If there was a piece of injury news that could completely overshadow Bayern turning the tables on Manchester United with a late injury time winner, it was the one piece of news a city and nation feared most. Wayne Rooney, injured.
Part of a double blow, Rooney awkwardly injured his ankle while the ball was taken in the other direction, eventually leading to the game winning goal after Ivica Olic ghosted behind Patrice Evra to steal the ball and slot home. As Olic and the Münchner celebrated wildly, Rooney had to be carried off the field, unable to put any pressure on his foot.
Let's get the game out of the way. Bayern were better and deserved to win. Even with key midfielders Arjen Robben and Bastien Schweinsteiger out injured, Bayern controlled the play and probably should have scored more but for some great saves by Edwin van der Saar and some bad misses by the German side. Man U also threatened on the break, and leaving the Allianz Arena down 2-1 with an away goal in the pocket is nothing to be ashamed of.
The manner of the loss will certainly hurt for the Mancunians. Ribery's goal took a wicked deflection off Rooney, though the key of play was Bayern's man in the middle of the wall. Most people are focusing on the bad luck suffered by Rooney on the play, but it showed why attacking teams try to put players in the wall (or at the end of it at least). The Bayern player peeled out, allowing enough space for the ball to squeeze past the Man U bodies and hit Rooney's legs behind him as he jumped and turned. Without the Bayern man there, maybe there's another Man U player in his spot or Rooney is tighter and the shot never gets through or the block is more solid and the ball goes wide.
When plays like that go in your favor, maybe the football gods are smiling upon you.
If more evidence of said favor was needed, the final play sealed the deal. Nemanja Vidic did well to tackle Gomez, bringing him down while the ball bounced ahead toward Evra, who was running back to goal at an angle to cut off Gomez's run. As anyone who's been caught like that by a unsuspecting deflected ball, when you weren't prepared, knows it isn't so easy to deal with. Furthermore, the deflection off Vidic played the ball slightly behind Evra, so he was immediately put in a bad position. But he was still lackadaisical in trying to stop his momentum and either control the ball safely or clear it, and unaware of Olic's position, the Bayern attacker stole in easily and finished calmly past van der Saar.
Back to the big news, Rooney's injury. So far reports indicate a layoff of about 2-4 weeks. Surely enough time to heal for the World Cup but devastating for Man U's season, what with the top of the table clash against Chelsea this weekend and the return match against Bayern next. Even if it's not bad, surely every step and tackle will be closely watched by the England faithful. Could Rooney be on the verge of being overworked and burnt out? A twisted ankle is very susceptible to re-injury if not properly healed and strengthened 100%, so how he's used by Sir Alex upon his return will have Fabio Capello up nights.
Man U will claim they can still win without Rooney, as evidenced by their weekend victory over Bolton. But let's get real, the Wanderers and Chelsea are two entirely difference propositions. I have my doubts.
From a broader view, the match showed that Man U are overly reliant on Rooney and lack a superior attacking presence in the center of midfield. I'm as big an admirer of Darren Fletcher as there can be, but the Red Devils need to add some attacking flair to support his all-around industry. The results have proven how invaluable Fletcher is to the Man U cause, particularly by looking at those big matches when he's been unavailable. But the aging Paul Scholes (or Giggs when played there), the passive Michael Carrick, or the disappointing youngster Anderson are not going to cut it when it comes to teams with superior midfield possession and attacking instincts. They've performed up to the task on many an occasion, but not consistently and dominant enough when against the big teams, and one senses that is where Man U falls short.
With Rooney potentially sidelined for a key stretch of the season, Man U's lack of striking options will also be tested. Berbatov is not a prolific scorer, and one laughs at the thought of going into the season relying on Michael Owen to stay fit and contribute as the third striker (though will anyone say the free signing wasn't worth it for his last gasp winner in the Manchester Derby alone? I think not). Meanwhile, the stable of youngsters waiting in the wings have yet to step up and hold down a first team place.
Then again, Man U is not the only team overly reliant on Wayne Rooney, and you can make that two countries that will be waiting intently for injury updates on the golden ankle.
Showing posts with label Bayern Munich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bayern Munich. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Bendtner Still Sucks and Beckham Returns
Champions League football has returned and we now have the first two teams in teh quarter finals after Arsenal trounced Porto 5-0 and Bayern Munich got a screamer from Arjen Robben to push them past Fiorentina on away goals.
Here's Robben's goal:
Arsenal appear to be hitting full stride at the right time, not just in the Champions League but also in the EPL, where they sit level on points with Chelsea, just two back of Manchester United. Although Samir Nasri scored a nice solo goal, the real talk has been of Nicklas Bendtner's hat trick. This comes after critics were railing on him for a series of egregious misses against Burnley. Bendtner has long thought highly of himself and Arsene Wenger has given the young man plenty of chances despite his too oft profligacy in front of goal. No matter how many he scored, I still say he's overrated and he rarely strikes fear in the heart of opposing defenses.
Today's big drama is the return of David Beckham to Old Trafford as AC Milan have a mountain to climb against Man U. The 3-2 away victory for the Red Devils puts them squarely in the driver's seat, but let's see if Ronaldinho can conjure up some old magic.
More intriguing possibly is the Real Madrid-Lyon match. Lyon take a 1-0 lead into the Bernabeu, the key there being they did not concede an away goal in France. This will be an all important match for Madrid, as they have not reached the Champions League quarterfinals five years running, and nothing less was expected of the new galacticos this season. They should probably complete the task, but it could be a tense affair. Coming off the 3-2 victory over Sevilla and taking over top spot in La Liga will give the home side confidence, but you always get the sense that that confidence can be easily rattled and the crowd made nervous.
Lyon have probably overacheived, though that seems to be the consensus in the Champions League every year from the general public who don't fancy them as much as the big boys from the big three leagues. Of course to the Lyonnaise, they have perpetually underachieved, never taking the next step forward in the Champions League that their domestic dominance would call for. Still, I don't think today will be that day.
Here's Robben's goal:
Arsenal appear to be hitting full stride at the right time, not just in the Champions League but also in the EPL, where they sit level on points with Chelsea, just two back of Manchester United. Although Samir Nasri scored a nice solo goal, the real talk has been of Nicklas Bendtner's hat trick. This comes after critics were railing on him for a series of egregious misses against Burnley. Bendtner has long thought highly of himself and Arsene Wenger has given the young man plenty of chances despite his too oft profligacy in front of goal. No matter how many he scored, I still say he's overrated and he rarely strikes fear in the heart of opposing defenses.
Today's big drama is the return of David Beckham to Old Trafford as AC Milan have a mountain to climb against Man U. The 3-2 away victory for the Red Devils puts them squarely in the driver's seat, but let's see if Ronaldinho can conjure up some old magic.
More intriguing possibly is the Real Madrid-Lyon match. Lyon take a 1-0 lead into the Bernabeu, the key there being they did not concede an away goal in France. This will be an all important match for Madrid, as they have not reached the Champions League quarterfinals five years running, and nothing less was expected of the new galacticos this season. They should probably complete the task, but it could be a tense affair. Coming off the 3-2 victory over Sevilla and taking over top spot in La Liga will give the home side confidence, but you always get the sense that that confidence can be easily rattled and the crowd made nervous.
Lyon have probably overacheived, though that seems to be the consensus in the Champions League every year from the general public who don't fancy them as much as the big boys from the big three leagues. Of course to the Lyonnaise, they have perpetually underachieved, never taking the next step forward in the Champions League that their domestic dominance would call for. Still, I don't think today will be that day.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Is There Anybody Out There?
Well, mine has been an extended absence, so I think it's only appropriate to inquire if there's anyone out there. With the World Cup fast approaching, Champions League starting up again, and domestic leagues kicking it up into full throttle, I hope you are still out there. Out there or not, it's probably time to take a solid look at European football through the Champions League lens.
First off, you may not yet know, I certainly didn't (and UEFA seems to have done a poor job of advertising) Champions League has a brand spanking new schedule format. It's good for viewers, but questionable for the participating teams. Last year and in recent memory the round of sixteen would bless us with four games on Tuesday and four games on Wednesday, followed by a one week layover sans European footie. Now, this Tuesday will host two games (Lyon v. Real Madrid; AC Milan v. Manchester United) as will Wednesday (Bayern Munich v. Fiorentina; Porto v. Arsenal). Then, the following week, the first leg of the away matches are played, the second leg for Lyon, Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Manchester United is then completed the following week, and then the final second legs of the round of sixteen close out. In efect, we have a month of Champions League uninterrupted until the weeklong break between this round and the quarterfinals. As viewers this new format probably allows more people to watch more games. Whether or not the layovers and differing timetables for play between rounds affects the teams remains to be seen.
As for this week's matchups, an interesting pair. Oddly enough, Real Madrid may be the only true favorite in these first four games. Lyon lost Benzema this past summer, to Madrid no less, and last year also saw their six consecutive Ligue championships come to an end. They simply are not the team they once were. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo, this Champions League's topscorer is back with MAdrid after injury and red card setbacks this season, and will add his usual pace and skill to the merengues. More worrying for the French side however, will be the return from injury of team top goalscorer Gonzalo Higuain, who is on pace to become a top European striker this year. Similarly Kaka seems to have shaken off his sports hernia and be finding his form. Nevermind that the Madrid back four have adapted remarkably well to losing Pepe, and the midfield is slowly becoming a unit capable of success despite, or perhaps because of their flexibility (Kaka, Granero, Guti, Van der Vaart, Lass, Xabi Alonso, et al. have all played and well this season). The team has Barcelona on its sights in la Liga, but the club from the capital makes no bits about it - May 22nd at the Bernabeu would be the sweetest reward for los blancos. All that said, Real has never beaten Lyon in the Champions League, and has not gotten past the round of sixteen in five years. With Benzema likely out for the first leg, and Lyon expected to be snow covered and at below freezing temperatures this Tuesday, don't count Lyon out yet, at least not on the first leg.
Meanwhile Manchester United has hoisted themselves to within one point of Chelsea after a draw at Aston Villa and a Chelsea loss to Everton courtesy of Landycakes and Louis Saha. But the red devils may be facing AC Milan at their most dangerous. Seemingly out of contention for the Serie A despite being only eight points behind Inter, the rossoneri have hardly sparkled this season. But they are European regulars, and you can bet Ronaldinho will play his best against top opposition like Manchester. Well, at least for a few minutes, though it doesn't take much more from the Brazilian. Huntelaar has also found the back of the net recently, and may be looking to prove he's not a player meant to play in the Dutch league exclusively. Nonetheless, Manchester will stand behind the man that's carried them this season, and in impressive fashion, Wayne Rooney. Almost a force of nature, Rooney has done nothing short of put the red devils on his back amidst a series of defensive injuries and an erratic midfield that sorely misses Cristiano Ronaldo. Certainly Rooney has seen more of goal without the Portuguese, but the team has felt the loss. Nani is hit or miss, Giggs is injured, and Valencia though pacey, still has not found his form. It will be interesting to see if Leonardo, with his job likely on the line, will be able to expose Manchester United weaknesses on the biggest stage. But with Manchester United given almost a full week off with no EPL this weekend, it is hard to pick against the devils over the two legs, though a tie or even a one goal loss isn't out of the question at the San Siro.
On Wednesday the matchups are bit less thrilling on paper, but may prove equally exciting on the pitch. Beating Liverpool 1-0 last week, Arsenal appeared to get themselves back in the title race, at six behind Chelsea aka Team Drogba. But Wenger's boys have yet to prove that they can beat the big boys around town, having dropped games to Manchester United and Chelsea before the Liverpool match, and not in hotly contested games. The loss of Van Persie has certainly hurt the gunners, but truth be told the trade off Wenger has made seems to be one of adding youth to lose meddle and confidence. These last two attributes seem absent from both Arsenal sides fielded against the top two. Simply put, the gunners lack the verve to run with the big boys, and Arshavin's absence for their clash against Porto will not help. In my opinion, the gunners also seem to lack a holding midfielder, as Diaby remains unconvincing, and that position would seem to be essential for a team who needs to maintain possession. So will Porto test Arsenal the way the other seventeen EPL teams test them, or the way Chelsea and Man. U. have? Though they sit third in the Portuguese League, Porto always come to play in Champions League, lest we forget that Porto's two European Cups are two more than Arsenal have managed. Moreover, Porto has absolutely demolished its opponents in recent weeks, and despit losing several key players this summer, Porto still has Hulk and always finds a way to find suitable replacement for losses. This team took eventual runners-up Manchester United to the brink last season, and will look to do the same against Arsenal. Both teams will look to pass and play openly, so this should be an entertaining match to say the least. Over two legs, I'd bet on Porto over Arsenal though.
Finally, the Bayern Munich v. Fiorentina matchup. Here's what you need to know. Fiorentina are doing dreadfully in the Serie A, and have lost their last two (1-0 losses to Inter and Roma). Bayern Munich have gotten Ribery back, he's in a contract year (just not with Bayern Munich) and Robben is on form. The Germans will surely prove too much for the Italians, and should win easily. But no one ever wins easily against an Itlaian side, do they? If Inter and Roma could be held to 1-0 wins, what are the chances Fiorentina arrives at Allianz Arena looking for a tie or 1-0 loss and gamble on their chances at the Artemio Franchi? I say high. Very high even. Will it work? Probably not, as Fiorentina's been off form recently and Bayern should have enough firepower to get through, but it'll be interesting.
Next week I'll get to that mouthwatering Chelsea v. Inter clash, and the other three, rather less interesting matchups.
In other news, The Copa del Rey will be played between Atletico Madrid and Sevilla on May 26, 2010, four days after the Champions League final. Both teams play attacking open football and have several world superstars on their rosters. If Real Madrid, Barcelona and maybe Valencia weren't going to be in the final, these would certainly be your top choices. It's been ten yars since Atletico played in a final, and almsot fifteen since they've won anything. Sevilla on the other hand, has battled Valencia in recent years to take that third Liga spot Atletico once held. In the last five years the sevillistas have won two UEFA Cups, a Copa del Rey, a Spanish Super Cup and a European Super Cup. It's hard to gauge form and injury status this far in advance, but Sevilla should be the slight favorites in what I suspect may be one of the last, if not the last, competitive matches before South Africa. Hopefully no players miss the final due to national team commitments.
This weekend, Cristiano Ronaldo returns to action at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday against Xerex. Meanwhile, Barcelona travel to the Vicente Calderon to face an Atletico team on the ascent. "On the ascent" for Atletico Madrid usually means "before the fall." But despite Atletico's ability be alternatively amazing or horrifying, Aguero and Forlan will be facing a depleted Barcelona defense (no Alves, Pique, Marquez, Abidal, Toure, or Chygrynsky) that may start a youth club player or a modified winger as a defender in Jeffren. While it's hard to see Barcelona lose a game, if ever there was a time...
First off, you may not yet know, I certainly didn't (and UEFA seems to have done a poor job of advertising) Champions League has a brand spanking new schedule format. It's good for viewers, but questionable for the participating teams. Last year and in recent memory the round of sixteen would bless us with four games on Tuesday and four games on Wednesday, followed by a one week layover sans European footie. Now, this Tuesday will host two games (Lyon v. Real Madrid; AC Milan v. Manchester United) as will Wednesday (Bayern Munich v. Fiorentina; Porto v. Arsenal). Then, the following week, the first leg of the away matches are played, the second leg for Lyon, Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Manchester United is then completed the following week, and then the final second legs of the round of sixteen close out. In efect, we have a month of Champions League uninterrupted until the weeklong break between this round and the quarterfinals. As viewers this new format probably allows more people to watch more games. Whether or not the layovers and differing timetables for play between rounds affects the teams remains to be seen.
As for this week's matchups, an interesting pair. Oddly enough, Real Madrid may be the only true favorite in these first four games. Lyon lost Benzema this past summer, to Madrid no less, and last year also saw their six consecutive Ligue championships come to an end. They simply are not the team they once were. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo, this Champions League's topscorer is back with MAdrid after injury and red card setbacks this season, and will add his usual pace and skill to the merengues. More worrying for the French side however, will be the return from injury of team top goalscorer Gonzalo Higuain, who is on pace to become a top European striker this year. Similarly Kaka seems to have shaken off his sports hernia and be finding his form. Nevermind that the Madrid back four have adapted remarkably well to losing Pepe, and the midfield is slowly becoming a unit capable of success despite, or perhaps because of their flexibility (Kaka, Granero, Guti, Van der Vaart, Lass, Xabi Alonso, et al. have all played and well this season). The team has Barcelona on its sights in la Liga, but the club from the capital makes no bits about it - May 22nd at the Bernabeu would be the sweetest reward for los blancos. All that said, Real has never beaten Lyon in the Champions League, and has not gotten past the round of sixteen in five years. With Benzema likely out for the first leg, and Lyon expected to be snow covered and at below freezing temperatures this Tuesday, don't count Lyon out yet, at least not on the first leg.
Meanwhile Manchester United has hoisted themselves to within one point of Chelsea after a draw at Aston Villa and a Chelsea loss to Everton courtesy of Landycakes and Louis Saha. But the red devils may be facing AC Milan at their most dangerous. Seemingly out of contention for the Serie A despite being only eight points behind Inter, the rossoneri have hardly sparkled this season. But they are European regulars, and you can bet Ronaldinho will play his best against top opposition like Manchester. Well, at least for a few minutes, though it doesn't take much more from the Brazilian. Huntelaar has also found the back of the net recently, and may be looking to prove he's not a player meant to play in the Dutch league exclusively. Nonetheless, Manchester will stand behind the man that's carried them this season, and in impressive fashion, Wayne Rooney. Almost a force of nature, Rooney has done nothing short of put the red devils on his back amidst a series of defensive injuries and an erratic midfield that sorely misses Cristiano Ronaldo. Certainly Rooney has seen more of goal without the Portuguese, but the team has felt the loss. Nani is hit or miss, Giggs is injured, and Valencia though pacey, still has not found his form. It will be interesting to see if Leonardo, with his job likely on the line, will be able to expose Manchester United weaknesses on the biggest stage. But with Manchester United given almost a full week off with no EPL this weekend, it is hard to pick against the devils over the two legs, though a tie or even a one goal loss isn't out of the question at the San Siro.
On Wednesday the matchups are bit less thrilling on paper, but may prove equally exciting on the pitch. Beating Liverpool 1-0 last week, Arsenal appeared to get themselves back in the title race, at six behind Chelsea aka Team Drogba. But Wenger's boys have yet to prove that they can beat the big boys around town, having dropped games to Manchester United and Chelsea before the Liverpool match, and not in hotly contested games. The loss of Van Persie has certainly hurt the gunners, but truth be told the trade off Wenger has made seems to be one of adding youth to lose meddle and confidence. These last two attributes seem absent from both Arsenal sides fielded against the top two. Simply put, the gunners lack the verve to run with the big boys, and Arshavin's absence for their clash against Porto will not help. In my opinion, the gunners also seem to lack a holding midfielder, as Diaby remains unconvincing, and that position would seem to be essential for a team who needs to maintain possession. So will Porto test Arsenal the way the other seventeen EPL teams test them, or the way Chelsea and Man. U. have? Though they sit third in the Portuguese League, Porto always come to play in Champions League, lest we forget that Porto's two European Cups are two more than Arsenal have managed. Moreover, Porto has absolutely demolished its opponents in recent weeks, and despit losing several key players this summer, Porto still has Hulk and always finds a way to find suitable replacement for losses. This team took eventual runners-up Manchester United to the brink last season, and will look to do the same against Arsenal. Both teams will look to pass and play openly, so this should be an entertaining match to say the least. Over two legs, I'd bet on Porto over Arsenal though.
Finally, the Bayern Munich v. Fiorentina matchup. Here's what you need to know. Fiorentina are doing dreadfully in the Serie A, and have lost their last two (1-0 losses to Inter and Roma). Bayern Munich have gotten Ribery back, he's in a contract year (just not with Bayern Munich) and Robben is on form. The Germans will surely prove too much for the Italians, and should win easily. But no one ever wins easily against an Itlaian side, do they? If Inter and Roma could be held to 1-0 wins, what are the chances Fiorentina arrives at Allianz Arena looking for a tie or 1-0 loss and gamble on their chances at the Artemio Franchi? I say high. Very high even. Will it work? Probably not, as Fiorentina's been off form recently and Bayern should have enough firepower to get through, but it'll be interesting.
Next week I'll get to that mouthwatering Chelsea v. Inter clash, and the other three, rather less interesting matchups.
In other news, The Copa del Rey will be played between Atletico Madrid and Sevilla on May 26, 2010, four days after the Champions League final. Both teams play attacking open football and have several world superstars on their rosters. If Real Madrid, Barcelona and maybe Valencia weren't going to be in the final, these would certainly be your top choices. It's been ten yars since Atletico played in a final, and almsot fifteen since they've won anything. Sevilla on the other hand, has battled Valencia in recent years to take that third Liga spot Atletico once held. In the last five years the sevillistas have won two UEFA Cups, a Copa del Rey, a Spanish Super Cup and a European Super Cup. It's hard to gauge form and injury status this far in advance, but Sevilla should be the slight favorites in what I suspect may be one of the last, if not the last, competitive matches before South Africa. Hopefully no players miss the final due to national team commitments.
This weekend, Cristiano Ronaldo returns to action at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday against Xerex. Meanwhile, Barcelona travel to the Vicente Calderon to face an Atletico team on the ascent. "On the ascent" for Atletico Madrid usually means "before the fall." But despite Atletico's ability be alternatively amazing or horrifying, Aguero and Forlan will be facing a depleted Barcelona defense (no Alves, Pique, Marquez, Abidal, Toure, or Chygrynsky) that may start a youth club player or a modified winger as a defender in Jeffren. While it's hard to see Barcelona lose a game, if ever there was a time...
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Champions League Group Stage - The Final Days
If you'd like a preview of many of the players who'll be featuring in South Africa in the summer of 2010, today and Wednesday provides a chance to see many of those key players.
This would be the last matchday for the UEFA Champions League group stage, with a number of spots in the knockout stage still up for grabs.
First, in group A, one of the big boys of Europe will be out of the Champions League as Bayern Munich visit Turin to face the Old Lady. Juventus is coming off a nice victory over Serie A leaders Inter over the weekend. It wasn't a dominating performance by any means, but Juve seemed to have grasped the importance of that match and played with the sort of motivation and determination that they need to sustain regularly if they are to challenge for any trophies.
Bayern on the other hand are unbeaten since Sept. 26, though you'd never really know that. They were expected to romp through the Bundesliga, but that hasn't been the case. And yet, even though they've been known for up and down play this season they could be gaining steam as they climb up the German table.
This match pits a number of future World Cup participants from a number of nations, but does that mean the match will be entertaining? I'm not so sure. These are two of the more inconsistent sides, both capable of playing attacking football, but Juve sometimes reverts to a more calculated approach, while Bayern have had some fitness issues to stars Ribery (out for today) and Robben, along with disgruntled Luca Toni out of favor.
An interesting match to keep an eye on will be Man U visiting Wolfsburg. Man U has played well recently, crushing West Ham on Saturday, but are in the midst of an absurd defensive crisis. The starting center backs are likely to be Patrice Evra and Michael Carrick, with Darren Fletcher also a possibility. Edin Dzeko and the Wolfsburg goal scoring machine will certainly look to take advantage of that as they look to ensure passage at the expense of CSKA Moscow (they need to simply equal the efforts of the Russians to advance with Man U).
Of the other big name teams, no one in group C is guaranteed through, though Real Madrid only need a point against Marseille, while AC Milan will be hoping to lock things up against FC Zurich.
The Inter-Barcelona group also has it all to play for, with the unlikely but still actual possibility that Inter and Barca could be knocked out in favor of Russian champs Rubin Kazan and Dynamo Kiev.
Let's face it, most everyone is rooting for the big teams because we want to see the big name players face off in the knockout draw. But is there an underdog poised for an upset? The knockout stages could actually be populated with teams from France and Eastern Europe, as well as German sides that are strong but not as fancied as the English and Spanish sides. I think that would make for a very interesting Champions League, and it would give some players a chance to shine prior to the World Cup that we might not otherwise see. Of course that hope just means that it's going to end up business as usual (Liverpool's early exit not withstanding).
This would be the last matchday for the UEFA Champions League group stage, with a number of spots in the knockout stage still up for grabs.
First, in group A, one of the big boys of Europe will be out of the Champions League as Bayern Munich visit Turin to face the Old Lady. Juventus is coming off a nice victory over Serie A leaders Inter over the weekend. It wasn't a dominating performance by any means, but Juve seemed to have grasped the importance of that match and played with the sort of motivation and determination that they need to sustain regularly if they are to challenge for any trophies.
Bayern on the other hand are unbeaten since Sept. 26, though you'd never really know that. They were expected to romp through the Bundesliga, but that hasn't been the case. And yet, even though they've been known for up and down play this season they could be gaining steam as they climb up the German table.
This match pits a number of future World Cup participants from a number of nations, but does that mean the match will be entertaining? I'm not so sure. These are two of the more inconsistent sides, both capable of playing attacking football, but Juve sometimes reverts to a more calculated approach, while Bayern have had some fitness issues to stars Ribery (out for today) and Robben, along with disgruntled Luca Toni out of favor.
An interesting match to keep an eye on will be Man U visiting Wolfsburg. Man U has played well recently, crushing West Ham on Saturday, but are in the midst of an absurd defensive crisis. The starting center backs are likely to be Patrice Evra and Michael Carrick, with Darren Fletcher also a possibility. Edin Dzeko and the Wolfsburg goal scoring machine will certainly look to take advantage of that as they look to ensure passage at the expense of CSKA Moscow (they need to simply equal the efforts of the Russians to advance with Man U).
Of the other big name teams, no one in group C is guaranteed through, though Real Madrid only need a point against Marseille, while AC Milan will be hoping to lock things up against FC Zurich.
The Inter-Barcelona group also has it all to play for, with the unlikely but still actual possibility that Inter and Barca could be knocked out in favor of Russian champs Rubin Kazan and Dynamo Kiev.
Let's face it, most everyone is rooting for the big teams because we want to see the big name players face off in the knockout draw. But is there an underdog poised for an upset? The knockout stages could actually be populated with teams from France and Eastern Europe, as well as German sides that are strong but not as fancied as the English and Spanish sides. I think that would make for a very interesting Champions League, and it would give some players a chance to shine prior to the World Cup that we might not otherwise see. Of course that hope just means that it's going to end up business as usual (Liverpool's early exit not withstanding).
Monday, August 31, 2009
Early Returns from transfer deals in Turin, Munich
This weekend saw the big four teams face off in the Serie A as Milan, Inter, Juve, and Roma got to test their early season title credentials. The results were in Sunday afternoon, and to no surprise it looks like it's a two team race again.
I was unable to watch most of the Milan derby, but for anyone who's an AC Milan fan that's probably a good thing because I'm not able to fully deconstruct how Inter tore Milan apart. I did see the nice goal by Thiago Motta set up by some splendid interplay, as well as Diego Milito capping the Genoa connection's scoring by making no mistake from the penalty spot. Oh and Gattuso was rightfully red carded, adding to Milan's misery. The 4-0 result is probably an accurate picture of the gap that currently exists between these two sides. With new addition Wesley Sneijder buzzing, Inter will now get to prove themselves against Barca and Co. in the Champions League.
Further south, Juventus put on probably their best display since the 2006 Calciopoli scandal. Winning 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico is no easy feat, and Juve dominated from start to finish. I will admit that I'm suddenly very excited about this season, largely due to the Brazilian midfield duo, Diego and Felipe Melo. Together they put on a master class, outshining the likes of Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi. Playing in a 4-3-1-2, Felipe Melo was dominant and imperious in breaking up Roma's build up play and releasing Diego as the center of the midfield trio. At one point he even made a tackle in his box and stood up and flexed/preened like an NFL player does after every routine play. I laughed and wasn't sure whether I liked the energy he was displaying or hoped he'd never do that again.
As the player in the hole, Diego was simply a joy to watch, something that is desperately needed at Juve and in Serie A generally. Every attacking play moved through him and he always seemed capable of creating something dangerous. Diego capped his man of the match performance with a pair of extremely well taken goals. Felipe Melo got in the goal scoring action late as well, aggressively pushing forward and producing a finish that Amauri and Iaquinta would do well to emulate. On the bright side for Roma, De Rossi sure can strike the ball. Check out the highlights:
It's very early, but Juve could very well push Inter this year, and like Inter, they will get a good test of their European credentials in the Champions League group stage. French champions Bordeaux will be tough - watch out for Joann Gourcuff, he's only 23 and he's destined to return a big club (he spent one year at Milan, never really settling in). Bayern suddenly looks like a much tougher proposition, as if they weren't surfeit in attacking options already, by adding Arjen Robben, he of the two goal debut against German champions Wolfsburg. Does any team in the world now have a better pair of wingers than Robben and Ribery? I'm sure HalaMadrid can inform on however Real is lining up, but I'm sure whatever it is, they aren't attacking with two pure wingers the way Bayern does. Here's the video of Bayern's 3-0 victory.
I was unable to watch most of the Milan derby, but for anyone who's an AC Milan fan that's probably a good thing because I'm not able to fully deconstruct how Inter tore Milan apart. I did see the nice goal by Thiago Motta set up by some splendid interplay, as well as Diego Milito capping the Genoa connection's scoring by making no mistake from the penalty spot. Oh and Gattuso was rightfully red carded, adding to Milan's misery. The 4-0 result is probably an accurate picture of the gap that currently exists between these two sides. With new addition Wesley Sneijder buzzing, Inter will now get to prove themselves against Barca and Co. in the Champions League.
Further south, Juventus put on probably their best display since the 2006 Calciopoli scandal. Winning 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico is no easy feat, and Juve dominated from start to finish. I will admit that I'm suddenly very excited about this season, largely due to the Brazilian midfield duo, Diego and Felipe Melo. Together they put on a master class, outshining the likes of Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi. Playing in a 4-3-1-2, Felipe Melo was dominant and imperious in breaking up Roma's build up play and releasing Diego as the center of the midfield trio. At one point he even made a tackle in his box and stood up and flexed/preened like an NFL player does after every routine play. I laughed and wasn't sure whether I liked the energy he was displaying or hoped he'd never do that again.
As the player in the hole, Diego was simply a joy to watch, something that is desperately needed at Juve and in Serie A generally. Every attacking play moved through him and he always seemed capable of creating something dangerous. Diego capped his man of the match performance with a pair of extremely well taken goals. Felipe Melo got in the goal scoring action late as well, aggressively pushing forward and producing a finish that Amauri and Iaquinta would do well to emulate. On the bright side for Roma, De Rossi sure can strike the ball. Check out the highlights:
It's very early, but Juve could very well push Inter this year, and like Inter, they will get a good test of their European credentials in the Champions League group stage. French champions Bordeaux will be tough - watch out for Joann Gourcuff, he's only 23 and he's destined to return a big club (he spent one year at Milan, never really settling in). Bayern suddenly looks like a much tougher proposition, as if they weren't surfeit in attacking options already, by adding Arjen Robben, he of the two goal debut against German champions Wolfsburg. Does any team in the world now have a better pair of wingers than Robben and Ribery? I'm sure HalaMadrid can inform on however Real is lining up, but I'm sure whatever it is, they aren't attacking with two pure wingers the way Bayern does. Here's the video of Bayern's 3-0 victory.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Thursday Morning's Quick News
Arjen Robben will move to Bayern Munich for 25 million euros. Apparently Real Madrid's need to sell overuled Pellegrini's desire to keep the Dutchman. Supposedly this move also facilitates Ribery's arrival to the Bernabeu next summer.
And not wanting to miss a chance, Ribery says that Zidane would be "very happy" if he moved to Madrid.
The Wesley Sneijder era at Madrid appears to have come to an end, with the Dutchman agreeing to a 15 million euro transfer to Inter. He's not happy about it, and meanwhile Van der Vaart remains at the club while the two top Dutchmen depart. Madness.
The Scottish Football Association have called for Arsenal's Eduardo to be banned for diving against Celtic in their Champions League qualifier.
Senna returns to the Spanish national team, as may Cesc Fabregas - calling into question the gameday status of both this weekend. Especially the gunner, whose team faces United at Old Trafford.
And Chygrynskiy finally arrives to the Camp Nou for a paltry 25 million euros. He's the second most expensive defender in Barca history, after Dani Alves.
Also, today we'll discover the Champions League groups - always an exciting proposition.
And not wanting to miss a chance, Ribery says that Zidane would be "very happy" if he moved to Madrid.
The Wesley Sneijder era at Madrid appears to have come to an end, with the Dutchman agreeing to a 15 million euro transfer to Inter. He's not happy about it, and meanwhile Van der Vaart remains at the club while the two top Dutchmen depart. Madness.
The Scottish Football Association have called for Arsenal's Eduardo to be banned for diving against Celtic in their Champions League qualifier.
Senna returns to the Spanish national team, as may Cesc Fabregas - calling into question the gameday status of both this weekend. Especially the gunner, whose team faces United at Old Trafford.
And Chygrynskiy finally arrives to the Camp Nou for a paltry 25 million euros. He's the second most expensive defender in Barca history, after Dani Alves.
Also, today we'll discover the Champions League groups - always an exciting proposition.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Bundesliga and a World Where Football is Not Enough
Probably couldn't have asked for a better segueway into this post than ARF's last posting. Read below for his take on the EPL and the Bundesliga this year. My focus, however, is on the Bundesliga generally. About two weeks ago I spoke with a German friend about the Bundesliga, and I compared it to Ligue 1, in the sense that the Bundesliga seems perfectly content to be the fourth best league in Europe. In other words, it is satisfied with its lot in life.
Everyone knows not to expect any big moves from France. The French and their league are content with their middle-of-the-road status in Europe. Lyon has been competitive to an extent, and no other team in France seems to aspire to much in Europe. The days of Marseille are over. But my German friend vociferously disagreed with extending this analogy to Germany. The Bundesliga and Ligue 1, he asserted, had nothing in common.
And the truth be told, he was right. As ARF stated below, the Bundesliga tends to be an exciting competition, with close league finishes, lots of goals, some attractive play, and a competitive level that goes deep into the table. Add to that the fact that the Bundesliga has numerous "historical" teams that have marked eras, and several dark horses that have truly achieved (see Wolfsburg, 2009). At least one team, Bayern Munich, is willing to splash around some serious coin in its pursuit of glory (Ribery, Toni, and Klose were all signed in one summer).
And yet, I didn't even know the proper name of the German league tournament, or who had won it (the DFB-Pokal or German Football Federation Cup, and Werder Bremen beat Leverkusen in 2009). Now part of my ignorance, and it seems the greater ignorance towards the Bundesliga, has to do with time. If one follows la Liga, the EPL, Champions League and international play, it doesn't leave much for other leagues. But I'll still watch the Turin and Milan derbis. I'll check out Boca-River and Copa Libertadores knockout games. Yet aside from three or four Bundesliga games preceding Liga games on GolTV I've seen very little of the Bundesliga.
But teams like Bayern Munich, Borussia Monchengladbach, Werder Bremen, Dortmund, Hamburger, Werder Bremen, and recently Schalke and Wolfsburg have impressed both in the win column and in their play. So what's wrong with the Bundesliga? Why didn't it step out of the shadow of Serie A during the Moggiopoli and ascend to be the third best league in Europe? That moment was a singular opportunity to do so, and maybe even grab a fourth Champions League spot. The answer to these questions, at its base, is rather simple: marketing. The Bundesliga, despite its historical and present quality, has failed almost remarkably to market itself.
First off, there is no true grudge match in Germany. Bayern Munich v. Munich 1860 is not going to draw the international masses. Indeed, the parity in German football has removed this critical element from the mix. Second, the Bundesliga has not had a true golden age from which to capitalize recently. Bayern has faltered internationally since their Champions League win in 2001, and no other Bundesliga teams have truly stepped up. During the Bundesliga's true golden age, the 1970s, global marketing of club teams as we know it today didn't exist. Neverthless, it's worth noting that this "golden age" was just that - during that decade one German club made the semifinals of European play every year, Bayern Munich won three European Cups back-to-back, and several Bundesliga teams won the UEFA Cup (remember this was when only champions made the European Cup, so the UEFA Cup was a bigger deal). Sadly, the 1970s saw the domestic popularity of the Bundesliga go down due to a 1970 match-fixing scandal.
In the 1980s the Bundesliga witnessed reduced European success, though again, Bundesliga teams made four Champions League and four UEFA Cup finals that decade. Hamburger even won it in 1982. The 1990s continued the reduced visibility of the Bundesliga, despite Borussia Dortmund's 1996 Champions League victory. But even then, the Asian and North American football markets weren't being mined the way they are today. Further, my German companion pointed out, German clubs work within a legislative and financial framework that may restrict the lavish spending of other leagues. I won't pretend to know the intricacies of German ownership laws, but if true, this only adds to the Bundesliga's difficulties. And so the Bundesliga, like every other league except the EPL, was left marketing its best teams. Internationally, that left Bayern Munich, a team that has struggled to assert itself this decade, despite having initial successes in the 2000s.
No league has marketed itself as well as the EPL. While it's elite teams market themselves to the fullest, the EPL has also worked on marketing the league as a product, so that people actually care about the Hull City's of the world. La Liga has much to learn from the EPL in this respect, but has survived on the individual marketing prowess of Real Madrid and Barcelona, their rivalry, and extensive European success from those teams as well as at times Valencia, Deportivo, Villareal, and Sevilla. Serie A too has taken advantage of its world brands (AC Milan, Inter, and Juve) and Italy's success in international competition. The Bundesliga, on the other hand, has regressed in European competitions, precisely at the moment the German national team has failed to achieve as it usually does. And so it seems the Bundesliga has fallen victim to two, equally important factors, at least in terms of world renown. The first, is plainly recent on the pitch performances, both in Europe and for the national team. The second is failing to market the Bundesliga as a whole, so that Bayern Munich's drop in form doesn't diminsh the accomplishments of the Werder Bremens, Stuttgarts and Wolfsburgs of the league.
Truth be told, aside from the EPL no European league has grasped the idea of deliberately marketing their national league as a product aside from the individual teams or stars. This is a concept pioneered by the United States where a sports business model is built on selling the NBA or NFL rather than the Lakers or the Patriots. Just like people care about Hull City or West Ham, people need to care about Eintracht or Udinese or Malaga. Otherwise a league runs the risk of losing its appeal simply because its big clubs have off-years. That is what the Bundesliga has fallen victim to. The league's star (Bayern Munich) hasn't done much recently, and world fans live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world. Add to that a failure to market the league as a whole, and its a recipe for problems. But that doesn't change the fact that ARF is right. The Bundesliga is an interesting and exciting league that deserves much more credit than it's given. Hopefully, for the good of the Bundesliga and European parity, we see its teams return to the European stage and reveal one of the best kept secrets in football: the Bundesliga's a quality product, and we should all be watching a bit more of it.
Everyone knows not to expect any big moves from France. The French and their league are content with their middle-of-the-road status in Europe. Lyon has been competitive to an extent, and no other team in France seems to aspire to much in Europe. The days of Marseille are over. But my German friend vociferously disagreed with extending this analogy to Germany. The Bundesliga and Ligue 1, he asserted, had nothing in common.
And the truth be told, he was right. As ARF stated below, the Bundesliga tends to be an exciting competition, with close league finishes, lots of goals, some attractive play, and a competitive level that goes deep into the table. Add to that the fact that the Bundesliga has numerous "historical" teams that have marked eras, and several dark horses that have truly achieved (see Wolfsburg, 2009). At least one team, Bayern Munich, is willing to splash around some serious coin in its pursuit of glory (Ribery, Toni, and Klose were all signed in one summer).
And yet, I didn't even know the proper name of the German league tournament, or who had won it (the DFB-Pokal or German Football Federation Cup, and Werder Bremen beat Leverkusen in 2009). Now part of my ignorance, and it seems the greater ignorance towards the Bundesliga, has to do with time. If one follows la Liga, the EPL, Champions League and international play, it doesn't leave much for other leagues. But I'll still watch the Turin and Milan derbis. I'll check out Boca-River and Copa Libertadores knockout games. Yet aside from three or four Bundesliga games preceding Liga games on GolTV I've seen very little of the Bundesliga.
But teams like Bayern Munich, Borussia Monchengladbach, Werder Bremen, Dortmund, Hamburger, Werder Bremen, and recently Schalke and Wolfsburg have impressed both in the win column and in their play. So what's wrong with the Bundesliga? Why didn't it step out of the shadow of Serie A during the Moggiopoli and ascend to be the third best league in Europe? That moment was a singular opportunity to do so, and maybe even grab a fourth Champions League spot. The answer to these questions, at its base, is rather simple: marketing. The Bundesliga, despite its historical and present quality, has failed almost remarkably to market itself.
First off, there is no true grudge match in Germany. Bayern Munich v. Munich 1860 is not going to draw the international masses. Indeed, the parity in German football has removed this critical element from the mix. Second, the Bundesliga has not had a true golden age from which to capitalize recently. Bayern has faltered internationally since their Champions League win in 2001, and no other Bundesliga teams have truly stepped up. During the Bundesliga's true golden age, the 1970s, global marketing of club teams as we know it today didn't exist. Neverthless, it's worth noting that this "golden age" was just that - during that decade one German club made the semifinals of European play every year, Bayern Munich won three European Cups back-to-back, and several Bundesliga teams won the UEFA Cup (remember this was when only champions made the European Cup, so the UEFA Cup was a bigger deal). Sadly, the 1970s saw the domestic popularity of the Bundesliga go down due to a 1970 match-fixing scandal.
In the 1980s the Bundesliga witnessed reduced European success, though again, Bundesliga teams made four Champions League and four UEFA Cup finals that decade. Hamburger even won it in 1982. The 1990s continued the reduced visibility of the Bundesliga, despite Borussia Dortmund's 1996 Champions League victory. But even then, the Asian and North American football markets weren't being mined the way they are today. Further, my German companion pointed out, German clubs work within a legislative and financial framework that may restrict the lavish spending of other leagues. I won't pretend to know the intricacies of German ownership laws, but if true, this only adds to the Bundesliga's difficulties. And so the Bundesliga, like every other league except the EPL, was left marketing its best teams. Internationally, that left Bayern Munich, a team that has struggled to assert itself this decade, despite having initial successes in the 2000s.
No league has marketed itself as well as the EPL. While it's elite teams market themselves to the fullest, the EPL has also worked on marketing the league as a product, so that people actually care about the Hull City's of the world. La Liga has much to learn from the EPL in this respect, but has survived on the individual marketing prowess of Real Madrid and Barcelona, their rivalry, and extensive European success from those teams as well as at times Valencia, Deportivo, Villareal, and Sevilla. Serie A too has taken advantage of its world brands (AC Milan, Inter, and Juve) and Italy's success in international competition. The Bundesliga, on the other hand, has regressed in European competitions, precisely at the moment the German national team has failed to achieve as it usually does. And so it seems the Bundesliga has fallen victim to two, equally important factors, at least in terms of world renown. The first, is plainly recent on the pitch performances, both in Europe and for the national team. The second is failing to market the Bundesliga as a whole, so that Bayern Munich's drop in form doesn't diminsh the accomplishments of the Werder Bremens, Stuttgarts and Wolfsburgs of the league.
Truth be told, aside from the EPL no European league has grasped the idea of deliberately marketing their national league as a product aside from the individual teams or stars. This is a concept pioneered by the United States where a sports business model is built on selling the NBA or NFL rather than the Lakers or the Patriots. Just like people care about Hull City or West Ham, people need to care about Eintracht or Udinese or Malaga. Otherwise a league runs the risk of losing its appeal simply because its big clubs have off-years. That is what the Bundesliga has fallen victim to. The league's star (Bayern Munich) hasn't done much recently, and world fans live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world. Add to that a failure to market the league as a whole, and its a recipe for problems. But that doesn't change the fact that ARF is right. The Bundesliga is an interesting and exciting league that deserves much more credit than it's given. Hopefully, for the good of the Bundesliga and European parity, we see its teams return to the European stage and reveal one of the best kept secrets in football: the Bundesliga's a quality product, and we should all be watching a bit more of it.
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