Manchester United 2-3 Athletic Bilbao:Talking Points
United struggle against sides which press hardManchester United have struggled against sides which pressed hard like Newcastle,Norwich,Tottenham and now Bilbao(to their credit they managed to win 2 of the games). The center backs and the center midfield players prefer time on the ball before passing it forward. Athletic Bilbao pressed United all over the pitch,and special mention […]
Few points from Twitter on Arsenal 3-0 AC Milan.
I asked my followers on Twitter-What was the most interesting thing they observed from Arsenal Vs AC Milan,below are few of the more interesting replies. Unpredictable Arsenal? They continue to confound fans & critics alike this season. Just look at the scribes’ opinion on Wenger.Milan are still some way from being mentioned among the top […]
England XI: Mourinho and Guardiola
A story on a well known British newspaper website recently claimed that Harry Redknapp was not the FA’s only choice for the England managers job. In fact, they had found out (Through the usual unnamed source) that the FA were considering approaching either Pep Guardiola or Jose Mourinho…………………… [This pause is to allow you, the […]
Ajax Vs Manchester United-A Close Look At Ajax’s System
Two clubs with illustrious pasts in the Champions League face off in the Europa league for a spot in the last 16. For Manchester United and its fans,playing on Thursday nights will be an unusual affair and with United chasing City to retain their Premier League title,one cant expect Ferguson to play his strongest side […]
Mr Wenger’s Epiphany
The following is courtesy of strange bOUnce,a site dedicated to fiction,satire and verse,all lightly brushed up with sport. Mr Wenger smiled. “Not at all. The cacophony of boos when I took Alex off just serves to highlight what a good manager I am.”The young journo’s reply was a quizzical expression. “It shows how highly the […]
England’s tactical journey under Capello
Capello’s departure just 4 months before a major tournament leaves a lot to be desired, and a bad taste in the mouth too. Whatever the reasons behind the reasons for his departure are, the presented facts are that Capello spoke out against the FA’s decision feeling that he had been undermined and declaring that he […]
Football Venn Diagrams-The Anfield Cat!
Click the picture to enlarge.
A Game of two halves – Chelsea 3-3 Manchester United
Not so many years ago, this fixture would’ve had the country enraptured – streets would’ve been deserted, cars abandoned with their engines idling, their owners pressed up against TV rental showroom windows, babes left crying in their cots, dogs left scratching at the back door wanting to be let out – everything had to wait. […]
Rough Diamonds #7-Nick Ioannou (Manchester United)
Nick Ioannou is a highly rated school boy who became the first Cypriot to represent Manchester United when he was named in the FAYC 4th round game against Derby County.As little is known about this future star in the making,i asked Stelios from Cyprus Footy to give us an insight. Nick Ioannou A Legend in […]
Why it’s going wrong for Andy Carroll
He moved from North-East to North-West on deadline day, part of an amazing carousel of big bucks and big names moving between Premier League football clubs on the last day of the window. Newcastle fans were distraught, this was ‘their boy’ abandoning the dream that they wanted to share with him, and live through him. The […]
The Resurgence of the Deep Lying Playmaker-Part 2
Read Part 1 Here FC Schalke and their two year long search for the right one: It was tiresome, boring, but a whole lot effective. FC Schalke’s season in 2009/10 did not entertain many, even Schalke fans would be excused for not being entirely joyful watching their team scratch their way to a […]
The Resurgence of the Deep Lying Playmaker-Part 1
and How Clubs are Using Attacking Midfielders As Solutions There is a clear lack of equilibrium in the demand and supply of natural deep playmaking midfielders, the rapid progression of the 4-2-3-1 over the previous decade has seen a huge rise in the stock of a breed of midfielders who were thought to be dying. […]
Alex Ferguson: “Chieck please!”
Firstly, let me apologise for the awful pun. Secondly, if you have arrived on this page just because of that awful pun please stop reading. You don’t deserve it, and we’ve already got the pageview hit – just leave. Newcastle midfielder Chieck Tiote has been scouted by a number of clubs including Manchester United. His stock has […]
Emergence of ‘Micro Tactics’ and the Changing Face of Football
Football is evolving, and how! Gone are the days when teams used to line up with a default formation of 4-4-2 or a 5-3-2 and collide against each other in a game of skill and physicality. Great managers like Helenio Herrera, Arrigo Sacchi, Rinus Michels, Bob Paisley and Sir Matt Busby always played the same […]
The False 9:Year In Review
What a fantastic year 2011 has been,Manchester United finally knocking off Liverpool of their “perch” by claiming their 19th English League title. Barcelona continued their dominance by winning the Champions League and the Club World Cup. But this year one certainly didn’t see revolutionary tactics,but there were many a interesting tweaks and innovations. Barcelona with their 3-4-3 […]
Conventional wingers: A dying breed?
In the good old days, the rules of playing football were simple, and so were the tactics. The big and sturdy lads played in the centre of the park and upfront, the hard lads guarded the back, the bright ones played as inside forwards and the little, quick ones played on the wings. The left […]
Marseille 2-1 Lorient:Cheyrou wins it for Marseille
It’s not so often that you see two 4-4-2s pitted against each other these days, but this was the case as Marseille snatched a 2-1 win over Lorient. This game nicely illustrates Jonathan Wilson’s point that: “Formations are neutral; it is their application that gives them positive or negative qualities.” BBC African Player of the […]
Oriol Romeu-David Luiz’s Saviour?
Oriol Romeu at 6ft 1in and with his muscular body must be the most un-Barcaish player to have emerged from La Masia. He may not have the technique or the vision of his former partners in crime at La Masia,but the former Espanyol youth player ‘s tactical reading and his willingness to cover for his […]
Football Venn Diagrams
El Clásico:Luis Figo
Could we write a series like this without this man? The most infamous of the Clásico Heartbreakers, followed by some honourable mentions… Clásico appearances: 23 (14 for Barcelona, 9 for Real Madrid)Clásico goals: 4 (3 for Barcelona, 1 for Real Madrid)Barcelona record: W7 D4 L3Real Madrid record: W4 D3 L2Even before arriving in Spain, Luis […]
