The best goals from the Euro 2008!

The Netherlands!

The Netherlands’ Chances at Euro 2012!

As we inch closer and closer to soccer’s second biggest event, the Euro 2012, we should look at all the teams, but one in particular is as intricate as Barcelona’s tactics and possesses unmatchable skill and potential, the Netherlands.  The 2012 Dutch squad, who will be aiming their sights on the gold, is more of a threat than a pedophile in a school yard to robbing Spain of its 2008 Euro title.  The squad might just be able to live up to its sky high expectations.  Here are the players that the Dutch squad is composed of and what their impact will be.

First, let’s begin with their saviour, Robin Van  Persie, who will be playing as the center forward.  Robin Van Persie’s finishing makes him look like the Claude Monet of soccer and his hunger for trophies seems to never die as he still has not managed to engrave himself on any piece of hardware.  Van Persie has shown the world he can play through any type of adversity and virtually carried Arsenal on his back for a good chunk of the season.  Fortunately, Van Persie’s fellow Dutchmen will be much more competent line mates, and he will likely be given infinite opportunities to register his name on the score sheet, whether it’s a pass from Nigel De Jong or a feed from Arjen Robben!

Secondly, Bayern Munich forward, Arjen Robben, will either have a positive impact on the team or will be detrimental to the squad.  Robben is as cocky as Kanye West is with a microphone and will need to hold in his poisonous ego.  Robben will be located on the left of the formation beside Robin Van Persie and will need to be at his best as he will be counted on to either deliver the ball to R.V.P. or Klass Jan Huntelaar, another weapon in the Netherlands’ arsenal, who could be deployed at any moment.  Robben has the tendency to shatter under pressure and seems as nervous as a white guy walking the streets of Compton.  He choked last world cup and his nerves got the best of him in the Champions League Final as he missed a game changing penalty.

Thirdly, Dutch coach, Van Marwijk’s renovation of the structure of the Dutch squad will force veterans Nigel De Jong and captain Mark Van Bommel to play as defensive as a mother bear protecting her young.  The two central midfielders will be imprisoned in the center of the field and will need to make intelligent decisions when distributing the ball.  Nigel De Jong will need to be less aggressive and tone down his viking like methods during the games.  Thousands of Dutch fans would much prefer having Rafael Van Der Vaart in the middle because of his eccentric football sense and pure athleticism, but Bert Van Marwijk opted for a more defensive style.  Defensive formation is a strategy that seems unorthodox in Dutch soccer, but with its increasing popularity could very well be the missing piece of the puzzle for the Dutch squad!

The fourth player who will be heavily relied upon will be Inter Milan player, Wesley Sneijder.  Sneijder has been almost invisible on soccer’s radar this year and his turtle like start to the campaign was anything but impressive for a world class player.  Wesley began to regain his form halfway through but injuries hampered his hopes.  Thankfully, the end of the Serie A season was much more positive for Wesley and his hawk like vision seems to have returned to him.  Sneijder will need to make use of every opportunity he gets during the matches and will need to bully opposing keepers with his deadly strikes.

The fifth reason the Dutch will be a force to be reckoned with is its defence which many critics see as a weakness.  The Netherlands back four are not going to become the next Beckenbauer anytime soon, but their lack of offensive initiative should work out with Holland’s lethal attack.  The defenders need to play simple and as long as they can keep a stellar pace with the attackers, they will be just fine.  The defence includesGregory Van der Wiel, John Heitinga, Joris Mathijsen, Khalid Boulahrouz, all players who are able to make the necessary tackles when needed and who are as consistent as sun in the desert.

One of the biggest reasons its success is inevitable is the man between the posts, Maarten Stekelenburg.  Maarten sprawls around the crease like a fish in water and makes fans believe that he has glue on his gloves with his ability to avoid rebounds.  Stekelenburg has always been viewed as Van Der Sar’s successor and his play on the pitch has reinforced the critics’ comparisons to Holland’s greatest goal keeper.

Holland’s biggest weakness will not be the players, but their attitudes and willingness to play as a team.  Robin Van Persie and Wesley Sneijder’s relationship is not exactly amicable as we saw with R.V.P.’s reckless challenge on Wesley in a clash between Arsenal and Inter Milan in the Champions League.  There is always Arjen Robben who seems to crave getting on teammates’ nerves such as Frank Ribery which ended up with a physical altercation prior to the Champions League final.  Hopefully, the players will be able to put their egos behind them and focus on bringing back the title to a country which has never possessed any silverware to fill their empty trophy cabinet!

The Dutch squad preparing for Euro 2012!

Didier Drogba's best career moments!

Didier Drogba will be remembered!

Didier Drogba will be remembered!

    Chelsea is trailing Bayern Munchen by only one goal and has a corner kick.  The blues have been savagely dominated, but somehow managed to keep the Bavarians to only being able to find the back of Petr Cech’s net once.  The ball soars up into the air as if it were a Soviet rocket leaving the station.  It seems as though the game has been frozen in time and then out of nowhere Didier Drogba heads the ball so hard it could have gone through the net.  The feeling of pure ecstasy is what most Chelsea fans must have been feeling at that moment.  The small glimmer of hope had been brought back to them and now winning the Champions League had become within their grasp, not a hopeless fantasy, but the game was far from over.

    The tides began to change and Chelsea had taken absolute control over the match.  Petr Cech did the impossible by stoning Arjen Robben, who seemed as surprised as an 80 year old walking into his surprise birthday party, after Cech’s incredible dive to keep the Dutchman from scoring.   Unfortunately, for the players, extra time resulted in a stalemate and a penalty shootout was needed.  Players dread penalty shootouts as much as a three year old dreads going for a haircut.  The whole football world watched eagerly to see which squad would prevail.

    After Schweinsteiger’s unlucky miss, where he hit the right post, it was Drogba’s turn.  Drogba faked Bayern’s goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, by blasting the ball into the bottom left corner giving Chelsea the win and the perfect story book ending.  Chelsea’s saviour had once again prevailed for the blues.  Chelsea was judged by football critics as too old for success with their biggest players going through football menopause such as Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.  The squad proved critics wrong with veterans Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Ashley Cole being the most important pieces of the puzzle to Chelsea’s win.

    Drogba has scored in every single situation that he needed to.  For instance, in the F.A. cup, Drogba’s unstoppable shot in the 43^rd minute led Chelsea to victory, his goal against Barcelona led Chelsea to victory and of course his penalty shootout goal against Bayern led Chelsea to glory.  Drogba’s timing is remarkably brilliant and performing under pressure is as normal to him as cocaine in Charlie Sheen’s home.

    Drogba’s 6 foot 2 frame and primitive strength have proved to be a nightmare for all defenders and his shot is as accurate as a Sniper in the Navy Seals.  Drogba distributes the ball and brings an altruistic quality to the Chelsea attack.  Drogba’s desire for trophies never seems to extinguish.  Drogba has fought against the threat of other strikers replacing his position at the top of the diamond and has always survived the battle.  For example, when Chelsea brought in Fernando Torres from Liverpool, paying an unheard of 50 million pounds, Drogba managed to turn the Spaniard into Chelsea’s most valuable Bench warmer and kept him out of his hair. 

    Drogba is a great player on the field, but he is also a remarkable person off the field.  He recently signed a three million dollar endorsement deal with beverage giants Pepsi Cola.  He gave 100% of the money toward building a hospital in his native country of Ivory Coast.  Drogba has played a vital role in the introduction of peace into the civil war ravaged haven that was once one of France’s most promising colonies, the Ivory Coast.  Drogba has made pleas to rebel leaders to lay down their arms and was a major reason for the five year ceasefire that came into effect.  In 2010, he was named one of the top 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.

    The blues will certainly miss the Ivorian tower, who will likely make a move to China or the M.L.S.  The good news is his transfer will not prohibit him to continue to do wonders off the field such as his aid to his native country.  Drogba leaves Stamford Bridge on a high note, but I have a feeling that Chelsea will regret letting such a valuable asset go.

   

Didier Drogba holding the Champions League cup!

Champions League highlights!

The Champions League!

The Champions League Final!

The Champions League final has been the most important annual game in soccer since the tournament began in 1955.  The tournament is among the favourite for soccer fans world wide because it is the clash of the most powerful clubs in Europe.  Chelsea will be looking to lift the trophy for the first time and Bayern Munich will want to win the final to secure only its fifth Champions League title, despite being involved almost every single season.

The two clubs have different ways of conducting themselves and have very different reputations.  Chelsea is known as a thief in European football as they lure players with their bulging wallet and steal players from their clubs like Kony kidnaps children from their families.  Bayern is the complete opposite as they try to develop young players or instead of luring players, they do it in a democratic fashion by negotiating with smaller clubs.  The one thing they do have in common is that they are both financially sound teams and their budgets are so well managed you would think Suze Orman is their Chairman.  The clubs have very little debt and invest wisely in players.  They are not like a certain Sheikh Mansour who throws money around as if  it’s going out of fashion to improve his Manchester City squad.

Who will emerge victorious in the final?

The two teams will definitely be playing conservatively because of their players who are sitting out due to suspensions, essentially all of  Bayern’s defence who has the temper of a football player on steroids.  Chelsea’s Captain, John Terry, will be the most missed as he sits out the game for a ridiculously idiotic kick on Alexis Sanchez.  I believe the knee to the back was worthy of a suspension and his childish actions could cost Chelsea the Champions League trophy.  John Terry is the glue that holds together Chelsea’s unorthodoxly yet effective defence and without him they are as good a team unit as Stalin and Trotsky would be.  John Terry has played as the saviour for Chelsea in his few appearances this season and will be missed. 

Bayern’s attack is lethal as Real Madrid found out and any sort of mistake from Chelsea up front creating a counter attack would leave Chelsea as vulnerable as a young boy alone at the alter of a Catholic church.  Phillip Lahm is arguably the most mobile defender in soccer today and has better endurance than an Olympic runner.  Phillip terrorized Fabio Coenthrao and could do the exact same with Chelsea’s midfield.  Bayern’s striker Gomez is as reliable as a Japanese car and rarely falters on the occasions he is needed most.  The two players that are the most dangerous on Bayern are Arjen Robben and Frank Ribery who are hungrier than ever as they are both eager for trophies as they approach the mid points of their career and realize they are not given an opportunity like this one every day.  Arjen Robben is as fast as a Jamaican sprinter and his foot work hypnotises defenders into being as useless as a fish out of water.  Frank Ribery might not possess Arjen Robben’s speed, but he is Bayern’s maestro and his incredible awareness and ability to turn nothing into something amazing is rare.  Frank Ribery is the alchemist of the football world! 

Chelsea would be considered the underdog and if they have any hope of winning, it would be in the feet of Didier Drogba.  Drogba’s contract is expiring soon and if he wishes to stay in the club, he must prove his worth to the blues.  Didier continually shocks as he scores in every important game for Chelsea and has played a vital role on their path to the final.  Drogba uses his muscular frame and is typically a nightmare for any defence to contain, even Barcelona’s.  The one problem with Didier is he has become one of the best actors in football, and I am quite certain Pedro Proenca will be less lenient than English officials concerning dives, especially for such a big game.  I do think that if Chelsea scores, it will be Drogba who finds the back of Neuer’s net.

I strongly agree with most football fans who say that this will be a very exciting game.  The way the two teams play is very entertaining and if you are a Bayern fan, Chelsea’s counter attacks will surely make you grit your teeth.  Chelsea fans will be on the edge of their seats as Chelsea players seem to enjoy worrying their followers with their careless turnovers and conservative play.  No matter what the outcome, it will be an exciting game, but I think Bayern will be able to beat Chelsea in a very close match.

Arjen Robben will be looking to win his first Campions League title!

Andrea Pirlo's best goals!

Andrea Pirlo's rise from the dead!

Andrea Pirlo’s rise from the dead!

As the Italian Serie A progressed to the final stages, A.C. Milan was yet again trophy less.  The club’s woes began to become much more of a problem and players’ attitudes such as Robinho’s were beginning to become more self-centered than a Hollywood diva’s.  A.C. Milan’s fall was as inevitable and as significant as the Roman Empire’s for soccer.  A club that dictated European soccer from the 1970’s to the late 1990’s was now struggling just to qualify into the Champions League. A.C. Milan fans were becoming as impatient as a child waiting to open his presents on Christmas day.  A.C. Milan was lacking a general to command its infantry and lead it back to the glory days A.C. Milan’s ruthless supporters had once witnessed.

One of the biggest reasons for A.C. Milan’s issues was Andrea Pirlo’s failure to regain his god like form in the late 90’s.  The Italian native’s ability to control the midfield was a nightmare for other club’s offenses, and it seemed impossible for some clubs to even touch the ball when playing against the Italian giants.  As the transfer market opened up, no one expected to see Andrea Pirlo leave the team that had kept the midfielder since he was a boy, but ultimately soccer is a business and A.C. Milan had to decide between an aging midfielder or a young Brazilian with infinite potential, Thiago Silva.  It went with the obvious choice and elected to get rid of a player who was as deeply rooted into the club,s history as the San Siro.

As Andrea waited in his manor located on the coast of Italy in Livorno, the midfielder contemplated retirement and maybe a move to the M.L.S. if no one wished to obtain his talents for the upcoming Serie A season. 

Juventus was as desperate to find a midfielder to improve their youthful squad as a divorcee looking for a date.  Alessandro Del Piero’s play on the field was as dirty as Charlie Sheen’s sex life and putting the club on his shoulders was as dangerous as investing in the stock.  Juventus decided to take a risk in the 32 year olds aging legs.  The juventus manager, Antonio Conte’s decision turned out to be revolutionary for the club and one of the biggest factors in their 1^st place finish in Serie A.

At the beginning of the campaign Antonio placed Andrea on the right flank with the purpose of feeding the ball to Italian forward Marco Motta and to re-ignite the strikers hunger for goals and stardom.  Unfortunately, the two Italians did not compliment each other and mananger Antonio Conte’s strategy was not exactly helping the rest of the team.  Antonio had faith in Pirlo and decided he deserved another chance and switched him to a position that no one would expect such a skilled player to play, center defensive midfielder.  After two games Juve fans patience was already scarce and the future seemed dim with a record of two losses in two games, but Andrea Pirlo changed all of this.

The third game Andrea seemed to dictate the midfield and was the main reason for Juventus’s pounding of neighboring club Cagliari.  Juventus exploded on the scoresheet with a 5-0 win over Cagliari.  Juventus’s exploits continued as they stomped on Pirlo’s previous club AC Milan, beating them 3-1 with Pirlo adding to the score sheet with a jaw dropping free kick.  Pirlo seemed like the ingredient in the recipe for success that Juve had lacked for the past two seasons.  Juventus continued to roll by winning eight consecutive matches.  There was no doubt in Antonio Comte’s mind that his decision to erase Andrea Pirlo from the free agency list was a brilliant one.  Juventus earned its 1^st place finish and itsr rise to the top was as quick as Usain Bolt’s 100 metre dash. 

As long as Andrea Pirlo can keep his youthful form, the club’s success is as unavoidable as global warming.  Next year will be a very important year for Juventus as they will hope to continue their success in the Serie A and hopefully have the same success in the Champions League.  I am certain that A.C. Milan,s manager Massimiliano Allegri’s decision has been haunting him and is the biggest reason he has faced such harsh criticism from  fans.

                                         Andrea Pirlo scoring against Catania!

Robin Van Persie's best goals!

Here are Robin Van Persie's ten best goals!

Robin Van Persie

How important Robin Van Persie is to Arsenal!

As the Premier League season approaches its final stages to what has been an eccentrically odd campaign, the second most important part of the soccer season begins.  The transfer market is one of the most difficult and nerve racking times for players and managers.  Football giants become involved in financial warfare to secure their current players or to acquire new weapons for their infantry.  This is the business side of soccer.  It can become very cruel and usually ignites certain feuds between players and managers who disagree on contracts or decisions. 

Loyalty becomes irrelevant as Real Madrid knows with David Beckam.  Before the end of La Ligua, David assured his beloved club he would return to the Bernabeu, but instead a small American team with no history or significant trophies came into a large amount of cash and stole David as if they were experienced Con men.  In the soccer world today, money can buy you anything. 

The less powerful clubs attempt to protect their players from bigger clubs with larger wallets.  For instance, Sunderland tried to keep Englishman Phil Jones, but Manchester United managed to lure Phil into the Old Trafford, despite Phil’s past and development with his childhood club, Sunderland!

Arsene Wenger will have the task of trying to keep the most prolific striker in the English Premier League, Robin Van Persie.  The Dutchman makes scoring seem as easy as 1, 2, 3.  His magnificent chips make goalkeepers seem as useless as a deaf musician, his volleys defy the laws of physics and his ability to run with the ball is second to none.

At the beginning of the season, Arsenal seemed as though they would find themselves in the basement of the Premier League as they stayed in a disappointing 17^th position.  The team had as much chemistry as two complete strangers and mutiny on Arsene Wenger’s tipsy boat seemed as inevitable as Amy Winehouse’s early death.  A team with so much potential seemed to be conforming to critic’s sky high expectations!

One player, Robin Van Persie, managed to glue the squad together into a stellar team with a venomous attack.  The newly appointed Captain, finally injury free, began to score goals as often as alcoholics drink.   Robin ignited the desire for the players to live up to expectations and brought the club back up to third place.  Robin’s 28 goals have been as important as an oasis in the desert.  His achievements have not gone unnoticed by other clubs. 

Manchester City began trying to lure Robin from the early stages of the campaign with contracts that could buy an entire African country.  The bids started at 40 million and quickly went to 55 million.  Fortunately, Robin expressed his willingness to negotiate with Arsenal and his desire to stay with his current club.  The striker has one year left on his contract and now would be the time to seal the deal with the Premier League’s best forward.

Robin has been with Arsenal for almost 8 years and his departure would bring tears to the Gunners’ fans.  Arsene Wenger said on Wednesday “I brought him here a long, long time ago and he has developed fantastically well as a man and as a player.”  “Today he is a world-class player and he deserves great credit.  Hopefully, we can keep him here.”

Arsenal currently sits third in the Premier League, only one point in front of the Spurs who hold the final spot in the Champions League.  One thing is for certain, if Arsenal wishes to aspire to anything greater than a third place finish and would like to finally gain some trophies to put in their West London display, they must sign the Dutchman.  If they manage to keep Van Persie, they will be a force to be reckoned with next season as they will have Lucas Podolski to play with the Dutchman!

Robin Van Persie scoring his 25^th goal against Liverpool!

What will happen with Pep Guardiola after his departure from Catalunya!

It was a dim day for soccer fans and critics all over, as Pep Guardiola announced his official resignation from the Barcelona franchise that he has made so successful and world renowned.  Pep started in 2009, when the franchise was in a shambles after Ronaldhino's departure to Italian nemesis AC Milan and it seemed as though the club would drown in a lake of doubt and uncertainty as many clubs do after a player of Ronaldhino's stature leaves.  It is a trend that occurs as often as the rain in England.  For instance, after Zinedine Zidane left Real Madrid, the franchise almost took five years to climb its way back to the top of the Spanish Primera's league table. 


Pep injected a different type of strategy into a club with a very bland past such as his abolition of the central midfielder in the formation and his unorthodox formations such as the 4-2-4-1. 


Pep managed to pick the club up from the basements of the football world into the elite of FIFA.  His accomplishments are truly remarkable.  Pep lifted 13 trophies including three Champions League wins and three Spainish Primera league titles.  Pep made a timid 21 year old Messi into an ineluctable attacker who became as confident as a college jock.  Pep helped Messi on and off the field and managed to conserve Messi's humble attitude, even with the never-ending spotlight being shined on the Argentinian.


His adieu to the game brought tears to the Catalonians eyes and surprised many people.  The move illustrates Pep's need for perfection and impulsiveness.  It is rare that you see such a successful Coach leave a club because of a second place finish and a Champions League elimination, many managers just dream to get into the Champions League.


Pep said in an interview that "Every day during four years, the demands are very high, the pressure, the necessary energy to push the players and enjoy it," said the 41-year-old Guardiola, a former Barcelona midfielder. "I need to rest and move away."  There is no doubt that Barcelona fans are without a doubt the most demanding soccer fans in the world.  They expect greatness for their beloved club and anything that does not meet their god-like requirements is a worry to them.  Pep delivered under the pressure, but it is understandable that he needs some time to get away from Camp Nou and its absurdity.


In December 2011, rumours had surfaced that Pep Guardiola would replace Portuguese manager, André Villa, after his atrocious stint with Chelsea.  Chelsea decided to hire Italian international, Roberto Di Matteo, to take the reins of this mule-like franchise and its capricious squad with the likes of Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres and always scandalous, John Terry.  Pep extinguished the rumours this week by saying he would not be behind the bench for another year at least.


Pep gave Barcelona an absolute rule of the Football world and a team capable of winning countless trophies.  He leaves Barcelona as their most charismatic, unorthodox and accomplished manager to ever set foot on the grounds of Camp Nou!


                                                 
Pep Guardiola dropping a bomb on the Football world with the news of his resignation on April 27,2012.

Didier Drogba, a skilled Football player and an even better actor!

                                    

As Chelsea’s forward, Didier Drogba’s contract runs down to its final leg, Chelsea will be forced to make the decision of whether to let go of a player who has almost been moulded into the club’s history or should they meet his demands and offer him a new two year contract which would most certainly ensure that Chelsea is the only club for which he will play.

The Barcelona vs. Chelsea match on Wednesday was perhaps one of the most unexpected upsets as Chelsea somehow managed to hold Barcelona’s tyrannical offence off the score sheet, despite the Catalonians hitting the wood work twice.

Drogba was picked over the capricious striker, Fernando Torres.  Di matteo’s decision showed that the club still has faith in the Ivory Coast international even with his aging legs. Drogba proved his worth as he scored Chelsea’s most important goal of the season. 

Barcelona’s woes started when their most valuable player, Lionel Messi, appeared to have forgotten where his legs were as he stumbled awkwardly. 

A few minutes later, Messi uncharacteristically gave the ball away to Frank Lampard.  Lampard took full advantage of Messi’s rare mistake as he made a brilliant pass to Ramires. 

In a desperate attempt to solve Barcelona’s defence, Ramires chipped the ball in Drogba’s direction. Drogba was being marked by Carlos Puyol and Javier Mascherano.  Like a black panther searching for its prey, Drogba crept away from the Spaniard and Argentinian and pounced on the ball and beat goalkeeper, Victor Valdes, who was as helpless as a lost child.

The goal gave Chelsea hope and something to aspire to as they now hold a one goal lead over Barcelona in the first leg.

Drogba’s goal was definitely the highlight of the game, but he will make headlines for other actions which occurred during the game.

In his later years, Drogba has become notorious for being a diver.  During Wednesday’s game against Barcelona, Drogba was sprawling around like never before and his Hollywood acting reached an inappropriate level for a Football match.  Drogba not only angered the Catalonians, but also embarrassed his own team by falling on every patch of Stamford Bridge’s pitch.

Drogba brought up a bigger issue in soccer and illustrated one of the terrible flaws of the professional game.  Drogba showed that he can be an effective weapon and that he belongs in Chelsea’s infantry, but he will need to make some significant changes in his style of play if he wants to leave the game as a respected player known for his achievements, not his acting.

As Chelsea prepares for its trip to Camp Nou in Barcelona, they will need to be as good as they can possibly be and Drogba needs to realise that this is an occasion to prove his worth to the blues.

Chelsea has yearned for consistency this year and if Drogba can regain his ability to be an elite striker, Chelsea has a chance of lifting the U.E.F.A. Trophy.

Drogba needs to stop trying to win an Oscar and focus on beating defenders with his skill rather than his acting!

Drgba celebrating after scoring the winning goal against Barcelona on Wednesday!

The most under appreciated members of the team are always the goalkeepers.  Here is a compilation highlighting the best saves by the men between the posts!

A rollercoaster of a season!

As the Barclays Premier League progresses and nears to the season end with only nine games remaining, most soccer fans can agree that the 2011-2012 season has been the most aberrant season to date.

 First Chelsea, a usual top four finisher, has failed to maintain any type of consistency and is struggling just to secure a place in the top four.  After firing Carlo Ancelotti, Chelsea hired Porto boss, Andre Villa Boas.  Andre’s goal was to rebuild the franchise and make room for younger players such as Daniel Stouridge.  Chelsea’s team was similar to soccer’s senior’s home with 9 out of 10 players being over the ripe age of 30.  Even the younger players did not agree with his unorthodox methods and mutiny quickly arose in the locker room.  Lampard publicly criticized Andre and Didier Drogba had not a trace of effort in his atrocious Premier League campaign.

Another team that has flabbergasted the futbol world for all the wrong reasons is Liverpool.  They have only been able to satisfy the Anfield crowd twice at home and their play and attitude has been anything but stellar.  The team has been beaten to the ground by many scandals involving Luis Suarez, Kenny Danglish, Pepe Reina and Andy Caroll.  The team would have more success as a reality show than a soccer team. 

Luis Suarez fed the British paparazzi a three course meal with his alleged racist remarks to Manchester United’s Patrice Evra and Pepe which gave them one more reason to beat them to the ground by fighting a Tottenham fan in a local tavern.

A resurgent Arsenal has been one of the biggest stories in the Premier League.  The Gunners started the year off terribly ranking 17^th after 6 games.  The Gunners managed to climb back into the Champions League picture and currently sit third place in the league table.

Many of these stories found themselves on the news for weeks, but without a doubt the most significant change in the Barclays Premier League this season is New Castle United’s rebirth.  The club has demonstrated their potential to be a top four team in the Premier League and have crushed all the critics’ doubts from last year.

At the end of last season, English striker Andy Carroll decided to leave St. James Park’s grounds for a move to Anfield.  New Castle United manager, Alan Pardew seemed in disbelief with Andy Carroll’s rash decision.  The manager was caught flatfooted and was unable to immediately react.

Fortunately, all of New Castle’s squad seemed extremely determined and devoted to the club’s success.  The club finds themselves tied for fourth place with Tottenham at fifty nine points to show for the season.

One of the biggest reasons for New Castle’s triumph is Senegalese striker, Demba Ba.  The 26 year- old striker has 14 goals and is fifth place in the scoring race.  Ba uses his six foot two frame has proved to be a nightmare for defenders to contain and it seems he has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. 

Another factor in New Castle’s resurgence is newly acquired striker, Papa Cisse.  Papa was bought for just nine million pounds on January 14^th and seems to be a blockbuster deal. 

Carroll’s departure from the club has turned out to be a great move for the Toons financially and on the pitch.  Carroll cost the club 35 million pounds and Cisse only cost 9 million.  The club now has 26 million dollars to spend and Liverpool is paying top dollar for a striker who has only scored five goals in 36 appearances. Cisse has found the back of the net in each one of his eight appearances with a tally of nine goals to mark his formidable debut at St. James Park.

The last reason that New Castle has been able to compete with the big boys has been Ben Arfa’s change in attitude and solid relationship with fellow forwards, Demba Ba and Papa Cisse.  Arfa seems to have matured from last season.  Last season,  Arfa’s arrogance seemed to have gotten the best of him as he received more than ten bookings and his temper resembled that of a spoiled five year old.

NewCastle’s center midfielder, Tioté says “I see a bright future for the team and it would mean the world to our loyal fans if we managed to finish in the top four.”

Unlike most Premier league clubs, New Castle prioritizes scouting and avoids large transfer fees unlike Liverpool or Manchester City.  New Castle has developped players such as Yohan Cabaye, Peter Lovenkrands, Gabriel Obertan and of course Ben Arfa.

It looks like the Toons’ tactics are beginning to pay off and their future is extremely promising compared to Premier League giants such as Chelsea and Liverpool and their rise to the Champions’ League seems inevitable.

                                         Demba Ba heading  the ball against Liverpool!

Wayne Rooney a force to be reckoned with?

 

Wayne Rooney is  excellent form in Manchester United's march to a 20th Premier Arguably the best striker to ever wear a Manchester United jersey, Rooney’s future has not always seemed so bright.

September 3, 2010 a call girl in London, stepped forward and contacted a London news paper to reveal she had been having an affair with the soccer titan.  The news shocked all of England, but what was even more terrible was that his wife Colleen, had been pregnant during the affair.  Of course the news spread like the black plague.  Even Rooney’s most loyal fans began to question Rooney’s abhorrent actions.

The tabloids seemed to be getting to Rooney as he only found the net twice in October and was erased from the scoring sheet during the month of November.

On December 14^th Rooney commented for the first time on the matter of his affair and admitted to cheating on his pregnant wife.

Rooney seemed to be losing his carnivorous appetite to find the back of the net and his play seemed to be anything, but the quality of a soccer legend.

Fortunately, Rooney managed to mend his relationship with his wife and thankfully his concentration and eagerness returned to him!  Rooney scored league high 14 goals in February, 2011, ever since Rooney has continued on the right path.

United has moved five points clear of local rival Manchester City with seven rounds left largely on the back of Rooney's eight goals in his past seven matches, taking his tally to 28 in all competitions this season and 175 overall, a monstrous total.

Prior to the visit of relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers to Old Trafford on Sunday, Rooney is four goals behind George Best and Dennis Viollet, who are tied for third in United's list.

"I've seen about the all-time scoring record and a few people have reminded me of it as well, but I'm still a long, long way away from Sir Bobby (Charlton, on 249 goals) and Denis Law (on 237),'' Rooney said.

"I'm obviously proud to be up there and be in touching distance of some legends of the club. Hopefully I can overtake them soon.''

If United wins an eighth consecutive league match, City will battle third-place Arsenal later Sunday with an eight-point deficit - having obtained a five-point lead back in December.

"I don't think this championship is finished,'' City manager Roberto Mancini said Thursday. "If they (United) win all their games, they deserve to win the title.''

City, chasing a first English title since 1968, has won just one of its past four games and  failed to  maintain it's lossless home record after a dissapointing match against Sunderland, where they tied 3-3.  The road ahead looks rocky for city as Aguero struggles to maintain his brilliant form because of an ankle injury.

Wayne Rooney after scoring against arch rivals Arsenal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H4w2cRLwY8
Top 50 goals of all time! Great video!

Why Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time!

As football fans watched Barcelona squander Bayern Leverkusen’s hopes of survival in the Champions League with a 7-1 win, I am certain that you could not help but notice that Lionel Messi controlled and dominated the match as if he were a Middle Eastern dictator.  The Argentinean shattered the previous record held by Jose Alfini of AC Milan with his five-goal performance.  Lionel’s recent outstanding performance helped to cement his place as one of the greatest soccer players to ever set foot on the field, perhaps The greatest. 

Lionel Messi is a manager’s wet dream with his eternal hunger to win, lightning-fast speed, god-like dribbling skills, arsenal of moves, menacing shot and infinite dedication to his club and its well-being. Messi remains a down-to-earth individual, despite his never- ending exposure to the spotlight.  Measuring only 5 foot 7,
Messi’s accomplishments are undeniably amazing and a remarkable feat in a sport that is mainly dominated by taller individuals. 

The thing that is even more remarkable is that Messi was affected by a hormonal problem as a teenager which slowed his growth and development.  Born in Rosario, Argentina, Messi gained the attention of the most influential teams by working his way to the top of the ranks in Newell’s Old Boys.  The family was required to move to Spain if Lionel wanted to pursue his career in soccer, because no Argentinian club wanted to pay the expenses to cure his condition.  Fortunately, Barcelona gladly covered the bill for his medical treatments, because Catalan coaches had no doubt that Messi would prevail and become a star. 

Lionel Messi celebrating his hundredth goal in La Liga!

Messi made his debut for Barcelona in 2004 against Espanyol.  Since his debut, he has scored 154 goals in 205 games for the team and has been awarded the FIFA Ballon d’or three times.  He has helped Barcelona win La Liga five times and contributed greatly to their three Champions League titles.

Many Futbol fans believe that Messi is the heir to Maradona’s vacant throne, but I think that Messi is a step above the “Great One.”  There is no doubt that Maradona was as skilled as Messi if not more skilled, but the one characteristic that Maradona lacked was Messi’s composure and his altruistic character.  One cannot count how many times Maradona lost his cool in matches for petty reasons.  Maradona’s ego was as big as he was.  For example, when Diego was playing for Barcelona, his need to seek vengeance over the Athletic Bilbao player, Andoni Goiko, who had sidelined him for three months, ruined his team’s hopes of capturing the league title that season.  Maradona started the brawl and showed his true character with his unpredictable ninja kicks during the brawl!  Maradona rarely passed, and on numerous occasions his selfishness proved detrimental to his team. 

Messi distributes the ball and always manages to keep his composure even if he is the most fowled player in FIFA.  Messi has been able to improve his entire squad and has been the main factor in Andres Iniesta’s and Xavi Hernandez’s exponential growth. 

One thing is for certain, no matter what you think of Lionel Messi, it is impossible not to appreciate his talent and style.  Messi has made a mark in stone on the Futbol world! 

In my opinion, he is without a doubt the best player to ever set foot on the grass of a Futbol pitch!

By: Tristan Haerens

The battle for the throne!

The battle for the throne!

There has always been a bitter rivalry between Manchester United and Manchester City that never ceases to extinguish. United has always been the stronger side with countless trophies and titles over the years.  Manchester City had their glory days in the 70’s and 80’s, but as soon as Sir Alex Ferguson stepped on to the pitch as the manager for the Red Devils, City has never been able to regain its form.

  Before Saturday, the two Manchester clubs were locked at seventy points with both having played 29 games.  Unfortunately, City was unable to maintain the current standings as they tied with Stoke City.  United plays Fulham today and will be looking to obtain a three point lead over their arch rivals. 

 The City side lacked ingenuity and the usual creativeness that players of the likes of Yaya Touré, David Silva, Mario Balotelli and Samir Nasri bring to the table.  The second half of the match vs. Stoke City displayed many of City’s weaknesses and gave critics even more reason to believe that once again the club will be overshadowed by its bitter rival, Manchester United.  If United emerges victorious against Fulham, they will secure a three point lead. 

One of the factors that contributed to City’s floundering performance is Patrick Viera’s brainless comments directed toward Sir Alex Ferguson.  The French international and now City Coach suggested that resurrecting Paul Scholes from retirement was a decision based on desperation and showed that United was lacking depth in their squad.  The remarks were possibly sparked by City’s uncertainty and fear of being conquered by United.  The statement was plain stupid and added more fuel to the already burning fire. Viera ignored the reality that Scholes has been playing extremely well and has been a valuable asset to the United squad.  

The Scotsman, Sir Alex Ferguson fired back by saying "They played a player the other night who refused to go on the pitch, one that the manager said he'd never play again and takes a five-month holiday in Argentina. Could that come under the description of desperation?"   Ferguson’s counter attack was sufficient to quiet the Frenchman and hints that Viera’s comments just added to Ferguson’s eagerness to win the Premier League.  The feud was similar to a peasant insulting a king. Viera has probably jeopardized his club’s hopes of winning the league by adding undue pressure to his squad with his naive remarks. 

I think that United will prevail against Fulham and go on to win the League again!  It looks as though United will secure its place on the throne for yet another season!

By: Tristan Haerens