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!