Spoils shared between Master and Protege

Premier League

Spurs vs Chelsea Match Analysis

September 28, 2013

The London derby between Spurs and Chelsea has a very different vibe about it this season. The White Hart Lane club are no longer the perennial under-achievers of London as they target a solid top-four finish this season with an eye on competing for the Premier League trophy. AVB’s side looks at Chelsea now as equals. 

To add to the drama, the contest pits Master and Apprentice in a head-to-head for the first time in the careers of Jose Mourinho and Andre Villas-Boas. AVB was part of Jose’s backroom staff for seven years at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan before the young Portuguese tactician decided to part-ways with Mourinho to take on a more senior role. 

In the build-up to the contest, AVB stated: “We had a great personal and professional relationship before. We don't have that now”. 

"I was never his No.2," AVB continued. "I was part of his staff, but I was never his assistant. That's one of the reasons we went our separate ways. I thought I could give him a lot more but he didn't feel the need to have someone next to him”. 

Mourinho’s response was passive-aggressive: “I'm not a kid. I don't discuss this with the media, it's a personal thing. I don't care what he says. I'm not here to do that. I'm not interested”. 

The rivalry between the coaches was expected to add more tension to what is usually a very intense affair. 

That, however, was not the case during the first half of the match. 

Spurs began the derby in the ascendancy with Christian Eriksen finding space in forward positions due to his intelligent movement. The Dane also showcased sublime vision and quick thinking as he played a role in every opportunity Tottenham created. 

Chelsea, on the other hand, were subdued with Mikel looking slow and labored in defensive midfield. Jose Mourinho deployed his trusted lieutenants for this key game as Frank Lampard, John Terry and Ashley Cole were involved in the starting line-up. 

Tottenham’s energetic midfield dominated the game during the first 20 minutes with Paulinho pushing forward while Townsend and Sigurdsson moved infield from their wide positions to aid the physical Soldado who was asked to rough-up the Blues’ center defenders. 

In the 19th minute, the home side was rewarded for their promising start. 

A quick turn from Christian Eriksen got him past Frank Lampard and towards the Chelsea penalty area. His quick pass from the left reached Soldado who set-up the rushing Sigurdsson for the opening goal of the contest. 

The Iceland international has been in superb form this season with AVB getting the best out of the advanced midfielder from wide left which allows Sigurdsson’s to cut inside undetected using his clever forward runs. 

Chelsea will point to the pedestrian Mikel who failed to react to Eriksen’s forward surge thus allowing Soldado the time and space to lay the pass to Sigurdsson. 

Spurs, enthused by the goal, continued to push forward and nearly doubled their advantage minutes later as Townsend and Walker combined down the right flank to deliver a dangerous cross which Paulinho would have directed goal-wards if it wasn’t for a crucial interception by Ivanovic. 

The uninspired Blues continued to struggle in midfield with Paulinho breaking dangerously on several occasions. The impressive Dembele, who was positioned deeper, controlled the tempo and pressed high up the pitch as the Chelsea defense looked to establish an attack. 

Mourinho’s midfield trio of Mikel, Lampard and Oscar clearly wasn’t working while Ramires was wasted on the right flank. 

Despite the Blues finally coming to life during the last 10 minutes, it was Spurs who once again produced another threatening chance. 

A clever back-heel from Walker on the right, reached the direct Townsend who ran at Terry and reached the Chelsea penalty area – the young England winger passed to Paulinho but the Brazilian could only hit the side netting with the goal at his mercy. 

Advantage to the Apprentice at half-time! 

The second half started with a tactical change by Mourinho as Mata replaced the disinterested Mikel. The switch forced a series of changes to the Chelsea midfield as Ramires moved to the holding midfield role with Oscar asked to operate from the left. Eden Hazard also took-on a new post as central attacking midfielder. 

Another significant change by the Blues boss was in the role of Fernando Torres. Chelsea’s number nine was employed as the battering ram in the first half but was asked to drop deeper and run at defenders during the second 45 minutes. 

The changes worked a charm! 

First, Torres dribbled well on the right side and sent a good cross into the Spurs six-yard box – unfortunately for the Blues, Oscar failed to hit the ball cleanly and the chance was wasted. 

Minutes later, the Spaniard again dribbled past the Tottenham defense and was left one-on-one with Hugo Lloris who saved brilliantly. 

The menacing Torres became a nuisance to AVB’s defenders, particularly Vertonghen who clashed with Torres after a dive by the Belgian international. The reaction from Torres earned him a yellow-card. 

Villas-Boas reacted to the tactical changes made by Mourinho by implementing a high-offside line which caught the Chelsea attackers on several occasions. The White Hart Lane club also became reliant on quick counterattacks. 

Spurs though, struggled to get their midfield into the game with Ramires playing a key role in improving the Blues from the holding-midfield position in the second half. Mourinho also ensured that Eriksen would be closed-down quickly thus stifling the Danish international. 

On 65 minutes, Chelsea earned a free-kick close to the center circle which the impressive Mata delivered accurately to John Terry who headed home for a deserved equalizer. The Chelsea captain moved away from Dawson and was then left unmarked by Vertonghen and Townsend for a free header. 

With the wind in their sales, Mourinho brought-on Andre Schurrle for the quiet Eden Hazard to try and win the game. The German international was deployed on the left wing for Chelsea. 

AVB responded by taking-off Eriksen and replacing him with Lewis Holtby with the Dane going-off to a standing ovation from the Spurs faithful. Eriksen was the star of the show during the first half but Mourinho’s changes in the second half rendered him helpless. 

The young Spurs boss also substituted the tiring Soldado with Jermain Defoe. 

The intimidating Torres continued to torment the Tottenham defense, this time through a pass to Andre Schurrle and Lloris once again saved well from a one-on-one situation for the Blues. 

The absorbing tale of Fernando Torres in this derby was to come to an abrupt end though. The Spaniard, attempted to win the header against Jan Vertonghen which was judged to be on the aggressive side. This was one duel too many for Torres and Vertnoghen as the referee showed the number nine his second yellow of the contest and was sent-off. 

With Chelsea down to 10 men, Mourinho introduced Azpilicueta for Oscar with the Spanish fullback asked to play a role on the left side of midfield. 

The red card swayed the game back in favor of the home team as the Spurs midfield regained control of center midfield and relied on patient possession football to try and break down the Chelsea defense who sat deep in the last few minutes of the contest. 

Spurs were unable to create any clear-cut chances with AVB’s charges limited to a couple of shots from outside the box from Sigurdsson and Defoe. 

The full time whistle came with Mentor and Apprentice on an even keel. 

Villas-Boas will be proud of getting his team up for the game as they started as the better side but the “Happy One” was superior in reading the contest and made the changes necessary. 

Mourinho recently blamed a change of philosophy at the club for the faltering start of the Blues this season but the issue seems to be a mental one more than anything else. Chelsea are not showing the hunger and the winning attitude they mirrored during the first coming of the Special One – the Stamford Bridge side start their matches with a laid-back approach and generally seem saturated. 

The performance of Torres is a big plus for Chelsea despite the red card. Another Spaniard making a strong case is Juan Mata who is making it very difficult for Mourinho to keep him out of the starting line-up. 

Spurs on the other hand will be delighted with Christian Eriksen who looks a very astute signing capable of having a big impact. For AVB, this is a positive point against direct competitor for a top-four position in the league this season. Spurs must ensure that they keep racking up the points while the new players are bedding into their new surroundings to ensure they could push on after Christmas with a more settled squad. 

The one-all score line is a fair result in what should become a common duel between Mourinho and Villas-Boas as each manager continues the process of shaping-up their squads.

Top four in the first half, bottom three in the second!

Liverpool have made one of their better starts to a Premier League season this campaign, accumulating 10 points from a possible 15 and are currently sitting joint third in the standings.

But the Anfield club is struggling with symptoms of “Jekyll and Hyde” performances between the first half and the second.

During the first half, Brendan’s charges reveal their beautiful, attractive and riveting side of their personalities as they look a class above their bewildered opponents. The vigorous Reds dominate possession, push-up the pitch and strangle their opposition with a high-pressing game. Liverpool look to use intricate passing and clever movement in the attacking third to break down defenses when holding possession.

In the second half though, particularly after the 60 minute mark, a metamorphosis of the team takes place as Liverpool take-on the form of their ‘darker’ side!

Possession based football is abandoned and replaced by deep defensive tactics as the Reds sit back to protect Simon Mignolet’s goal with the team looking to counter attack quickly using the wide midfielders Jordan Hednerson and Victor Moses. Brendan’s tactics are also reliant on long balls from deep within the Liverpool half for Daniel Sturridge to chase.

It feels like watching two completely different teams!

During the first three games of the league season, reverting to such defensive tactics could be described as the realistic and logical approach with Brendan Rodgers looking to defend a one-goal advantage. Many hailed this approach as pragmatic. But as pragmatic as Rodgers could be, he is still the same man who said the following:

"If you are better than your opponent with the ball you have a 79% chance of winning the game".

Had Rodgers been able to follow his philosophy against Swansea at the Liberty Stadium, his side would have won the contest.

The “pragmatic” approach would have been to sit deeper and defend the one-goal lead but surrendering possession and gifting the middle of the pitch to The Swans was far from practical. The tactic implemented only invited more pressure from the Welsh side who in-turn looked a class above their rivals in the second half.

This got me thinking…something must be forcing Brendan’s hand to relinquish his philosophy after the 60th minute?

The answer came to me during the second half against Southampton in the Premier League match at Anfield.

For the first time this season, Liverpool had to chase the game in the second half and the cracks started to show. With no attacking influence from the fullbacks, due to the injury to Glen Johnson and the unfit Jose Enrique, the attacking impetus from the Reds center midfield became vital if the Reds were to find a way back in the second half.

Unfortunately, neither Lucas nor Gerrard produced the impact required.

Both Gerrard and Lucas looked tired beyond 65 minutes and it only got worse as the game wore on. Gerrard, who only produced two key passes throughout the 90 minutes, could not marshal the attack from a deeper position nor could he rely on his usual engine to push closer to the Southampton penalty area.

Lucas, who was also moving up-field, struggled against the Southampton pressing and gave the ball away on several occasions. The Brazilian, impaired by his fitness, also failed to win key duels in midfield.

Eventually, Brendan’s side could only muster 4 attempts with just one on target and most importantly, no goals.

Furthermore, with The Reds forced to use Gerrard and Lucas further up the pitch, the Reds left space in the middle of the park which Southampton used to instigate dangerous counterattacks. This resulted with Southampton creating eight attempts, six of them on target.

With Liverpool playing deeper and looking to defend a goal advantage, Lucas and Gerrard have enough in them to close-down their opponents and ensure space is covered at the back. But, as an attacking threat, Liverpool’s current center midfield partnership lacks the fitness requirements to pose any impact beyond 60 minutes.

This change in tactics during the second half has Liverpool producing the following stats:

Stats after 5 Matches	First Half	Second Half
Possession Average %	54	46
Total Attempts	38	25
Total Shots on Target	19	8
Total Goals	5	0
League Position	2	18

Abysmal reading for Brendan Rodgers!

The Liverpool boss discussed the apparent fitness issues in a recent interview with The Times:

“Funnily enough we have sat down this week and looked at that. For me it has been mostly in the last two games.”

“We intentionally dropped our lines a bit deeper against Aston Villa because of their pace, and that was fine. Against Manchester United we dropped too deep, too quickly. Even though we looked comfortable that was not the type of game we want to play” Rodgers continued.

“And against Swansea we were very good in the first half but were not how I expected us to be in the second half” concluded the Northern Irish coach.

Despite the Liverpool boss playing down fitness issues ravaging his team, the backroom staff at the club must make the resolution of this issue top priority if the Reds are to continue their chase for the Premier League top-four successfully.

*Data collected from Squawka.com and Football365.com

Bundesliga Transfer Window Review

The league which provided both sides of the Champions League final last season witnessed a summer of “controlled” spending as only three clubs spent over 10 million Euros in net transfer fees (Bayern Munich, Schalke 04, VfL Wolfsburg).

This article will cover the main moves of the Bundesliga this summer and what could be expected from the clubs over the coming nine months…

Bayern Munich

How do you improve a club which won every single competition that they participated in last season?

That was the question rattling the brains of Messrs Uli Hoeneß, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and newly recruited manager Pep Guardiola throughout the summer.

Bayern confirmed the hiring of Guardiola in the middle of January 2013 in order to allow the Spanish tactician ample time to assess the squad from a distance and plan ahead for the coming season.

The early announcement, though, seemed to have eased the pressure on Jupp Heynckes who lead his team to the most successful season in the club’s history thus mounting the pressure on the incoming Guardiola.

Bayern ,acting early with player recruitment as well, announced their first major signing of the summer, Mario Gotze, on April 23rd as a statement of intent that they are pushing to improve the club even further after the departure of Heynckes.

What followed though can be described by one word: “Caution”.

It would have been very difficult for Guardiola to convince the board or the supporters that the club needed a transformation to adapt to the tactics utilized by the Spaniard – after all, Heynckes was only using a very adaptable version of the Tiki-Taka himself.

With that in mind, Pep moved for a player he knew very well in the shape of Thiago Alcantara from former club FC Barcelona. Bayern also signed Jan Kircchoff on a free transfer to add to the club’s defensive ranks. Both are “low-risk” signings going forward while Guardiola settles in to his new post and then decide on more profound changes in the coming transfer windows.

The Bavarian club was active with their sales during the summer as they announced the departures of forwards Mario Gomez and Nils Petersen. Luiz Gustavo and Emre Can joined Bundesliga rivals VFL Wulfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen respectively while Anatoliy Tymoshchuk joined Russian Clubn Zenit St. Petersburg on a free transfer.

Squad Assessment:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Tom Starke, Lukas Reader

Defenders: Philipp Lahm , Rafinha, Dante, Daniel Van Buyten, Jan Kircchoff, Jerome Boateng, Holger Badstuber, Diego Contento, David Alaba

Midfielders: Javi Martinez, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thiago Alcantara, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Mario Gotze, Xherdan Shaqiri

Forwards: Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Mario Mandzukic, Claudio Pizarro

Bayern Munich will rely on possession-based football this season with emphasis on attacking fullbacks and an interchangeable midfield and attack.

Lahm is one of the top-two right backs in the world while Alaba is perhaps the most exciting young left back in world football. Dante, Boateng and Badstuber will compete for the two starting positions in center defense for what forms a formidable Bayern back four.

Behind the back four is Manuel Neuer of course, who continues to produce stunning saves when called-upon. The Bavarian’s world class keeper completes what shapes up to be one of the best defensive units in Europe.

Bayern’s midfield is as strong as they come across Europe – Javi Martinez, for me, was the best midfielder in the world last season as he was the linchpin in the tactical mastery displayed by the Bavarian side under Jupp Heynckes. Bastian Schweinsteiger is one of the best midfield players of his generation while both Kroos and Alcantara seem to be developing well to lead the midfield in the near future. Gotze and Muller will fill the advanced role in Bayern’s midfield three.

The sales of Nils Petersen and more importantly Mario Gomez leaves the Allianz Arena side short in terms of striking options. The style of play donned by Gomez does not fit with the Tiki-Taka preached by Guardiola but the lack of replacement for the outgoing German international striker could prove costly to the Bavarians in case of a long term injury to Mandzukic.

No troubles of this sort exist with the Munich outfit as Ribery and Robben are two of the best wing combinations in Europe – they are also adequately replaced by the likes of Shaqiri on the bench.

Still, one feels that the Bayern attack is perhaps where Guardiola will commence his transformation over the coming windows.

Overall, Bayern Munich will certainly be the side to beat in Germany as the likes of Dortmund will have their work cut out in their attempts to dethrone the Bundesliga champions.

As for the Champions League, the Bavarians certainly are contenders for the trophy once again this season. In fact, Bayern have competed in three of the last four UEFA Champions League finals. Few could bet against them reaching the semi-finals of the competition this season.

Borussia Dortmund

After the seismic response from Bayern Munich last season and their reclamation of their place as the emperors of the German game, BVB had to strike back this summer.

Furthermore, Dortmund suffered the blow of losing star player Mario Gotze to their Bavarian rivals even before the season ended.

BVB, who have become an example for how to obtain success within limited financial means, produced an inspired summer to strengthen their first team using the money received from the sale of Mario Gotze.

In came Armenian attacking midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Shakhtar Donetsk for 27.5 million Euros. The goal scoring midfielder was joined by the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from AS St. Etienne. Finally, the club moved for Sokratis to replace Felipe Santana at center back.

Jurgen Klopp could also pride himself at keeping striker Robert Lewandowski who threatened to leave the club after refusing to renew his running contract. BVB resisted to buckle under the pressure of losing their target man for free by the end of the season and kept hold of Poland’s number nine.

Another positive move by Die Schwarzgelben was the loan of future star Moritz Leitner to VFB Stuttgart to gain valuable first team football.

Squad Assessment:

Goalkeepers: Roman Weidenfeller, Mitchell Langerak, Zlatan Alomerovic

Defenders: Neven Subotic, Mats Hummels, Marian Sarr, Sokratis, Koray Gunter, Marcell Schmelzer, Jannik Bandowski, Oliver Kirsch, Lukasz Piszczek, Erik Durm

Midfielders: Sebastian Kehl, Sven Bender, Ilkay Gundongan, Nuri Sahin, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Kevin Grosskreutz, Jonas Hofmann, Jakub Blaszczykowski

Forwards: Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus, Pierre-Emerick Aubemeyang, Julian Schieber, Marvin Ducksch

Jurgen Klopp has a well-balanced squad who are interchangeable and adaptable.

Roman Weindefeller is a very able keeper who played a key role in helping his club to the Bundesliga titles as well as the Champions League final last season.

In Subotic and Hummels, BVB possess two of the most sought-after center defenders in Europe who have formed a great partnership. Sokratis will add capable depth to this key position. BVB’s fullbacks also represent the envy from a lot of clubs across the European continent – Marcell Schmelzer and Lukasz Piszczek are two of the best attacking fullbacks out there.

Grosskreutz has done well in replacing Piszczek when needed but one feels that an injury to Schmelzer could be damaging to Dortmund as they lack the presence of an adequate cover in their squad.

In midfield, Dortmund possess dynamic and adaptable players who can perform their attacking and defensive duties equally. Sven Bender is showing the skills to match his early promise while Gundongan is one of the best young creative midfielders in world football who is equally adept at influencing the attack from advanced positions as well as set the tempo of the match from a deeper midfield position.

Nuri Sahin seems to be returning to his old form under Klopp and Kehl will add much needed experience when required. Kuba Blaszczykowski can play anywhere on the right side and has been an inspiration for BVB over the last few seasons.

New signing Henrik Mkhitaryan will be responsible for providing the attacking impetus from midfield and replace the gap left by the departure of Gotze. The Armenian boasts a record of 44 goals and 24 assists from 106 matches over three seasons for Shakhtar Donetsk. The much-coveted Mkhitaryan enjoyed his most prolific season last year as he scored 29 goals from 42 games.

Mkhitaryan enjoyed a blistering start to his Dortmund career scoring three goals and providing one assist in his first four Bundesliga appearances and should prove an excellent signing for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The BVB football manager also enjoys a plethora of attacking talent in the shape of Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus and new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. As a front three, few clubs possess a better combination than Dortmund with Aubameyang on the right cutting inside while Reus uses his powerful and direct approach from the left to aid Robert Lewandowski who is becoming one of the best target men in world football.

Der BVB do lack in terms of cover for Lewandowski while Grosskreutz and Blaszczykowski could play a part in replacing Reus or Aubameyang.

Jurgen Klopp will be looking to close the gap at the top of the Bundesliga table this season as he looks a sterner competition to Bayern Munich than they could achieve last year. Despite the loss of Gotze, the BVB squad and first team is actually stronger this year and will push Bayern to the limits in the Bundesliga this season.

Dortmund will look to the stability of the playing squad and the side’s tactics as their main advantage over their Bavarian rivals who will be integrating fresh methods under new coach Pep Guardiola.

BVB have been grouped with Arsenal, Marseille and Napoli in the UEFA Champions League group of death. If they survive, Die Borussen will prove to be a tough nut to crack in the later stages and could possibly push for another semi-final spot this season.

Bundesliga Contenders for European Qualification:

Looking at the transfer activity across the other German clubs in the Bundesliga, one could easily see the effects of the financial crisis as the clubs worked within their limited resources during the summer transfer window.

What follows is a brief overview of the activity conducted by the clubs expected to compete at the top end of the table this season:

Bayer Leverkusen:

Bayer Leverkusen, used the cash received from the sale of Andre Schurrle to Chelsea, and signed nine players for the first squad with Giulio Donati, Heung-Min Son and Emre Can the main signings of the summer thus showing an emphasis on youth in the club’s transfer strategy. Erin Derdiyok is also a good signing for the BayArena side on loan from Hoffenheim.

Sami Hyypia has a youthful side to call-on with the side’s main strength coming in their center midfield options. Heung-Min, Sidney Sam, Erin Derdiyok and Keissling form the nucleus for an active and hard-working attack.

In defense, the club will miss the presence of Daniel Carvajal who left to Real Madrid with Roberto Hilbert and Giulio Donati competing for the right back spot. Leverkusen’s center defensive partnership is decent but is certainly open for improvement; the same could be said for their left back options as well.

Overall, Bayer will be looking to finish in the UEFA Champions League spots this season and Sami Hyypia possesses the squad to achieve this target.

Schalke 04:

“Null Vier” enjoyed a good summer after strengthening their squad by bringing in Filipe Santana, Christian Clemens, Adam Szalai, Leon Goretzka and Kevin-Prince Boateng. The club also loaned Denis Aogo from Hamburg SV to improve their first team.

Schalke are in fact the second highest team in terms of transfer spending this summer behind the mighty Bayern Munich.

“Die Knappen” possess a good squad across the pitch with their back-four options being one of the best in the German league. Howedes, Santana, Papadopoulos and Matip will provide Jens Keller with a welcome headache as they vie for the center back positions. Uchida and Aogo complete what looks a solid back-four for Schalke.

The Gelsenkirchen side boast an exciting youthful supply line which includes the likes of Julian Draxler, Max Meyer, Leon Goretzka and Cristian Clemens – all of whom should get ample time in the first team this season.

Schalke’s youth will be complemented by the experience provided by players like Jefferson Farfan, Klaas Jan-Huntelaar and Kevin-Prince Boateng which should guide the club to a top four Bundesliga finish.

Borussia Mönchengladbach:

A quiet summer at Borussia-Park saw the club improve their forward options by signing Brazilian attacking midfielder Raffael and striker Max Kruse.

You get the feel of a team ready to make the move upwards with this Mönchengladbach squad which fields a host of up-and-coming stars such as ter Stigen, Alvaro Dominguez, Granit Xhaka, Patrick Herrmann and Luuk de Jong.

The addition of a seasoned footballer such as Raffael was much needed considering the over-reliance on youth throughout the squad while Kruse will offer the club good movement in forward positions.

Lucien Favre is building his Borussia side slowly but surely and although a top four spot could be ahead of schedule come the end of the season, Gladbach will certainly enjoy the scalp of a few big sides during the season.

Others:

The Bundesliga features a few more clubs looking to break into the European spots by next May mainly in the form of VFL Wolfsburg who spent big on Luiz Gustavo, Hannover 96 and VfB Stuttgart.

A game of two halves costs LFC 100% record

Swansea City vs Liverpool Match Analysis - 16 September 2013

It was a case of “Yesterday’s Friends, Today’s Foes” as Brendan Rodgers took his table-topping Liverpool to the Liberty Stadium to take on Swansea City. 

Rodgers of course, was the man who lead the Swans to the Premier League before making the move to Anfield. It is always emotional when facing a previous employer but on this occasion, the spotlight would be on a player who made the jump in the opposite direction – Jonjo Shelvey, deemed not good enough for the Reds by Brendan Rodgers, moved to Swansea this summer. 

The young England international began the game with a chip on his shoulder. 

Swansea’s number 8 advanced from midfield with a point to prove and attempted a shot from outside the box; the shot, blocked by Gerrard, fell kindly for Shelvey who continued to move into the Liverpool penalty area – this time his shot was once again blocked, this time by Skrtel. Shelvey was not to be denied though; he picked up the ball again and rifled a shot in to the net! 

Redemption for the former Red? 

Not quite! 

A couple of minutes later, Shelvey revealed the side of his game responsible for Brendan Rodgers’ damning assessment. The Swansea midfielder, pressured by Henderson, passes the ball towards his keeper with hope but without even looking – the instinctive Sturridge intercepts the pass and shoots to score his 4th goal in 4 league games this season. 

The match settled after the insane Shelvey-inspired start with Liverpool dominating possession. Rodgers handed debuts to deadline day signings Mamadou Sakho and Victor Moses who were positioned in center defense and left wing respectively. 

With Moses positioned on the left, Coutinho returned to his favorite role as the Trequarista – the Brazilian exchanged positions with Jordan Henderson as the one who would drop deeper into center midfield to help build a Liverpool attack. 

Liverpool’s fullbacks were asked to curb their forward movement as the Reds relied on a very patient possession-based approach. The injury to Glen Johnson and the introduction of Victor Moses on the left wing are possibly the main reasons why we rarely saw the LFC fullbacks overlap in advanced positions. Andre Wisdom does not possess the attacking verve of Johnson while Moses would potentially leave space for Swansea to take advantage of as he gets used to his role on the left thus forcing Enrique to be more responsible offensively. 

Liverpool’s dominant possession play was complemented by aggressive pressing on the Swansea defenders and center midfielders up the pitch. The Reds choked out passing outlets as they closed down the Swans attacking options as well – Dyer, Michu and Bony were almost inexistent for long periods of the first half. 

To counter-act Liverpool’s domination of the proceedings, Laudrup asked his team to push up while Routledge was ordered to move centrally from the left to aid the troubled midfield. 

As the half progressed, Victor Moses got involved more in the attacking sense – first the Nigerian winger set up Sturridge for a chance after a right footed cross from the left. Minutes later, with Swansea gaining momentum, Moses intercepted another stray pass from Shelvey and pushed forward before cutting inside and scoring with a right-footed shot – Sturridge played a role in the debut goal for Liverpool’s new number 12 by occupying a couple of retreating Swansea defenders through his clever movement. 

The Welsh side looked for an immediate reaction with Dyer breaking into the Liverpool penalty box from the right side – Dyer’s shot, saved by Mignolet, reached Bony with the goal gaping only for Skrtel to deny the Ivorian with a precise tackle. 

Skrtel is showing the colossal form he displayed under Kenny Dalglish and is almost becoming an “untouchable” for the Liverpool defense. 

The second half started with Laudrup looking to strengthen his midfield options by introducing Jonathan De Guzman for Nathan Dyer. 

Laudrup’s attempts to win the midfield battle were boosted after Coutinho suffered a shoulder injury. Liverpool’s number 10 replaced by Iago Aspas. 

Swansea’s attacking-minded tactics in the second half paid dividends on 64 minutes with “You-know-who” involved yet again! A brilliant move, started by Shelvey, resulted in Michu scoring his first goal of the Premier League campaign after Shelvey nodded down a Britton cross to perfection. 

Almost immediately, Laudrup looked to smother any chance of a Liverpool recovery by taking-off Bony and bringing on Alejandro Pozuelo to further bolster their grip on the battle in midfield. With Michu now leading the line, you could notice an improved Swansea performance with the players reverting to a more familiar approach which they applied last season. 

As it has become customary this season, Brendan’s Reds relied on a deep defensive line after the 60th minute with their defenders forced to play long balls from the back looking for the runs of Daniel Sturridge and Victor Moses. 

The Swansea pressing remained relentless as the Liberty Stadium faithful sensed a winning goal – on several occasions, Liverpool’s wing outlets were outnumber 3-1. Despite the Swan’s dominance in the second half, they struggled to create goal-mouth chances as Liverpool dug deep and once again relied on the strength of character they are showing this season. The Reds, could have won the match with the last kick of the game after Aspas was left one-on-one with Vorm but the Spain forward took too much time before hitting the trigger. 

The referee blew the full-time whistle with a fair 2-2 score line. 

This was a very encouraging performance by Swansea after their disappointing start to the season. Michael Laudrup is still struggling with using Bony and Michu together as the Swans looked a better side with the Spaniard leading the attack on his own. 

If there ever was a match to typify who Jonjo Shelvey is as a football player then this would be the ideal one – the young midfielder has the skills to turn the game around for his team; he also has a knack for concentration lapses that could be very costly for his side. 

"I just want to say sorry to the fans for the two bad mistakes that gifted Liverpool a draw," said Shelvey, after the match. 

As for Liverpool, the forced changes to their back four impacted their solidity at the back with Mignolet beaten for the first time this season. The injury to Glen Johnson is a damaging one for the Reds as Wisdom failed to provide the attacking outlet required with Liverpool under pressure – the England U21 captain conceded possession on several occasions. 

Despite the two goals conceded, Sakho enjoyed an impressive debut showcasing his tackling abilities as well as his footballing skills. The French defender must adapt to Brendan’s defensive requirements quickly with the Reds boss stating: 

"I thought he (Sakho) was excellent and assured. He stepped out maybe a wee bit too far for the second goal but that's something that, once he gets used to working with us, he'll improve on. Overall I thought he was strong, aggressive and passed it well”. 

The biggest worry for Liverpool is their center midfield options – with Henderson now deployed on the right, Brendan Rodgers only has Joe Allen to come-off the bench to aid his center midfield options. With Allen injured against his old club, LFC could not bring-on a player to sway the midfield battle back in their favor. 

Another concern is the Red’s failure to dominate football matches after the 65th minute this season. Swansea maintained a whopping 68% of possession in the second half and 59% overall. 

The return to the Liberty Stadium provided Rodgers with the first serious questions asked of his side this season. LFC looked a class apart when maintaining possession in the first half but when put under pressure, Liverpool’s players could not show their strengths. Still, Liverpool’s Northern Irish manager would be pleased with his side’s mental strength once again this campaign – The Reds return to Anfield still undefeated and still top of the table. 

Entertainment at Derby d'Italia

Internationale Milano vs Juventus Match Report - 15 September 2013

The Derby d’Italia was a showcase of Serie A on its very best of days. 

The battle between Inter and Juve at the Giuseppe Meazza was a tactical battle of the highest standards but it was also a very entertaining affair. 

Both teams began the match with similar formations albeit with different individual orders to their charges. Juventus began the game as the dominant side with Conte ordering his midfield and forwards to pressure the Inter defense. 

Juve’s high pressure resulted in Inter losing possession frequently as Tevez and Vucinic pressed against the Nerazzuri back three while Pogba and Vidal choked out any passing options to Inter’s fullbacks. 

Juventus kept the lion’s share of possession for long periods of the first half and lined-up as follows: 

The Bianconeri looked well drilled in building up the attack from the back and with Inter dropping deeper Chiellini was positioned as the center midfield partner to Pirlo. 

Despite Juve’s dominance they failed to create any clear-cut chances worth mentioning as Inter relied on their fullbacks and their center midfielders to nullify Lichtsteiner and Asamoah who could influence the Juventus attacking play. 

Guarin and Jonathan doubled up on Asamoah while Nagatomo and the hard-working Taider cancelled out Lichtsteiner’s attacking impetus. 

Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal were also denied the space they require as Inter’s compact midfield and defense ensured that Juventus were allowed to hold possession in deeper areas but they simply could not threaten Handanovic's goal. 

Tevez in the trequarista role attempted to break between the lines but with Vucinic lacking the intelligent movement required, the Bainconeri could not break down Inter’s stubborn defense. 

In the rare occasion of Inter holding possession during the first half, the Nerazzuri looked to counterattack through their fullbacks who almost immediately took advanced wing positions. Juve seemed ready for this tactic as they closed down any passing options and eventually outmuscled the Inter player holding-on to the ball. 

A flaw in Inter’s attack during the first half was the distance between their midfielders and forwards. Rodrigo Palacio was hovering next to Juve’s center backs who relied on their superior physical capabilities to negate the Argentine’s influence. 

Ricky Alvarez was very mobile but he also struggled when outnumbered by Conte’s big men in midfield and defense. 

The tactical stand-off between the sides lead to an expected goal-less half. 

The second half began with Conte bringing on Isla for the disappointing Lichtsteiner. 

Mazzarri’s changes at half-time were more profound as he asked his team to take a more dominant stance in the second half. The center defenders took a position closer to the half-way line while the full backs were now deployed to out-number Conte’s men in midfield. Rodrigo Palacio was also asked to drop deeper now so that he would be able to influence the attack more. 

With Jonathan and Nagatomo pushing forward, the Nerazzuri midfield pushed ahead as well with Guarin moving closer to the opposition penalty box. This in-turn forced Asamoah and Isla to retreat. 

As the half wore on, Juventus became restricted to counter attacking and on one occasion Tevez nearly setup Vucinic only for the chance to go begging as the Montenegrin footballer strayed offside. 

Tevez again was the architect of a Juventus attack as he disposed Nagatomo on the right wing and his pass finding Vidal; the Chilean star could not hit the target and the Inter fans at Giuseppe Meazza could breathe again. 

Ricky Alvarez was key for Internationale in the second half with his attacking movement and perhaps even more importantly through his pressing up the pitch as well as his close marking of Andrea Pirlo when Juventus held possession. This tactical order by Mazzarri paid dividends in the 73rd minute. 

The energetic Alvarez stole the ball off Chiellini in center midfield and moved patiently forward and delivered the perfect pass to substitute Mauricio Icardi – the Italy youth international rifled the shot past Buffon to give Inter a deserved lead. 

Mazzarri’s elation on the sidelines was short lived though as Asamoah used his strength to break into the Internationale penalty box from the left and setup Vidal for a quick equalizer. 

Juventus immediately showing the winning mentality instilled by their coach Antonio Conte. 

The Bianconeri continued their assault on the bewildered Inter defense and nearly took the lead through Carlos Tevez but the Argentine could not finish. 

With Inter’s South American contingent clearly tiring after their involvement with their international teams, Juventus reclaimed their dominance with Pogba and Isla close to winning the game for Antonio Conte. 

A thrilling Derby d’Italia draws to a close with a fair one-all score line. Walter Mazzarri maintains his undefeated start to life at Giuseppe Meazza. His brave tactical switch in the second half could have earned his team all three points but with Conte this Juventus team always seems to find a way to get the result required.

Premier League Transfer Window Review – The Top 6 Contenders

Financial problems you say? What financial problems?

Premier League clubs shelled out a massive £630 million pounds in transfer money during the summer transfer window. England’s top division was expected to be the biggest spenders across Europe this summer after the 71% hike in television money the clubs receive. Premier League clubs will now earn a frightening £3 billion pounds over three years.

Over the past couple of years, the platform for the success of the season ahead was set by how good the clubs performed over the summer transfer window. The signing of Robin van Persie gifted the league title to United last season while the lack of significant activity by Manchester City resulted in a disappointing season.

In this piece will be going over the transfer activity of the teams competing for the top four spots in the Premier League this season. The clubs embroiled in the top four fiasco being Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd and Spurs. I consider Liverpool to be a top four candidates as well and we will be looking at them in more detail in a separate article.

Arsenal:

Ivan Gazidis, Arsenal Chief Executive, promised a big summer for Arsenal but by the eve of the transfer window deadline day the club spent a total of zero pounds in transfer fees after signing free agents Mathieu Flamini and young French forward Yaya Sanogo.

The summer started promisingly with Arsenal chasing Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain before Arsene Wenger decided that the striker was not worth more than 23 million pounds. Napoli would then pounce successfully.

The Gunners readjusted their targets by submitting a 40 million and one pound bid for Liverpool Forward Luis Suarez. The bid resulted in the following response from Liverpool principle owner John Henry:

Arsenal were lead to believe that the bid would trigger the Uruguayan’s release clause – the release clause never existed and Liverpool took a strong stance against strengthening a direct rival. Arsenal’s Suarez chase was well and duly over.

Suddenly, the early promise turned to frustration.

There was light at the end of the transfer window tunnel for Arsenal after completing the signing of German star Mesut Ozil for 42.4 million pounds on deadline day. The former Real Madrid midfielder joins loanee Italian goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano from Serie B side Palermo.

Squad Assessment:

Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczesny, Lukas Fabianski, Emiliano Viviano

Defenders: Per Mertesacker, Thomas Vermaelen, Bacary Sagna, Nacho Monreal, Laurent Koscielny, Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson

Midfielders: Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla, Mathieu Flamini, Abou Diaby, Emmanuel Frimpong, Gedion Zelalem

Forwards: Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Yaya Sanogo, Nicklas Bedtner, Ju-Yong Park, Ryu Miyaichi, Serge Gnabry

That Arsenal squad screams of imbalance.

Arsenal’s midfield could possibly be the most creative in the league as a whole. Ozil, Cazorla and Wilshere will find that killer through-pass and provide the Gunners with a lot of goal scoring opportunities. The Gunners also look more solid in midfield with Ramsey finally showing some of his promise before his injury a couple of years ago. Mikel Arteta is reliant and Flamini should prove to be an astute signing.

Arsenal have pace and skills on the wings in the shape of Theo Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Podolski.

Wenger though is not as spoiled for choice in defense. Arsenal have a total of three center backs – Arsene Wenger is using Sagna as his make shift center defender. The French manager seems to have lost faith in Vermaelen completely. Carl Jenkinson is an able right back but is still young and prone to the odd mistake.

As good as Arsenal look in midfield, the players usually tasked with the holding role do not possess the most exciting of fitness records. Jack Wilshere, Abou Diaby, Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini will struggle to play a full season.

Emiliano Viviano will add competition to Szczesny but I doubt he will provide the domineering presence the Arsenal defense needs.

Arsenal are contenders for a top four position but despite that creativity in midfield their season will rely on two players – Koscielny and Giroud. Wenger simply has no adequate replacement for those two. The form of the goalkeeper will also be key to how high the Gunners finish this season.

For Wenger, it seems it will be a case of ensuring that his creative attack can score more than his feeble defense will concede this season.

Chelsea:

Ah yes! The return of the “Special” one…Oh, I meant the “Happy” one of course!

Whatever you want to label him, Jose Mourinho might just be Chelsea’s star signing of the summer transfer window.

On the pitch, The Blues bolstered their first team squad by bringing in Andre Schurrle along with Willian and Samuel Eto’o from troubled Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala. Marco van Ginkel and Mark Schwarzer concluded the transfer activity at Stamford Bridge this summer. Chelsea will also benefit from the return of loanees Kevin De Bruyne and Michael Essien.

The exit door at the Bridge featured the loaning of Romelu Lukaku to Everton, Victor Moses to Liverpool, Oriol Romeu to Valencia and Marko Marin to Seville. Vitesse Arnhem were the biggest winners from Chelsea’s loan policy after successfully bringing in Piazon, Cuevas and Atsu.

Squad Assessment:

Goalkeepers: Petr Cech, Mark Schwarzer, Henrique Hilario, Jamal Blackman

Defenders: Branislav Ivanovic, Ashley Cole, David Luiz, Gary Cahill, John Terry, Cezar Azpilicueta, Ryan Bertrand

Midfielders: Michael Essien, Ramires, Frank Lampard, Juan Mata, Oscar, John Obi Mikel, Kevin De Bryune, Marco Van Ginkel, Josh McEachran

Forwards: Fernando Torres, Andre Schurrle, Eden Hazard, Demba Ba, Samuel Eto’o

The Special One has a very Special squad.

Over the past couple of seasons, the Blues changed their transfer policy with a focus on signing premium young stars such as Hazard and Oscar – Chelsea continued this trend during the summer transfer window by signing young German international Andre Schurrle and promising Dutch midfielder Marco van Ginkel.

The Stamford Bridge outfit possibly have the best back four in the league and with Mourinho in charge the Blues will certainly be very solid defensively.

In midfield, Chelsea have a good combination of discipline and creativity with the likes of Michael Essien protecting the back four while Lampard, Mata and Oscar can provide the creative spark required. Chelsea’s midfield is almost injury-insured as they possess great depth in the shape of Mikel, van Ginkel and De Bruyne. Mata also looks set to spend a lot of time bench-warming this season.

In Eden Hazard, Chelsea have a player destined to be one of the top three players in the world over the next two seasons. Willian and Schurrle complete an attacking midfield line-up which would spark envy from all clubs in England and Europe.

Perhaps Chelsea’s biggest problem this season would be their attack. Fernando Torres seems unable to score for Chelsea in the Premier League while Demba Ba looks a shadow of the goal-scoring threat he used to be at Newcastle.

Chelsea attempted to rectify their attacking difficulties by unsettling Wayne Rooney but a move could not be completed. Mourinho then opted to sign Samuel Eto’o from Anzhi – a player he knows very well from their time at Inter. No one would doubt the attacking instincts of the ex-Cameroon international but at 32 years of Age Eto’o has the vibe of a signing who would paper over the cracks until Chelsea could sign a long-term forward option perhaps in January or next summer.

Jose Mourinho’s side, in my opinion, will compete for the top two spots come next May. The Blues will seek a title winning season by relying on a water-tight defense while utilizing the creativity and movement of their attacking midfield options to break down their opponents.

Manchester City:

With Roberto Mancini departing before the end of last season, it was always going to be a summer of change at the Etihad Stadium.

The new man at the helm of the Citizens is Chilean Manuel Pellegrini who arrived from Malaga. Pellegrini, who favors possession-based attacking football, identified targets that would be an improvement on the starting eleven at City last season.

In midfield, Man City signed Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk while Jesus Navas was brought in for the right wing position. Within weeks, Navas was reunited with Seville striker Alvaro Negredo who Pellegrini selected as his new number 9. The attacking supply lines were reinforced further by buying Stevan Jovetic who could play anywhere across the forward positions. The summer activity was concluded by the late arrival of Martin Demichelis to add cover at center back.

The outgoings were also plenty at City with high earners Carlos Tevez, Gareth Barry, Kolo Toure and Maicon leaving the club. Meanwhile, Scott Sinclair was loaned to West Brom.

Squad Assessment:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, Richard Wright, Costel Pantilimon

Defenders: Vincent Kompany, Joleon Lescott, Martin Demichilis, Mateja Nastasic, Alexander Kolarov, Gael Clichy, Micah Richards, Pablo Zabaleta

Midfielders: Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell, Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, James Milner, David Dilva, Samir Nasri, Jesus Navas

Forwards: Alvaro Negredo, Eden Dzeko, Kun Aguero, Stevan Jovetic, John Guidetti

Manchester City and Manuel Pellegrini will be looking to compete for the Premier League title this season with the squad assembled at the Etihad Stadium.

The Sky Blues boast a very solid center midfield with Fernandinho and Yaya Toure while David Silva, Jesus Navas, Samir Nasri and Stevan Jovetic will look to break down opposition defenses through their movement between the lines and pristine incisive through passes.

In Dzeko, Aguero and Negredo, Manuel Pellegrini has the best forward line in the league to call on.

Vincent Kompany and Mateja Nastasic formed a good partnership last season in the center of defense but City do not possess an adequate cover for Kompany in the case of injury or suspension.

Joe Hart has also become a liability for a Man City since the turn of the year and his form is crucial if City were to win the title race.

Manchester United:

Oh United!

It was always going to be a difficult summer for United with Sir Alex departing after 27 years in charge but they could have surely made things easier upon themselves.

With David Gill retiring, United had to bring in a new CEO but instead of moving for someone with football experience to ease the load off David Moyes, the club decided to promote former commercial management director Ed Woodward who despite his success in growing the club’s commercial revenue he lacks adequate football experience.

United lost further experience after highly rated first team coach Rene Meulensteen left the club with Moyes favoring the recruitment of his backroom staff at Everton.

David Moyes identified center midfield as the key area which requires improvement and began the summer by chasing Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara. The move failed to materialize with the Spain internation joining Bayern Munich.

Moyes then decided to move for another Barcelona midfielder, this time in the shape of Cesc Fabregas. The Spanish champions refused to consider the sale and United dropped their chase of Fabregas before it became embarrassing for the Red Devils.

The elusive chase for a midfielder continued with United looking more desperate. The club’s target also seemed to lack sense as the deadline day approached. Manchester United became linked with attacking minded midfielders as much as defensive minded ones – Khedira, De Rossi and Ander Herrera were reported targets for Moyes before the club finally signed ex-Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini.

The above targets all have their commendable attributes but they seem to have very different profiles – a sign of desperation for Moyes as the summer went on. Another criticism aimed at United over the signing of Fellaini is that they allowed his release clause to pass which would have saved the club an extra 4 million pounds – this is yet another sign that Fellaini was far from being first choice for the club this summer.

United’s chase for a left back was another strange one for me. Patrice Evra is one of the best left backs in the league – yes, he is not getting younger but still has a couple of seasons to go. Fabio and Buttner are adequate covers for this season. So spending in the excess of 15 million for Coentrao or Leighton Baines as cover would have been bizarre.

Moyes might consider that keeping Rooney was his biggest achievement of this transfer window but he certainly did the minimal to aid this accomplishment. During United’s summer preseason tour, the Scot stated: “Overall, my thought on Wayne is, if for any reasons we had an injury to Robin van Persie, we'll need him”.

Nicely played David!

Squad Assessment:

Goalkeepers: David De Gea, Anders Lindengaard, Ben Amos

Defenders: Phil Jones, Rio Ferdinand, Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, Fabio, Alex Buttner, Rafael, Guillermo Varela

Midfielders: Anderson, Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley, Darren Fletcher, Marouane Fellaini, Shinji Kagawa, Ashley Young, Nani, Antonio Valencia, Adnan Januzaj

Forwards: Wayne Rooney, Chicharito, Danny Welbeck, Robin van Persie, Federico Macheda, Wilfried Zaha

In spite of the lack of transfer activity, United still possess one of the better squads in the Premier League.

De Gea is fulfilling his reputation as one of the best young keepers in the world while the experienced back four will prove to be a strong base for United through the season. Manchester United also possess enough defenders in reserves in the case of an injury crisis.

Moyes also possesses good options in midfield with Fellaini now joining the likes of Anderson, Carrick and Cleverley. Carrick was key for United over the last two seasons and will be very important over the next 9 months as well.

With Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck Manchester United have enough fire power to see out most opponents.

What United do lack though is skills and dribbling capabilities on the flanks and between the lines – a key component to the club’s success under Sir Alex. Yes, Shinji Kagawa is still in the ranks and yes Welbeck and Rooney can cover for those positions but the club does not possess a Ronaldo type player who could turn the game around coming in from the wings.

David Moyes has a challenge on his hands and he needs to adapt to the requirements of his new job immediately. United are a club who seek three points on every outing – a draw is not an acceptable result. The United manager favors a 4-4-1-1 formation and he certainly possesses the players to deploy that formation successfully – he needs to make sure that this formation does not cost United points in the shape of a high amount of draws.

I honestly can’t see United finish higher than third and with Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool strengthening this summer Moyes will need to adjust quickly. Overall, I predict an ulcer-inducing season for Manchester United supporters this season.

Tottenham:

Revolution at the Lane!

Andre Villas Boas is shaping his Spurs in his own image and the insane fee paid by Real Madrid for Gareth Bale provided the young Portuguese coach the finances needed for a spending spree which covered almost all positions across the pitch.

Out went William Gallas, Steven Caulker, Clint Dempsey, Tom Huddlestone, Scott Parker, David Bentley and Gareth Bale.

In return, the White Hart Lane club signed Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Nacer Chadli and Christian Eriksen in midfield while Roberto Soldado & Erik Lamela were brought in for the attacking positions.Vlad Chiriches came in to bolster the defensive ranks.

Spurs’ most important signing of the summer might probably be Franco Baldini who assisted Villas-Boas into one of the best transfer periods by any club in recent memory.

Squad Assessment:

Goalkeepers: Heurelho Gomes, Brad Friedel, Hugo Lloris

Defenders: Younes Kaboul, Jan Vertonghen, Vlad Chiriches, Michael Dawson, Kyle Walker, Kyle Naughton, Danny Rose, Ezekiel Fryers

Midfielders: Aaron Lennon, Paulinho, Erik Lamela, Lewis Holtby, Etienne Capoue, Andros Townsend, Moussa Dembele, Nacer Chadli, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Christian Eriksen, Sandro

Forwards: Roberto Soldado, Emmanuel Adebayor, Jermain Defoe

That Spurs squad looks mouthwatering doesn’t it!

AVB has assembled a very strong starting eleven with enough backup in case of injuries and with options coming off the bench.

Spurs possibly have the strongest midfield in the Premier League – Paulinho, Sandro and Capoue are a big physical presence in center midfield while Eriksen, Dembele and Holtby would provide the creative spark.

Tottenham also seem to have a plethora of options on the wings with Lennon, Townsend, Chadli and the exciting Lamela.

AVB is expected to rely on a lone striker in attack with Soldado as the starting option and Defoe as his immediate backup.

While Kyle Walker and Danny Rose could be error-prone on occasions, Spurs still possess solid center defensive options lead by Jan Vertonghen and Michael Dawson while Lloris has proven to be one of the best keepers in the league last season.

Tottenham’s final position in the table this season will rely on the time it will take for the new players to gel together. Considering that this Spurs side will probably hit form after Christmas, collecting points while the team is still adjusting becomes crucial in order to guarantee a top four position come the end of the season.

To Conclude...

Chelsea and Manchester City have the best squads and should eventually lead a two-horse race towards the Premier League trophy. Top four main-stays Manchester United and Arsenal are under serious pressure with Tottenham and Liverpool strengthening well over the course of the summer transfer window.

Unpredictable season ahead!

Shankly's Birthday Gift

Liverpool FC vs Manchester United Match Report - 01 September 2013

On the eve of Bill Shankly’s 100th birthday, an old adversary under a new regime were the visitors to Anfield as Brendan Rodgers’ Reds welcomed David Moyes’ Manchester United.

Paying tribute to the man responsible for the Liverpool Football Club we know today, the kop assembled a breathtaking mosaic of the great Bill Shankly before kick-off which was accompanied by immaculate one minute applause from every section of the Anfield crowd.

On the field, The Reds, determined to pay their respects to the great Scot, began the match on the front foot with Brendan’s men pushing high up the pitch and by the 3rd minute Jordan Henderson pressured Ashley Young into a mistake from which Daniel Sturridge earned Liverpool a corner.

From the corner, Steven Gerrard delivered a curling cross into the Manchester United penalty area which Agger attacked ahead of Rio Ferdinand before Daniel Sturridge nodded the ball into the net.

This was Sturridge’s third goal in Liverpool’s three Premier League games this season and already his fifth of all competitions.

Liverpool did look a threat from corners a few days earlier against Notts County with Agger unlucky not to have scored – his new-found attacking intent from set pieces paying dividends this time against United.

Brendan’s troops continued to press United with Sturridge & Aspas limiting the passing options of the United defense. Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverly simply could not get into the game while Robin Van Persie was closely monitored by Martin Skrtel. The Red Devils did look dangerous from set pieces though, with one particular corner finding its way to Liverpool’s six-yard box – the ball landed behind Van Persie who couldn’t control it and the chance went begging.

With Liverpool holding, Aspas would drop deep into the advanced midfield role to influence the attacking play. Coutinho would also cut inside while Jose Enrique and Glen Johnson pushed forward.

Although Coutinho seems to be improving at defending the zones on the left hand side, he also does seem to be burdened by his defensive responsibilities. The Brazilian does well in covering the zones but he does not get close to his opponent and he did leave Enrique exposed on a couple of occasions due to a United overlap.

There were no problems for Liverpool on their right side though as Johnson produced his best performance of the season thus far as he fully nullified Ashley Young. The England right back was greatly assisted by the ever-improving Jordan Henderson who seemed everywhere across the pitch helping Gerrard and Lucas in midfield while also blocking any overlap attempts by Patrice Evra.

David Moyes deployed Daniel Welbeck as the roaming forward behind Robin Van Persie – Welbeck also played a key role in pressuring Lucas and Gerrard in midfield when the Reds had possession of the ball.

The strange decision for me was positioning Ryan Giggs in the right midfield position. Yes, the Welshman was asked to cut inside and influence United’s attack from a central position when United held possession but one still wonders about the wisdom behind asking a 39 year old player-coach to hold such a demanding position?

The lack of attacking intent from Phil Jones in the right back position weakened United’s right side even further. The injury to Jones and the introduction of Valencia on 37 minutes was a potential blessing in disguise for the Red Devils.

Manchester United’s frustration grew as the half wore on with their booking count increasing while Van Persie came close to seeing Red.

The first half came to a close with Liverpool deservedly leading by a single goal.

Moyes ordered his men to press higher in the second half while Brendan Rodgers requested that his Reds remain compact and deep mirroring what Liverpool did away at Aston Villa a week earlier.

With Valencia at right back, Giggs was positioned more centrally. The Ecuador international used his strength to negate Coutinho’s attacking influence – Valencia added a new attacking outlet for United on the right as he showcased Coutinho’s lack of defensive discipline on a few occasions.

As the second half progressed, the tiring Aspas failed to pressure United’s central midfield who started having more time on the ball. Aspas was replaced on the 60th minute with Sterling introduced. The young England winger was asked to help Enrique on Liverpool’s left side while he would also add searing pace for Valencia to defend against. Sterling also allowed for Coutinho to move centrally where he is usually more effective.

Moyes attempted to stretch Liverpool’s midfield and defense by introducing Nani for Ashley Young. The Portuguese, deployed on the right wing, was introduced with intention of adding attacking pressure on Liverpool’s seemingly weaker left side. The ineffective Giggs was retained and this time asked to play on the left wing position.

The Red Devils maintained possession for large phases of the second half but they failed to penetrate Liverpool’s resolute defense. Gerrard, Lucas and Henderson became key to limiting United’s attack – their compact positioning ensured that the likes of Welbeck and Van Persie could not receive the ball where they could do most damage.

Brendan’s deep tactics were also ideal for Martin Skrtel. The Slovak is one of the best in the league at defending from a deep defensive position – he was fully dominant against Van Persie for the entire 90 minutes.

Moyes, now clearly desperate, brought on Javier Hernandez for the final 15 minutes with Welbeck now predominantly on the left wing cutting inside.

United were eventually limited to a snap shot by Nani from outside the box which Mignolet strongly saved and an opportunity by the subdued Van Persie from a Hernandez pass from Liverpool’s left side – the Holland international could not direct his shot goal-wards.

Liverpool’s new “Substance over Style” approach leads the Reds to their third 1-0 win in their third Premier League game of the season.

Brendan’s deep defensive line in the second half was ideal against a predominantly counter-attacking team in Manchester United. This defensive change also allowed Martin Skrtel the platform for a very solid defensive performance. Lucas and Gerrard looked solid and highly disciplined in center midfield while Jordan Henderson is starting to look like a key component to Liverpool this season. 

The injury to Glen Johnson is a disappointment for Liverpool though, after his car-crash-like tackle on Patrice Evra. The England international was excellent throughout against United showing once again how he cherishes the big occasions. 

On the morning of Bill Shankly’s 100th birthday, his beloved Liverpool sit atop the Premier League table and in Brendan Rodgers Liverpool have a progressive manager who is ever learning and adapting to the demands of the modern game while maintaining the foundations of The Liverpool Way.

Happy birthday Bill Shankly…this win was for you!