can also stake a claim for inclusion as Guardiola will have to wrestle with the most outrageously talented of squads.

Guardiola.... takes advantage of the Bavarians' financial muscle to sign the outrageously talented Gotze.

Guardiola…. takes advantage of the Bavarians’ financial muscle to sign the outrageously talented Gotze.

Klopp meanwhile will be left with the unenviable task of repairing the damage left behind by Gotze’s exit. He will have the money for reinvestment, but many will argue the understanding he had with Marco Reus that devastated many sides is irreplaceable. With Dortmund also rumoured to be likely to lose Robert Lewandowski as he heads into the final year of his contract, the 44 year old coach faces potential dissolution of the side he has moulded into one of the finest attacking sides in Europe. It will be the toughest examinations of Klopp’s burgeoning reputation as Guardiola sets the accelerator off into the distance, fuelled by imperious financial power.

It is a fascinating deal, one that is likely extend the gap between Dortmund and Bayern further than the 20 point chasm that separates them now, and one that comes in the sensitive week both clubs compete in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Despite their comparable achievements on the pitch, this deal highlights the financial disparity that promises to be a huge threat to the competitiveness of one of Europe’s best leagues.

Javi Martinez arrived last year for €35 million and now Gotze comes for €37 million, it is the work of a club intent on competing in an atmosphere of its own.

 

Written by Adam Gray

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