Monthly Archives: May 2010

Liverpool post £54.9m loss as debts continue to rise

“Liverpool’s parent company posted a huge loss of £54.9m for the year ended on 31 July 2009 as debt interest payments and severance costs hit hard. The loss was 34% worse than 2008’s figure as £40.1m went on servicing the club’s £351.4m debt to Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and US firm Wachovia. Pay-offs to senior staff, including former chief executive Rick Parry, accounted for a further £4.3m.” (BBC)

Benitez meeting offers no hints to Liverpool future
“The future direction of Liverpool hasn’t become any clearer after the first in a series of meetings between Rafael Benitez, chairman Martin Broughton and managing director Christian Purslow on Thursday.” (ESPN)

World Cup scouting: Miroslav Stoch (Slovakia)

“Loan spells tend to go one of two ways. More often than not they are merely anecdotal footnotes in a player’s career, such as David Beckham’s five-game stint at Preston North End in 1995 or Jermain Defoe’s record-breaking achievements at Bournemouth, but occasionally, as with Joe Hart’s time at Birmingham City this season, they can be the making of a player. Miroslav Stoch’s move to FC Twente unquestionably falls in the latter category.” (Football Further)

Improved fitness and technique exposes the specialists

“The increased conditioning and speed of the game means the technical level of players will be forced to improve thereby exposing the specialists. Juventus’ problems started with their over-reliance on Diego and Felipe Melo. That, some would argue, is justified given that they were big money summer signings but the Old Lady’s woes should not be entirely blamed on the Brazilian pair. Diego, in particular, is not a traditional ‘trequartista’ as he likes to drop deep but Juventus were expecting him to play as one.” (Arsenal Column)

Brazil, Campeonato Série A: 2010 season, with average attendances from 2009

“At the upper right on the map page is a list of 2009 atendances of all the clubs in Brazil’s 2010 Campeonato Série A season. Reigning champions are Flamengo, the giant club from Rio de Janeiro, who had last won the title in 1992. The final match of the season at the Maracana drew 80,000, to see a 2-1 win over Gremio. São Paulo had an uncharacteristic stumble in the run-up, losing away to both Goiás and Botofogo in the weeks leading up to the finish. That massive gate pushed Flamengo to the top of the average attendance list once more.” (billsportsmaps)

Manchester City 0-1 Tottenham: Spurs deservedly into the Champions League

Andrea Mantegna, Pallas Expelling the Vices from the Garden of Virtue
“Tottenham emerged victorious from this Champions League playoff, primarily because they created more clear-cut chances. Peter Crouch’s winner was slightly fortunate, but it was no more than Spurs deserved. Manchester City played their expected line-up in a game they needed to win – two strikers with Emmanuel Adebayor as the targetman, and Carlos Tevez dropping off in behind, in a position he seems to prefer, judging by his recent display at Arsenal. Craig Bellamy and Adam Johnson continued as inverted wingers.” (Zonal Marking)

Manchester City 0 Tottenham Hotspur 1: match report
“Fortune favoured the brave last night and the brave now inherit a fortune. Adventurously set up by Harry Redknapp, Tottenham Hotspur hit the heights of the lucrative Champions League and it was the 6ft 7in Peter Crouch who lifted them and their ecstatic support into dream-land.” (Telegraph – Henry Winter)

Match Of The Midweek: Manchester City 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
“When the Champions League play-off suggestion was made earlier this season (and laughed out of court accordingly), few would have guessed that we would be where we are with four and a half days of the Premier League season left to play. Aston Villa’s wobbly second half of the season coupled with Liverpool ably demonstrating that the abjectness that they displayed during the first half of the season was absolutely no flash in the pan have set up something approaching what the originators of the plan had envisaged. With two matches left of the season, either Manchester City or Tottenham Hotspur will be taking their chances in the final qualifying round of the Champions League. It has been a very odd season indeed in the Premier League.” (twohundredpercent)

Manchester City 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur – Video Highlights and Recap – EPL – 5 May 2010“The battle for the last UEFA Champions League spot in the English Premier League was at stake on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 as Manchester City hosted Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs had a one point lead over City before the match and would clinch a top four finish with a victory. Both teams will be playing in Europe next season in either the Europa or Champions League.” (The 90th Minute)

England Wary of a New American Revolution

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“When England drew the United States, Slovenia and Algeria at the coming World Cup, The Sun tabloid ran a headline that said ‘EASY,’ and added, ‘best English group since the Beatles.’ The British actor Hugh Grant then appeared in New York on ‘The Daily Show’ and told the host, Jon Stewart: ‘I’m always surprised you have a male football team. It’s a female game here.’ As inventors of the sport, the British can be condescending and uninformed about the game in the United States, viewing American soccer with the same smugness that the United States might view English baseball. Not everyone is so dismissive.” (NYT)

ESPN and Hip-Hop Superstar Nas Team Up On Soccer Documentary

“For as far back as I can remember, hip-hop artists have waxed poetic about how hard they had it, and in most cases they’ve been right. However, it is good to see when artists are able to inject some prospective into their view of the world.” (Nutmeg Radio)

2020 Vision of American Soccer’s Future

Peter Wilt – “I like to look at American soccer in decade long chunks. American soccer in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s looked different in each decade and each decade demonstrated growth over its predecessor. The ‘60s was the last decade of soccer as strictly a foreign sport. In the 70s, the NASL brought the sport to American born spectators in large numbers for the first time. The ’80s introduced the sport to children en masse. The ’90s brought two World Cups (including a USA victory in ’99) and MLS.” (Pitch Invasion)

Bayern Munich’s Success Bolsters Germany Roster

“Several members of Bayern Munich have parlayed the German club’s success this season into a potential summer sojourn to South Africa with the national team. Germany Manager Joachim Loew announced his 27-man preliminary World Cup roster Thursday, which included seven Bayern players who won the Bundesliga and are vying for the German Cup and European Champions League crowns.” (NYT)

The social hierachy of football freebies

“Recently I have received several complimentary tickets to watch a Championship team but the experience has been decidedly mixed. When a friend’s son signed for the club near me at the turn of the year, I was delighted for the young man involved but even happier for myself. He was moving hundreds of miles from friends and family and I would be there to support him. Just as importantly, I would get to stuff my face with prawn sandwiches and other delights ordinary paying folk could only dream of.” (WSC)

Tactics: Is the 4-4-2 making a comeback?

“Having supposedly died out halfway through the last decade, the 4-4-2 formation has enjoyed a surprising renaissance this season. England’s unthinking attachment to the shape first introduced by Alf Ramsey’s ‘Wingless Wonders’ in 1966 (pictured) took a battering when José Mourinho swaggered into English football in 2004 and promptly won back-to-back Premier League titles with a counter-attacking 4-3-3 at Chelsea. The 2006 World Cup, meanwhile, was dominated by teams playing in a 4-2-3-1 to such an extent that hosts Germany were the only side playing in a 4-4-2 to achieve anything of note in the tournament.” (Football Further)

Video Of The Week: Match Of The Eighties – 1980/81

“This week’s Video Of The Week may be a couple of days late, but it’s well worth the wait – it’s the first episode of the BBC’s ‘Match Of The Eighties’ series. ‘Match Of The Eighties’, hosted by Danny Baker, was a six-part series that first aired in 1997. It follows a fairly simple theme, telling the story of each of the first six seasons of the 1980s (the series stops at the point at which the BBC lost television rights to show Football League matches). There’s nothing too complex going on here, but the sheer volume of the BBC’s football archive carries it along.” (twohundredpercent)

Marc Antoine Fortuné strikes to strengthen Neil Lennon’s case at Celtic

“This was a night of novel concepts as the unwritten rule of not publicly criticising the other half of the Old Firm was well and truly shot to pieces after Celtic claimed the season’s final derby. A deflected free-kick from Lee Naylor and a close-range effort from Marc-Antoine Fortuné secured victory for the Hoops. Kenny Miller had briefly restored parity, with Rangers feeling they were denied another chance to equalise late on, when Darren O’Dea appeared to handle in his own area.” (Guardian)

Celtic 2-1 Rangers: The Bhoys secure bragging rights but the title is still heading to Ibrox
“Neil Lennon gave his chances of landing the Celtic managers job another boost tonight as he led the Parkhead side to a 2-1 victory over city rivals and newly crowned SPL champions Rangers. Full back Lee Naylor opened the scoring for Celtic before Kenny Miller equalised for Rangers. And on the stroke of half time Marc Antoine Fortune restored Celtic’s lead, a goal which proved to be the winner as Lee McCulloch saw red in the final minute of the game after a lunge on Aiden McGeady.” (ScotZine)

Italy World Cup Team History

World Cup 1982
“We have trudged through to the final part, a portion which is vaguely familiar to many in the peninsula – some good, some bad. In fact, they just about ran the gamut of Italian emotions from ‘98 to ‘06: disappointment, anger and ecstasy. It all may change in June, but as of right now, this long labor of love that is Italian football history has an awfully nice bookend: they won their first and they won the last.” (World Cup Blog – Pt. I: 1934 & 1938), (Pt. II: 1950-1974), (Pt III: 1978 – 1994), (Pt. IV: 1998-2006).

Barcelona 4 – 1 Tenerife

“Lionel Messi struck twice as Barcelona overcame some nervy moments to comfortably beat relegation-threatened Tenerife at the Nou Camp to put the pressure back on fierce rivals Real Madrid as the Primera Division draws to an exciting conclusion. Madrid travel to fourth-placed Mallorca tomorrow night in what looks like the hardest remaining fixture for Manuel Pellegrini’s side. And they will need to win it after Barca saw off Tenerife thanks to goals from Messi (2), Bojan Krkic and Pedro.” (ESPN)

World Cup Legends #1: Just Fontaine

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Just Fontaine
“Despite the superstars that have graced the World Cup over the decades, there is one record that may never be beaten by any player ever again. Only 3 times has a player scored double figures in a World Cup tournament, once in 1954, Sandor Kocsis scored 11, in 1970 the legendary Gerd Muller scored 10 goals. Yet one man surpassed both of these incredible efforts when he scored 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup, French legend, Just Fontaine.” (EPL Talk)

First XI: World Cup wingers

“Following the First XI goalkeepers, defenders, defensive midfielders and attacking midfielders, the latest First XI looks at the wide players who have made their mark on the World Cup.” (ESPN)

Do Liverpool Football Club A Favour Rafa: QUIT

“All great relationships come to an end, the natural course having run as far as it can. Sometimes they start passionately and brightly and quickly burn away to nothingness. Sometimes, they are a slowly burning and taut affair that consumes all within them in a supernova of passion oblivious to all around them. Occasionally, despite saying the opposite, things simply aren’t working. The public face presents a lie, when everything behind the scenes falls apart.” (EPL Talk)

How the 2000s changed tactics #1: The fall and rise of the passing midfielder

“In 2004, Gabriele Marcotti wrote an article for The Times about Barcelona legend Pep Guardiola. It wasn’t a celebratory piece looking back at Guardiola’s fine career, nor remarking on his ability to defy the critics and keep playing at a high standard, like Paolo Maldini. It was about how, in 2004-spec football, Guardiola was useless. That is not to say that he had declined as a player. A physically unremarkable player, his domain was sitting front of his own defence and spraying passes across the pitch for his more illustrious teammates – Michael Laudrup, Hristo Stoichkov and Romario being amongst the biggest names to have benefited from his presence. When Marcotti wrote the article, at 33, Guardiola should have been at his peak.” (Zonal Marking)

Management matters

“I can rarely remember a week that has featured so much chit-chat about managers. Sometimes you begin to wonder whether the players matter any more. Mourinho this, Mourinhno that. The implications of Barcelona’s elimination from the Champions League last week spread far and wide, but in Spain all that matters is that Mourinho has allegedly proved himself eligible for the Bernabeu hot-seat.” (ESPN)

Home turf may not be enough

“Regarding the chances of the African teams in this year’s World Cup, you may have already heard some optimistic prognostication. Something along the lines of this: Ivory Coast will be the first African team to make the semifinals, and perhaps even win the Cup on ‘home’ soil. Ghana is ready to improve on its second-round performance last time out. Algeria is a dangerous dark horse. Host South Africa is sure to do better than expected.” (ESPN)

As Juventus lurk, Rafael Benitez tells fans why he has to go

“General Custer, in his last stand, was ambushed by overwhelming forces. Rafael Benitez might perceive a similar scenario when he barrels to the dugout at Anfield today for what is likely to be his last stand at a stadium where he has given wing to so many dreams.” (TimesOnline)

League Championship, 2009-10 season. The 2 promoted clubs and the 4 Play-Off clubs

“On the right of the map are the 2 clubs automatically promoted to the Premier League for the 2010-11 season…Newcastle United, and West Bromwich Albion, both of whom bounce straight back to the top flight. Shown in each club’s profile box are major domestic titles and League history; 2009-10 average attendance; 2009-10 kits; and 4 photos of the club’s ground. Ditto for the 4 Play-Off clubs (on the left of the map). The four play-off clubs will vie for the third promotion spot…with two legged match-ups of Nottingham Forest versus Blackpool; and Cardiff City versus Leicester City.” (billsportsmaps)

Soccer legend who supports all African teams – and Brazil

Luis Fabiano
“The African footballer of the century clutches an icepack against his cheek. He is hurting. ‘I like to chew bones, turkey bones,’ mumbles George Weah, in a Liberian accent that further complicates comprehension. Watching television one day he got distracted and bit too hard. Visiting the Netherlands last weekend, Weah spent a lot of time with Dutch dentists. In between he talked about Africa and the coming World Cup in South Africa – and about whether it will be an ‘African’ World Cup.” (FI – Simon Kuper)

Unlike Europe, Brazilian league preserves its competitive balance

“In England, Chelsea and Manchester United are fighting for the domestic title. In Spain, it’s Real Madrid and Barcelona. Inter Milan is out front in Italy, as are Bayern Munich in Germany. It’s the same old same old.” (SI – Tim Vickery)

A Mental Game: On Happiness, or Does it Matter Who Wins?

“Why do we care? Why will hundreds of millions of fans watch the World Cup this summer and hinge their lives around game results? Why does it matter whether the millionaire players, coaches, and owners of Inter Milan beat the millionaire players, coaches, and owners of Bayern Munich in the Champions League final? Why does anybody, no matter how few, bother going to watch FC Dallas play?” (Pitch Invasion)

Good Soccer Writing is Fueled by Love (Duh)

“Sorry for the long pause (I think longest in AMSL’s history if I’m not mistaken). I was working. Like last Saturday, when I performed at one of those concerts professional musicians are forced to attend once or twice a year. Far removed from the regular stuff—baroque, period performance in a familiar venue with familiar faces who know when to clap and when to sit silent—I ended up in some Coptic church in Richmond Hill performing Coptic music with a mix of Coptic and classical musicians. It was one of those gigs you walk into initially and think, ‘here we go, the things I do for money etc.’ Hip, professional cynicism.” (A More Splendid Life)

Gilberto Silva has become a symbol of Dunga’s regime

“Nearing 34 and surely on the downward slope, Gilberto Silva prepares for his third World Cup – but the first in which he is guaranteed a place in the starting line-up. In 2002 he was a squad player with a handful of caps, only recently converted from centre-back to defensive midfielder, when on the eve of the tournament Emerson injured himself in a training-ground kickabout and Gilberto had to step in.” (World Soccer – Tim Vickery)

Joan Laporta’s homage to Catalonia

“Outgoing Barcelona president Joan Laporta looks set to run as a candidate for Catalan regional president in elections this November. Although he has yet to announce his candidacy formally, a campaign website is already up and running. “I will continue to dedicate the best years of my life to the country I love,” says a beaming Laporta. “The moment has come for us all to serve Catalonia.” With Catalan voters apparently fed up with their current Socialist-led coalition government, a recent poll already has a nominal Laporta-led party getting 17 per cent of votes. This would give Laporta control of a decisive block of seats in the Catalan parliament and plenty of Nick Clegg style bargaining power.” (WSC)

A Liverpool supporter’s dilemma

“Liverpool find themselves in the awkward position of potentially crowning bitter rivals Manchester United as Premier League champions today. If Liverpool defeat Chelsea, United could set up their 19th League title by beating Sunderland today and Stoke next week, while also going above Liverpool as the most successful club in the history of English football.” (WSC)

Brazilian Serie A season previewed

“Last season Flamengo came from nowhere to win their sixth title – and first since 1992 – with perennial stand-in Andrade establishing himself as first-team coach in the process. However, quite apart from the distraction of the Libertadores Cup, a repeat performance will be difficult. The contracts of glamorous strike pair Vagner Love and Adriano run out in mid-campaign – and even if the latter stays his tendency to miss training is always liable to set off mini crises in the club’s ever-turbulent environment.” (World Soccer – Tim Vickery), (World Soccer – Tim Vickery)

Milan 1-0 Fiorentina: Prandelli’s formation frustrates again

“A game which had a distinctly end-of-season feel to it – Milan’s victory assured Champions League football for next season, whilst Fiorentina’s defeat continued their miserable end to the season. Milan welcomed back Marco Borello after his suspension last weekend, and fielded the 4-2-1-3 shape that Leonardo has persisted with for the second half of the season. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar played a narrow right-sided role, whilst Clarence Seedorf was the link between midfield and attack.” (Zonal Marking)

Van Gaal Works Magic at Bayern

“Bayern Munich capped the perfect week by beating Bochum 3-1 on Saturday, four days after triumphing at Lyon 3-0 to advance to the Champions League final. Coupled with a 2-0 home loss by Schalke—which had gone into the game tied with Bayern at the top of the Bundesliga—it effectively means the Munich club has won the German league for a record 22nd time.” (WSJ)

Liverpool 0 – 2 Chelsea

Adoration of the Magi, Sandro Botticelli
“Chelsea edged closer to the Premier League title with a crucial victory over Liverpool at Anfield. An error by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard handed Didier Drogba a simple opening goal in the first half and Frank Lampard added a second after the break. The result ensured Chelsea remained in pole position to win their first championship for four years but also finally put paid to the Merseysiders’ hopes of securing Champions League football next season.” (ESPN)

Liverpool 0-2 Chelsea: goals change games
“In the end, Chelsea were comfortable, and effectively won the title today against a poor, tired Liverpool side that didn’t get a shot on target until the 91st minute of the match – but Liverpool had started the stronger. The home side were without their regular full-backs, and chose to deploy Javier Mascherano at right-back, and Daniel Agger at left-back. Alberto Aquilani started as the most advanced of the three midfield players.” (Zonal Marking)

Didier Drogba says Steven Gerrard’s mistake gave Chelsea confidence
“Didier Drogba, the Chelsea centre-forward, said that Steven Gerrard’s mistake had given the Premier League leaders the momentum they needed to go four points clear of title rivals Manchester United. Drogba nipped in to intercept Gerrard’s back pass to put Chelsea ahead and Frank Lampard added a second after the break.” (Guardian)

Barca back, relegation battle hots up

“Barcelona bounced back from their disappointing exit in the Champions League at the hands of ten-man Inter Milan with a commanding 4-1 away win over Villarreal. The Catalans, who currently lead La Liga, went ahead in the 19th minute through a classy finish from Lionel Messi who bagged his 27th goal in the league. Their lead was doubled soon after as Xavi curled a free-kick over the wall and past the despairing dive of Diego Lopez.” (ESPN)

Spain: The Year of Success for La Roja?

“The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa is almost upon us and millions around the world will be tuned in with all eyes on this year’s favourites, Spain. They have been regularly touted as potential champions for many years now, and rightly so with the talent they have at their disposal. But somehow it always seems to end in disappointment.” (Just Football)

One Style Does Not Fit All: Deconstructing A Universal Football Style

“Africa has some of the best footballers in the world dominating some of the world’s best leagues. Yet African nations tend to struggle when their players come together for internationals. What gives? The easy answer to this conundrum almost always begins and ends with what has become a familiar refrain; African football lacks discipline. But if that’s the case, someone needs to explain why African teams have dominated for years at the youth level. Consistently beating the best footballing nations must require a certain level of organization and discipline even at the youth level, no? Surely the answer to this age old problem is more complex than discipline.” (Nutmeg Radio)

Quality time (1954 style)

“Ay ay all, and fit like theday? Today is a national holiday in The Netherlands, meaning I’ve got to spend quality time with the family, which as anyone with kids and a day off from work will know translates approximately as ‘get awa fae thon computer for once!’. So probably no updates today and probably no Four to Follow either; take a look at the piece we did yesterday for something approaching an SFL preview for this weekend.” (Inside Left)

Lev Yashin: Russian Revolutionary

“Soviet Union goalkeeper Lev Yashin was a true football revolutionary, who transformed the way people viewed his position and became a shining example to future generations of stoppers. Oozing charisma and talent in abundance, Yashin earned iconic status for pioneering a new approach to playing between the posts and is regularly attributed the title of ‘greatest goalkeeper to have played the game’.” (ESPN)

World Cup scouting: Nicolás Otamendi (Argentina)

Nicolás Otamendi
“While much of the attention surrounding Argentina’s World Cup campaign will understandably focus on their star-studded attacking line-up, their chances of success in South Africa depend just as much – if not more – on Diego Maradona’s ability to configure an effective defensive unit.” (Football Further)

Football Conference (aka Blue Square Premier League)-Top of the table, 2009-10 season

“Stevenage Borough will play in the Football League next season for the first time in their 35 year history. Stevenage Borough were famously denied entrance into the Football League in 1996, when, after winning the Conference, their automatic promotion was denied due to their ground being below standards. So 14 years later, it’s payback time for Stevenage and their fans. In the interim, the club had improved their ground, Broadhall Way, to the point where it was considered one of the top facilities in the Conference. This season, Stevenage saw a 30% increase in average attendance, to a very respectable 2,589 per game.” (billsportsmaps)

Security and the World Cup

“I’ve just had an interesting meeting with a man who runs a big private security company in South Africa. He’s looking after one foreign football team, and many VIPs, during the World Cup. For a variety of reasons he didn’t want his name to be mentioned, but here are some of the main observations he made about the upcoming tournament, and South Africa in general.” (BBC)

Analysing Arsenal’s pressing system

“Arsenal’s pressing game has suffered since the start of the season mostly due to a matter of distances. Shortened names are all the rage these days. From Subo (Susan Boyle), R-Pat (Robert Pattinson) and Brangelina (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie), it’s a wonder they still haven’t thought of one for Babyshambles front man Pete Doherty. And after Barcelona swept all before them to bag six trophies last year, with Bordaeux and Chile prevailing as underdogs doing it, Arsenal became the latest side at the start of this season to adopt football’s trendiest tactic – that of ‘high intensity pressing’.” (Arsenal Column)