Monday Fuzz

Will Benitez be in Liverpool on Monday?

Well, my bet is that if he fails to beat Man.Utd a couple of hours from now, we will wave goodbye to 2005 CL winners. And this is the biggest problem, with a poor start on 09/10 season; the Spanish coach is letting everyone reminisce about what he failed to win in the last four years, no Premier League championship and a single CL in his debut year that is making the reds fans think more of a strike of luck than real talent.
So, why does a team with players like Gerrard, Torres, Mascherano or Reina as so many problems to produce a consistent football and consecutive wins? Well, that’s the one million dollar question.
But in my view, while the constant rotation of the squad is probably good to keep players fresh for a long season, it produce a very weak eleven every one out of three Liverpool’s matches. Well, while everyone at Anfield says Rafa Benitez his ‘crucial’, ‘central’ and so on, I truly believe he will say goodbye to England if he fails to win today’s game against Alex Ferguson’s Man.Utd.

Normality (almost) back to CL (Day3/Part2)

So after Tuesday madness things looked pretty predictable yesterday, with no real surprises except that one (Real), Milan won at the Bernabeu. In the field of normality, the hot favorites claimed the three points, and with half way thru the English sides are on their way to secure a qualifying spot.

In Group A French champions dominated easily the German giants from München. Nine man Bayern saw their GK Butt safe two penalties. On the other game, finally Italian side Juventus took their maiden win but things could be different if Haifa’s last minutes effort produced.

Group A
Bordeaux 2 – 1 Bayern
Juventus 1 – 0 Maccabi Haifa

Standings
1 Bordeaux 7pts
2 Juventus 5pts
3 Bayern 4pts
4 Maccabi Haifa 0

At B, the red devils keep their winning pace in a very cold and hard grass field at Moscow, the late goal from Valencia opens the gates of the knockout stage. Unfortunately for Wolfsburg they missed the chance to get the three points from weaker side Besiktas.

Group B
CSKA 0 – 1 Man.Utd
Wolfsburg 0 – 0 Besikstas

Standings
1 Man.United 9pts
2 Wolfsburg 4pts
3 CSKA 3pts
4 Besiktas 1pt

Well, well, depressed Milan went to Madrid a made a comeback to secure a win. On the other match French side Marseille won and seems to be shouting we want to go thru, will Madrid or Milan fail?

Group C
Real Madrid 2 – 3 AC Milan
Zürich 0 – 1 Marseille

Standings
1 Milan 6pts
2 Real Madrid 6pts
3 Marseille 3pts
4 Zürich 3pts

If normality as a place to stay is at group D. The top spot favorites Chelsea and Porto seem eager to quickly secure the qualifying. If things go their way they can both assure the knock-out stage at day 4.

Group D
Porto 2 – 1 APOEL
Chelsea 4 – 0 Atl.Madrid

Standings
1 Chelsea 9pts
2 Porto 6pts
3 Atl.Madrid 1pt
4 APOEL 1pt

Spooky times on the CL (Day 3/Part 1)

Maybe the craziest day ever in the CL happened last night. I don’t recall ever seeing the majority of the hot favorites losing their winning pace in such a strong fashion. Maybe it’s magic from badabim-Kazan or ‘vampirean’ things from dark side Urziceni, whatever happened what a great night for football.
Barcelona’s lost their first game of the season against a pretty much unknown Russian champions Rubin Kazan at the Nou Camp. None off the English side’s were able to beat their opponents, with Liverpool being shocked at Anfield with a comeback victory 2-1 of Lyon, while the gunners achieved a not so bad 1-1 draw at AZ Alkmaar.

At Group E, Liverpool lost at home and to make things even odder, Italian side Fiorentina played a cool fashion football and scored four goals against three of home side Debreceni.

Group E:
Debreceni 3 – 4 Fiorentina
Liverpool 1 – 2 Lyon

Standings:
1 Lyon 9pts
2 Fiorentina 6pts
3 Liverpool 3pts
4 Debreceni 0pts

At Group F, if you think Barcelona’s lost is all the surprises you can get, well you’re wrong. Jose’s Mourinho Inter Milan was reduced to a two goal draw against Ukrainian side Dyn.Kiev.

Group F:
Barcelona 1 – 2 Rubin Kazan
Inter 2 – 2 Dyn.Kiev

Standings:
1 Barcelona 4pts
2 Dyn.Kiev 4pts
3 Rubin 4pts
4 Inter 3pts

In G, while Rangers were being brutalized at Ibrox, German side Stuttgart was receiving the same kind of treatment at the feet’s of unbeatable CL side Sevilla.

Group G:
Rangers 1 – 4 Unirea Urziceni
Stuttgart 1 – 3 Sevilla

Standings:
1 Sevilla 9pts
2 Unirea 4pts
3 Stuttgart 2pts
4 Rangers 1pt

At H, well Arsenal was stopped in their winning ways in the CL, but they are still in front of the group. On the other game a late goal from Stoltidis give the Greeks from Olympiacos the second spot at half way thru.

Group H:
AZ Alkmaar 1 – 1 Arsenal
Olympiacos 2 – 1 Standard Liege

Standings:
1 Arsenal 7pts
2 Olympiacos 6pts
3 AZ 2pts
4 Standard 1pt

Why do we have top seeds for South Africa?

Well before CL Day3 this is probably not the best talk, but I can’t control myself, why the hell FIFA did change the rules of the game half way thru? Talking to some friend’s major reasons emerged.

First: Platini’s influence as UEFA’s president to try and find an easier path for the ‘bleus’.
With a below average campaign France is facing a possible earlier football vacations on 2010, what will make the self proclaimed football cleaner lost his temper. The one’s that have seen football in the eighties will probably remember how things were done when Platini’s awesome Juventus couldn’t win the games.

Second: FIFA’s and Real Madrid income brake if former CR7 fails to appear.
According to newspaper Marca, that would mean a loss of 80 million pounds. With Portugal’s lack of ability to win games on the pitch, this is probably the only way to make the football star land in South Africa.

Well, this is one vision, and maybe this none of them will go thru, if somehow you don’t know the fixtures, here they are:

Rep.Ireland vs France
Portugal vs Bosnia-Herzegovina
Greece vs Ukraine
Russia vs Slovenia

Who do you think will go thru?

Monday Fuzz

The unbeatable European side

After Barcelona’s draw at Valencia there’s only one European team from the UEFA’s top ranking countries to win all matches in the awakening of the championship season. It comes from Portugal and, somehow, I truly doubt you can guess the name of the team.
No, it´s not Champions League most appeared club Porto, and it’s not the other two more or less known side’s Sporting Lisbon and Benfica. No, try to guess?? You can’t?? It’s Braga usual regular in the former UEFA Cup that failed the playoff for the new Europa League.
With a more effective than attractive style of play, Braga can proudly call themselves the only domestic league team with seven back-to-back wins in 2009, with 12 scored goals but only three conceded. There are few things to say, but it’s nice to see ‘little clubs’ with high hopes, Braga’s coach is former Porto’s star-striker Domingos that leads a bunch of Portuguese football veterans on the field, such as international’s Meyong, Eduardo or Alberto Rodriguez and top form Brazilians Alan, Mossoró and Moisés. They play on a hybrid 4x3x3/4x2x3x1 that gives good defensive protection and have as preferred score a 1-0 win.
Well, another good thing from Braga his the city itself, on the northwest of the country, the town as an awesome cultural aspect, especially related to the country’s obsessive religious past. By these days they’ll probably praise to the God of football…

Looking the wrong way, have you seen Brazil vs Ghana?

Sadly the world as decided to watch Maradona’s last ‘flying high’ rather than the breathtaking final of the U20 World Cup. The quality of the game made the 120m plus penalties a joy to watch. Brazil made quite an impression in the first quarter – with 72 per cent of possession thru that period, Ghana then responded and started to put their offensive moves on the right way.
Unfortunately for them (and for referee De Bleeckere because it was a mistake, he should have showed a yellow card) a 37 minute sent off to Daniel Addo would change the spirit of the game. For almost an hour, Ghana defended their heart out and has been rewarded with a penalties shootout (4:3) victory after a goalless draw.
To everyone that missed try to watch the full 14 penalties, what a cracker! If you can’t, not a problem, most of these young talents will soon or late arrive in Europe’s finest championships. For history the first World Championship won by an African side and an unbelievable battle between four times champions/seven time’s finalists Brazil and two times second and now champions Ghana. See also my Best eleven for this World Cup, which I wrote a couple of days before the final.

TIP: I have nothing against Diego Maradona, his one of my all time favorites, but do we really need to give him all this kind of attention! Come on Armando, grow up, you’ve putted Argentina in a World Cup, that’s almost as difficult as miss the lottery.

So the group stage as came to an end, joining the rest of the pack we’ve seen Switzerland and Slovakia raising for the occasion.

Switzerland
Co-hosts on the last European, the Swiss’s were hardly a tipped country to go thru the World Cup but they managed to win the group against 2004 continental champions Greece and lost only once.

Best: A lot of players spread around Europe’s top championships, good offensive ability with players on the sidelines like Barnetta and in the middle Vonlanthen or Yakin.
Worst: The defensive line – although some well known players like Senderos – seems too permissive, the lack of international experience will probably be decisive.

Slovakia
Win a group against their former and highly most potential country part Czech Republic, the new generation of players seems eager to please the Slovakians and will give the first taste on a World Cup grand stage.

Best: Won one of the most competitive groups – with Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Poland in theory being pretty even – and some confidence-booster rumors saying the second lost was to keep their neighbors out.
Worst: The most permissive defense of all group stage winners with ten conceded goals, lack of experience due to their premier on a final phase of a World Cup.

Slovakia and Switzerland join Denmark, Germany, Spain, England, Serbia, Italy and Netherlands.

On the playoff are the top seeds: Portugal, Greece, Russia and France.
And: Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine and Republic of Ireland.

Congratulations also to Honduras that join USA and Mexico on the bus to South Africa from the North, Central America and Caribbean while Costa Rica will play the playoff against South America fifth Uruguay. On that area Argentina finally joins Brazil, Paraguay and Chile.

The final playoffs will be played on 14 and 18 November, the European matches will be known next Monday.

Best Eleven on the Under20 World Cup in Egypt

Before the Great final between Brazil and Ghana (next Friday) I pick my favorite eleven from the Under20 World Cup in Egypt. Like always there are also some great youngsters that I leave out, but like a manager we need to make tough choices.

GK – Esteban Alvarado (Costa Rica, 20 years, club: Saprissa)
With 193cm tall and an awesome presence on the line, Alvarado is also a powerful goalkeeper when it comes to save crosses and dominate the air and is quick on commanding is defense line. When desperation comes he can also go to the opponent’s side and try to score a header.

RB – Cesar Azpilicueta (Spain, 20 years, club: Osasuna)
Already a regular in the ‘la liga’ club, Cesar is a commanding force thru the right. Great stamina what allows him to be also a good support on the offense. But, without a doubt, is the ability to close all doors on the right that makes him a great right-back.

CB – Matteo Gentili (Italy, 20 years, club: Varese)
Typical Italian defender, good pressing capability, tactically perfect, always on the right spot. His major down is the many cards he tend to see. Besides that this Varese on-loan player should soon enough be recalled to Atlanta.

CB – Andras Debreceni (Hungary, 20 years, club: Honved Budapest)
Maybe the player that impressed me the most thru the tournament – I didn’t know him before. It’s mandatory that a top European club gives this man a chance in the next market season. A commanding voice to his teammates, as an awesome ability to mark one-on-one.

LB – Diogo (Brazil, 19 years, club: São Paulo)
Already pointed as a regular on the brazilian giant São Paulo, Diogo is that kind of south American left-back that loves to push the team forward, to that he adds a good defensive ability that makes him show great maturity.

DM – Souza (Brazil, 20 years, club: Vasco da Gama)
He already plays like a European defensive midfielder, highly effective, is always on the ball trajectory. Besides that he adds that typical box-to-box talent of Brazilian players. On the attacking end he’s also a good - in force – free-kick taker.

M – David Guzman (Costa Rica, 19 years, club: Saprissa)
This is the prototype of a great midfielder, ready to defend and to start charging on the same moment. Always on the right spot, Guzman covers a lot of miles per game and adds a good passing capability and an outstanding shoot ability.

OM – Andre Ayew (Ghana, 19 years, club: O.Marseille)
Well, his got the perfect DNA to became a major star. Son of African legend Abedi Pele, this France born talent adds a lot of quality to any midfield. An old-school offensive midfielder, can pushes the right chords to make his team achieve the opponents net.

RW – Abeiku Quansah (Ghana, 18 years, club: Nice)
He’s a modern Speedy Gonzalez; such a frantic pace is always going to damage the opponent’s defense. Adds to that a superb technique and a good scoring capability, like lot a couple of his teammates is probably on his way to play for Ghana in the big boys World Cup.

LW – Giuliano (Brazil, 19 years, club: Internacional)
Hard pick for left winger. The Brazilian captain his more of an offensive midfielder but it would be to unfair to leave him out. The real soul of the South America team can play on any midfield position and as already a couple of clubs from Europe after him.

ST – Dominic Adiyiah (Ghana, 19 years, club: Fredrikstad)
He and Brazil’s Alan Kardec are ex aequo on top striker, with the number of scored goals breaking the tie – 8 vs 4. A great finishing ability, although being a short player – only 170cm – Adiyiah seems to have a great future ahead.

Bus half full to South Africa

Cool weekend, when almost all the European qualifying groups crowned a winner on the pursuit of a World Cup spot. Denmark, Germany, Serbia and Italy have secured a place in the 2010 World Cup and join previous stage winners England, Spain and Netherlands.

Denmark
Underdogs against Portugal and Sweden, the Danish have adopted a nice style of play, with the midfield always working hard and the offense on the feet of their biggest talents.

Best: The offense line, with Bendtner, and veterans Tomasson and Rommedhal on constant pursuit of the ball and with eyes on the opponents net.
Worst: On the other side of the pitch, the defense seems too permissive – remember the game against Portugal? It ended as a draw, but the Portuguese side had more than 15 scoring opportunities. The unbelievable amount of injuries on the last months as to end.

Germany
The European vice-champions have cruised in a tough group. They’re doing an awesome job with youngsters and winning a lot of trophies, now is probably the time of the big boys.

Best: Pragmatic like always, Germany as found a way to use their traditional good strikers, after England they have the best attack of the qualifying round.
Worst: While their full-backs give the right consistency, the centre-backs are too ‘German’, Metzelder, Mertesacker or Westermann have a lot of difficulties on their opponents play the ball thru the grass.

Serbia
The young country as inherited the former-Yugoslavia style of play. Short pass, all ready to aim at the opponents defense. They’ve contributed to France actual crisis.

Best: Very compact and always cohere on the defensive side. A lot of stars like Vidic, Ivanovic, Zigic or Stankovic in the main European championships.
Worst: They tend to have moments when concentration disappear, giving them a lot to work if they want to perform well against the best national sides in the world.

Italy
There’s no passion when the azzurri are playing, it’s all about the score, but they are world champions.

Best: The pragmatism of a score-oriented team that usually delivers. Marcello Lippi back at the helm is a crucial asset.
Worst: Like the Serie A top teams, the oldness of most of his players will probably show when it’s time to make four/five games in two weeks.

Congratulations also: on South America to Chile, that joins Brazil and Paraguay. On Africa to the Ivory Coast, that joins Ghana. On North, Central America and Caribbean to Mexico and USA.

On the playoffs Bahrain drawn 0-0 at home with New Zealand, the All Blacks have home advantage on South Africa road.