“In our latest interview feature we talk to Fiorentina fan and Italian football expert, Giancarlo Rinaldi. Mr.Rinaldi is the author of Kindle football best-seller, 20 Great Italian Games. He has a wealth of knowledge of the Italian games and shares his thoughts on his Viola, the 2013-14 Serie A season and the Italian national team.” Outside of the Boot
“Cristiano Ronaldo produced an extraordinary performance to win this play-off almost single-handedly. Erik Hamren named an unchanged starting XI from the first leg, which finished in a 1-0 Portugal victory. Paolo Bento’s side had one change – Hugo Almeida had made the difference in the first leg as a substitute, so replaced Helder Postiga upfront. It’s difficult to remember a contest that had been promoted so much beforehand as, essentially, an individual battle between two players. Football isn’t an individual sport, of course, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo lived up to the pre-match hype, and completely dominated their sides. Formation battle.” Zonal Marking – Michael Cox (Video)
“Petr Cech has consistently proven that he is one of the best goal keepers in the Premier League and possibly in the World. Prior to getting his career threatening head injury he was arguably the best keeper in the league. Even in the aftermath, whilst having the odd shaky moment he was generally a very consistent performer for Chelsea. Has he though been below par this season?” Think Football
“When Edison Cavani made a move to PSG, and Falcao to Monaco, many assumed that the league’s top scorers will perpetually be the two newbies alongside a certain Swedish teammate of Cavani. However, 12 games in, the French league is benefiting from the exploits of other men too, namely Riviere, Cvitanich, Djordjevic and a certain Benfica loanee to Rennes- Nelson Oliveira.” Outside of the Boot
“Alexis Sanchez trod in the footsteps of Marcelo Salas with his two goals to beat England at Wembley on Friday night. Salas scored his Wembley goals – also a 2-0 win – in a warm-up game for France 98, a tournament at which he once more gave evidence of his quality and where Chile had their moments. They made it out of their group but they did not win a single game, going down to Brazil in the second round after three consecutive draws. The current Chile side under Jorge Sampaoli are capable of better things, and not just because the 2014 World Cup is on their home continent.” BBC
“MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 ARSENAL. A feature of Mesut Ozil’s game normally is just how prominent he is. The Arsenal playmaker is willing to roam far and wide to get the ball. Yet in the first half at Old Trafford he was unusually anonymous. That reflected on how well Phil Jones, in particular, played against him and how United patrolled the area in front of their centre-backs. Ozil’s first-half pitch map shows how rarely his team-mates got him on the ball in the No. 10 position (in contrast, there are a cluster of dots near either touchline) and how United kept him out of the positions where he can do most damage. …” ESPN
Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal: Tactical Analysis
“The rivalry between Manchester United and Arsenal in the Premier League era has been intense with quite a few memorable encounters between the 2. Incidents such as the infamous tunnel confrontation between Viera and Keane and the bizarre ‘Pizzagate’ fiasco are ones that continue to be widely referenced years after their actual occurrence. Having said that, the rivalry has mellowed over the last few years owing largely to Arsenal’s rather long transition period. Robin van Persie’s transfer last season saw some of the edge return and with Arsenal flying high this season, this is a fixture that both sets of fans were desperate to win.” Outside of the Boot
“It took just 15 minutes of Southampton’s 4-1 victory over Hull before the inevitable chants started from the Northam Stand, the loudest section of St Mary’s. ‘En-ger-land, En-ger-land, Eng-er-land’ was the first. ‘Come on England!’ swiftly followed. This wasn’t, of course, a message of support for the national side as a whole ahead of England’s upcoming friendlies against Chile and Germany. It was something of a boast: for the first time since the mid-1980s, three Southampton players have been selected the England squad in Adam Lallana, Jay Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert.” ESPN – Michael Cox
“As we head into the last international break of 2013, there is good news and bad for Tottenham Hotspur: 11 games in, Spurs are one point out of the top four and only five points away from the summit despite breaking in seven new players. This is due to the side’s dominant defensive performance which, if you exclude the second half against West Ham, has conceded 3 goals in 21 halves of football–three goals per 10.5 games, in other words. Stretched out over a full season, that’s 11 goals conceded over an entire campaign. Mourinho’s 04-05 Chelsea conceded 15 in a year, and while Spurs are unlikely to challenge that mark (see: the second half of the West Ham match), they might come close.” Think Football
“Despite having a new manager in Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City’s struggles at the Stadium of Light continued as they lost 1-0 again to Sunderland. Here are three observations from Sunderland’s big upset: City’s Wearside woes continue as new-look Sunderland grow. ‘Dickensian’ is the best way to describe Manuel Pellegrini’s first Premier League campaign. A tale of two Citys, it has been the best of times at home and the worst of times away from it.” ESPN
“As Liverpool fans we’re steeped in the mythology of our managers as geniuses. It started with Bill Shankly’s incredible personality, continued with Bob Paisley’s remarkable success, and carried on through to Kenny Dalglish in the late ‘80s, where his clear genius as a player only added to his aura as a boss. More recently, there is little doubt to anyone who doesn’t harbour an irrational grudge that Rafa Benítez was a tactical genius, in the way he masterminded runs to two Champions League Finals by outwitting the managers of more established and expensive sides, and the amount of high-pressure matches he won. Like it or not, Brendan Rodgers has these ghosts to try and live up to.” Tomkins Times
“Dortmund had significantly more shots, but Arsenal snatched a winner and saw out the game efficiently. Jurgen Klopp was without Mats Hummels and Ilkay Gundogan, so named an unchanged side. Arsene Wenger didn’t have anyone back from injury, so kept the same side that defeated Liverpool. This game was simultaneously high-tempo and slow-burning – an uneventful first half was followed by a very exciting second.” Zonal Marking
Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Arsenal: Tactical Analysis
“Group F was always going to provide us with a few exciting games. Many have lamented the fact that Europe’s elite competition has stopped being well, elite which leads to some of the smaller, less prestigious clubs featuring in the group stages. This means that we witness quite a few one sided games with the traditional heavyweights usually brushing aside the so called weaker teams. However, there was absolutely no danger of that happening in Group F which featured Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Napoli and Marseille.” Outside of the Boot
Dortmund fans visibly deflated as Arsenal score
“It was all going so well for these Borussia Dortmund fans, until Aaron Ramsey popped up to score for Arsenal against the run of play.” World Soccer (Video)
“If Real Madrid are to be genuine Champions League contenders, then they must eradicate the defensive frailties that currently run through the team. In La Liga, you can more or less get away with it. Not in Europe, though. There’s no hiding place and you will get punished for lapses in concentration at key points of the game. For Juventus’ first goal, young and emerging central defender Raphael Varane stupidly dived into the back of Paul Pogba, knowing very well he wasn’t going to reach the ball. It was an entirely needless tackle to make as Pogba was heading for a tight angle in which to shoot. Juventus scored, albeit with a stunning spot kick from Arturo Vidal, and Carlo Ancelotti’s men were on the back foot.” Think Football
Juventus 2-2 Real Madrid: Tactical Analysis
“As the fourth round of matches got underway this week, the first of the big ones to be played was at the Juventus Stadium. The Bianconeri hosted the Galacticos 2.0 in what was a must win encounter for the Old Lady. A win for real would see them secure their place in the next round very early, and spell doom for Juventus. Conte started his side in a 4-1-4-1 formation. The back four consisted of Caceres, Barzagli, Bonucci and Asamoah from right to left. Pirlo was the regista in front of them. The 4 ahead of him were expected to run up and down the pitch to provide defensive cover and attacking thrust. Llorente was the lone striker.” Outside of the Boot
“Washington ‘Pulpo; Etchamendi never quite got the fame his quick wit and sharp tongue deserved. His top lip warmed by a pencil moustache, he was a portly figure, and no mean manager either. He spent much of his career in his native Uruguay with clubs like Defensor Sporting and Liverpool before taking charge of Nacional and leading the Montevideo side to three league titles and, in 1971, their first ever Copa Libertadores.” ESPN
“Arsenal triumphed in a fast-paced and tactically interesting contest. With Jack Wilshere and Mathieu Flamini out, Arsene Wenger had no real selection dilemmas. Brendan Rodgers continued with his 3-5-2 system, although was without both first-choice wing-backs, with Glen Johnson a late withdrawal – Jon Flanagan played instead. Arsenal were the better side – just about keeping Liverpool’s front two quiet, and dominating both centrally and down the flanks in possession.” Zonal Marking
“It sounds ridiculous to suggest a player with two European Cup winners’ medals should regard the competition as unfinished business — but Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian midfielder Thiago Motta will be desperate to triumph in the competition for a third time. After all, while Motta has a variety of hard-earned medals — he’s won titles in three different countries — his European successes must feel rather hollow.” ESPN – Michael Cox
“The past summer was one in which change was the watchword in the upper echelons of the Premier League. The top 3 of last season all have new managers at the helm; a fact that many hope will lead to another exciting title race. This upheaval also means that teams such as Arsenal and Liverpool have an excellent opportunity to challenge for the title. Coming into the game it was a case of so far so good for both sides. Since their defeat to Villa on the opening day of the season, Arsenal dropped just 2 points out of a possible 24 and occupied the top spot in the league table. Meanwhile, Liverpool have been impressive and boast of arguably the most dangerous strike partnership in the league right now in the form of Sturridge and Suarez.” Outside of the Boot
Arsenal: Premier League’s top side answer their critics in style
“Arsene Wenger will face the same questions until the day he can hold up a trophy in front of his inquisitors and remove the 2005 FA Cup triumph as the last entry in his and Arsenal’s list of honours. Wenger knows there are still doubts about his team’s resilience and staying power – but he can deliver the answers with increasing confidence after a 2-0 win against Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on Saturday that left Arsenal five points clear at the top of the Premier League.” BBC
Rodgers must resist urge for wholesale change
“Liverpool’s defeat at the Emirates on Saturday has thrown up far more questions than it provided answers. The most simplistic way to break the game down would be to say that Brendan Rodgers’ men lost to a better side and that it highlighted the remaining gap between the Reds and where they want to be. That’s the line most have taken and while it’s mostly a fair one, I don’t think it paints an entirely accurate picture as a lot of Liverpool’s problems in this game were of their own making and are therefore — hopefully — fixable.” ESPN (Video)
Three Things: Arsenal vs. Liverpool
“Three observations from Arsenal’s Premier League victory against Liverpool at the Emirates. After the difficulties of the past two weeks and the past two big games, the surprise here was how thoroughly easy it was for Arsenal in this 2-0 victory. They were a step above Liverpool in almost every facet of the game and proved themselves a class above as a team. In many ways, this was reminiscent of the defeat Arsenal themselves suffered to Borussia Dortmund here. Liverpool simply came up against a more sophisticated outfit, both in terms of tactics and technique.” ESPN
Matchday Musings: Arsenal 2-0 Liverpool
“… Koscielney dispatches SAS. In the lead up to the game, Liverpool’s new ‘SAS’ strike partnership was on everyone’s lips. Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez have been in scintillating form this season, scoring a superb amount of goals. Therefore when they lined up in front of a packed Emirates, goals were to be expected. Arsene Wenger stuck with his trusted pair at centre back, and they did an excellent job of stopping the most in form strikers in the league. Per Mertesacker put in a great shift, but Laurent Kocielney’s performance was to be admired. Sturridge tended to drift in to wider positions, with Suarez employing most of the Frenchman’s time. He dealt with him with ease, limiting him to very few opportunities. Staying tight to Suarez isn’t everyone’s idea of how to tame him, but it worked today and really gave Arsenal a great platform.” Beyond The Ninety Minutes
“… Gerard Pique, 7.1. Pique had one of his best games of the season. He was making plays all over the pitch, even getting involved on the attack, creating a good scoring chance with Alexis. Pique was near the top in just about every defensive category, even leading the team, by a large margin, in clearances. He was positionally very sound, though he did venture out of position on a few occasions. Pique’s distribution was excellent all game long as me misplaced just three short passes.” Barca Blaugranes
“With their 2-1 win against Hoffenheim, Bayern Munich have equalled Hamburg’s record of 36 consecutive Bundesliga games without a defeat, set back in 1983. The win also means that Pep Guardiola is undefeated in his first eleven games in charge of the club, the first coach in club history to do so. Goals from Mario Mandzukic and Thomas Müller put Bayern back atop the league after Dortmund’s win on Friday night and it also continues Hoffenheim’s winless record against the defending champions.” Bundesliga Fanatic
“The final game on an action packed Saturday saw Fiorentina travel to Milan to take on the Rossonieri. Milan have struggled in the league so far, and found themselves in 10th place going into the game. Fiorentina had played some fantastic football, but failed to convert it into results thus far. Neither team was especially close to the top or even the Champions League places, and therefore it this match was very significant to both teams, as a win could get them back on the trail for Champions League football.” Outside of the Boot
“The seduction of the beautiful game, and loyalty to our team of choice, had brought us all to the same point: currently joint top in the English Premier League. Far from being a unifying occurrence, it kindled and stoked differences of opinion, reflective of our diversity and richness of thought perhaps; not that many saw it that way. Once more, the debate became fractious; fans were reading from the same book – except not all were on the same page.” Tomkins Times
“While Arsenal’s excellent beginning to 2013-14 has owed much to Mesut Ozil’s arrival, Mathieu Flamini’s return and Aaron Ramsey’s sudden transformation into a top-class midfielder, the Gunners’ form has actually been very good over the course of 2013. No side has collected more points than Arsenal this calendar year and the Gunners have lost just one of their last 19 league matches, on the opening day, at home to Aston Villa. The turning point, it seems, was in the wake of the defeat to Tottenham at White Hart Lane in early March, a match in which Arsenal’s defensive positioning was awful. The back four was repeatedly opened up by a combination of through-balls and runs in behind, because of Arsenal’s high defensive line, combined with no pressure on the ball.” ESPN – Michael Cox (Video)
“The new Premier league season has seen an unlikely leader- Arsenal. With the lack of transfer activity for large parts of the window, fans were getting restless and a terrible opening day loss at home to Villa only worsened things. However, it has all been smooth sailing for Arsenal since then, with the team pulling out great football, a lot of wins, and some excellent signings like Flamini and Ozil to find themselves leading the pack in October. However, before we begin to wax lyrical about the Gunners and their prospects, we must all remind ourselves that this could be classic Arsenal, terrific start, but mess ups at key moments. And of course, one or two signings cannot really paper over the cracks of a squad that just about managed to finish 4th last season, or can it? Which leads us to the topic of the latest installment of our debate feature: Can Arsenal win the Premier League?” Outside of the Boot
“Roy Hodgson and David Moyes have a common problem — even if of late he has gone under the guise of the solution. But for Wayne Rooney’s goals, England might not have qualified for the 2014 World Cup. But for his all-round input, Manchester United’s undistinguished start to the season would surely have been far worse. After a summer of speculation about his future, a fitter, happier and more prolific Rooney has been in a rich vein of form this season.” ESPN
“Brendan Rodgers has been enjoying great success with Liverpool this season, most recently in a 3-5-2 formation that has seen his side rise to third in the league, just two points off the leaders Arsenal. Liverpool travel to The Emirates on Saturday to face Arsenal, but should they re-consider their 3-5-2 formation?” Think Football
“This was first against second in Portugal – champions Porto won, extending the gap to five points. Paulo Fonseca selected Silvestre Varela on the left, with Lica on the bench – otherwise, his side was as expected. Sporting coach Leonardo Jardim played Ivan Piris in an unfamiliar left-back role, in the absence of Jefferson Nascimento. Porto were the dominant force for the majority of this match, and deserved the victory.” Zonal Marking
“Two ex-Atletico strikers – Fernando Torres and Sergio Aguero – were the most prominent players in a fast-paced, exciting clash. Jose Mourinho played Gary Cahill rather than David Luiz, and left out Juan Mata with Andre Schurrle and Eden Hazard on the wings. Torres started after his two goals against Schalke in midweek. Manuel Pellegrini used Martin Demichelis for the first time, played three central midfielders with Yaya Toure pushed to the top of the triangle, two ball-players on the flanks, and Aguero upfront alone. Joe Hart’s huge error in the 90th minute decided the game, and overall this was evenly balanced.” Zonal Marking
“FC Barcelona defeated Real Madrid by a 2-1 score line in the first El Clásico of the 2013-14 season. Neymar shined as he grabbed a goal in his Clásico debut. Alexis Sanchez made the Camp Nou jump for joy with his golazo in the 78th minute. Jesé got a late goal for Los Blancos, but it was too late as Tata Martino’s team are now six points up on Los Blancos in the La Liga standings.” Barca Blaugranes
Ten keys to Barca’s Clasico win
“Although Saturday’s clasico was not the greatest of spectacles — ultimately, it was a more tactical and less petty contest than recent ones — it served to give Barca an important three points, doubling their lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. Here are 10 key factors to Barca’s victory.” ESPN (Video)
Barcelona manager Tata Martino takes first blood in Clasico
“Saturday’s managerial clash of Clasico debutants ended decisively in favour of Barcelona’s Tata Martino, with Carlo Ancelotti now facing a rough ride from the Madrid media following Real’s deserved 2-1 defeat at the Nou Camp. Goals from Neymar and Alexis Sanchez ensured Jese Rodriguez’s late strike was irrelevant. Before the game, Ancelotti was the man with the biggest decisions to make. His team had been winning but playing poorly, and there were clear deficiencies to address in a number of areas on the pitch.” BBC
Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid: Tactical Analysis
“Despite the Premier League being the ‘global league’ in terms of visibility and a hold on the football market in numerous countries, there’s one game that supersedes all of the Premier League games. That of course is none other than ‘El Clasico’, the highly charged game between Barcelona and Real Madrid. From severed pig heads to eye pokes (yes Mourinho, we still remember that one) this fixture has a knack of producing high and sometimes downright bizarre drama. In between all the political undercurrents of this fixture, there is some scarily good football that is on show when the 2 sides battle it out.” Outside of the Boot
“Eight hours at the coalface, 13-page report, 2am finish. Blurred eyes, frazzled mind, empty stomach. All for £4. That’s what a day working in elite English football can net you. If you’re ‘only’ a scout, that is. Scouts are the lifeblood of the game, yet probably the most undervalued part of it. …” BBC
“On Saturday, while the world braced itself for a Clasico, the biggest derby in Germany took place at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen. The two sides of the Ruhr district, Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund faced off in a match that has as much history as it does animosity. Coming into this game, Schalke sat in 5th place after a bit of a chaotic start to the season. Dortmund on the other hand were in second, and a win could have taken them to the apex of the Bundesliga. Schalke started with a 4-2-3-1. At the back, Uchida was moved to right back, and Howedes to the middle. Along side Howedes was the talented Joel Matip, and Kolasinac was the left back. In the midfield, Aogo and Neustadter were the chosen ones, behind Fuchs on the left, Prince in the middle, and Draxler on the right. Adam Szalai was the lone striker.” Outside of the Boot
“It is rare that a month goes by without somebody emailing me or tweeting me to point out that John Giles has said on television that it’s not the formation that matters but the players. Many seem to offer the line aggressively, as though the assertion somehow invalidates the notion of tactics in football. To draw that conclusion, though, is to misunderstand what tactics and formations are, to fall into the trap of thinking that players can somehow be separated from the tactical framework. Nobody ever played a game of football without both players and tactics. It’s simply not possible: as soon as there is more than one player, there is necessarily a relationship between them and, however little thought goes into that, that is tactical. But that doesn’t mean, as some appear to think, that the formation outweighs the players whose distribution it describes.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson
“One of the fundamental principles of Barcelona’s philosophy is the consistent use of a 4-3-3 formation. It is their trio in midfield — the heart of any football side, but particularly one that insists upon possession dominance and bossing the centre ground — that has always felt most idiosyncratic. In that zone, the club have frequently played three Spanish La Masia graduates over the past four years: Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.” ESPN – Michael Cox
“Despite losing the contest, Antonio Conte can arguably draw more positives from this match after his side performed impressively with ten men. Carlo Ancelotti selected a 4-3-3 system for the second time this season, with Gareth Bale and Isco both on the bench. Iker Casillas returned in goal. Conte went for a 4-5-1 system with Claudio Marchisio and Carlos Tevez either side of the midfield, and Fernando Llorente upfront alone. Leonardo Bonucci was left out, and Angelo Ogbonna played at left-back. The game was fairly evenly balanced in the first half, with Giorgio Chiellini’s unnecessary penalty concession handing Real the advantage. After Chiellini’s dismissal, Real dominated possession but failed to put the game beyond Juve.” Zonal Marking
“FC Nürnberg have announced that Dutch coach Gertjan Verbeek, 51, will take over the coaching duties at Der Club following the dismissal of Michael Wiesinger two weeks ago. Verbeek, a former SC Heerenveen defender, will coach his first game outside of Dutch football this weekend against VfB Stuttgart as 16th place Nürnberg seek their first win of the season. Veerbeek began his coaching career at Heracles Almelo in 2001, and has also led Heerenveen, Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar in Dutch competition.” Bundesliga Fanatic
“In a match that, at best, looked like it could be heading for a 1-1 draw, Borussia Dortmund found a Lewandowski goal on a stunning counter to win 2-1 in north London at Arsenal’s home ground in Champions League play on Tuesday. For BVB, a massive win and, for Arsenal, a disappointing and unexpected loss. Entering the contest, Arsenal led Group F with wins from its first two matches, while Dortmund sat in the group’s middle, thanks to its loss (against Napoli) and win (against Olympique Marseilles). Moreover, Arsenal also entered the match as the Premier’s hottest club, sitting atop the table on 19 points – unbeaten for seven matches now in domestic play. While many predicted a goal-fest – thanks to the attacking firepower on both rosters – these same folks also forgot that both clubs are also very good defensively, in terms of shots and goals conceded. After today’s result, Group F – the ‘group of death’ – has been blown wide open.” Bundesliga Fanatic
“Champions Juventus suffered their first defeat of the season, despite taking a 2-0 lead by half-time. Vincenzo Montella is still without Mario Gomez, so fielded Giuseppe Rossi upfront alone, and brought Massimo Ambrosini into the midfield. Antonio Conte left out Arturo Vidal after he was late back from international duty, but fielded Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente upfront together. This was one of those crazy, inexplicable football matches where the goals had little relation to the tactical battle unfolding – but it was still a fascinating contest.” Zonal Marking
“The last time Antonio Conte faced Real Madrid, it was a truly momentous occasion. The current Juventus manager played a very small role during La Vecchia Signora’s 3-1 win over Real Madrid in 2003, replacing Edgar Davids late on as Marcello Lippi guided his side through to an all-Italian Champions League final against Milan. However, that semifinal victory remains one of Juventus’ most famous victories this century — and it signalled the beginning of the end for Real Madrid’s Galacticos.” ESPN – Michael Cox
“Roma still have a 100% record in Serie A, and extended their gap over second-placed Napoli to five points. Rudi Garcia changed both his full-backs – Federico Balzaretti was suspended so Dodo played at left-back, with Maicon back in for Vasilis Torosidis. Rafael Benitez was unable to use Gonzalo Higuain from the start, so Goran Pandev started upfront. The absence of Juan Zuniga meant Giandomenico Mesto played at left-back. Roma ran out winners, but this game could have gone either way – Napoli had plenty of chances at 0-0.” Zonal Marking
“The brutish reality is that Liverpool dropped two points against Newcastle. The cacophony of noise at full-time alerted all who could hear it. The medley of relieved Geordies and the disbelieving away following, prompted by the tardy toot of the referee’s whistle, confirmed it. Even simple mathematics proves it. Liverpool drew 2-2 at St James’ Park and took one point instead of three. They did so against a side that had 10 men — one man less than Liverpool — for over 45 minutes. Two points most definitely, undeniably, frustratingly dropped.” ESPN
Newcastle United 2-2 Liverpool: Tactical Analysis
“Newcastle vs Liverpool is always an exciting fixture, as history bears witness. The two sides have always thrown up some wonderful football, some fantastic results and memorable moments. This particular game wasn’t quite as brilliant, but it did have it’s fair share of incidents and excitement (and so very nearly an entralling end). Coming into the fixture, all the talk was about Loic Remy and Daniel Sturridge who were the two leading scorers of the league. Newcastle twice took the lead in this game, even being reduced to 10 men in between those goals. Steven Gerrard notched up his 100th league goal for Liverpool while Daniel Sturridge continued his rich form. Cabaye was Newcastle goal-scorer with a fantastic long attempt, while Paul Dummet scored his first for the home side in only his second appearance.” Outside of the Boot
“After Roma did well to beat Napoli in their clash on Friday evening, Juventus had to win this match up in order to keep pace with their Roman rivals at the top of the table. Fiorentina on the other hand had slipped into 6th place, after flattering to deceive, with many of their performances not getting the desired results. It was therefore a clash that was important to both teams in the context of their positions on the table and the momentum they needed.” Outside of the Boot
“Mesut Ozil scored his first two Premier League goals with two classy, well taken finishes against Norwich. Initially an injury doubt for the game, the German lined up from the start to gain his side another two points. His first goal was an excellent finish early in the second half, and he then sealed the game of with an eighty-eighth minute finish. The goals cap of an exceptional start to his Arsenal career. A start that has propelled the Gunners to top of league.” Beyond The Ninety Minutes
“For his fourth consecutive clean sheet on the road Valdes had very little to do. Officially he was credited with one save and a single cross claim in what was one of the calmest games of the season for the Barcelona goalkeeper. His long range passing struggled once again, but his short passes were on the mark. Valdes’ highlight of the game came in the 83rd minute when he made one of his trademark 25 yard sweeper-keeper runs to clear a loose ball the could’ve led to danger.” Barca Blaugranes
“Branislav Ivanovic has emerged as a top class player for Chelsea since he joined the club. The Serbian centre-back is a no nonsense centre-back or right back whose versatility has made him an asset for every manager whom he has served under. There is however a debate in some quarters over what his best position is, so is Ivanovic wasted at right back?” Think Football
“In an ideal world, Gerardo Martino wouldn’t be coaching Barcelona this season. Whereas the majority of Europe’s top clubs were after a new manager this summer because of footballing reasons, Barca were forced to turn to a new coach because of Tito Vilanova’s health problems. That makes Martino’s task slightly complicated, because this summer there was a genuine debate about how much Barcelona needed to evolve their style of play. Martino has not been appointed because his predecessor failed, but because he was simply unable to continue.” Zonal Marking
“The fascinating thing about international football is that managers must cope with a very definite group of players. Whereas at club level, weaknesses can be solved by signing new players, at international level it’s not unusual for a top-class side to completely lack quality in one particular position. Sometimes, this forces managers to formulate innovative new tactical ideas to compensate for that weakness – but often, it simply means the side has a weak link. With eight months to go until the World Cup, here’s a look at six big international sides who have an obvious problem position.” ESPN – Michael Cox
“Eight matches into last year’s La Liga season, Atletico Madrid were level on points with Barcelona at the top. At the same stage of this campaign, they are in exactly the same position, separated by goal difference having won all of their opening eight league games, 2 points better off than the seven wins and one draw they had recorded last year. In fact, Atletico’s standing is in much better shape than that. They opened the season with 2 draws with Barcelona which saw them narrowly defeated in the Supercopa via away goals and have complimented their league form with 2 wins out of 2 in the Champions League, making it 15 competitive games unbeaten following on from last season. You have to go back to February and Rayo Vallecano to trace their last defeat on the road, making it 17 games without an away loss in all competitions.” Outside of the Boot
“Roma maintained their 100% record with a win at previously unbeaten Inter. Walter Mazzarri made two changes from the 1-1 draw at Cagliari, bringing in Saphir Taider and Rodrigo Palacio for Mateo Kovacic and Ishak Belfodil. Predictably, Rudi Garcia kept exactly the same side which demolished Bologna 5-0. This was another superb Roma display – and although their 3-0 half-time lead was slightly flattering, they played some sparkling football at times.” Zonal Marking
“In 2009 the sports economist Stefan Szymanski and I published a book about football and data called Why England Lose. Going into the World Cup of 2010, people kept asking us: ‘Aren’t you worried about your title? What if England win?’ We weren’t very worried, and predictably, England lost. Later we changed the title anyway, because it turned out (amazingly) that English people wouldn’t buy a book called Why England Lose. Still, our original title remains pertinent. England enter their last qualifying matches against Montenegro and Poland on October 11 and 15 very uncertain to qualify for next year’s World Cup. It’s time to explain, once and for all, why England lose.” <a href=”http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/8683a198-2bc4-11e3-a1b7-00144feab7de.html#axzz2hFhItdi7FT – Simon Kuper
“Liverpool would have continued with the same XI used for the past two games if it wasn’t for the Lucas ban that enforced a change. Sterling came in as right wing-back, enabling Henderson to occupy Lucas’ spot beside Gerrard. For Palace Delaney was surprisingly fit to start, and he replaced the injured Gabbidon. With Dikgacoi injured too and Bannan unexpectedly left out of the match squad (without any indication he was injured), Holloway had to make two changes in his midfield. In came O’Keefe and the available again Puncheon (he was unable to play in the last game as it was against his parent club, Southampton). In attack Gayle was replaced by Jerome.” Tomkins Times
Tactical Analysis: Should Roy Hodgson build his England team around Daniel Sturridge?
“England face two crucial World Cup qualifiers in the next two weeks. Roy Hodgson’s side earned a valuable draw in Ukraine during the last round of fixtures and sit top of their group on 16 points, a point ahead of Ukraine and Montenegro who are second and third respectively and three points above Poland. With England ready to face two sides who are capable of finishing above them in the next fortnight, these could be crucial games for Hodgson’s men, make or break fixtures on the road to Brazil 2014. So how should Roy Hodgson set his side up?” Think Football
“The use of well-worn football cliches can be frustrating, but the cliches themselves are generally easy to understand — which, of course, is why they remain so frequently used by fans and pundits alike. It can be confusing, however, when two accepted cliches completely contradict one another. This is particularly problematic when considering a player’s true level of ability. On one hand, we’re told that ‘Form is temporary, class is permanent.’ On the other, ‘You’re only as good as your last game.’ So how are we supposed to view Esteban Cambiasso, for example? Superb throughout the past decade, yet wretched during Inter’s 3-0 weekend defeat at home to Roma — if we follow both cliches, Cambiasso is simultaneously ‘class’ and ‘not very good’.” ESPN – Michael Cox
“As Roma have run away at the top of the table in Serie A, some of the traditional giants like Juventus and Milan have had slightly lukewarm starts to their season. So, there was a lot at stake for both managers in the clash between these two teams, as victory in a match against a big rival can kick start the season. Milan were the visitors to Turin on this occasion. The home side started with a 3-5-2 formation. Buffon and the usual trio of Bonucci, Barzagli and Chiellini started at the back. In midfield too, the familiar trio of Pirlo, Marchisio and and Vidal started. The wings were manned by Asamoah on the left, and Padoin on the right. Up front, Quagliarella played as the one who tried to run in behind, while Tevez dropped deeper to link play.” Outside of the Boot
“The German Bundesliga is fast gaining recognition as one of the best leagues in the world, and this game was a perfect advert for the league. With Borussia Dortmund slipping up at Gladbach earlier in the day, both these teams had the chance to scale the summit. The champions only needed a point to go top, but Leverkusen needed all three. The electric atmosphere at the Bay Arena only added to the spice, with both sets of fans contributing with a lot of singing from the stands.” Outside of the Boot
“At the beginning of this new season, Jose Mourinho has courted a lot of attention for some of his rather unusual team selection. Generally, a guy who has scored and assisted a truck load of goals, along with being a two time player of the year at the club, walks into the starting 11, but not at Chelsea apparently. The Special Juan has fallen behind Oscar for a place in the starting 11 as a play-maker at the start of this season, but only time will tell which one of the two is going to make the ‘No. 10 Role’ his own.” Outside of the Boot
After bringing in star names, PSG tried a 4-4-2 but it didn’t work too well.
“Some elements of football strategy evolve consistently in one direction over a long period, becoming increasingly extreme. Other elements appear more cyclical — moving routinely between two opposing concepts, which come in and out of fashion. Therefore, whereas there has been a steady shift toward technical possession football over the past 20 years, for example, a concept like the ‘box-to-box midfielder’ appears to come and go in roughly five-year intervals.” ESPN – Michael Cox
“While Jürgen Klopp watched from a Westfalenstadion skybox – bundled up like a holiday shopper – Borussia Dortmund (BVB) sought out Champions League (UCL) revenge against the traditional French power, Olympic Marseille (OM), to avenge a UCL sweep at the Frenchmen’s hands two year ago (2-6 aggregate). It succeeded. And looked its hipster best while winning. Dortmund won 3-0 against the seven-time French champions in convincing fashion. The result never really seemed in doubt, as BVB always created more dangerous chances and created a stranglehold on the match when it opened the scoring at 19′. The vaunted play-making abilities of OM’s supreme central midfielder, Matthieu Valbuena, never materialized as BVB organized an efficient defensive effort as well as a dangerous attack to dominate this match. A win like this quickly buries the disappointment of the 2-1 loss at Napoli, as Klopp’s squad travels to Arsenal next. On the other hand, OM is winless in Group F.” Bundesliga Fanatic
“Yet another big game came our way in the UEFA Champions League in what has been a great season of European football so far. Guardiola and his Bayern Munich side went to the Etihad, expecting to win. Manchester City also set up to get 3 points in their home game. The home team started with the first choice centre back pairing of Kompany and Nastasic. Clichy and Richards were the two wing backs. In midfield, Toure and Fernandinho started behind Nasri, Aguero and Jesus Navas. The lone man up front was Edin Dzeko.” Outside of the BooT
“Arsene Wenger fielded five natural central midfielders, but Napoli were opened up repeatedly in their left-back zone. Wenger was without a variety of players comfortable in wide roles – Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – while Jack Wilshere was rested, with Mikel Arteta coming into the side and Arsenal’s three attacking midfielders playing fluid roles. Rafael Benitez was still without Christian Maggio, and also lost Gonzalo Higuain through injury. Arsenal were dominant from the first whistle, and Napoli rarely offered a goal threat.”
Zonal Marking
Arsenal 2 Napoli 0: Mesut Özil sets the tone as Arsene Wenger’s side turn on the style against Napoli
“When Arsenal play with the precision, pace and elegance that spiced some of their mesmerising first-half movement here the feeling grows stronger and stronger that the long, soul-searching, inquisition-scarred wait for a trophy might yet end this season. If it does, the player who should touch the trophy first should be Mesut Özil, who impressed again in a 2-0 victory. The German has strengthened Arsenal psychologically and as an attacking, trophy-threatening force. He has brought belief, assists and now his first goal for the club, a strike that celebrated his sumptuous technique. Özil was almost unplayable at times, gliding hither and thither, twisting away from opponents, the ball merrily snuggling his left foot, leaving Napoli bewildered and bewitched. Telegraph – Henry Winter
“Shakhtar Donetsk should win the championship this season, but it says something for the changes in the Ukrainian league that the verb is ‘should’ rather than ‘will’. The shakiness of Manchester United’s start to the campaign may be more obvious – while United lie 12th in the Premier League table, Shakhtar are third in the Premier Liha – but this has been a sobering couple of months for Mircea Lucescu’s side.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson
“This season, more than any other in recent memory, has demonstrated how the consensus about a particular side’s predicament can change astonishingly quickly. Arsenal, who were in crisis after the Aston Villa defeat, now are in dreamland five games later. Chelsea seemed to have returned to their ruthless ways following Jose Mourinho’s return, then went three matches without a win. Liverpool were cool, calm and clinical after four matches, then lost at home to Southampton completely unexpectedly.” ESPN – Michael Cox
“Juan Mata was, incredibly, marginalized to a degree at the beginning of the season. The two time Chelsea player of the year was left out of Chelsea’s squad for the 2-0 victory over Fulham at fortnight ago, but managed to claw his way back into the side after a strong 45 minutes against Spurs last weekend. On his return to the starting 11 versus Steaua, how can we rate his performance? Juan Mata had a strong game for Chelsea. The Spaniard featured mainly as the no.10, although he interchanged with Oscar, who started wide right. Mata was in good creative form in this role and created six chances for his team-mates in the process…” Think Football
“Tottenham hosted Chelsea on a sunny Saturday afternoon for their second London derby of the season. The big draw however, was the battle between the two managers, AVB and Mourinho, who had worked together in the past. Of course, the other big motivation was AVB going up against his former club. In truth, a lot more was also at stake, with 3 key points being the biggest prize for the winner. Spurs started the game strongly, with a back-line of Walker, Vertonghen, Dawson and Naughton. In midfield, Dembele and Paulinho were the pivot, with Eriksen ahead of them. Townsend started on the right, and Sigurdsson on the left, Soldado was the one up front.” Outside of the Boot
Scissors Kick 