Tag Archives: Football Manager

Wolfsburg 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt

Vittore Carpaccio
“Wolfsburg dominated a limited Frankfurt side but had to come from behind to scrape a draw after missing a host of second-half chances. As well as being a tussle between two sides struggling to avoid the drop, this game was also intriguing as it saw Felix Magath take charge of his first home game in his second spell at Wolfsburg. Meanwhile, there was also another new face on the bench a few feet away from Magath’s: Christoph Daum, the former Fenerbahçe manager, was back in the Bundesliga after a two-year absence.” Defensive Midfielder

Köln 1-0 Nürnberg
“Köln and Nürnberg looked all but certain to have played out an entertaining and fiery 0-0 draw until Slovenia international Milivoje Novakovič scored an injury-time winner for the hosts at the RheinEnergieStadion. For the neutral football fan, a Bundesliga battle between the sides in 12th and 6th may not have forced all other afternoon plans to be cancelled. But there was a fair bit riding on this game, with the hosts knowing that if they lost here and Wolfsburg beat Eintracht Frankfurt in the day’s other game, they would be just two points above the drop zone.” Defensive Midfielder

Milan 3-0 Inter: Pato goals put Milan in charge

“Two goals from Alexandre Pato and another from Antonio Cassano sent Milan five points clear of Inter.
Max Allegri started Pato and Robinho upfront in Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s absence. Clarence Seedorf played on the left of midfield, and Gianluca Zambrotta got a surprise start at left-back. Leonardo chose to play 4-2-1-3 rather than 4-3-1-2. Javier Zanetti played at left-back, and both Cristian Chivu and Andrea Ranocchia were fit to start – Lucio was suspended. The game got off to a sensational start – Pato scored the opener after just 44 seconds, and Milan were immediately in charge.” Zonal Marking

Villarreal 0-1 Barcelona: Barca eight points clear

“Gerard Pique smashed in the only goal of the game after Lionel Messi came off the bench. Juan Carlos Garrido set out in his usual 4-4-2 / 4-2-2-2 system. Nilmar was only on the bench, so Marco Ruben started. Carlos Marchena continued in his new holding midfield role, pushing Borja Valero out to the right, and Jose Catala was at left-bac. Pep Guardiola was without Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez, Pedro Rodriguez, Eric Abidal and – from the start – Messi.” Zonal Marking

For Bob Bradley’s USMNT, Paraguay was Tactical Progress

“For those of you that have been living in a cave, the USMNT squared off against Argentina and Paraguay this week. The events were enough to make a “tactical analyst” such as me salivate. Let’s get right into what I saw over the two games: After the first match (Argentina), fellow writer Jon Levy wanted an immediate tactical reaction. I told him ‘no’ because I did not feel capable of writing anything conclusive watching that game. What I saw against Argentina was the tale of two halves (obviously).” The Yanks Are Coming

Afellay’s touch of class shows power of pure technique

“Good technique, though while widely accepted as an essential weapon in the armoury of any professional footballer, is rarely cast as a game-changing element. Having good technique usually means simply being able to control the ball easily, weigh passes appropriately or maintain one’s balance when shooting. Occasionally, however, technique is the difference between winning and losing. More precisely, in the case of Ibrahim Afellay in the Netherlands’ 4-0 defeat of Hungary last Friday, it was the difference between scoring and not scoring.” Football Further

Brazil encouraging, but not yet cohesive

“Whereas his predecessor Dunga had a very consistent, specific shape in his latter days as Brazil manager, Mano Menezes has switched between systems. He started off with a 4-2-1-3 against the USA, then moved to a 4-4-2 against France recently. In this game, he was hampered by various withdrawals through injury (particularly attacking players) and therefore sent out a side in a strange 4-3-3ish system, which dominated possession but lacked fluency in the final third of the pitch.” Zonal Marking

Holland 5 –3 Hungary: Different Hungary formation, different game

“After their dominant away ’tiki taka style’ victory only a few days ago, Holland manager Van Marwijk will not have felt the slightest incentive to change his line-up either in terms of tactics or his choice of a starting eleven. And with all players fully fit he wasn’t forced into any changes either. This allowed the unique situation of two consecutive matches started by 11 players all playing for different clubs.” 11 tegen 11

Hungary 0 – 4 Netherlands

Dance to the Music of Time, Nicolas Poussin
“Holland turned on the style as they cruised past Hungary at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium in Budapest. Tottenham playmaker Rafael van der Vaart gave the visitors an early lead and Ibrahim Afellay’s goal shortly before half-time ensured the scoreline reflected Holland’s dominance.” ESPN

Hungary 0 – 4 Holland: Dutch tiki taka football
“Holland beat Hungary in spectacular fashion to obtain Van Marwijk’s 13th consecutive qualification victory, combining both WC 2010 and Euro 2012 qualifiers. And in the process, national manager Bert van Marwijk extended his unbelievable 90 minutes record in competitive matches to 19-1-0, that one being the World Cup final against Spain.” 11 tegen 11

Wales 0 – 2 England
“Early Frank Lampard and Darren Bent goals turned the spotlight off Fabio Capello as England eased past Wales in the teams’ Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff. England manager Capello had endured a torrid week in the media over his handling of John Terry’s reinstatement as captain and defeat at the Millennium Stadium would have seen the pressure increase considerably.” ESPN

Wales 0-2 England: Lampard and Bent seal the victory early on
“England recorded a comfortable victory over Wales at the Millennium Stadium. Gary Speed sent Wales out in a broad 4-5-1 system. Craig Bellamy started on the right, with Andy King on the left. Aaron Ramsey, in his first game as captain, lined up behind Steve Morison. Fabio Capello named a surprising starting XI. Ashley Young was given a game on the wing, with Wayne Rooney also out wide, off Darren Bent. Michael Dawson partnered returning captain John Terry at the back.” Zonal Marking

Luxembourg 0 – 2 France
“The return of Patrice Evra and Franck Ribery failed to inspire France as, for the second time in their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, they laboured to a 2-0 win over Luxembourg. Evra and Ribery were back in the team for the first time since their misdeeds at the World Cup contributed to their side’s humiliating first-round exit. But the result with the pair in the team was the same as the result without them as goals from Philippe Mexes and Yoann Gourcuff saw them to a 2-0 win, just as when the sides met in France in October.” ESPN

Spain 2 – 1 Czech Republic
“David Villa scored twice to bring Spain from behind to beat the Czech Republic, and eclipsed Raul as Spain’s all-time goalscorer in the process. Spain were trailing to a 29th-minute wondergoal from Jaroslav Plasil but Villa fired home from the edge of the area in the 69th minute, moving clear of Raul’s record of 44 goals and relieving the tension in Granada.” ESPN

Slovenia 0 – 1 Italy
“Thiago Motta’s second-half strike handed Italy a narrow win over Slovenia in Ljubljana in their Euro 2012 qualifier. The Brazilian-born midfielder, who made his debut with the Azzurri in last month’s friendly against Germany, struck in the 73rd minute to hand the Italians their first-ever win on Slovenian soil. The result has lifted Italy six points clear of second-place Slovenia at the top of Group C after five games, bringing them significantly closer towards qualifying.” ESPN

Hungary – Holland, the preview

“This match must certainly be considered as one of the biggest games in Group E of the Euro 2012 qualifying tournament. With 9 points from three matches, the Hungarians are ranked second behind the runners up of the last World Cup, Holland, who have won all four qualifying matches so far. Sweden is also in contention for direct qualification, with 6 points from three matches, having lost 4-1 in Holland, but having beaten Hungary 2-0.” 11 tegen 11

All Change At Leicester City

“Leicester City’s home defeat against Portsmouth on Saturday might not have definitively ended their hopes of securing a Championship play-off place, but it has certainly put another nail in the coffin. The recruitment of Sven-Göran Eriksson initially looked like a masterstroke, as the Swede inspired a dramatic improvement in the team’s fortunes, including a run of seven wins and one draw after the turn of the year, but Leicester’s surge up the table has virtually ground to a halt in March. However, few leagues are more competitive than the Championship and while there’s life, there’s hope, particularly as the Foxes are still only five points away from featuring in the end-of-season play-offs.” The Swiss Ramble

Tactics: French sides flock to worship at altar of 4-2-3-1

“A peculiar tactical phenomenon has been witnessed in France in recent months. In a microcosm of global trends that have shaped the game over the course of the last decade or so, Ligue 1′s top sides have all – without exception – begun to ditch their preferred formations in favour of a 4-2-3-1.” Football Further

ADO 3 – 2 Ajax: Two comebacks denied by late winner

“With the Eredivisie nearing its end ADO won three very important points in their battle for direct Eruopa League qualification. Ajax, meanwhile, lost three important points in the chase of Twente and league leaders PSV. Major defensive issues cost Ajax dearly as ADO managed to grab the lead three times in this match, with Ajax unable to make up for their defensive frailties.” 11 tegen 11

Excelsior 0 – 2 Twente: Decent victory for the champions
“Off the back of a demanding away trip to Zenit, Twente managed an important away win to keep the pace set by league leaders PSV, who Twente are trailing by just one point. While away at Excelsior, ten men Ajax drew 2-2 and PSV had the utmost difficulty in winning 3-2 in the final seconds, Twente put in a decent team effort to beat the relegation candidates.” 11 tegen 11

Ajax’s slim title aspirations have gone up in smoke
“Look at Christian Eriksen’s face an you know enough. In less than a week, Ajax’s hope for winning the Europa League and the league title is gone. A 3-2 loss in The Hague against ADO has killed Ajax’s chances for the league title. Even more painful is that Ajax actually were the better side but bad defending and 3rd keeper Jeroen Verhoeven being more a hindrance than a help have killed off the slim title aspirations.” World of Ajax

Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Mainz

Capriccio with Venetian Motifs, 1760, Francesco Guardi
“Dortmund dropped points for the second week i, n succession as a spirited performance from Mainz in the final quarter of the game and a last-gasp equalizer proved enough to hold the league leaders to a draw. Both sides came into this game on the back of disappointing 1-0 defeats – Dortmund to Hoffenheim, and Mainz to Leverkusen. They were the success stories of the first half of the campaign, but whereas Dortmund have stayed in good form after the winter break, Mainz have been up and down.” Defensive Midfielder

Freiburg 1-2 Bayern Munich
“A poor showing from Bayern Munich ultimately didn’t matter as they won their second consecutive game in the Bundesliga to keep the pressure on the sides above them in the Champions League places. Looking at the history of this fixture, the odds looked pretty stacked in Bayern’s favour – no defeats in the last 17 Bundesliga clashes between the sides, and a 4-2 win at the Allianz Arena in October.” Defensive Midfielder

Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-1 Kaiserslautern
“Kaiserslautern took a huge step to securing their Bundesliga place for next season at the expense of doomed-looking Borussia Mönchengladbach. Both sides came into this game in precarious Bundesliga positions – the hosts bottom, but knowing a win would lift them up to 17th, while the visitors, level on points with three other sides, were only out of the drop zone on goal difference.” Defensive Midfielder

ADO 3 – 2 Ajax: Two comebacks denied by late winner

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“With the Eredivisie nearing its end ADO won three very important points in their battle for direct Eruopa League qualification. Ajax, meanwhile, lost three important points in the chase of Twente and league leaders PSV. Major defensive issues cost Ajax dearly as ADO managed to grab the lead three times in this match, with Ajax unable to make up for their defensive frailties.” 11 tegen 11

United’s forwards destroy Marseille; Marcelo key for Real

“Tactical observations from Champions League action this week…” SI

La semaine en France: Week 27

“Once may have been a fluke, but to score match-winning goals in injury time twice in the space of a week suggests Lille may have the stomach for a bare-knuckle title brawl after all.” Football Further

Spartak Moscow – Ajax 3 – 0: A broken formation

“Ajax went into this game, knowing that they needed to turn up the efficiency after their profligacy of the first leg, leading to a 0-1 loss with a goal scoring chances ratio of 17 to 3. But at the half hour mark they saw themselves two goals down and the game was virtually over. Spartak’s initial pressing dislodged Ajax formation and the home team took excellent advantage.” 11 tegen 11

Bayern 2-3 Inter: Pandev snatches the win

“Inter progress on away goals after Goran Pandev’s late winner. Louis van Gaal changed his two centre-backs from the first game, but it was a familiar 4-2-3-1 for Bayern. Having started with a Christmas tree shape in the first leg, Leonardo switched to more of a 4-2-3-1ish shape here. Wesley Sneijder was used in a wide-left role, Goran Pandev started from the right but sometimes became a second striker, and Dejan Stankovic linked the holding midfielders and the attackers.” Zonal Marking

Man Utd 2-1 Marseille: two Hernandez tap-ins
“Manchester United survived a late scare to book their place in the quarter-finals. Sir Alex Ferguson made widespread changes from the weekend win over Arsenal. He played a 4-4-2 formation, Dimitar Berbatov was again left out, and Michael Carrick came into the midfield. John O’Shea got the nod over Rafael, but the Brazilian replaced him shortly before half time, due to injury.” Zonal Marking

Wolves’ Premier League Gamble

“There are many aspects of this season’s Premier League that have made it one of the least predictable for a long time, not least the battle to avoid relegation, which is shaping up for a thrilling finale. Despite memorable home victories against reigning champions Chelsea and league leaders Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers find themselves firmly ensconced in this struggle.” The Swiss Ramble

Good Day, Bad Day: Angry Unai Emery & Merry Real Madrid

“Tough to know where to stick Barcelona in today’s section. It was two points dropped – which a concerned Pep Guardiola would have probably taken before the clash – but it was a match that could easily have been won in the final minutes with Barça having efforts crashing against the bar and being cleared off the line.” FourFourTwo

Sevilla 1-1 Barcelona: Sevilla recover from poor first half to hold Barcelona to a draw
“Barcelona failed to win for only the fourth time this season in La Liga. Having favoured a 4-3-1-2 formation in recent weeks, Gregorio Manzano returned to a 4-2-3-1 system here. Didier Zokora came into the centre of midfield, and Diego Capel started over Diego Perotti on the right, so Jesus Navas was on the left.” Zonal Marking

Mainz 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen

“Bayer Leverkusen gave themselves a four-point cushion in the Champions League spots after capitalising on a Mainz mistake to win a game that looked certain to end goalless. Both sides were in decent runs of form coming into this game, and won emphatically in the last round of fixtures: Mainz 4-2 at Hamburg, Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 at home to lowly Wolfsburg.” Defensive Midfielder

Werder Bremen 1-1 Borussia Mönchengladbach
“Borussia Mönchengladbach broke Bremen hearts with a surprise late equalizer after the home side failed to put the game to bed. Both sides came into this game locked in a relegation battle. Werder, sat in 15th because Kaiserslautern scored a 92nd minute earlier in the afternoon, were just two points above the drop zone coming into this game, and six points ahead of bottom side Gladbach. There was a degree of confidence in both camps pre-match, with Gladbach on a high after last weekend’s triumph against Hoffenheim, and Bremen likewise following their 3-1 success at Freiburg.” Defensive Midfielder

Hoffenheim 1-0 Borussia Dortmund
“Hard-working Hoffenheim punished a surprisingly unimaginative Dortmund side to deny the league leaders what would have been a record 12th away win of the season. These two teams came into this game on largely differing runs of form. Dortmund: top of the table by 12 points, 11 away wins in the league so far this season, and on a decent run. Hoffenheim, on the other hand, had fallen from credible Champions League contenders, to the mid-table positions they’ve made their home these last few seasons.” Defensive Midfielder

Man Utd 2-0 Arsenal: United counter excellently

“Both sides had their chances, but Manchester United were more clinical. Sir Alex Ferguson had an injury crisis in midfield, so used Rafael and Fabio da Silva on either flank, with John O’Shea alongside Darron Gibson in midfield. Arsene Wenger was without Cesc Fabregas, so Denilson came into the side and Abou Diaby played further forward. Kieran Gibbs started at left-back, andAndrei Arshavin replaced Tomas Rosicky. The pattern of the first half was fairly simple – Arsenal dominated possession and territory, whilst Manchester United looked to play on the break.” Zonal Marking

La semaine en France: Week 26

“Exactly a month ago, Football Further speculated that, were Lille to fail to win Ligue 1, Dariusz Dudka’s late equaliser in their 1-1 draw at Auxerre would be pinpointed as a key turning point. Should they go on and triumph, however, Pierre-Alain Frau’s 91st-minute winner at Marseille last Sunday could be seen as the goal that changed the course of the title race.” Football Further

Schalke 3-1 Valencia: Schalke surprisingly go through after open second leg

“Valencia had plenty of chances, but Schalke were more clinical. Felix Magath made two changes from the first leg, both enforced. Sergio Escudero replaced the suspended Lukas Schmitz at left-back, whilst Mario Gavranovic came in for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who was out with a knee injury. Having played a fluid system in the first leg that had no set shape, Unai Emery selected a standard 4-2-3-1 system here. The major news was that Artiz Aduriz started upfront, with Roberto Soldado on the bench.” Zonal Maiking

Tottenham 0-0 Milan: Spurs hang on

“Milan had the majority of possession in both matches, but failed to score in 180 minutes of football. Harry Redknapp made one change from the first game, with Luka Modric returning in place of Wilson Palacios. Gareth Bale was only fit enough for the bench. Max Allegri named a surprisingly attacking side, even when considering this was a game Milan needed to win. Clarence Seedorf and Kevin-Prince Boateng were in a midfield three alongside Mathieu Flamini, with Robinho in the hole.” Zonal Marking

Tottenham 0-0 (1-0) Milan – Overall Match Analysis
“Some matches pose very interesting tactical conundrums for managers, pundits and fans to consider, with several potential approaches to a game all carrying pros and cons and needing to be weighed up against each other to ascertain which is the set of instructions most likely to result in victory. Perhaps the ultimate of these is currently “how do you beat Barcelona?”, which can offer numerous different strategies based on your team’s strengths and qualities versus their obvious strengths and perceived weaknesses.” Footballistically

Ajax 0 – 1 Spartak: Pressing and chances, but a loss nonetheless

“Outplaying your opponent for ninety percent of the match, yet still ending up on the wrond end of the score. It’s not the first time such a turn of events happened to Ajax. They managed to impress with their possession-based high pressing game and creating a fair share of chances along the way, but despite the 20 – 3 advantage in terms of goal scoring chances, Ajax failed to find a way past Spartak goalkeeper Dikan.” 11 tegen 11

Tactical preview of Twente – Zenit

“Twente has had a very respectable season so far. Given the fact that their successful manager Steve McLaren and several influential first team members had left during the summer, a sort of ‘transition season’ might have been expected. But those expectations have been superseded as the club had a respectable Champions League campaign, with home draws against defending European Champions Inter, and against Tottenham and Werder, finishing third in their Champions League Group. In the first Europa League knock-out stage they defeated Russian side Rubin Kazan, with a solid 2-0 away win proving the base for that victory.” 11 tegen 11

Zonal Marking: PSV v Rangers tactical preview

“Rangers’ triumph over Sporting Lisbon will go down as one of the narrowest European two-legged victories of the season. Maurice Edu scored in the 92nd minute to take the tie on away goals, and Rangers progressed with a 2-2 draw having recorded only two shots on target in the entire second leg. Few matches illustrate so eloquently that football is a game of fine margins.” stv

Barcelona 3-1 Arsenal: Barca press and progress

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La Batalla de San Romano, Paolo Uccello
“Arsenal didn’t manage a single shot, as Barcelona go through to the quarter-finals. Pep Guardiola chose Eric Abidal and Sergio Busquets at centre-back, as expected, though there was a surprise at left-back, where Adriano started over Maxwell. Both Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie were fit to start. Arsene Wenger decided to play Tomas Rosicky on the right, and Abou Diaby got the nod over Denilson.” Zonal Marking

Barcelona 3 – 1 Arsenal
“Arsenal were left with a sense of injustice after seeing Robin van Persie controversially sent off as they were knocked out of the Champions League again by Barcelona in the Camp Nou following a 3-1 loss. The Dutchman was a shock inclusion for the Gunners, who led 2-1 from the first leg, having recovered quicker than expected from the knee injury he sustained in the Carling Cup final.” ESPN

Barcelona sends Arsenal crashing back down to earth
“Arséne Wenger’s men are often too ready to accept their role as beautiful martyrs, highlighting the negativity of their opponents and bad refereeing as causes of their downfall. At Camp Nou, they may have been right to aggrieve the latter, never the former, although in football, much is about managing luck and that Arsenal escaped two penalty decisions has seemingly not registered with their arguments. Perhaps there is a saneness to that action because a penalty at 0-0 and subsequently at 1-0 when Pedro was brought down, wouldn’t have “killed the game” as Wenger exclaimed. When the harsh red-card was given, it certainly deprived the encounter of its competitive edge.” Arsenal Column

Arsene Wenger: From Dumbledore to dunce
“Until around 22.30 on Tuesday night, Arsene Wenger had a well-earned reputation in Spain for being a bit of an avuncular, Dumbledore type figure: unthreatening, cultured and a proper gent famous for relishing in the finer side of football. So much so, in fact, that Florentino Pérez – seeing the Frenchman’s name in a sticker album one afternoon – even tried to bring the Arsenal boss to the Bernabeu on his return to the Real Madrid presidency in 2009.” FourFourTwo

Envious of Arsenal.
“Humiliated in the manner of their League Cup Final defeat, and given an awe-inspiring runaround in Barcelona, it seems that Arsenal’s long wait for a trophy will endure. And yet, despite the heartbreak their fans must have suffered of late, as a Liverpool fan I remain envious.” Tomkins Times

FC Barcelona 3-1 Arsenal – Video Highlights, Recap, and Match Stats – Champions League
The 90th Minute

Liverpool vs Man Utd: In-Depth Tactical Analysis.

“Liverpool’s resurgence under Kenny Dalglish appeared to have been derailed by last week’s loss to West Ham, but the Reds emerged triumphant in this fixture, prevailing over a Manchester United team that has now lost three out of five Premier League games for the first time since 2004.” Tomkins Times

Liverpool v Manchester United chalkboard analysis
“Dirk Kuyt was the hero with his three goals, but aside from his poaching the Dutchman had a good all-round game as the lone striker, coming short to pick up the ball and creating space for the Liverpool midfielders to exploit. The chalkboard shows that he rarely came deep into central positions, but instead pulled out to the flanks and combined with Liverpool’s wide players.” Guardian

Atletico 3-1 Villarreal: Reyes inspires Atletico with intelligent performance

“Atletico dominated here, and recorded a deserved victory in a good, open game. Qique Sanches Flores made various changes from the side that drew with Getafe in Atletico’s previous league game. He reverted to Atletico’s usual 4-4-2. Juan Garrido made only one change – Carlos Marchena dropped to the bench, so Mateo Musacchio came into the side at centre-back. The match was contested by two broadly similar sides, in terms of strategy and tactics. In formation terms, Atletico were 4-4-2 with the wingers looking to come inside, Villarreal were more of an obvious 4-2-2-2 with the interiores retreating to wide positions without the ball.” Zonal Marking

Liverpool 3 – 1 Manchester United

“Liverpool’s fully deserved 3-1 victory over Manchester United at Anfield may not ultimately prevent their arch-rivals surpassing the Reds’ 18 league titles at the end of the season. It has, however, dented Sir Alex Ferguson’s side’s hopes of a straightforward run-in and at the same time restored some pride for the Reds after two defeats at Old Trafford already this campaign. Dirk Kuyt grabbed the headlines with a first Liverpool hat-trick against United since Peter Beardsley’s in September 1990, before Javier Hernandez headed an injury-time consolation – but there were many more who deserved the plaudits.” ESPN

Kuyt delighted with ‘perfect’ day
“Dirk Kuyt hailed a “perfect” day after his hat-trick gave Liverpool a 3-1 win over Manchester United. Kuyt scored from close range on three occasions to put a dent in United’s title charge, but owed a lot to Luis Suarez who laid on two of the goals for him.” ESPN

Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United: Kuyt x 3
“Dirk Kuyt scored all three goals in a comfortable victory for Liverpool. Andy Carroll was fit enough only for the bench, so Kuyt and Luis Suarez played upfront. Daniel Agger was out, and Kenny Dalglish moved to four at the back, after last weekend’s poor performance with a back three at West Ham. Sir Alex Ferguson surprisingly named a 4-4-2 shape. Darren Fletcher dropped to the bench, Ryan Giggs came in and Nani switched flanks. Wes Brown replaced the suspended Nemanja Vidic.” Zonal Marking

Dirk Kuyt hat-trick fires Liverpool to victory over Manchester United
“Liverpool are not contenders for the Premier League title but there was deep satisfaction in damaging the prospects of the leaders. Manchester United, who scored only in stoppage time, were defeated resoundingly at Anfield by a hat-trick from Dirk Kuyt and could not hide the flaws at the core of a defence weakened by injury and suspension.” Guardian

Kuyt hat trick leads Liverpool to a 3-1 rout over Manchester United
“Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt’s hat-trick dealt a body blow to Manchester United’s Premier League title hopes as the faltering leaders were beaten 3-1 at Anfield on Sunday. United suffered their second league defeat in a week, after losing 2-1 at Chelsea on Tuesday, and their third in five league games to leave them just three points ahead of Arsenal who have played a game less.” SI

Liverpool v Manchester United: Five things we learned
“Kenny Dalglish should be appointed permanently, Michael Carrick disappointed and Luis Suárez is no Dutch flop” Guardian

United Routed By Reds’ Unsung Heroes.
“Although United pulled back a last-minute consolation goal, there was no denying that this was a rout; not a total thrashing, but about as comprehensive as you normally get in these types of game, where often a single goal decides things.” Tomkins Times

Hamburg 2-4 Mainz

“A decisive second half performance from Mainz saw them defeat inconsistent Hamburg after the home side had taken a controversial lead via a goal that didn’t actually cross the line. Mainz came into this game knowing a win would lift them above Bayern Munich and into fourth spot. Hamburg knew a win by two clear goals would lift them above Mainz into fifth. As if to spice things up even further, it was the home side who ended Mainz’s spectacular start to the season, winning at the Bruchweg stadium with a late Jose Paolo Guerrero goal back in October.” Defensive Midfielder

Ajax 4 –0 AZ: Early goal secures a dominant win

“Only three months after their match in the Dutch Cup quarter final, where Frank de Boer made his debut as Ajax manager, Ajax and AZ met again in the ArenA. An early goal gave Ajax a comfortable start on which they built a patient game, pressing AZ just enough to stay clear of trouble, preferring to save their energy for later this week.” 11 tegen 11

De Graafschap 2 – 1 Willem II: Fancy tactics don’t guarantee a fancy game
“A late comeback ensured a home victory for De Graafschap in a game many wouldn’t like to have stuck in their memory for too long. Despite the disappointing performance and lots of mistakes on both sides, this game carried some fancy tactics that I didn’t want to keep to myself.” 11 tegen 11

Juventus 0-1 Milan: leaders win poor game

“Rino Gattuso’s scrappy goal settled a game lacking in creativity. Gigi Delneri made various changes, with Gianluigi Buffon, Armand Traore, Luca Toni and Frederik Sorensen all coming into the side, in the usual 4-4-2. Max Allegri was without Pato, so Antonio Cassano started alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with Kevin-Prince Boateng just behind.” Zonal Marking

Barca: The Inside Story

“While we much prefer to bask in their refracted glory, it’s important to note that 2010-11’s all-conquering superteam known as Barcelona stood on the edge of a very different and much more depressing era not too long ago. Before lawyer/politician Joan Laporta took over in 2003, the club had been mired in rising debts and dismal on-pitch performances, so much so that Real had become dominant while the Blaugrana could only reflect on their last trophy, the 1998-99 La Liga title. It took time, effort, and a great deal of patience for Laporta’s vision to take shape, but in the years since, life at the Nou Camp has never been better.” James T

Valencia 0-1 Barcelona: both sides try different systems, but both switch back to the usual
“Lionel Messi had an off-day…and yet still scored the winner as Barcelona temporarily move ten points clear at the top. Unai Emery had been trying Juan Mata as a number nine all week in training, and used him that position here, as Valencia went into the the game with no real striker. There was a reshuffle at the back, and two full-backs were used in tandem down the left flank.” Zonal Marking

Valencia 0-1 FC Barcelona – Video Highlights, Recap, and Match Stats – La Liga
The 90th Minute

La semaine en France: Week 25

“The compressing and expanding accordion that is the Ligue 1 title race was squeezed together once again in Week 25, with just four points now separating the top five after Lille’s 1-1 draw at home to Lyon.” Football Further

Two cents on the competition between Chamakh and Bendtner

“The Leyton Orient replay win may have seemed an exercise in tedium – a dangerous phrase to use in Arsenal Land – but to get that winning feeling again after the League Cup defeat was ever important. Perhaps playing those players that missed out in the final enabled Arsenal to ensure the job was done rather than allow those first-hand experiencers to wallow in their demons. Football’s a team game nevertheless and as a collective, they suffer the highs and the lows together.” The Arsenal Column

Sunderland’s Problem Is Not Their Fans

Ahmed El-Mohamady
“These are strange times for Sunderland football club. Even though this is undoubtedly the Black Cats’ best season for many a year with the team comfortably ensconced in the top ten of the Premier League, there have been rumblings of discontent, not least from Niall Quinn, the club’s popular chairman, who said that he “despised” those fans who watched the team on dodgy foreign channels in local pubs instead of coming to the ground.” The Swiss Ramble

Milan 3-0 Napoli: Napoli don’t turn up

“Milan recorded a comfortable victory over a hugely disappointing Napoli side. Max Allegri gave Marek Jankulovski a rare start at left-back. Upfront, he used the Robinho-Pato-Ibrahimovic trio. Walter Mazzarri played his usual XI with one exception – Ezequiel Lavezzi was unavailable, so Giuseppe Mascara started instead. Napoli were extremely poor throughout the game. Their passing was very sloppy, they lacked drive or creativity from the centre of midfield, and Edinson Cavani couldn’t get into the game. Milan were below par in the first half, but stepped it up in the second and never looked likely to give up the lead once Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a penalty in the 48th minute.” Zonal Marking

AZ 2 – 1 Twente: An emotional defeat for the Dutch Champions

“Reigning Eredivisie champions Twente were defeated by the previous champions, AZ. This all happened in a much debated game, played out in pouring rain, bringing all the excitement that may be expected when these two teams are involved, and more. Twente received their second red card of the season after Douglas lost control near the end of the first half. Their first red card of this season? Indeed, Douglas, against AZ at home, in the first half, with the same referee, Ruud Bossen. Twente went on to lose that game 1-2 too… So after Twente being the only team unbeaten by AZ in their winning 2008/09 Eredivisie campaign, this year AZ is the only team to beat Twente twice.” 11 tegen 11

Arsenal’s defence must overcome its mental barriers

“So the monkey on Arséne Wenger’s back remains. On Sunday, it was viciously clawing and grasping onto Wenger’s shoulders, trying desperately to keep balanced; especially so after Arsenal dominated the middle period of the second-half, aiming shot after shot at Ben Foster’s goal. Today, it rests happily on his back, chain-smoking like a simian Zdeněk Zeman casually wearing a porter’s uniform as if waiting for work – without the trousers, of course. On Wednesday night, it will surely be back to its taunting best, furiously pointing and gesticulating at the manager who faces an FA Cup replay at home to Leyton Orient.” The Arsenal Column

Wolfsburg 2-1 Borussia Mönchengladbach

“Wolfsburg defeated relegation rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach to move into 13th place, and more importantly, three points above the drop-zone. The stakes couldn’t have been higher before this one. Fifteenth-placed Wolfsburg, who knew a loss would set a new club record of five straight defeats, faced bottom-placed Gladbach, who won against Schalke last time out with a new coach in charge.” Defensive Midfielder

Schalke 1-1 Nürnberg

“Schalke again flattered to deceive as this mid-table tie between two middling sides ended in a draw. Nürnberg came into the game looking to make it five wins in a row, after an impressive run of 14 points from the last 18 available. The Bavarians are as good as safe from relegation, and travelled to the Arena AufSchalke in a buoyant mood, perhaps seeking revenge for their DFB-Pokal exit at the hands of Felix Magath’s men last month.” Defensive Midfielder

Bayern 1-3 Dortmund: Schweinsteiger tries to play deep, but Dortmund don’t let him play

“Dortmund ended Bayern’s faint hopes of winning the Bundesliga with an impressive victory. Louis van Gaal kept the same XI that started the midweek win over Inter. Luis Gustavo played at left-back, whilst Danijel Pranjic was in the centre of midfield. Jurgen Klopp made one outfield change, welcoming back Neven Subotic in place of Felipe Santana, and also gave a debut to Mitchell Langerak in goal.” Zonal Marking

PSV 0 – 0 Ajax: Goalless but not shy of excitement

“Just three days after overcoming a deliberately weakened Lille side, PSV faced the perfect opportunity to create a definite gap with title rivals Ajax in this home game. Ajax, playing a 4-3-3 system, just like Lille did in Eindhoven a few days ago, looked to reduce the gap with PSV to just two points, aiming to keep their title ambitions alive, as was reflected in Frank de Boer’s words, going into this game: ‘It’s D-day!’.” 11 tegen 11

Braga 2-0 Lech Poznań

“Lech blew a 1-0 lead from the first leg of this last-32 Europa League tie to limp out of the competition and miss out on a money-spinning tie against Liverpool. Spanish coach José María Bakero set his side out in a 4-2-3-1, albeit with a striker playing on the left wing and a full-back on the opposite side. Thus, the 48-year-old tried retaining the system which brought them that crucial first leg win last week, but didn’t have the performers to make it work a second time.” Defensive Midfielder

PSV 3 – 1 Lille: A controversial incident decides the fate of the game

“The surprise comeback to a 2-2 result in the first leg meant that PSV had quite an advantage going into this match. But the main advantage for PSV was created by their opponents themselves as Lille clearly proclaimed their Europa League campaign to be their lowest priority target, ranked behind their aim of qualifying for Champions League football next season and defending their first place in Ligue 1. PSV, on the other hand, fielded a full strength squad to face this reduced Lille side, where big names such as Gervinho, Hazard and Sow were left out of the starting eleven with the match against Lyon in mind.” 11 tegen 11

La semaine en France: Week 24

“Having managed to avoid defeat since a 3-1 loss at home to Marseille in Week 10, Lille’s resistance finally buckled when they fell to a 1-0 loss in a scrappy and otherwise unremarkable game at Montpellier last Sunday.” Football Further

Italian teams remain wedded to tactically narrow formations

“In terms of tactics, the most important factor in Tottenham Hotspur’s victory over AC Milan last week was that its wide players were able to exploit the width left by Milan’s narrowness. As a corollary to that, Spurs had the pace and energy to ensure that its numerical disadvantage in central areas didn’t mean it had to cede control over possession. Milan’s only three league defeats this season have come against sides who play with attacking width — Cesena and Juventus — and Roma, a team that usually deploys a 4-3-1-2, but deployed its trequartista, Jeremy Menes, in wide areas in that game.” SI

Inter 0-1 Bayern: Gomez nicks it at the end

Antoine Jean Gros – La bataille d’Eylau
“Mario Gomez struck very late to give Bayern a crucial first leg lead. Leonardo was without Diego Milito (injured) and Giampaolo Pazzini (cup-tied). He played Dejan Stankovic and Wesley Sneijder off Samuel Eto’o. Louis van Gaal played the same XI that started the weekend game against Mainz, though had to make a change towards the end of the first half when Danijel Pranjic got injured. Breno replaced him, with Holger Bastuber going to left-back.” Zonal Marking

Inter Milan 0-1 Bayern Munich – Video Highlights, Recap, and Match Stats
The 90th Minute

Marseille 0-0 Manchester United: stalemate
“A lack of goalmouth action resulted in the only goalless game of the Champions League second round first legs. Mathieu Valbuena was only fit enough for the bench, and Andre-Pierre Gignac was out completely, so Didier Deschamps used a patched-up 4-2-3-1 with Brandao as the lone forward. Sir Alex Ferguson fielded Wayne Rooney on the left of a 4-1-4-1, with Darron Gibson surprisingly starting over Paul Scholes in the centre of midfield.” Zonal Marking

Marseille 0-0 Manchester United – Video Highlights, Recap, and Match Stats
The 90th Minute

Lyon 1-1 Real Madrid: all square in tight game

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“Karim Benzema scored on his return to Lyon, but Bafetimbi Gomis netted a late equaliser. Claude Puel fielded a 4-2-3-1 system, making just one change from the weekend game. Jimmy Briand’s spectacular bicycle kick against Nancy wasn’t enough to keep him in the side, so Brazilian Michel Bastos played instead. The only minor surprise from Jose Mourinho was at left-back. Marcelo was left out, Alvaro Arbeloa started.” Zonal Marking

Copenhagen 0-2 Chelsea: 4-4-2 v 4-4-2

“Chelsea eased past a disappointing Copenhagen side with two goals from Nicolas Anelka. Ståle Solbakken changed his side from the formation that had served him well in the group stages – using two strikers with Jesper Gronkjaer played out on the left, rather than just off the frontman. Carlo Ancelotti left out Didier Drogba and brought in Anelka and Fernando Torres. Copenhagen put up a good fight in the group stages, drawing at home to Barcelona and progressing ahead of Rubin Kazan and Panathinaikos, becoming the first Danish side ever to qualify for this phase of the European Cup.” Zonal Marking

Olympiacos 2-1 Panathinaikos: Olympiacos take commanding lead after controversial victory

“A stoppage time winner from Rafik Djebbour gave Olympiacos a huge victory in a crucial derby. The headline news from Ernesto Valverde’s teamsheet was his decision to play Francois Modesto in the holding midfield role, rather than Dudu or Moises Hurtado, who were not considered 100% fit. Jesualdo Ferreira started Sotiris Ninis ahead of Sidney Govou on the right of midfield – the rest of the side was as expected. As so often the case in the Derby of the Eternal Enemies, the game was scrappy early on, with the referee having to award lots of free-kicks. Consequently, the game took a while to settle down into any kind of rhythm.” Zonal Marking

Celtic 3-0 Rangers: Celtic better all over the pitch

Gary Hooper
“Celtic extended their advantage at the top of the SPL with a dominant performance. Neil Lennon left out Anthony Stokes, and brought in Georgios Samaras to play upfront. Walter Smith again used Kyle Bartley ahead of the back four, and played El-Hadji Diouf and Steven Naismith either side of the midfield (whereas in last weekend’s 6-0 over Motherwell, Diouf played just off the striker in a 4-2-3-1).” Zonal Marking

Celtic 3 – 0 Rangers
“Gary Hooper grabbed a double as Celtic strengthened their grasp on top spot in the SPL with a 3-0 win over Rangers. Kris Commons was also on target once again in the Old Firm derby as the Hoops moved eight points clear at the summit. The victory puts them beyond the reach of Rangers for now, regardless of the outcome of their rivals’ two games in hand.” ESPN

Celtic 3-0 Rangers (Old Firm derby) – Video Highlights, Recap, and Match Stats – SPL
The 90th Minute

Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 Stuttgart

“Bayer Leverkusen defeated relegation-haunted Stuttgart in a hugely entertaining game at the BayArena. Stuttgart will feel hard done by after giving a positive performance in and out of possession, but Leverkusen’s quality in front of goal helped seal all three points.” Defensive Midfielder

Chelsea 1-1 Everton (AET): Everton through after shoot-out

“Nicolas Anelka and Ashley Cole missed penalties as Chelsea crashed out of the FA Cup. Carlo Ancelotti left Nicolas Anelka and Michael Essien out. Paulo Ferreira started at right-back. David Moyes played his expected line-up. Tim Cahill played off Jermaine Beckford upfront. The game had two phases – first Everton shut Chelsea out and the game was neutral, before Chelsea dominated after half-time.” Zonal Marking

Chelsea 1 – 1 Everton (3 – 4 PKS) – FA Cup Replay Review
“The 4th Round replay of Chelsea and Everton at Stamford Bridge needed penalties to decide the outcome, with the Merseyside club pulling out the upset. I chose to cover this match because Chelsea had a dilemma; they have a midweek Champions League match at Copenhagen. How much would Chelsea play their first team? Everton has been abysmal for much of the season. Would David Moyes go all out to keep their hopes for a title alive?” EPL Talk

Anderlecht 0 – 3 Ajax: Impressive away victory with smart tactical moves

“Frank de Boer’s Ajax managed a second impressive European away win in a row. After defeating Milan at the San Siro 0-2 in De Boer’s first match in charge of Ajax, Ajax added a second consecutive away win by defeating Anderlecht in their Constant Vandenstock Stadium. Although the second half penalty miss by Anderlecht was an important determinant for the match result, and perhaps even for the outcome of this tie, Ajax deservedly won on the basis of a series of smart tactical moves that gave them the upper hand for most of the game.” 11 tegen 11

La semaine en France: Week 23

“One by one, the pack closed in and Lille could do nothing but watch. The fixture computer having scheduled their home game with Toulouse for Sunday night, the league leaders had no choice but to watch as first Marseille, then Lyon and then Rennes whittled away their lead. By the time Lille took to the field at Stadium Lille-Métropole, they were just two points clear.” Football Further

Roma 2-3 Shakhtar: Shakhtar counter-attacking unlocks a disjointed Roma side

“An impressive display from Shakhtar gave them a clear advantage going into the second leg. Claudio Ranieri omitted Marco Borriello, with Rodrigo Taddei playing on the left. Philippe Mexes and Nicolas Burdisso started at centre-back, so Marco Cassetti moved out to the right-back spot. Mircea Lucescu played his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with few surprises in personnel.” Zonal Marking