McClaren's " let me become a respectable football manager again" dream had taken one step forward and then two steps back when FC Twente lost by two goals to Arsenal in the first leg.The dream took another 4 steps back yesterday as Arsenal completed a 4 goal demolition of his team.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Arsenal London vs Twente 4-0 goals
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Spanish Debate: Should Barcelona Sell Henry?
Ewan Macdonald asks if, in light of the alleged interest of Manchester United in Barcelona striker Thierry Henry, the Spanish side might be well served to cut their losses and sell up...
Few clubs would ever consider selling their most expensive summer signing just a year after his arrival. Yet that's happened this year already as Rio Mavuba switched from Villarreal to Lille, and it's not inconceivable that another could follow. It's another Frenchman, and it's an even bigger name: Thierry Henry.
Yes, in a summer that has already seen Ronaldinho and Deco depart for pastures new, Henry could be the third superstar to leave Barcelona after a torrid season in Catalunya. It's thought that Manchester United are poised, chequebook in hand, to land the ex-Arsenal man, and surely they have the financial wherewithal to back up their ambitions.
But Barcelona, conversely, are able to withstand any bid for any player - at least any player who isn't looking to leave. With this in mind, should they even entertain an offer for he of the va-va-voom?
The Case Against
There's a compelling argument against Barcelona's listening to any incoming offer. Firstly, Henry is a class act. There is absolutely no denying this: one questionable season - the last one - doesn't fully undo a career's worth of excellent work.
With Arsenal, as if one needs reminding, Henry didn't only produce goals by the barrow-load - a ratio of around 0.7:1 goals per game - but also a wealth of assists. Furthermore offered leadship: even prior to his appointment as Gunners captain, his style of play, including his ability to drift wide, helped to dictate how Arsenal ticked.
At Barcelona he has struggled to show the same level of influence, but this may not be all his fault. First of all, as he admitted midway through last season he spent much of last year struggling with injury: even when he played, he could not to do so at 100% capacity.
Furthermore, the team was arguably not set up to suit him as it was at Arsenal. While few players can say that an XI is built around them, Henry is one who benefits when it is - and arguably he more than repays such faith. With the 'Fantastic Four' jostling for position he was often treated as something of an afterthought; this year, with less competition and arguably less pressure, he may either not be expected to perform out of position, or be given more chances to prove himself in a favoured place.
In any case, while his performances often left a lot to be desired - for every showing like the 6-0 win over Valencia there were two like that in the 3-2 loss to Betis or his embarassing performance in the 1-0 loss at Old Trafford - he still hit goals. He managed 10 in 19 appearances, to be precise, and even from that left flank position he found himself capable of cutting inside on occasion. In other words, it could have been a lot worse.
When it comes to the crunch, this is what it comes down to: it wasn't all bad, and surely a player with a €24m price tag on his head, and fine pedigree, deserves a chance to prove himself capable of better.
Unless...
Sell Early, Sell Often
Perhaps loss-cutting is the way to go. While it's clear that in the absence of Ronaldinho there is now less competition in attack, 'Dinho generally played out on the left anyway, a place in which Henry did not excel against Spanish defences. Had Eto'o or Bojan been out of commission then a central place would have been more available, and more to his liking.
Further, one has to wonder if Henry hasn't done them a disservice last season. It took him a long time to publicly admit that he was injured: that brought into question how much the club knew about his status when he was signed. In any case it was a sad sight to see a player so far below capacity take to the pitch, and if Barcelona fans were soured to him by now, few could blame them.
One would not like to go so far as to question Thierry's hunger, but perhaps his willingness to step onto the pitch in less than pristine condition does not so much show loyalty and devotion as a willingness to accept second-best. Barcelona's main problem last season was that far too many players were either happy with or simply resigned to losing out - be they the old guard whose day had past or the young bucks who lacked confidence and leadership - and for a new signing to call so quickly into one of those traps is most disheartening. Coach Josep 'Pep' Guardiola has already made it clear that his is a tight ship, and Henry, while certainly not deliberately negligent, may clash somewhat with that ethos.
That's partially due to the fact that he's, well, old. He'll turn 31 next week, and for a forward that's beyond the peak. True, a fit striker can keep on going until his mid or even late thirties, but rare is the breed that can perform to the top level right until the end. This is especially true of those forwards whose key attribute is pace, as opposed to power. Henry is one of these. (That he was signed at all, then, especially at such cost, is mystifying to some.)
Finally there are fiscal concerns. If Barcelona can recoup much of their €24m then they have done well, having already had a year of Nike-related merchandising income. It'll also boost their chances of landing one or two more signings before the summer ends.
Nasri: Arsenal suit me perfectly
After 12 happy years spent with Olympique de Marseille, Samir Nasri opted to fly the nest this summer, spreading his wings to join the burgeoning French community at Arsenal. It proved a difficult decision for the 21-year-old, but it immediately began to look like the right one when he marked his first appearance with the winning goal and Man of the Match honours against West Bromwich Albion last week.
Advised to take the leap by his friends Djibril Cisse and Nicolas Anelka, Nasri believes that he has ultimately made the correct choice. As he explained to Full4Free.com: "When I signed for Arsenal, I knew I wasn't heading into the unknown."
Full4Free.com: Having scored in your very first match for Arsenal, you seem to have adapted quickly to English football.
Samir Nasri: I couldn't have dreamt of a better debut but I can't guarantee that I'll score in every match. When I met the boss (Arsene Wenger), he warned me that, in general, it takes six months to adapt. He mentioned Emmanuel Petit and Robert Pires as examples. But I was expecting to find the change more difficult. It's true that there's more physical contact than in France, but the biggest difference is in the intensity of the game, which is much higher here. The style Arsenal play in - attacking, one-touch football with constant movement - suits me perfectly. That's what I was looking for. And I've also been impressed by the quality of the training sessions, which are very similar to French national team sessions, and by the repetition work we do on passing. I now understand better why Arsenal's play looked so fluid on TV. It's fantastic. I'm loving it!
Why did you leave your hometown club, Marseille, at just 21 years of age?
I had a fairly difficult season last year, with lots of little health problems that kept me away from the pitch. Part of me wanted to move on to progress and raise my game. I'd been at OM since I was 12, and even if I didn't get to experience winning a title, I'd seen it all: the youth academy, four years with the pros and good times as well as crises. Added to that, I was living with my parents. It was time to become independent.
Did joining Arsenal seem like the natural choice at the time?
Not to begin with because Arsenal came in later. There were other clubs, but when my agent told me the Gunners were interested, that immediately became the priority for both me and my father. You just have to look at what the club has done in the last few years. Arsenal put a lot of faith in youth and all the French players who have come here have made an explosive impression. There's a guarantee with Arsenal; they're a club synonymous with success. And then there's Mr. Wenger. It was very important to know I wasn't heading into the unknown. I don't feel homesick at all - you hear more French than English in the dressing room. Don't forget that I'm only 21; not 26, 27 or 28. I don't have a lot of international experience, so for my first experiment abroad Arsenal is ideal.
Have you already noticed a difference between OM and Arsenal?
I was at a big French club and today I'm at a big European club. When you arrive here, you get an English mobile phone with all the important numbers in it. There's a guy on call 24 hours a day. When you show up at training, you're given your own personalised training programme. It's on a whole other level. Despite that, it's not a factory here. In the canteen at midday, you eat side-by-side with the women's team and the club's youngsters. Arsenal is a family as well.
Like many observers in England, Arsene Wenger has said you could go on to enjoy a similar career to Robert Pires.
If you told me today I could have the same career as him, I'd sign up immediately with my eyes closed! At the time, he was the best left-sided midfielder in the world. He scored and set up loads of goals. We have pretty much the same characteristics: instead of staying out on the wing, he liked to come inside a lot.
What was your aim when you agreed to move abroad?
I'm here to step up to another level, which ought to help my cause with the France team. If, in the near future, I want to become a regular with Les Bleus, I need to be a starter for a club like Arsenal. Being here has a bigger impact.
Suazo To Join Roma Tonight
According to Laromasiamonoi.it, Inter striker David Suazo is on the verge of signing for Roma, and could complete the transfer either tonight or tomorrow morning. The Honduran will also arrive in a permanent deal, and not initially on-loan.
It has been repeatedly reported in recent days that Roma are looking to sign one more attacker before the end of the summer transfer window on September 1.
Following the news that Real Betis were just hours away from purchasing Shakhtar Donetsk’s Nery Castillo, the Italian press this morning reported that just two candidates remained to fill the vacancy at the Stadio Olimpico – Monaco’s Jeremy Menez, and Suazo.
Laromasiamonoi.it is this evening claiming that it will be Suazo who will be probably making the move to Roma, and that his transfer could be completed as early as tonight or tomorrow morning.
The Honduran will also arrive in a permanent deal, and not initially on-loan as had been reported earlier this morning.
Suazo only joined Inter from Cagliari last summer for €10m, but he failed miserably to live up to expectations. The writing has been on the wall for his Inter career for a few months now, and there is no space for him up-front due to the presence of Ibrahimovic, Adriano, Cruz, Crespo, Balotelli and Mancini.
The final blow was struck on Sunday night when Suazo was not even named in the squad for the Italian Supercup with Roma, which all but signalled the end of his Inter career.
Benfica Want Big Money For Di María
Ángel Di María is wanted by a host of Europe's biggest clubs after his impressive performance at the Olympic Games, but Benfica will insist that his buy-out clause is met.
The 20-year-old's displays have attracted interest from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Milan, Inter, Juventus, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, according to Portugal's A Bola.
Benfica know that they will face a struggle to hold on to Di María after he rose to prominence during the Olympics in China this summer although they will not let him leave on the cheap.
In July, the Portuguese outfit increased the player's buy-out clause to €30m and will not speak to any would-be suitors unless that figure is met.
It is unlikely that any of the major clubs will make a move for the player during the last few days of the transfer window, but could well monitor his progress over the next season.
Di María rose through the youth ranks at Rosario Central before moving up to their first team in 2005, where he spent the next two seasons gaining experience.
Last summer he made the €6m switch to Benfica after appearing at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup and played 36 times for As Águias during his first season at the club.
At the weekend, Di María's stock rose even further when he raced on to a pass from Lionel Messi in extra time in the final of the Olympic Games against Nigeria before clipping in a superb winner for the Albiceleste.
Hamsik Better Than Ronaldinho
Former Torino coach Walter Novellino admits he would prefer to have Napoli’s Marek Hamsik in his side over Ronaldinho. The Slovakian was an absolute revelation last season, and many experts believe he will make a big splash this coming campaign too.
The ex-Granata man was fired in April as his old Torino side tumbled towards what looked like relegation, but they managed to escape the drop after Gianni De Biasi's arrival.
Novellino is currently unemployed and he is likely to take up a position as a tv pundit. Indeed, he still has plenty of views on the game.
The coach has made his serie A predictions after looking into his crystal ball.
“Ronaldinho? I think he is great and he will get back to his best at Milan,” Novellino told Il Mattino.
“However, I would prefer a younger player like Hamsik in my team to be honest. The Napoli man is skilful and very cheeky on the pitch, he’s a real talent.
“Giovinco? He will be a champion with out a doubt.”
The coach then spoke about the Scudetto favourites as Serie A gears up to the big kick off this weekend.
“Scudetto? I think the usual suspects will all be gunning for glory, but Milan have a great chance as I think they will focus on the league given their failure to qualify for the Champions League,” added the coach.
“Then there is Inter, Juve and Roma who are all strong candidates. Compared to last year, I think the other teams have something more and it will be tough for Inter.”
Milan have strengthened well this term and many have tipped them to lift the Tricolore in May but Jose Mourinho’s Nerazzurri side remain the bookmakers' favourites.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Real Madrid 4-2 Valencia : Full Highlights 8 Videos
Real Madrid 4-2 Valencia
33′ [0 - 1] D.J. Silva
40′ Vaart (red card)
50′ [1 - 1] R.v. Nistelrooy (pen.)
74′ Nistelrooy (red card)
75′ [2 - 1] S. Ramos
87′ [3 - 1] R.D.l. Red
90′ [4 - 1] Higuain
90′ [4 - 2] F. Morientes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
