Roberto Mancini notably excited about City's title chances
Looking at the Premier League right now, things look like a mess. Plenty of teams have fixtures to make up due to weather problems, sides are forced to play something like four matches in eleven days, and although Manchester City are second in the table, I hear people saying that they aren't title contenders.
It's tough to make sense out of this table of teams which has some sides up to three games behind other sides (Blackpool... get some proper undersoil heating next time you want to play in the winter...), but what we can ascertain is that this period is very important to how the season will pan out. While teams are having their ups and downs - like Chelsea losing to Arsenal and then winning against Bolton - it's the teams which can consistently get results which will come out on top after this tough winter time.
Right now Manchester United and Manchester City are equal with 38 points at the top of the table (although United has two games in hand compared to City). Behind the pair from Manchester Arsenal are at 36 points and Chelsea are at 34 points (both London clubs have a game in hand compared to City). While Manchester City aren't thrashing the opposition, they're holding their own in the title race.
More than just some star players, they're a team
To say that a team with so much talent is unable to win the Premier League this season seems wild to me. Roberto Mancini seems to have calmed down the big-money club and organize the group of superstars into a team. He started by teaching them to defend as a team, and now he is beginning to allow his team to become more attacking as a unit, not as individuals.
With Blackpool travelling to Eastlands on Saturday, and Manchester City going to Arsenal Wednesday, these two fixtures are a chance for Roberto Mancini's side to prove that they are title contenders. Two wins in these two fixtures doesn't seem all that impossible, and if City pull them off, they'll be pushing for the title with plenty of conviction.
I'm of the opinion that if Manchester City manage to take advantage of this tiring winter period, they'll truly become title contenders. Do you think Manchester City are title contenders? Share your comments below!
I know that I already posted a "Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays" post to all you readers, but when I saw this video I knew that I had to post it. It's a video that some Villareal players: Giuseppe Rossi, Santi Cazorla, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Joan Capdevilla, and Diego Lopez made in their free time. I guess if I ever became a professional player I'd be making weird celebratory videos...
Every year when Christmastime rolls around, everything in football/soccer slows down to a lull. The usual frenetic pace of the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, and then the Champions and Europa League is chilled by a blanket of ice around stadiums, forcing clubs to call off their matches. It's a time where I'm not in front of my computer 97% of my free time, instead I'm thinking about Christmas, the Holidays, and the upcoming new year.
The FIFA World Cup balls which have been used in past tournaments
I decided to include this beautiful image in this post, mainly to give a mention to a fantastic blog. It's Stern Photo, a friend of mine who takes fantastic photos from around the world. He took this one for me, all the way from Paris, France! Anyways, visit that blog, because he produces some stunning images.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year to all you readers which have been following us for all this time!
This season's instrumental new signing, Asamoah Gyan
Sunderland extended their fine recent record with a 1-0 victory over Bolton in the early-kick off to the Barclays Premier League fixtures at the weekend. As it turns out, there was just one more top tier match played on Saturday - West Ham’s 1-1 draw with Blackburn - as the big freeze decimated the fixture schedule.
The Black Cats took full advantage of that to move up to sixth in the table after Danny Welbeck’s 32nd-minute goal was enough to see off the Trotters.
Following their 5-1 thumping to fierce rivals Newcastle in October - Sunderland have claimed four wins and three draws from their last eight fixtures. Few would have predicted that they would bounce back from that high-profile defeat and credit must go to manager Steve Bruce. The Northumberland-born man pulled no punches following their humiliation at St James’ Park by saying it was their worst performance under him and he challenged them to show it was simply an off-day.
A 3-2 loss to Wolves apart, Bruce’s players have responded in emphatic style to an extent that they are being touted as genuine contenders for a place in Europe next season. Their unbeaten home form has been paramount to their success, however, they will have to improve their record on their travels as one win in nine away from the Stadium of Light is a poor return. To their credit, that away victory was a 3-0 hammering over Premier League holders Chelsea, which must rank as the highlight of their recent run.
Sunderland’s renaissance is all the more remarkable given that they have had to deal with injuries to first-choice defenders Michael Turner and Titus Bramble and star striker Darren Bent in recent weeks, meaning Bruce has had to rely on youth players to fill the void. Indeed the average age of the team that won against Bolton was just 23.
Danny Welbeck, just 20 years-old
The fringe players have certainly excelled themselves though - none more so than Welbeck, who has netted five goals in his last six games. The striker, who is on-loan from Manchester United, had his best day in a Sunderland shirt on Saturday as he stooped to head home from close range after Jussi Jaaskelainen had parried Bent’s shot. Welbeck also struck the outside of a post as Bruce’s men held on for the victory. The youngster is certainly proving to be a hit with the Sunderland faithful, as those following the latest football shirts news will tell you.
With all due respect to Owen Coyle’s men, Sunderland will come up against much sterner opponents on Boxing Day when they travel to league leaders Manchester United. The rest of the Christmas period sees them face Blackpool, Blackburn and Aston Villa in the space of nine days before their next Premier League outing, a chance for redemption against Newcastle on January 16. If they can continue their recent form from the Christmas period into the clash against the Magpies, victory over them would be the ultimate cherry on Sunderland’s cake.
Meanwhile, you can click here if you are interested in buying some of the latest Premier League football kits for Christmas. Perhaps a Sunderland one with Welbeck on the back, or is that being a bit too optimistic with regards to his future?
After the preview of the Nike Bomba Finale which I put up just about a month ago, I've finally gotten around to posting the actual review of the boots. The Nike Bomba Finale's are the first pair of turf cleats I've ever used, and I'll certainly be using them for quite some time because they are fantastic.
Breaking them in
The Nike Bomba Finale's were comfortable right from the start. I had no problems at all the first time I wore them to practice, and I really like the feel of the Kanga-Lite upper. The cleats have a wonderful feeling all around; they are snug, and probably more comfortable than most cleats I've ever had. No problems at all breaking them in, and a couple days after my first practice with them, I used them in a game and scored. Always a good sign.
On field performance
Regarding the performance on the field, these cleats were impeccable. Playing on turf I had no trouble at all with these cleats, and I didn't have the feeling that I was sinking into the ground anymore. The circular studs at the bottom really help when you change directions, making it simple to accelerate past defenders without slipping.
I mentioned above that I really like the Kanga-Lite upper. While at first I found it a little unique and weird, it grew on me, and now I think that it's a genius idea by Nike. While you can feel that the material isn't thick, it is completely waterproof along with being lighter than traditional Kangaroo leather. It just took some time to get used to it, but now I really think that it is the best synthetic material on the market.
Finishing off the "On field performance" section, I was really impressed by how these performed. The "turf-guard" on the front is effective at stopping little turf bits from creeping between the outsole and the upper (eventually causing the boot to split apart), and the higher heel also keeps the turf bits out from getting inside your cleats. I'm going to say it again for any doubters that don't like synthetic materials instead of classic leather, the Kanga-Lite upper is fantastic. While it isn't Kangaroo leather, it doesn't suck up water, and it still provides a great feel on the ball.
Pass Pad and Shot Shield
In my preview I discussed that I wasn't sure if these two features were going to be as cool and useful as they looked. I always believe that what some call "gimmicks", even if they don't work, have a psychological effect (almost like a placebo effect) which still helps out.
In my opinion, the pass pad and the shot shield did make a difference. I found distributing the ball easier with the pass pad, along with receiving and controlling easier because the hexagonal pattern took off some of the spin from the ball. The shot shield was also useful in beating the keeper to score a goal, it helped keep my shot low and hard instead of flying over the bar. These two features are certainly awesome, but even without them these boots are fantastic.
Final Judgement
I decided to skip the section regarding negatives/cons, mainly because there are none for me. I've encountered no problems at all so far, and they're certainly my favorite pair of cleats right now. Everything about these boots is tailored for perfection. The Kanga-Lite upper keeps them light and waterproof while giving you control, the "turf guard on the front along with the raised heel were genius inovations for keeping turf bits out of your shoes, and the pass pad and shot shield were cherries on top of an already excellent cake.
I really recommend these boots if you're looking for a pair of turf cleats, and if you're looking to order online, I got mine from Kitbag. Excellent service from the UK company, I'll certainly be using them again.
After Inter defeated Seongnam Ilhwa 3-0 in the semi-final, it seemed like Rafa Benitez's team was beginning to get into it's stride. The display in the final against TP Mazembe was amazing, with Inter Milan scoring three well worked goals.
The first half was torture for the African champions. Inter Milan played 45 excellent minutes in which they scored two beautiful goals. The first was a cool finish by Goran Pandev after being set up with a chipped ball over the defence, and the second was a well placed volley by Samuel Eto'o from the top of the box. Diego Milito should've had two goas to his name, but the Argentine looked useless in his two chances which should've been put away. Nonetheless, Inter dominated kept possession wonderfully with TP Mazembe chasing shadows until halftime arrived.
The second half was more even, with TP Mazembe putting Inter's back-line in difficulty and forcing Julio Cesar to some good saves. But against the run of play, Inter sealed their victory with yet another fantastic goal. A chipped ball over the defence for substitute Biabiany to control, take a touch to lose the Mazembe keeper, and poke it into the back of the net with his left foot. The match finished off with a disappointed TP Mazembe side, and a happy group of Inter players and supporters, glad to see their team claim their fifth trophy this year.
What are your thoughts regarding Inter Milan winning the FIFA World Club Cup? Share your thoughts by commenting below!
With Christmas nearly upon us, the Premiership race is still far from being all wrapped up. At the midway point in the season, there are still five teams with a realistic chance of finishing as this season's champions. Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea were always expected to be at the front of the queue, but the big three are being pushed all the way by Tottenham and Manchester City.
Many expected Spurs to struggle with the demands of balancing their domestic duties along with their debut season in the Champions League. That hasn't been the case though for Harry Redknapp's men, and Spurs are sitting a mere seven points off the top of the league as well as impressing in Europe. Despite their impressive form so far this season, it's doubtful they can keep it up till the end. Next season could be a different story though.
Man City certainly have the players capable of winning a Premier League in the future, but this season again looks to be a bit early for this ever-evolving squad of superstars. It looks as though the best Roberto Mancini's side can really hope for this campaign is that vital fourth place and Champions League football next year. There still doesn't seem to be the team spirit needed at the club for them to mount a genuine title challenge and the football betting reflects this.
That leaves the 'Holy Trinity' once again battling it out for the Premier League crown. Unless the situation at Stamford Bridge changes quickly, Chelsea don't look capable of retaining their title. Carlo Ancelotti's side have suffered a remarkable slump in form recently and can count themselves extremely lucky to still be in the race, due to the mixed form of their rivals.
Last Monday's match between Manchester United and Arsenal could prove to be a sign of what this title race may bring. The Gunners have at times this season, finally looked like the finished product but when it comes to the crunch games they still a little way behind United, as Sir Alex's team ground out a 1-0 win. The Manchester United betting tips now suggest they are now in with a serious shout of taking the title.
Wayne Rooney is still finding goals hard to come by, but the England striker has looked unplayable at times since his return form his break. It’s a case of when, not if, Rooney finds his scoring boots and when that happens United will have everything needed to regain their crown.
This Champions League round of 16 draw seems to have everything that us fans crave. Subplots, big clashes, and games which will be filled with attacking football. Here's the Champions League round of 16 draw below:
Roma - Shakhtar Donetsk
AC Milan - Tottenham Hotspur
Valencia - Schalke
Inter Milan - Bayern Munich
Lyon v Real Madrid
Arsenal - Barcelona
Marseille - Manchester United
Copenhagen - Chelsea
The game that I'm looking forward to the most from this bunch has to be the AC Milan - Tottenham one. Two teams which have really stepped up their game this season, and while AC Milan are hardened veterans of this competition, I could see Tottenham progressing. Reigning champions Inter Milan got the team they played in the final last season, Bayern Munich. I'm sure that the Bavarian side won't care too much about having lost the final, but somehow I think that Louis van Gaal's team will do their best to impede Inter to a second successive Champions League title.
While I say that the game I'm looking forward to the most is AC Milan - Tottenham, there's also the gem which is Arsenal - Barcelona. Last season Arsenal were kicked out of the competition by Pep Guardiola's side, and I'm sure that Arsene Wenger will want to prove that his side is more than just a bunch of little boys. We also have Lyon and Real Madrid meeting again, the two sides faced each other in last season's round of 16, and the French side knocked Real Madrid out of the competition. But this season there's no joking around with Jose Mourinho in charge at Los Blancos, he'll want to sweep past Lyon and pursue the trophy itself.
Here below is the Europa League draw for the Round of 32:
Napoli - Villareal
Rangers - Sporting Lisbon
Sparta Prague - Liverpool
Anderlecht - Ajax
Lech Poznan - Sporting Braga
Besiktas - Dinamo Kiev
FC Basel - Spartak Moscow
Young Boys - Zenit St. Petersburg
Aris Salonika - Manchester City
PAOK Salonika - CSKA Moscow
Sevilla - Porto
Rubin Kazan - FC Twente
Lille - PSV Eindhoven
Benfica - Stuttgart
Bate Borisov - Paris Saint-Germain
Metalist Kharkiv - Bayer Leverkusen
This weekend is a big one; in all three leagues (Serie A, English Premier League, and La Liga) we have some big matches. What we also have this weekend is the FIFA World Club Cup Final between TP Mazembe and Inter Milan, and it is the first time that an African side has reached the final of this tournament. Could they go on and win it in their first try? I doubt it.
Chelsea - Manchester United
Could we call this a season defining match? I think so. Right now Chelsea are three points behind league-leaders Manchester United (who have a game in hand), and a win for Carlo Ancelotti's side is needed to revive their title run. The match will be played at Stamford Bridge, and it will be an important return to the starting eleven for Frank Lampard, who missed about three and a half months with groin and thigh problems. Lampard played just over ten minutes last weekend against Tottenham, and it's very possible that he will be playing from the first minute against Manchester United. Manchester United on the other hand have the perfect opportunity to ascertain their dominance at the top of the table. After their 1-0 win over Arsenal last week, another win this week against Chelsea would truly set them as favorites as Premier League winners.
How do you think the match will go? I think that it'll be a close Chelsea win, but make sure to share your thoughts regarding the result by commenting below!
AC Milan - Roma
With AC Milan on the verge of completing contract negotiations with Sampdoria reject Antonio Cassano, this big match hasn't been noticed that much. AC Milan are at the top of the table, with a six point lead over second placed teams Juventus, Napoli, and Lazio. Meanwhile Roma are ten points behind the rossoneri, and this win could help patch up a shaky season for the giallorossi. While the match is being played at the San Siro, Roma will have plenty of motivation to win away from home, especially with Marco Borriello getting the chance to prove Milan wrong after they loaned him out to Roma for this season. The injury list for AC Milan is extensive with Gattuso, Zambrotta, Thiago Silva, Inzaghi, Pato, and Flamini all unable to play.
Could Roma pull off a spectacular away win against an injury-ravaged Milan team? It's certainly going to be an exciting game, but I have no idea which way it will go. How do you think the match will end? Comment below!
Espanyol - Barcelona
Espanyol and Barcelona have a fierce rivalry, and often the Catalans slip up when travel to face Espanyol at the Estadi Cornella-El Prat. Espanyol have won all seven home league games this season, conceding only two goals so far, so Barcelona have a big test to face. But it's not like Barcelona are mugs, they're top of the table right now, and the difference between them and Espanyol is 12 points, and Espanyol are in fourth! It's a strange match to call, with Barcelona playing beautiful high-scoring football, but Espanyol with plenty of momentum this season.
It is sure to be exciting, and I truly advise you to watch it, especially if you are a Real Madrid fan. This could be where Barcelona fatally lose, giving Jose Mourinho's side a chance to take first place in La Liga. What is your prediction for this match? Share your comments below!
The match wasn't too difficult for the European Champions, but they were set back in the first minutes when Sneijder received a tough challenge and had to be substituted by Thiago Motta. Although it seems like a simple muscular strain the Dutch midfielder will be missing the final of the tournament. But this setback was truly temporary, with Dejan Stankovic slipping through the Seongnam defence to score in the third minute.
A tough tackle on Sneijder
After that Diego Milito set up Inter's captain Javier Zanetti in front of goal with a delightful backheel, and Zanetti coolly volleyed into the bottom corner. In the second half, Diego Milito got his chance to score when Seongnam's keeper saved well from Eto'o's shot, but couldn't keep out Milito's finish from the rebound. While Inter Milan played well, they weren't always creating chances. It's an improvement from their recent performances, but there's room for improvement.
The final between TP Mazembe and Inter Milan will be played on Saturday. I'll certainly be watching it, and I advise you to watch it as well. I'm very interested in seeing how TP Mazembe will play against Inter Milan, and how they plan on scoring goals. Share your comments below!
While the World Club Cup rolls around every year, and many think that it's just a couple of friendlies for the European and South American champions, thats not how FIFA's tournament has panned out this season.
The first semi-final between TP Mazembe and Internacional took place today, and it was quite a shock result with the African champions winning 2-0 against the Brazilian team.
Internacional had been the better side in the first half, creating plenty of opportunities which were either not finished well, or saved by Mazembe's keeper Kidiaba. But the second half was different, and the South American champions will rue their missed chances. TP Mazembe scored twice in the second half, with Kabungu netting a precise, curling, side-foot volley. Then came the killer goal came five minutes from the end from Kalutiyuka. Kalutiyuka had already assisted Kabungu's goal, and this time he went for the net himself, cutting in from the left wing and scoring with a pinpoint low-corner shot at the near post.
This truly shock result highlights two different things, the first being that it is the first time an African side has reached the World Club Cup final, and the second being that it's the first time a European and a South American side won't face each other in the final.
But there could be more shock results to come, European Champions - and favorites to win this competition - Inter Milan will be playing against the Asian Champions Seongnam Ilhwa. Inter Milan hasn't been playing well recently, and if the Asian side knocked Rafa Benitez's side out of the tournament, it would truly be a historic event.
Here are the goals below of the TP Mazembe - Internacional semi-final. Remember to watch the match tomorrow between Seongnam Ilhwa and Inter Milan!
Any player who has a record of 30 goals in 50 Premier League appearances is going to be missed, so it is understandable that Roberto Mancini is calling for his Manchester City players to stand up, and be counted in the absence of Carlos Tevez.
Those following the Live match score centre closely when City are involved will note that they have won just one game without Tevez goal all year – a 2-0 win away at West Brom – and he has scored nearly half of all their goals this season, 10 out of 21.
His goals have blasted City up to fourth in the table and a win at bottom-placed club West Ham on Saturday will see them leapfrog Chelsea into third.
Considering the amount of money spent at the City of Manchester Stadium in recent years, it is surprising to see them rely so heavily on one player. However, thanks to a fifth yellow card of the season picked up against Bolton last week (where he scored the only goal of course), Carlos Tevez will be suspended.
Mario Balotelli will take Tevez's place against West Ham
With fellow striker Emmanuel Adebayor unable to train this week thanks to a groin injury, £25 million striker Mario Bolotelli looks set to step in.
Livescore football pundits note that the controversial 20-year-old striker has yet to really settle since his big money move from Inter Milan in the summer, and was involved in a training ground altercation with team-mate Jerome Boateng earlier this month. However, City assistant boss David Platt believes the Italian is the best finisher at the club and has backed him to do the business against the Hammers.
In the absence of the influential Tevez, it’s Bolotelli’s big chance to prove it. What do you think? Can Manchester City win without Tevez? Comment below!
While there are tons of cool and exciting technological advancements which are coming our way, yet few things seem cooler than AGENT's new soccer ball, the CTRUS. The slogan or theme which goes with this new ball is, "Fair Play is all about Transparency", and it fits very well with this ball, mainly because it's transparent!
The CTRUS has plenty of features, one of which is that it's completely airless! That means it won't lose air, and the pressure will always be perfect with no need for adjustment. Another cool thing about the ball being airless is that altitude won't have an effect on it. While the Jabulani was unpredictable, especially in high altitudes, this ball won't have that degree of unpredictability, sticking to the theme of "transparency".
The CTRUS also boasts the ability to change color thanks to LEDs in the ball, controlled by a CPU (Central Processing Unit, basically a small computer) which utilizes information from a GPS locator and Infra-red positioning indicators. That means a form of goal-line technology! When a team scores a goal, the ball could change and fit the team's colors, and the ball will be able to turn red when it goes out for a throw in, allowing for easier decision making for referees.
The CPU also allows for the CTRUS to properly record the force and speed of a kick! And that's not the only thing, there will be an on-board point-of-view camera (with stabilized image technology) which will allow us to see what the ball sees. If that isn't cool enough, I'm not sure what is...
The CTRUS won the Red Dot Luminary Science award, and has been receiving plenty of attention. This ball certainly seems like something from the future, and a prototype has yet to be made. Yet I have to ask the question, even if it were made and it worked properly and efficiently, would FIFA and UEFA accept it? Sadly, I doubt it, but that doesn't stop me from loving this awesome design, and looking forward to many more interesting things from AGENT.
Here's an awesome video highlighting the amazing things about the CTRUS:
While the Soccer Wrap Up Youtube channel has been mentioned in previous posts, I've never properly informed people about it. You can check out the channel here, and if any of you readers have Youtube accounts, I'd appreciate it if you subscribed.
FIFA have finally announced the three players which will be competing for this year's Ballon d'Or! While I have always believed that Wesley Sneijder would win this award, it seems like FIFA has decided that the Dutch player shouldn't even be amongst the finalists.
It's nice to see that FIFA have finally given recognition to Xavi and Iniesta, two very underrated players which create ridiculous amounts of goals for their club and country. It's almost unfair that FIFA can only choose one of them, especially considering that watching the two have such a deep connection and pass the ball around so beautifully.
Something else to take into consideration is that all three finalists all play for Barcelona, and two of them are Spanish, so the question arises: maybe it's La Liga which is the best league in the world right now? While I can't give a definitive answer, I'm inclined to say that La Liga has two fantastic teams, while the Premier League has an exciting mix of sides which are all of very high quality.
And what about Lionel Messi? The Argentine has a chance to win his second Ballon D'Or in a row, and he's only 23! Can Messi now be considered the greatest player of our generation?
There are so many questions with this announcement, and so few answers. One big one will arrive on January 10th when FIFA announce this year's winner of the award. Will it be Xavi? Iniesta? Or Messi? Michel Platini says that Xavi should win it, and I agree with the UEFA president, the question is, do you? Comment below!
I've received some good news from the people at Wikio, they emailed me to inform me that Soccer Wrap Up is still in the top 20 soccer blogs in their rankings. While we're not all the way up at 8th like we were last month, 15th is still pretty good, and we can only thank you, the readers.
Each month Wikio (a blogging search engine) releases the top 20 blogs (regarding football/soccer). Wikio will be releasing this list on their site sometime soon, but they contacted to let me know that I can exclusively release it for you readers to look at.
Soccer Wrap Up is 15th in their rankings for this past month, and I can only thank the readers for this rise. Thank you for following the blog, reading, commenting, and I hope you continue.
Earlier today FIFA voted and decided which nations would host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup. While maybe some thought that the tournaments would go to England (2018) and the United States of America (2022), it wasn't so, and instead it was Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) which won the rights to host the tournament.
While it'll be a long time until we actually get to see these countries host the World Cup, I'm already excited. I'm especially excited about the Qatar bid, mainly because it has a huge amount of potential. Although people complain about the heat (temperatures rise up to 50 degrees Celsius!), it seems like Qatar has found a way to solve the problem. Using solar panels on buildings, the idea would be to collect natural energy, and then convert it to natural, clean, cool air. This method would supposedly cool and refresh the fans, players, and anyone else in the stadium down to up to 20 degrees Celsius.
Another cool thing about the Qatar bid is the pure awesomeness of the stadiums. I say this after having watched their video (which you can watch below) which unveils five of their stadiums which will be used in the World Cup. All of the stadiums look amazing, and my favorite is the Al-Rayyan Stadium, which has a 420,000 square foot media facade, which is basically a huge screen which wraps around the outside of the stadium. Imagine walking towards a World Cup match, and on the side of the stadium you see the highlights of another match which took place the day before. If that isn't awesome, then what is?
Below are two videos, one of Russia's stadiums for the 2018 World Cup, and one of Qatar's stadiums for the 2022 World Cup.
David Villa scored a double assisted twice by Messi
Going into El Clasico both Barcelona and Real Madrid looked dangerous and confident as they swept through La Liga with few difficulties. To say the truth, Real Madrid was the team which was full of momentum going into El Clasico, especially considering that they'd won their last seven matches and hadn't lost in La Liga yet before they travelled to the Camp Nou. But Barcelona changed all that, while Jose Mourinho was focusing on getting the media's attention by making comments about the referees, Josep Guardiola was teaching his side how to dismantle a seemingly powerful Real Madrid side.
What happened on Monday night was a lesson for everyone taught by Barcelona and their silky passing. Although the first few minutes were slightly frenetic with both sides getting to grips with each other and the phenomenal crowd, Barcelona eased into their rhythmic passing quickly. After showing us all how to maintain possession, Barca then began to verticalize up the field with astounding velocity, sending Mourinho's defence into all sorts of disarray, and after just ten minutes, they had scored. It was a quick look from Iniesta who picked out Xavi in front of Casillas, a lucky bounce, a backheel flick, and the Spanish midfielder had popped the ball over Iker Casillas and into the back of the net.
Unhappy Mourinho scoffing as Guardiola cheers.
Wild celebration ensued from the Barcelona players, staff, and fans which surrounded Jose Mourinho and his disappointed men. Real Madrid kicked off a goal down, just ten minutes into the match as Barcelona continued with relentless pressure. It didn't take long for Barca to pierce through Real Madrid again, and this time it was Pedro who scored finishing off a pass from David Villa. What happened eight minutes ago after the first goal repeated itself; wild celebration from the Blaugrana, Jose Mourinho looking at his team like a girlfriend he's ready to dump, and Iker Casillas yelling at his teammates in a humiliated fury.
Cristiano Ronaldo pushing Guardiola on the sideline
If there was ever to be a period of time where Real Madrid seemed less lifeless than a rotting corpse it was now. The team slowly eased out of their shell and began to get a few minutes of possession, but they were still relatively disheartened and lacking in ideas. When Cristiano Ronaldo decided to push Guardiola for not giving the ball to him after it went out for a throw, the Camp Nou hailed whistles and boos at the Portuguese winger for the rest of the match. Real Madrid's feeble attempt to have a reaction to Barcelona's supremacy in the first half was halted then and there, with the home crowd galvanizing their team in hope of more humiliation for the arch-rivals.
And more humiliation came, just ten minutes into the second half it was David Villa who scored the third, finishing well after being served by a delightful pass from Lionel Messi. And so we saw Iker Casillas yet again scream with fury at his defence which couldn't cope with a well-oiled Barcelona side. Just three minutes later, Casillas's wrath was unleashed yet again when David Villa slipped through the Real defence, to receive another pass from Messi and poke it through Casillas's legs.
Puyol falling after Ramos's push
4-0 for Barcelona and Mourinho looks as angry as anyone had seen him in a long time. Real Madrid was pulverized by now: Ronaldo completely ineffective, Di Maria completely isolated, and the defence disorganized and sloppy, which is unusual for a team coached by Jose Mourinho. The final minutes of the match, and Josep Guardiola decides to rub a few youngsters into Real Madrid's face. Bojan and Jeffren came on, and the couple combined for Jeffren to score a tap-in, a reminder for Real Madrid that Barcelona are constantly creating talented and skillful youth.
But the match ended on a sour note, it was Sergio Ramos who caused plenty of discomfort in the final moments after hacking at Messi's legs needlessly, and almost causing a fight. The Spanish fullback was obviously frustrated with his team's situation and he lost his head when he pushed Puyol to the ground, and then shoved Xavi in the face. He was promptly sent off by Iturralde Gonzalez, and the final whistle sounded as soon as play resumed.
Sergio Ramos being given a direct red card
An epic, exciting, and historical Clasico which will remain in all of the Barca's players memories. Right now Josep Guardiola hasn't lost a Clasico, and Mourinho has lost his first, so you could say that while Jose is getting used to the Blaugrana's Spanish domination, Josep is as happy as ever with his team's performance. This win raises Barcelona above Real Madrid, giving Barca a two point lead above the rivals. Will La Liga end this way? Will Mourinho concoct a revenge plan to win the next Clasico, and win La Liga? And is there a possibility for a drop in form from Real Madrid? Share your comments below!
This weekend might be slightly overshadowed with El Clasico coming up, but Manchester United and Inter Milan made sure to hit the headlines with goalfests in their league matches. Manchester United go top of the table with this win, especially after Chelsea only managed to draw 1-1 away against Newcastle, and Inter Milan rise up to fifth in the Serie A after their 5-2 win over Parma. Here's a look at both teams, how they're doing, and how they'll do in the future.
Manchester United
I've always said that Manchester United would be good this year, and I predicted that they'd win the title. Sir Alex Ferguson has an excellent mix of young and energetic players along with expert veterans to guide the team during tough times. And while some say that the team is missing a creative presence in the center of midfield, even if it's needed, Sir Alex Ferguson can splash some cash in the January transfer market to strengthen the team.
The 7-1 victory over Blackburn was easy for Manchester United, with Berbatov being assisted by the Blackburn defence's incompetence. And while Berbatov scored five, some will notice that Wayne Rooney scored zero, but you have to put things into perspective with the England international. Rooney assisted two goals, was part of some excellent build-up play, and instead of taking a crack at goal many times, he decided to be selfless and pass the ball for teammates. Just like Berbatov scored five, if this match was replayed Rooney could've scored just as many.
So what's next for Manchester United? They'll be travelling to West Ham on Tuesday for the Carling Cup and Blackpool next week in the Premier League for a couple of "easy" games, and after that they'll host Arsenal at Old Trafford, and then travel to Stamford Bridge to play against Chelsea. They also have a midweek game with Valencia at home squashed in there, but as long as Ferguson's side manages not to lose, they'll qualify for the knockout rounds in first place. So can Manchester United win the Premier League this year? It's a big question which I think has the answer, yes, but share your thoughts below by commenting!
Inter Milan
Inter Milan have been recovering from a spell of poor form, and a 5-2 victory against Parma is probably the best way to announce that you're on the way up. Rafa Benitez has been heavily criticized in Italy because of his defensive style which scored few goals in the past, but this weekend everything seemed to click for the Spaniard.
While the 5-2 win is interesting in itself, the more interesting thing is that Inter Milan had to play without a proper striker, and while Goran Pandev could be a supporting forward, he's certainly not a target man like Diego Milito, or a striker like Samuel Eto'o. But this way of playing seemed to free up Sneijder, Stankovic, and Biabiany, and all three players were excellent in this match, especially Stankovic who scored a hat-trick.
But Parma were dangerous to Inter, and they went ahead first with the former Inter player Hernan Crespo scoring aganist his former side. Inter would then go on to score three goals to make it 3-1, and then have Crespo score again to make it 3-2 at halftime. But in the second half substitute Thiago Motta scored along with Stankovic who finished off his hat-trick to make the final score 5-2, and earn Rafa Benitez three important points.
This win helps raise Inter up to 5th in the Serie A table, and they're seven points behind first placed AC Milan. But Inter have some tough matches coming up: next week they travel to face 2nd placed Lazio, and then they have a midweek Champions League match in Germany against Werder Bremen before they have to travel to Fiorentina next weekend. And if that wasn't hard enough, the week after they have to host 4th placed Napoli at the San Siro.
If Rafa Benitez can get his team to win all of these matches, he'll be a king, but if his team begins to crumble yet again, he could be facing unemployment soon. While I don't think he'll manage to win all of the matches, I think he'll be able to make it through this tough run with some positive results, and from there he'll be able to focus on regaining the top spot of the Serie A. What are your thoughts on how Inter will do? Share your comments below!
Pique and Marcelo fighting for the ball in last season's Clasico
What bigger match is there right now than El Clasico? While the Milan derby was interesting, El Clasico is where the best of the best face each other. While it's not technically "this weekend" (El Clasico is taking place on Monday this season), it's still going to be probably the biggest club match of this season. But it's not all about La Liga this weekend, there's a massive match in the English Premier League between the Champions League qualified Tottenham Hotspur, and a resurgent Liverpool. In Serie A, Ibrahimovic and his magic will strike fear into a Sampdoria team which relies on Giampaolo Pazzini to score goals. So here are three matches that I recommend you watch over the weekend!
The unstoppable Lionel Messi
Barcelona - Real Madrid
Who isn't interested in seeing the two best footballers of our generation, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, go head to head, supported by their magnificently talented teammates? El Clasico is probably the biggest club match which will take place in a long time, and it looks like one of the most even match-ups too. With Jose Mourinho and his tricky ways on one side, and Josep Guardiola's beautiful football on the other, it's almost impossible to predict the result. Although it's not my prediction, the Spanish prime minister, Luis Rodriguez Zapatero predicts a 4-2 win for Barcelona. Make sure to tune in to this match on Monday!
Tottenham Hotspur - Liverpool
Tottenham have been playing wonderfully this season, and having just qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League, the team will be looking to defeat Liverpool at home this weekend. Liverpool on the other hand have been blowing hot and cold, the team hasa played fantastically at home, but whenever they travel away, it's a different story. So at first it seems like a Tottenham win, but the team could be tired after having just played in the Champions League, and Roy Hodgson's well drilled Liverpool team will be able to take advantage of this. While I predict a tight 2-1 win for Tottenham, I think that Liverpool will cause problems for Spurs, but not enough to end their fantastic form which has been a constant this season.
Sampdoria - AC Milan
Sampdoria have been without their star forward Antonio Cassano for some time now, and it looks like the team is beginning to adjust. Last weekend it was Giampaolo Pazzini who took Cassano's place scoring a hat-trick to help his side defeat Lecce 3-2, away from home. But Sampdoria are still relatively shaky, and an in-form Zlatan Ibrahimovic could tear their defence to shreds. AC Milan qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League in the midweek, and the week before they defeated Fiorentina, both games had fantastic goals by Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The big Swede seems unstoppable right now, so I certainly expect AC Milan to score, we'll just have to see how many. I expect a 3-1 win for AC Milan, with Ibrahimovic and Ronaldinho sharing the goals.
I hope you've enjoyed this little weekend preview, and in case you don't know, Soccer Wrap Up now has a Youtube channel! The videos will mostly be about soccer cleats, whether it be looking at ones which I already have, or previewing cleats which are coming out in the future. Here's a video of ours below, previewing Adidas's 2011 cleats. Enjoy!
From this weekend's action, there were many things to take in. While Tottenham's 3-2 comeback away against Arsenal was epic and surprising, what was even more surprising to me was Eto'o's Zidane-esque head-butt against Chievo defender Cesar.
What surprised me first is that Cesar is Slovenian, and what surprised me secondly was the fact that Eto'o lost his cool and decided to head-butt him. Eto'o's always been a fantastic player, while at Barcelona he was a little arrogant, I never thought that the Camerun had this side to him. And some will certainly point out that this headbutt is a metaphor for the tension and general unhappiness in the Inter team.
Why the unhappiness? Well, Inter lost the match 2-1 to Chievo, and this loss is just one from a bad streak which is endangering Benitez's job. It's Inter's second loss in a row, and out of a possible twelve points, the side has only taken two. The injury list is expansive: Diego Milito, Maicon, Samuel, Thiago Motta, Chivu, Julio Cesar, Mariga, and Coutinho. And all of them are key players, or players which would've been replacements for the key players.
So what do we have to learn from Eto'o's head-butt? That while the team is devastated by injuries, playing badly, and getting terrible results, losing your cool and head-butting an opponent will only make the situation worse. Mainly because after the FIGC reviews the incident, the forward will most likely receive at least a two game ban, hindering Benitez further.
So with the coach's job hanging by a thread, players either injured or losing their cool, what's the president, Massimo Moratti thinking? For sure Benitez will get until the midweek Champions League match against Twente, but what if the Spaniard were to lose again to the Dutch side? Share your comments regarding the situation below!
Here's the head-butt below:
That's something I'd expect someone like Gattuso, Joey Barton, or Ibrahimovic to do. And regarding Ibrahimovic, the big Swede scored a fantastic goal over the weekend. A ball crossed into the box, with his back to goal Zibra juggles, and then bicycle kicks it into the back of the net. His fantastic goal was the only one of AC Milan's 1-0 win over Fiorentina.
I've decided to post the goal below, mainly cause it's something that only Zibra could do:
Something else which caught my eye was Mallorca's 2-1 win away against Sevilla. For any side, travelling away to Sevilla is no easy task, and when Mallorca went a goal up, the travelling fans went wild. But it was not to be, and in the 88th minute, a wonderful ping-pong passing move was finished by Luis Fabiano, giving the home support an epic equalizer to relish. Rarely do you see such fantastic last-minute equalizers, and what's even more fantastic is when a team manages to score a last-minute winner. Mallorca did just that, with Webo nodding in a free kick, and earning his side three important points, away from home against Sevilla.
In La Liga we also saw Real Madrid spank Athletic Bilbao 5-1, with Ronaldo scoring a hat-trick. But what I find interesting from the match is that the man who scored Bilbao's goal was Fernando Llorente. And Llorente has been closely tracked by Mourinho and Real Madrid as a possible January transfer target. Maybe now after seeing the boy score against them, they'll decide to invest in him, and get rid of Benzema who isn't playing his best right now. We'll just have to wait and see in January.
Another hat-trick in La Liga was scored by Lionel Messi in Barcelona's 8-0 win over Almeria. Yes, you read that right, Barca won 8-0 away from home! But these matches are nothing compared to what's coming next weekend, El Clasico will take place in the Camp Nou. Sadly the match is taking place on a Monday, and I (like many others) most likely won't be able to see it.
I missed almost all the Premier League action, and I'm sorry for leaving it out this week. Next week I'll be sure to write a bit more about the state of English football right now. Please comment below regarding any of the weekend's action!
