European Football: Iberian Dominance Looms?

This weeks European results have shown a dominance of sides from the Iberian Peninsula. In the 8 matches in the Europa League and the Champions League there were 6 teams involved from Spain and Portugal. In comparison there is only one Italian side left and two English sides.

The results of the matches were also ominous for the rest of Europe. The Champions League results were Real Madrid hammering Spurs 4-0 and Barcelona disposing of Ukrainian champions Shaktar Donestk in a 5-1 demolition.





In the Europa League is where the less heralded but equally one sided dominance of the sides from the Iberian Peninsula can be seen. FC Porto, Benfica and Braga represent Portugal in the last eight with Villarreal being the sole Spanish outfit remaining in the tournament.

Porto smashed a much fancied Spartak Moscow side 5-1 with star striker and former Liverpool target Radamel Falcao getting an impressive hatrick. Rumours are that Inter Milan are looking for a replacement for current manager Leonardo with Porto manager Andre Villas-Boas on the top of their wanted list.  



Porto's rivals Benfica also registered an impressive 4-1 win over Dutch side PSV Eindhoven. This is impressive considering key players such as Ramires, David Luiz and Angel Di Maria have all left the club this season.



The third and final Portuguese side left in the tournament are a less illustrious yet equally dangerous Braga side. They are responsible for Liverpool's exit from the Europa league, ending the Champions League hopes of Sevilla and Celtic before being knocked out at the group stages despite beating Arsenal 2-0. They were up against Manchester City's conquerors Dynamo Kiev and grabbed a credible 1-1 draw in the Ukraine, giving them a good foundation to go through to the last four.



Villarreal are possibly the favourites for the trophy following their impressive defeats of Italian side Napoli and Germans Bayer Leverkusen they defeated FC Twente of Holland 5-1, virtually guaranteeing their place in the semi-finals.



Looking at these results, I wouldn't bet against two Spanish sides making the final four in the Champions League and an all Iberian quartet in the semi-finals of the Europa League. These results clearly show that both trophies are likely to end up in Southern Europe, I'm not sure whether it will last but it's good to see sides playing more expressive and creative football succeeding on Europe's biggest stages.

Cult Player Profile : Luis "Lucho" Enrique

Time to talk about Luis Enrique Martínez García who i feel is a forgotten man in European football. He was an attacking midfielder with an eye for goal. He was getting goals from midfield at the highest level long before anyone had even heard of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard or Paul Scholes.

He started his career at Sporting Gijon where in his first season where he was on the scoresheet 17 times in 45 appearances. This is an impressive record for any midfielder never mind for a 19 year old who's just broke into the first team.

His rise wasn't overlooked by the leading sides in Spain and Enrique was bought by Real Madrid. He was relatively successful during his time at the Bernabeu winning the Spanish League, the Spanish Cup and Spanish Supercup. In total he played 213 games for Real and scored 18 goals, not the best return rate but this was only the start. He left Madrid under a cloud of controversy he ran down his contract and moved to Madrids bitterest rivals Barcelona managed by Bobby Robson on a free transfer, a bit like Sol Campbell but worse...

After his move to Barcelona Luis Enrique really showed what he could do. He was part of a side that won back to back league titles and back to back Spanish Cups. He also experience success in Europe winning the UEFA Cup Winners Cup and also a UEFA Supercup. Ultimately spent 8 seasons at the Nou Camp before he retire. In those eight seasons he played 300 games in all competitions scoring a 109 goals that's a record of slightly over one every 3 games. His best season was his second at the club when he played 47 matches scoring 25 goals, most strikers would be proud of a season like that. What made him loved by the Barca fans more than anything was the 5 goals he scored against his former club Madrid in "El Classico".



Another thing about Enrique was that he was very versatile he played in ever position during his career except for centre back and goalkeeper. He ended his career at Barcelona and revered as a legend at the club. Now that's the end of his club career time to move onto his international one.

Luis Enrique was capped by Spain 62 times scoring 12 goals. He played 3 World Cups, Euro 96 and won and an Olympic Gold Medal in 1992.

One of his most famous moments was in the 1994 World Cup. Everyone talks about the infamous elbow US player Tab Ramos received from Brazilian Leonardo, but Luis Enrique was on the receiving end of one from Italian defender Mauro Tassotti. The incident led to Enrique losing a pint of blood and Tassotti avoiding a red card, but receiving an eight match ban. In 2008 he was quoted as wanting Spain to "take revenge" against Italy in a fixture between the two countries having not forgiven the Italians for the incident in USA94.

Enrique retired from football in 2004 citing that he could no longer reach the high standards he set himself and went on to participate in marathons in Australia. He has recently returned to Barcelona and is now the coach of the Barcelona B Team much like the current Barca manager Pep Guardiola, so who knows what the future holds for Luis Enrique...

When Managerial Sackings Go Wrong...

In this week of injustice at Newcastle United Football Club, with Chris Hughton being sacked after two bad results, I was thinking about the other really bad ones that come to mind... Here are a few of my favorites...

Vincent Del Bosque - Real Madrid

This is the man who won every trophy under the sun. He won the Champions League twice and La Liga twice. He also had the Galacticos of Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos playing football light years ahead of their rivals. On the season Real decided not to renew his contract the club got to the Champions League semi-finals and won the league.

Since Del Bosque has left Real the club have employed numerous managers including Fabio Capello and Manuel Pellegrini and won only one La Liga title and no European trophies... Oh and just to prove his class Del Bosque is now a World Cup Winner after his Spain side triumphed in South Africa.

 Rafael Benitez - Liverpool

When Rafa Benitez came to Liverpool it had been 20 years since they had won the European Cup. This was far too long for England's most successful club in European competitions. Benitez came and and won it in his first season in an epic final victory against AC Milan. 

He also went on to guide them to another European Final on this occasion it was defeat to AC Milan which stopped him from winning the trophy again. In the league up against Manchester United and Chelsea who both have superior finances due to rich benefactors and larger stadiums, Benitez came close to winning the title on one occasion in 2008-2009 when they finished second.

Yes he had a bad season when he got sacked with Liverpool finishing 7th but what made this sacking controversial is that Benitez loved and understood the club. He had the best interests of the club at heart and when most people would've left after relentless pressure from the owners of the club Benitez chose to stay. Upon his appointment as Inter Milan manager Benitez came back to Liverpool and made a donation of £96,000 to the Hillsborough Family Support Group, he didn't have to do this but he did and reaffirmed his affection for the Club and its supporters...

Martin Jol - Tottenham

This is the man who had Spurs challenging for a Champions League place long before Harry Redknapp was the man of the moment at White Hart Lane. He signed the likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon and Dimitar Berbatov who've all left their marks on the club. He built a squad capable of consistently challenging for a European place.

In Jol's final season at Spurs they lost their first two games and it became public that his job had been offered to Juande Ramos. This was a disgraceful way of treating the man who had led the club to two successive 5th place finishes in the Premier League. In the end Jol found out that he was going to lose his job during a 2-1 defeat at the hand Getafe in the UEFA Cup, via a text message from his nephew...

Gareth Southgate - Middlesborough

Well not a lot of people think of this one. Middlesborough were in 4th place in the Championship after being relegated under Southgate from the Premier League the previous season. They were only one point off the top and had just beaten Derby County 2-0, Southgate was on his way to undoing his failure of the season before, he was called into a meeting by 'Boro owner Steve Gibson and relieved of his role.

If you look at where they were when Southgate was at the helm, challenging for promotion. After Southgates sacking the club Middlesborough finished 11th missing out on the play-off places by 8 points. You can see how far the club has regressed by its current position in the table, 23rd in the Championship with 20 games gone.

Southgate was the man who helped Adam Johnson, David Wheater and Brad Jones into the first team and put Middlesborough's youth academy on the map. It can be clearly be seen that the club has been suffering since his departure.

Chris Hughton - Newcastle United

This is the one everyone's talking about. Mike Ashley has decided to sack the man who got Newcastle promoted from the Championship, spending virtually no money and has guided them to 11th place in the Premier League. He also oversaw the 5-1 battering of their bitterest rivals Sunderland earlier this season. Lately there has been a downturn in the clubs fortunes with heavy defeats to Bolton and West Brom but  between those fixtures there was an impressive draw against Chelsea.

The Newcastle job isn't and easy one with the likes of Andy Carroll and Joey Barton making the dressing room a difficult one to control. Hughton has done this and done it well, handling issues such as Carrolls court case and Bartons bust up with Blackburn's Morten Gamst Pederson with little on no fuss made. The man may not be the best or most experienced manager in the Premier League but he didn't deserve to be sacked....

White Hot Barca Melt Madrid...

Well, when last nights El Clasico ended, it reminded me of the Indiana Jones film, Raiders of The Lost Ark. In the film the Nazi baddies spent the first three quarters of the film beating back Indiana Jones and his side kicks, just like Real Madrid have been "mwuhahahaing" their way around La Liga crushing all comers led by their malevolent leader Jose. But last night it was their turn to get to their holy grail, and just like the villains in the Spielberg picture they got more than they bargained for and were melted away in a light show of epic proportions.

There were no surprises in the Real Madrid line up. Gonzalo Higuain wasn't in the squad due to injury. One tactical change was that Madrid chose to start play without their usual inverted wingers, choosing to play them on the sides of their stronger feet.

There was only one surprise in the Barca line up with Eric Abidal being selected ahead of Maxwell, I think this may have been done for defensive security more than anything else.

When the teams came out the atmosphere was electric. Both sides looked a bit nervous when defending but Madrid were snapping into tackles and the referee was letting most things go. It looked like it was shaping up to be an interesting evening. But slowly Barcelona started to take control of the game, zipping the ball at an immense pace Madrid started chasing shadows. And before you could say 1-0, Xavi, it was 1-0 and it was Xavi...



Once they conceded unless Madrid got one back quickly the game was in risk of running away from them, which it eventually did. In the first half Angel Di Maria was made to play as a second left back by Pedro and Messi who were imperious. What impressed me with Barcelona was the fluidity of their team. They were playing two formations with the same players.

Going forward Dani Alves was near enough a right winger, when this happened the back three of Abidal, Pique and Puyol shuffled across into a conventional back three and I think this is why they chose Abidal who Guardiola has played as a centre half in past games. This Real Madrid side isn't designed to handle this kind of attacking overload.

This shape that the Barcelona side took when attacking has a ridiculous amount of attacking options when they're going forward. But they are also covered defensively, with Busquets, Abidal, Pique and Puyol knowing their roles to ensure they team isn't left exposed to counter attacks.

The thing with this Barcelona side is that tactical chalkboards cannot give a good description of how they operate. The chalkboard only catches a still of the game, unlike other sides in which most players have a fixed position, Barcelona's players are constantly switching roles. Pedro, Villa and Messi all played the "false nine" at some point in the game. Alves played as a right back and right winger, Abidal was both a centre back and a left back. They had Iniesta and Xavi who both played as attacking midfielders and deep lying playmakers. Unlike most sides they come up against they have all come through the same system and have played together most of their footballing lives. They all know each others habits, strengths, weaknesses and next moves at an almost telepathic level. Real Madrid don't have this consistency and were overrun by the pass and move "tiki taka" of the Catalan side, they were outfootballed rather than tactically beaten. I think that this game showed regardless of the side Mourinho started with, there was only going to be one winner.

Barcelona 5-0 Real Madrid (Full Highlights)

Mourinho Invents A New Level Of Pragmatic Football?

Jose Mourinho courting controversy... Yes not a very original overview to this story, it could be a description of half a million events at Porto, Chelsea, Inter or Madrid. But this time time its a darker tale, not one of negative football or jibes towards opponents but one of cheating the system.

Would Mourinho be devious enough to order his own players to get themselves sent off? Well, he is a manager known for his pragmatic approach to football. He is so pragmatic he will  want his team to kill all the entertainment off in a game to ensure his side are victorious (please try find highlights of Barcelona V Inter at the Nou Camp... I can assure you, you won't be able to.) Why not ask his players to get sent off to ensure they are free of the threat of suspension in the latter stages of Europe's premier club competition?

This isn't a new idea. Now ex-Premier League referee Steve Bennet has said publicly that players have approached him and asked to be booked... And all this so they could have Christmas off. Even David Beckham at that time England's golden boy admitted getting himself booked deliberately. He said after a booking in a Euro 2006 Qualifier against Wales, "I could feel the injury. So I fouled Thatcher. It was deliberate. I knew straight away I had broken my ribs. I have done it before. I knew I will be out for a few weeks, so I thought: 'Let's get the yellow card out of the way'." Everyone seems to have forgotten that classic...

Anyway everyone's making a big "hoohaa" about this, Uefa are demanding meetings about meetings. There will be an investigation, into all the hear say, but who can prove Real are guilty apart from their own players? No-one. Will there be a punishment against Europe's top manager and most successful club based on no solid proof? I dont think so...

Ronaldo The Greatest Striker Of The Modern Era?

 

 I was recently reading an article about a much maligned and ridiculed Brazilian called Ronaldo. Jokes about his weight and idiotic behaviour were the order of the day. Currently playing for Corinthians in the Brazilian top flight he has been forgotten by European Football. Now this is a lesson for the kids who've grown up with large doses of Cristiano Ronaldo about the "real Ronaldo".

He started his career at Cruziero after the legendary Jairzinho spotted him for the club. He was snapped up by the club only to be sold on to Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven who already had previously had a certain Romario on their books. In his time playing in Holland he scored 42 goals in 46 games, just short of an amazing goal a game record. With this kind of form it wasn't long before he was gaining the attention of major clubs from around Europe.

In 1996 Barcelona came calling and Ronaldo gladly accepted the opportunity to strut his stuff in La Liga. He played for one season in Spain scored 34 goals in 37 games on his way to a Uefa Cup Winners Cup medal and winning the prestigious World Player of the Year Award. This was an amazing feat for an 20 year old but his time at Barcelona was only short and a move for Italian club Inter Milan was his next course of action.

When Ronaldo moved to Serie A it was widely acknowledged as the best and toughest league in the world. He only won a solitary Uefa Cup whilst playing for Inter but what I find impressive was the number of personal accolades he received during his time at the club. He became World Player of the Year for a second time, won the Ballon D'or widely recognised as the premier trophy for an individual player, what was stunning about these feats was that they were achieved in the same year...

Following his success with Inter he moved to join the Galacticos of Real Madrid, this is where I feel his fortunes changed for the worse. He won during his time at Madrid, the Pichichi (the La Liga top scorer award) and the La Liga but had no European success. In my mind his hattrick against Manchester United in the Champions League at Old Trafford really sticks out.  During this time at Madrid due to the party culture and lack of discipline at the club he became overweight and injury prone.

Now I've explained his club successes I have move on to his international career.He made his debut in 1994 against rivals Argentina. He was then included in the 1994 World Cup winning squad although he didn't play this was an achievement in itself at 17 years old. He then went on to play in the 1998 World Cup in France in which he scored 4 and provided 3 assists to help Brazil reach the final. On the eve of the final he suffered a fit but still decided to play and ended up on the losing side.

Ronaldo went one better and won the World Cup in 2002 in Korea and Japan finishing top scorer after scoring twice in the final against Germany. This was his peak for his country, he did play in the 2006 in Germany this was important as in this tournament he became top scorer in World Cup history scoring 15 goals beating Gerd Mullers record of 14 goals.

Now I understand that he has declined since those heady days at the top of international and club football but which player hasn't Pele played in the MLS of his day by the end of his career, Cryuff never won a World Cup and Zidane got sent off in the World Cup Final, I feel we should lay off Ronaldo and appreciate how good he actually was, like we do for the three mentioned, instead of making him the butt of our jokes.

 

Why Real Madrid Will Be European Champions This Season...

Yes I know its a bit early to hand out the trophies this season but I couldn't help myself. This season the Real Madrid hierarchy have done what most successful football clubs do... hire a top manager and let him to the job. In the past Madrid have been accused of hiring "yes men" people who are so pleased to be there they wouldn't dare speak out against the people who've put them there (please see Roy Hodgson at Liverpool). For references please see Carlos Queiroz, Juan Ramon Lopez Caro and Juande Ramos.

Mourinho is nothing like the jellyfish mentioned above, a perfect example of this is when he stormed out of a press conference. When the press questioned his decision to drop Pedro Leon from his Champions League squad he explained "Pedro Leon isn't Maradona, he isn't Zidane or Di Stefano, he was just playing for Getafe last season" before storming out and refusing to answer any further questions. This is a man who isn't someone the board can control.

Sergio Ramos can also play at right back and Fernando Gago and Lassana Diarra are also options in the holding midfield position. With Kaka and Benzema waiting in the wings there is also adequate cover in the attacking positions. But most importantly with Raul Albiol and Ezequiel Garay on the bench there isn't a shortage of defensive cover.

With the new manager came new signings Ricardo Carvalho, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil. The first two I feel gave Madrid a backbone and some steel, too many times in Europe they were caught against less talented but more organized rivals last year it was against Lyon and the year before Liverpool. The solid and sometimes cynical Carvalho forms a tidy partnership with the more technically gift and attacking Pepe and the industrious Khedira is the perfect fold for classy deep lying play-maker Xabi Alonso. Ozil on the other hand is a selfless creator to replace the inconsistent and injury-prone Kaka, to support Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain.

So far this season after a slow start they are looking impressive in the league and in Europe. They have scored 18 goals in four games including a comfortable 2-0 win against AC Milan and a 6-1 win against Deportivo La Coruna. Mourinho I feel is starting to get the best from Ronaldo who is definitely key to any success they may have so far this season he has scored 10 goals and provided 4 assists in only 8 games this season. That is an amazing return rate even for Ronaldo and even if your compare it to Leo Messi who's scored 5 and provided 1 in six games.

Real Madrid are no longer a collection of Galacticos but a well organised side which is very efficient in defence as well as attack which is the reason I think that Real Madrid C.F will be European Champions in May.

Wayne Rooney... What can i say?

Well the biggest story in the footballing world is currently Mr Rooney's apparent desire to leave Manchester United. I get the feeling that he sees that the club is the proverbial sinking ship. Under the Glazer family England's biggest football club has been shackled with crippling debt under which a small country would collapse.

So where will he go? Manchester City would be a good choice for him financially, they could pay him double whatever Real Madrid, Barcelona or Chelsea could offer him. It wouldn't be a bad decision other than the fact that he would have to avoid being seen in large parts of Manchester. If he wants to live a repeat his Manchester United career by going to an already successful club to win trophies... he could go to Chelsea? Or more interestingly if he wants to improve and evolve as a player he could go to Barcelona or Real? I'm not sure if Barca would want him, they have already go a array of attacking talents, would they want a ill-disciplined and declining forward (since his ankle injury and the World Cup) with a persistent ankle problem? Now Real are looking like the real possibility, but only days ago Jose Mourinho was saying that he wasn't interested in signing anyone,

http://blogs.bettor.com/Jose-Mourinho-rules-out-January-signings-a34513

I personally believe he may be on his way to Manchester City... (the silence is deafening...) Whats my reasoning I hear you ask? Well Rooney isn't of the Steve Mcmanaman or Paul Ince ilk, I get the feeling he isn't interested in moving abroad. He is a working class lad born in urban Liverpool into a boxing family (basically a chav...) I don't think he'd last too long anywhere he might have to use his brain by learning a new culture and language.

I also think Rooney's antics sleeping with prostitutes and God know what else (who know he could have done a Garrincha?), drinking and smoking excessively may mean that he could have a very short career in comparison to some of his United colleagues. With this taken into consideration he may want to make as much money as possible (where better to do that than City?). Its has also been well documented that his value has dropped,

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/celebrity/article.html?in_article_id=516048&in_page_id=181

I'm sure a five year contract in the payroll of the generous Sheikh could resolve that problem.

Time for the killer blow Man United supporters, I don't think he has much loyalty to the club. He is a born and bred blue nose Scouser. I think that his original reason for coming to United was to win trophies, he has come seen and conquered, the club has served his interests and now its time so say arrivederci.