Rangers and Celtic? ICT and Ross County are a new driving force in Scottish football

April 6, 2013 by 4 Comments

Since 1985 the Scottish football league championship has only been shared by two clubs – the Glasgow giants, Rangers and Celtic. Things really shook up in 2012 with the demise of Rangers F.C.  Suddenly, focus shifted to the Edinburgh clubs, as Hibs and Hearts enjoyed the limelight as thousands made their way to the national stadium for the showcase Scottish Cup Final.

This year two small clubs who have only been in the national league setup since 1994 have been a breath of fresh air for the Scottish Premier League and have both secured a top-six place for the first time in their short histories with games too spare. 2013 has definitely been year of the Highlanders – Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County.

After the astonishing and embarrassing summer of chaos in Scottish football the scaremongers’ and doomsday merchants (mostly the majority of the media and worryingly leaders of the Scottish game) have had little effect on the high-flying highland clubs. Football is flourishing in the area and with the possibility of European football for either club, it sums up the progress made from both clubs in their short time in the leagues; many around them have stagnated or gone in the opposite direction.

Derek Adams

This is Ross County’s first season in the SPL, and after a solid start some shrewd signings by Derek Adams in the January transfer window has seen the Staggies rocket up the league with top-six secured with a game to spare. A home victory over Celtic after being 2-0 down is bound to be one of the highlights of the season so far for the fans, who must be pinching themselves.

Inverness have been in the top division for eight out of the last nine seasons, but despite coming close have never made it into the top-six positions when the league has split; well until this season. They have been in the top three for the majority of the season and now are in a great position to try and secure a spot in the Europa League competition next year (if they can keep their highland neighbours behind them that is).

Terry Butcher

Other highlights include players receiving their first international call ups and the club narrowly missed out on their first national final, thanks to a semi-final defeat on penalties. Manager Terry Butcher has also shown great faith in the club (probably much to the dismay of his bank manager) by turning down a move mid-season to Championship side Barnsley.

So with both clubs now in the top division and finishing in the top six, what now?

The immediate goal for the Highland clubs in the remaining fixtures of the season is to finish in that coveted third spot, which will guarantee entry into the Europa League. However both clubs shouldn’t be resting on their current success and should be implementing a long-term plan for the next 20 years.  The most important thing is for both clubs to become established SPL sides that are still heavily involved with the local community. Whilst currently attendances are steady, most supporters will probably admit to previously having an allegiance to one of the ‘big’ clubs, whether it is Rangers, Celtic or Aberdeen, whilst the teams they followed were in the Highland League.

If in the future both clubs are continually present in the Premier League, children and newcomers into the area will grow up and see ICT or County on a par with these other teams and be proud to support their local team in the SPL.  The potential for both clubs to increase their fan base is greater than the majority of other SPL clubs, who perhaps have an ageing support in comparison with the Highlanders.

Also it is important both clubs remain in the top division to keep the rivalry alive; there is few better feelings than beating your close rivals, the feeling of excitement and nerves before and during these games will keep fans interested and coming back.  With top-six finishes the fans are guaranteed one more Highland derby. Who knows; this one could decide which of the Highland clubs could be heading to Europe…Who would have dreamt of that in 1994!

By NMO’s Scottish football expert Sandy White

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Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle have a real chance of Europa League glory

March 18, 2013 by Leave a comment

Even though there is no English interest in the Champions League, the same cannot be said of the Europa League where there are three teams battling to make the final at the Amsterdam Arena on May 15th. All the English teams face tough tasks though, and the draw has conjured up four ties between teams that have never met before.

Chelsea v Rubin Kazan

Whilst Chelsea may have been installed as bookmakers favourites following the draw they take a step into the unknown against the Russian outfit. Chelsea have been far from convincing in Europe this season, crashing out of the Champions League as holders at the group stage and then scraping past Sparta Prague and Steaua Bucharest in the first two rounds of this competition. Rubin meanwhile have been mightily impressive in getting to this stage. They topped their group ahead of Inter Milan who they thumped 3-0 at home. They then followed that by knocking out the holders Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate, which included a 2-0 victory in the Vicente Calderon.

John Obi Mikel

Rubin have a mixture of nationalities in their squad including their danger man, the Venezuelan striker Jose Rondon who has scored five goals in the competition so far. While he is their main threat up front Rubin also have a solid backline, which has only conceded four goals in their 10 games so far and two of those came in the first group game away at Inter. Make no mistake; this is a massive test for Chelsea, and with the away leg coming second the Blues may need a couple of goals advantage to take to Russia. These two games also come in a spell of six games in 16 days for Chelsea and all that may add up to a shock in this tie.

Tottenham Hotspur v FC Basel

The easiest looking tie for the English clubs on paper begins at White Hart Lane as Spurs take on the rank outsiders FC Basel. Tottenham cruised through their group as runners-up behind Lazio and have then fought their way through two tough ties against Lyon thanks to a late Mousa Dembele goal and against Inter Milan on away goals. Basel started the season in the Champions League but lost out to Cluj in the final play-off round. Having dropped into the Europa League they finished second in a weak group behind Genk before seeing off Ukrainian minnows Dnipro. They were impressive in the last round though, knocking out Liverpool’s conquerors Zenit 2-1 on aggregate.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto

Basel have a good blend of youth and experience with the Swiss pairing of Marco Streller and Alex Frei still scoring goals at this level. Over two legs though Spurs will surely be a class above and if Inter Milan struggled to contain the likes of Gareth Bale then it is hard to see how the Swiss will fare any better. Being at home first does make things harder for Tottenham as they have not been too convincing away from home thus far, but they will surely be too far ahead after the first leg for it to make a difference.

Fenerbahce v Lazio

The only tie that does not contain an English team but it is still very tough to call. Fenerbahce are another team who came down from the Champions League after losing their play-off to Spartak Moscow. Their path through the group stage was easy enough finishing top of their pool, however during the knockout rounds they have been unconvincing in getting past Bate 1-0 on aggregate and Plzen 2-1 over the two games. Lazio have been much more impressive, topping the group ahead of Spurs and then scoring five times in each of their knockout rounds against Borussia Monchengladbach and Stuttgart.

Raul Meireles

Both sides have a lot of experience running through their teams. Lazio have the likes of Miroslav Klose and Lorik Cana while Fenerbahce have some well-known faces in the form of Joseph Yobo, Raul Meireles and Dirk Kuyt. Lazio may well just have the edge in this tie though through their goal threat. They have the Czech striker Libor Kozak who has managed eight goals in eight games so far and the unpredictable Mauro Zarate. With Lazio at home second they have to be favourites and will have too much firepower for an unspectacular Fenerbahce side.

Benfica v Newcastle United

The final tie should be an absolute cracker as Portuguese heavyweights Benfica take on Newcastle. Newcastle have been solid if unspectacular so far, coming second in their group behind Bordeaux and then going through 1-0 on aggregate in both knockout rounds against tricky opposition in the shape of Metalist Kharkiv and Anzhi Makhachkala. Benfica are another team that dropped out of the Champions League, finishing third in their group behind Celtic and Barcelona despite a creditable 0-0 draw at Camp Nou. They have won every game in the Europa League so far though beating both Bayer Leverkusen and Bordeaux home and away.

Moussa Sissoko

Benfica’s main threat is of course their goal machine Oscar Cardozo who already has three in four games in this competition. They also have exciting young midfielders in Nicolas Gaitan and Nemanja Matic and the experience at the back with Luisao and Ezequiel Garay. Newcastle could not have wished for a tougher task and a lot will depend on how their young team cope with the intimidating atmosphere in Lisbon in the first leg. If Newcastle can continue their solid defensive form then they may give themselves a chance of a special European night at St James Park in the return game.

By Chris Newman

Filed under Basel, Benfica, Chelsea, Fenerbahce, Lazio, Newcastle United, Rubin Kazan, Tottenham Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

No Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United or City: Champions League quarter-final preview

March 16, 2013 by 1 Comment

For the first time since 1996 there is no English representation in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Despite this, the draw has still thrown up some potentially exciting ties that are bound to produce plenty of goals and talking points.

Malaga v Borussia Dortmund

Probably the least glamorous looking of the ties but has the potential to be one of the most entertaining. Both teams have been extremely impressive in getting this far. Malaga topped their group, remaining unbeaten, and finishing ahead of AC Milan and Zenit, before overturning a first-leg deficit against Porto in the last 16. Dortmund meanwhile were put in the so-called Group of Death alongside Manchester City, Real Madrid and Ajax. They too remained unbeaten though, and also finished first in their group before sweeping aside Shakhtar in the last 16.

Mario Gotze

While most people will look at Isco as Malaga’s main threat, the experience they possess with the likes of Joaquin, Toulalan, Saviola and Demichelis is not to be under-estimated though, and they will be prepared for the occasion. Dortmund’s youth and attacking style may just prove to be too much for the Spaniards however, and with the guaranteed goals and creativity of Mario Gotze, Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski along with home advantage in the second leg, the Germans may well be a good outside bet to make it all the way to Wembley.

Real Madrid v Galatasaray

The second favourites meet the rank outsiders in this quarter-final tie. Madrid cruised through their group, even though they finished second to Dortmund, and then controversially saw off Manchester United over two tense games. Galatasaray just edged through their group ahead of CFR Cluj and their attacking prowess saw them score three in Germany to get past Schalke.

Didier Drogba

There is no doubting the Turkish side’s attacking options. Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder were the big name signings in January but they also boast the joint top scorer in the competition with Burak Yilmaz. Add to this the experience of Felipe Melo and Hamit Altintop in the midfield and they certainly have a strong core to their team. Over two games though it is hard to see a defence which has already conceded in all but one game in the competition so far this season containing the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and company. Galatasaray do have the advantage of being at home for the second leg but they cannot afford to be more than a goal or two behind after their trip to the Bernabeu.

Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona

Undoubtedly the tie of the round, the big-spending French team against the side who have raised most of their players through their youth team. Despite a couple of wobbles along the way against Celtic and in the first leg against AC Milan, the Catalan giants still remain the team to beat. As they showed in the second leg against Milan they are still unstoppable when they are on form. PSG were very impressive in topping their group and despite a nervy second leg against Valencia they deservedly fought their way through.

Jordi Alba

The biggest problem for the French side in the first game will be the continued suspension of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. To have any chance against Barcelona they will need their strongest team and it will be a big blow to not have their talisman. Not that PSG are a one-man team though. Ezequiel Lavezzi continues to show his talent with five goals in this tournament and they have the exciting young talents of Lucas Moura and Javier Pastore. The problem they may find though is getting the ball to these players, but if they can there is no doubt they can cause Barcelona problems. It would be no surprise if Paris Saint-Germain got a positive result at home but as Milan found out in the last 16, it needs a big lead to take to the Nou Camp for the return game.

Bayern Munich v Juventus

The final tie pits together two of the heavyweights of European football over the years. Bayern have been very impressive to this stage and despite their second-leg defeat to Arsenal they still dominated in terms of attempts at goal and possession. Juventus came through a slow start to qualify first from a group containing Shakhtar and defending champions Chelsea, before brushing aside the challenge of Celtic.

Andrea Pirlo

Bayern will be determined to make amends for their final defeat to Chelsea last year and they certainly have a team who find it easy to create chances and, certainly at domestic level, score goals. They are coming up against a side though that is more of a stereotypical Italian team. Solid at the back and good in possession, Juve play the game at their own pace. They may be short of big names but they have an Italian core that are well drilled and know exactly what they are doing. This is probably the hardest of the quarter-finals to call, but it may well be that Bayern’s extra options in the attacking third will be enough to see them through; but only just.

By Chris Newman

Filed under Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray, Juventus, Malaga, Paris Saint Germain, Real Madrid Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tottenham thriving as AVB gets the best from Gareth Bale

March 10, 2013 by Leave a comment

Andre Villas-Boas has taken a lot of criticism whilst he has been in England, mostly as a result of his ill-fated spell as John Terry’s assistant at Chelsea. However, his work at Tottenham is starting to regain him the respect that he garnered whilst sweeping all before him during his one season at Porto.

One of the views being put about is that he is quite lucky to have Gareth Bale in the form of his life, but how about the idea that it is because of AVB’s teaching that Bale is achieving the levels that he is? Bale’s explosion in goalscoring form has coincided with AVB moving him in to a central role. In reality he has a roaming license, popping up all over the pitch. He is top of every dribbling statistic in the major five European leagues and he now has the freedom to do that from all over the field. The Wales international has become particularly dangerous from deep central areas, powering straight at defences; see his goals away at Norwich, West Brom and the first at West Ham. His finishing has always been quite good, but out on the wing he had less chance to demonstrate it.

Gareth Bale hugs manager Andre Villas-Boas

AVB isn’t actually the first to deploy Bale in the middle. Harry Redknapp played him in behind the striker a couple of times last season, including a two-goal plunder away at Norwich, but he didn’t stick to it. This was partly because he liked Rafael Van der Vaart in there, but mainly because he liked the two wide pacey wingers to put crosses in to the box.

AVB comes from a different tactical school to Redknapp. He deploys his best player in his best position and figures the rest out from there. Even if it means playing him in a different part of the pitch to where he might be expected to play. He did the same at Porto with Radamel Falcao. He told him to stay central and let the chances come his way, particularly after a barren start to the season.

Radamel Falcao

In his first season in Portugal Falcao had scored 25 goals in the league but just four in Europe. During Villas-Boas’ only season at the club he scored 16 more domestic goals, in only 22 games, but what made his name were the 17 he scored on Porto’s run to victory in the Europa League. When Villas-Boas arrived he made noises that he wouldn’t make any special adjustments to fit around Falcao, but there were subtle changes. He tweaked the Porto system meaning Falcao won the prized berth in the middle of the front three, and this showed the Colombian that he was Villas-Boas’ main man.

The same thing is happening with Bale. AVB is nothing if not a relentless worker and something of a football junkie. He meticulously plans his training sessions and his tactical game plans but at the beginning of the season he was struggling to get the best from Bale. It has been a slow transition but he has allowed the Welshman more and more license to get himself in to areas that the opposition don’t want to him to be. Where do they least want Bale? Running straight at them through the middle of the pitch. Where do teams least want to see Falcao? Lingering around in the box waiting to pounce on anything that comes his way.

These meticulously planned training sessions are a big factor in helping these players attain their maximum potential. Bale is the type of player who would spend all day on the training ground if he could, and having an innovative and thinking coach like AVB who is able to provide him with different challenges and stimulus every day is something that he buys in to. His work ethic has been compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and the fact that he has such a good coach and teacher is what is taking him on to another level.

After his spectacular season at Porto, Falcao headed to Atletico Madrid for £35 million, full of confidence and with the reputation as one of Europe’s hottest strikers. He has only continued on from there and is now considered amongst the top three pure strikers in the world. Tottenham fans will be hoping that the AVB affect won’t end with Bale, but it is clear that as a coach and teacher Villas-Boas knows how to take very good players and make them some of the best in the world.

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Tottenham must play their best team against Lyon in Europa League

February 14, 2013 by Leave a comment

Tottenham are back in European action tonight, and face a tough game against Champions League evictees Olympique Lyonnais. With the first game at home at White Hart Lane, the English side have a great chance to take the tie by the scruf of the neck before travelling to the Stade de Gerland. An added bonus for the north London side is that their elimination from the FA Cup at the hands of Leeds means that there is no game for Spurs this weekend.

Spurs’ main priority must be a top-four finish in the Premier League and hence a place in next season’s Champions League hat, however continued progression in the second-tier Europa League is seen by many as a blight on their domestic ambitions. Andre Villas-Boas is a known advocate of the Europa League after winning the competition as Porto boss, and has pledged from the start to try to progress in the tournament. Despite this, the inclination to leave key players such as Gareth Bale on the sidelines as to save them for Premier League fixture still exists.

However, with no Premier League fixtures this week due to the FA Cup, Villas-Boas’ men have a full week off before facing Lyon again in France. Instead of fielding a team that is close to its best, the Portuguese trainer would be best advised to start with all the club’s best players, and try to lay a marker in the ground.

Gareth Bale

Lyon are no soft touch and are an experienced and seasoned European campaigner, despite not being at the powers of their Ligue 1 dominant selves in the 2000′s. The side has quality without, and the visitors will not sit back and soak up pressure but rather look to win the game in England and seal progression next week. Spurs must watch Bafetimbi Gomis carefully; the mobile striker has a goal every other game this season to date. Despite this, Lyon have lost their last two games in France, with a 3-1 reverse against Lille last time out.

Spurs, bouyed on by good recent form, and fielding a strong starting line-up should expect to win the game; one which would be common place should they qualify for the Champions League next term.

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Shakhtar Donetsk vs Borussia Dortmund: The game no one expected

February 13, 2013 by Leave a comment

When the draw for the group stage of the Champions League was first made, few would have imagined this being a second-round match.  But both clubs have reached the knock-out stage on merit and are more than capable of serving up a classic.

Drawn in what many called “the group of death”, Borussia Dortmund showed the rest of Europe what Bundesliga fans had grown accustomed to: topping the group unbeaten, taking four points off Real Madrid and consigning Manchester City to an early exit.

Jürgen Klopp’s team are fast becoming the talk of Europe, in no small part due to the number of their players regularly linked elsewhere.  But for now their squad remains intact and has every chance of making a real impact in this year’s competition.

Marco Reus

Currently 15 points behind Bayern Munich, Klopp will see Europe as more than an escape hatch from domestic inconsistency; he will see it as a chance to replicate the club’s 1997 Champions League success.  In what is likely to be Robert Lewandowski’s last season for the club, the Polish striker can punish a team with the second worst defensive record in the group stage.

But then you would also have said that of Chelsea, who lost 2-1 in the Ukraine and only won at Stamford Bridge after Victor Moses’ 94th-minute rescue act.

Shakhtar have been making steady progress in Europe since their 2009 Europa League success, and much like Dortmund, came through a tough group with aplomb.

Currently on a break from domestic competition, the Ukrainian champions and league leaders have been keeping match fit with a series of friendlies.  Whether that will be enough to keep out the likes of Lewandowski and Mario Götze, and find a way past the imposing defensive partnership of Mats Hummels and Neven Subotić, is another matter.

But having won all but one of their 18 league games so far, and having played their part in ousting reigning European champions Chelsea, Mircea Lucescu’s team will be confident of going further. With the creativity and goal scoring threat of Luiz Adriano, Alex Teixeira and Fernandinho, the dark horses could beat the other dark horses at their own game.

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Paris Saint Germain: Are they a threat to Manchester United, Barcelona and the big boys in the Champions League?

February 13, 2013 by Leave a comment

Paris Saint Germain have given themselves a golden opportunity to reach the Champions League quarter-finals with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Valencia in Spain. The Ligue 1 side were good value for their win against Los Che, and will now eye another strong performance at the Parc des Princes to consolidate their progression.

Admittedly, Valencia are not the same beast that made the Mestalla a cauldron in the 2000’s. However they did recently hold Barcelona to a 1-1 draw at home, and as such PSG’s achievement of an away victory must be applauded.

Ezequiel Lavezzi scored against Valencia for PSG

With the backing of the Qatari Investment Authority, Carlo Ancelotti as head coach and a host of top-notch players at the club already, the sky is the limit for the French capital-city side. No doubt further investment and more new faces will arrive in the summer, but what can PSG achieve this season?

Domestically PSG are sitting six points clear at the top of Ligue 1, and the realistic aim for the club’s owners, and their priority, must be to win the title. Given the fact that they have not been crowned French champions since 1994, this is well overdue.

In the Champions League a solid home performance against Valencia should get them through to the last eight, and from there the competition becomes unpredictable. The likes of Barcelona, Juventus, Mancehster United or Real Madrid would certainly be favourites over two legs against the French side, but none of this side would necessary relish being drawn against PSG.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s foolish dismissal late in the game put a dampener on PSG’s performance, as did the conceding of a late goal, but come quarter-final time the French side may well pose a tricky customer for some of the traditionally bigger teams given the quality in their ranks.

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Manchester United and Tottenham take note: Joao Moutinho is the man to transform your midfields

July 6, 2012 by 2 Comments

As with any international tournament, a raft of players impressed at Euro 2012 and are now subject to transfer attention. One such man is Portugal’s Joao Moutinho, who starred in the Iberian nation’s progression to the semi-finals in Ukraine and Poland. Both Manchester United and Tottenham have been credited with an interest, with a wrangle for the playmaker’s signature looking likely this summer.

Why United need Moutinho

Sir Alex Ferguson has been in the market for a new innovative midfield general for a number of years now as a potential long-term replacement for the evergreen Paul Scholes. Despite the veteran agreeing to play for another year, surely now must be the time to sign his successor whilst Scholes is still present.

With Luka Modric too expensive, Lucas Moura too raw and interest in Wesley Sneijder cooled off, Moutinho looks like an excellent option. The Porto man will have been on most big European clubs’ radars for some time, but his quality was certainly evident and reconfirmed this summer. The ex-Sporting Lisbon man showed a tenacity and work-rate for his country that will have appealed to Red Devils fans, whilst also more often than not being the creator for Cristiano Ronaldo’s chances and goals.

At 25-years-old Moutinho is ready for the step up, and a gradual introduction to the United first-team with Scholes in attendance to guide him seems sensible.

Why Tottenham need Moutinho

It will certainly be a busy summer for Tottenham, with new faces and player sales expected. The exit of Harry Redknapp has led to Andre Villas Boas’ appointment, and Icelandic attacking midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson has been added to the squad already also.

However, this summer may finally be the time that Spurs fans have to say goodbye to main man Luka Modric. With the north London outfit missing out on Champions League football for a second consecutive season the Croatian star looks likely to leave, with Real Madrid ready to pounce.

Modric’s exit would leave a sizeable creative hole in the centre of the park, with Moutinho the perfect player to fill it. The Portuguese midfielder’s qualities and stature are similar to that of the man he would be replacing, even if Modric does have a slight creative edge. However, if Villas Boas can convince his former Porto charge to swap the Estadio do Dragao for White Hart Lane, the blow of Modric’s departure would certainly be lessened.

At a more affordable price than equivalent players on the market, Sir Alex taking an interest and the Villas Boas link, the battle for Moutinho’s signature this summer could be an interesting one.

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Manchester United vs Manchester City, Arsenal vs Tottenham and the transfer battles for Europe’s best this summer

May 17, 2012 by 1 Comment

After going head-to-head in the 2011-12 Premier League season, the nation;s top five clubs are ready to do battle off the pitch and in the transfer market this summer. Here are the top five transfer wrangles expected between the Premier League big boys.

Eden Hazard – Manchester United vs Manchester City

Ligue 1 Player of Year Eden Hazard has been all over the media this week after announcing that a move to one of the Manchester clubs was on the cards; there is no doubt that the two fierce local rivals will be desperately fighting over the highly-rated 21 year-old in the coming days.

A dramatic last-day finish meant that noisy neighbours Manchester City were crowned 2011-2012 Premier League champions and considering their quest for world domination, many believe the Belgian starlet will favour a move to Roberto Mancini’s men. However, the young winger could find it hard securing a consistent first-team spot, with David Silva and Samir Nasri already occupying attacking midfielder positions. United however will look to the starlet to reinvigorate an ageing midfield if he moves to Old Trafford.

Shinji Kagawa – Manchester United vs Arsenal

The Japanese winger has been a key part of Jurgen Klopp’s Bundesliga-winning side, getting 13 goals and 11 assists for the German champions this season. With interest from Manchester United and Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund will find it hard to keep their 23-year-old star-man, who is out of contract next summer.

Kagawa has already admitted his willingness to move to England, with a commercial value attached to the Asian superstar for his next side also. United are frontrunners for his signature, however Arsenal are also keen and have a recent track record of buying players from Dortmund.

Edinson Cavani – Chelsea vs Manchester City

Uruguay international Edinson Cavani has had a fantastic season for Napoli, impressing both domestically and in the Champions League, where he found the back of the net against both Manchester City and Chelsea. Both Premier League giants are interested in bringing the South American hitman to England, although City seem to be focussing more on capturing Robin Van Persie as their new attacker. The homegrown pair will be joined in the race by Serie A champions Juventus.

With the supposed exit of Ivorian veteran Didier Drogba, Cavani could be the perfect replacement, and having already shown ability in Europe, he could be exactly what Chelsea need if City purchase elsewhere.

Jan Vertonghen – Arsenal vs Tottenham

Another example of Ajax’s outstanding and prolific youth system, centre-half Jan Vertonghen is currently being fought over by north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham.

Although rumoured to have already agreed personal terms, the White Hart Lane outfit could miss out on the 25 year-old defender due to the Eredivisie champions’ inflated asking price.

It is obvious that Harry Redknapp is intent on strengthening the defence, and the Belgian centre-back would be a perfect addition to the squad. However countryman Thomas Vermaelen is eager to tempt his international comrade to the Emirates, and Arsenal are still in the hunt.

Robin Van Persie – Arsenal vs Manchester City

2011-2012 Premier League top goalscorer Robin Van Persie has attracted serious interest from newly-crowned champions Manchester City, after scoring 30 league goals and winning the PFA Player of the Year award.

With one year left on his current deal, keeping the Netherlands international at Arsenal will be at the top of Arsene Wenger’s priority list this summer. However, with a natural desire to win trophies at the biggest clubs in the world, Van Persie may be inclined to make a move north to join former team-mates Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure and Samir Nasri.

Currently undergoing contract talks, the coming weeks will be vital in seeing what the future holds for the Arsenal hero. Money may also be a key issue; Arsenal are willing to shatter their wage structure and offer £130,00 per week, whilst City are thought to be eager to almost double this at £250,000 per week.

By Jacob Tucker

Filed under Ajax, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Lille, Manchester City, Manchester United, Napoli, Premier League Teams, Tottenham Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chelsea want Jose Mourinho? Understandable – The La Liga title with Real Madrid the latest in a long list of trophies

May 9, 2012 by Leave a comment

Real Madrid wrapped up the La Liga title last weekend, with Jose Mourinho leading the Santiago Bernabeu outfit to their first Spanish top-flight success in four years. A convincing 3-0 away win over Europa League finalists Athletic Bilbao sealed the triumph, and broke Barcelona’s stranglehold over the game in Spain. The achievement has not gone unnoticed in west London, as former employer Roman Abramovich is reportedly eager to bring ‘The Special One’ back to Chelsea. The latest success is Mourinho’s 19th trophy in his managerial career, a quite unbelievable achievement.

2002-03

From taking over at Portuguese giants Porto in 2002 until now, Mourinho’s record has been exemplary. The Setubal-born trainer started as he intended to carry on in his first season at the Estadio da Dragao, winning the Primeira Division at a canter, the Taca de Portugal and the UEFA Cup in a momentous season. In the league the total of 86 points out of the possible maximum of 102 was a Portuguese record, whilst Mourinho’s men beat his former club Leiria in the cup final and Celtic in the European finale.

2003-04

Mourinho and his Porto team really shot into the limelight the following season, by retaining their Primeira Division title and against the odds lifting the Champions League. Porto sealed their domestic title with five weeks of the season still to play, and after eliminating Manchester United in Europe, lifted the Champions League crown with a 3-0 win over Monaco.

2004-05

Porto’s elimination of United drew English attention to Mourinho’s achievements, and the successful trainer took over the Chelsea managerial position. After proclaiming himself ‘The Special One’ in his first press conference, Mourinho went on to put his money where his mouth is, lifting the Premier League crown in his debut season, the Blues’ first in 50 years. Chelsea also beat Liverpool to lift the Carling Cup.

2005-06

With the Blues team given self-belief by boss Mourinho, Chelsea went on to retain their Premier League title the following season, with a 3-0 win over Manchester United proving their dominance. They also lifted the Community Shield by beating Arsenal 2-1, but the Champions League remained all-elusive.

2006-07

Mourinho’ last full season at Chelsea saw his men relinquish their Premier League crown to Manchester United, and they were eliminated from the Champions League by Liverpool. Despite this, the Blues still lifted the FA Cup and League Cup in a domestic double.

2008-09

After being shown the door by Abramovich in the 2007-08 season, Mourinho took over at Inter after an eight-month spell away from the game. Similar to his time at Chelsea, he wasted no time in laying down a landmark, and won the Serie A title at the first time of asking and the Supercoppa Italiana. Despite winning the Scudetto by a ten-point margin, elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Manchester United was a major frustration for the perfectionist coach.

2009-10

Arguably Mourinho’s most successful season in management, Inter were unstoppable in 2009-10. The Nerazzurri retained their Serie A crown in impressive form, beat Roma to claim the Coppa Italia trophy and after defeating Barcelona in the semi-finals, lifted the Champions League crown with victory over Bayern Munich. The next day Mourinho admitted that the win would be the last game in charge of the Italian giants.

2010-11

Mourinho was announced as the replacement for Manuel Pellegrini at Real Madrid for the 2010-11 season, with the capital-city side looking for a solution to Barcelona’s dominance at home and on the continent. In this first campaign in Spain the Portuguese coach failed to stop Pep Guardiola’s men achieve glory in La Liga and the Champions League, but did beat the Catalan giants in the Copa del Rey final.

2011-12

This season has been a different story for Madrid, who have been comprehensive and deserved winners of La Liga. The main criticism aimed at Mourinho’s men was their inability to beat Barcelona in a clash between the sides, but a 2-1 victory at Camp Nou got this monkey of the team’s back and all-but secured the division title. Although Champions League still eludes Mourinho at Madrid, the Portuguese coach will look to dominate all competitions next season.

There are increased rumours over Mourinho’s future and a potential move back to England, but this is unlikely, as the proud coach will feel that he has unfinished business in Spain. Next term Madrid will have a transitional Barcelona side to deal with, and the Santiago Bernabeu fans will crave that Mourinho deliver the Champions League back to this great club.

Published – Soccerlens

Filed under Champions League, Chelsea, Inter, Porto, Real Madrid Tagged with , , , , ,

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