Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo, whose hat-trick led the side to a 3-0 friendly win over Chivas of Guadalajara.After being frustrated by the Mexican side’s goalkeeper Luis Michel in the first half in San Diego, Ronaldo finally broke the shackles in the 73rd minute and the star struck twice more in the next nine minutes to wrap up the win for the tourists.
Mourinho was delighted with Ronaldo’s performance, and the coach is pleased with the progress his team is making on their now-routine pre-season tour of North America.
“Cristiano is Cristiano. He always has the joy, the motivation and the pride to play, be it in China, Japan or the USA,” Mourinho said.
“He himself is pleased to have played well and scored. We knew we wanted to play well and we managed that.”
“This was very good training for us. I have been coming to the USA for many years with Chelsea and now Madrid. We played against American and Mexican teams, though never Chivas from America. They are tough games against good sides, who play aggressively.”
“That is what we need. There is no need to win games 10-0. We need to play against good teams, who give us some problems.”
Mourinho was also impressed by the form of Brazilian playmaker Kaka, who he feels is ready to resume top form after a lean few years.
“I always knew that what Kaka needed was to have a proper pre-season. The World Cup, injuries, a last-minute transfer to Real Madrid have combined to ensure that he has not had a proper pre-season in five or six seasons,” he said.
Over the last few years it has become apparent, that the media and those within the game are comparing more young players to the great players of the past. It seems as if every other week, we hear about the ‘new’ Zidane, Pele or Maradona, yet many of these young players never live up to the name-tag, and is it any wonder when they have that huge added pressure placed upon their shoulders.
It’s not fair for a young player who is just starting out their career to have the sort of pressure associated with that sort of name-tag. For a youngster simply trying to improve, it could be very detrimental to their development, throwing them into a harsh spotlight at an early stage. Labelling young players creates high expectations in not just the players minds, but also those around him and the supporters, and thus the player is seen as a failure if they don’t ever live up to those unobtainable heights. It’s not good for a young players mentality, as they might buy into the hype themselves, creating wildly unrealistic expectations for themselves and those around them. It’s difficult to keep your feet on the ground when you’ve just been labelled the ‘new Pele’.
There was only one Zidane, one Pele, and to compare somebody at the beginning of their career to one of the greats, is simply ridiculous. Those players are one offs, players whose skills amazed us and who achieved greatness in the game. By pigeon holing players under these labels we are just setting them up for failure before they have even started their careers.
Houllier in his time at Liverpool named Bruno Cheyrou the ‘new Zidane’ but where is he now? Had Houllier not made such a ridiculous claim, perhaps Cheyrou would have had more time to develop and rise through the ranks at Liverpool, rather than being thrust into the spotlight, and almost immediately labelled a failure. There has been a list of Argentine players compared to Maradona-Ortega and Saviola to name a few-who have become successful players in their own right, but because they were labelled as the ‘new Maradona’, and never achieved his heights in the game, they are automatically labelled as failing or not achieving their potential.
[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’right’]
Samir Nasri was another labelled the ‘new Zidane’-he is probably closer to it than Cheyrou-just because they played in the same position and had similar family backgrounds. More ridiculous is Steve Kean who recently labelled Blackburn signing Myles Anderson as the new Chris Smalling. How can he be the new Chris Smalling, when Chris Smalling has barely got his own career off the ground?
Players need to be left to create their own identity, and leave their own mark on the game, otherwise they are more than likely to succumb to the ridiculous burdens placed upon them. Perhaps more young players would successfully fulfill their potential and talent, if they weren’t thrown into such a harsh spotlight. Having talent is no guarantee that you are going to be world class, but surely if players were left to develop on their own, there would be a greater success rate.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It seems as if with the constant name-tagging of young players we are always setting them up for failure. I’m sure over the next few years, players will be hailed as the new Xavi’s and Messi’s of the world, but how many will succeed to live up to those name-tags? Probably very few, because the pressure and the expectations it creates are just too much for a young player to live up to.
Aston Villa’s strikers proved the difference at Villa Park on Saturday, with goals from Gabriel Agbonlahor, Emile Heskey and Darren Bent sealing a 3-1 win for Villa against a disappointing Blackburn Rovers.
Agbonlahor opened the scoring with a beautiful curling effort that deservedly nestled into the top corner. The lively attacker then played a part in Villa’s second, setting up the normally goal-shy Emile Heskey who beat Paul Robinson will a low strike.
But instead of Villa looking to finish off the game, it was Blackburn who started to make their mark on the match. They got a goal back early in the second period when Morten Gamst Pedersen found the net with a header to give Blackburn a chance. But Darren Bent ended Blackburn’s hopes with a typical poacher’s goal to seal the points in a convincing win for Villa.
The result leaves the two managers in very different positions. Alex McLeish made a good first impression during his first home game in charge. But the under-pressure Steve Kean watched his side fall to their second league defeat of the season, with Blackburn now bottom of the Premier League.
Click here to see all the stats from Villa Park
[divider]
Watch the goals from today’s game by checking out ESPN’s New GOALS APP
[divider]
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
[divider]
Check the winning the numbers from this week’s Goaldash here
Liverpool’s start to the new season has not been all smooth running, but there is an air of optimism around Anfield that has been swelling up ever since ‘King’ Kenny Dalglish returned again, to the delight of the Liverpool faithful, in January. Dalglish’s three-year deal, signed in May, underlines the support placed in him by Fenway Sports Group owner John W. Henry, who is himself approaching one year in control of the club.
In that time, there have been significant changes to Liverpool’s playing staff, as well. Andy Carroll, Luis Suarez, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing, Sebastien Coates and Craig Bellamy (on loan) have come in; gone are a raft of Roy Hodgson signings, including Paul Konchesky and Christian Poulsen, as well as the relics of older regimes – Emiliano Insua, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Philipp Degen. Add to that the defection of both Fernando Torres and Raul Meireles to Chelsea, and you have a veritable whirlwind of income and expenditure. I pity Liverpool’s accountants this past summer.
These are all positive moves as far as Dalglish’s aim of more expansive, attacking football is concerned, and many of the new recruits have made strong starts to their Anfield careers. Henry, too, is surely popular right now as he provides funds for one big signing after another. Henry can be assured that he’ll never walk alone, though, for an unsavoury reason – he is followed everywhere by the spectres of owners past.
Amid all the positivity buzzing around Liverpool right now (especially those who write off the thrashing by Spurs as an aberration), and with one of the biggest fixtures of the year looming this weekend with the trip across Stanley Park to Everton, Liverpool are still pursued in the courts by the disgraced and ousted George Gillett and Tom Hicks, the ‘Little and Large’ pairing who couldn’t even sustain a personal relationship while they were co-owning the club.
I’m sure Liverpool fans remember the consequences: little money to spend, constant uncertainty over the club’s future, the two men trying to buy each other out, and finally, Hicks attempting to remove directors Christian Purslow and Ian Ayre when they voted in favour of the NESV (now FSG) takeover.
Back in the courts again this week, Hicks and Gillett have succeeded in securing the right to prosecute Liverpool Football Club for an amount Hicks estimates to be up to £1 billion for the “epic swindle” that drove them out of Anfield (not that they were ever there much). Somehow he believes that they were still the rightful owners of the club, even after Henry’s finances rescued Liverpool from £250 million of debt and his takeover bid was approved by the board, hence Hicks’ last-ditch attempt to remove two of the three directors and leave himself and Gillett with a majority.
The case was thrown out of American courts in February, but the pair have now secured the rights to prosecute here in the English courts. The case is expected to begin soon, but is highly unlikely to reach a conclusion any time soon.
[divider]
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Debate on the form, and in several cases, ability, of Fernando Torres rumbles on for a 29th consecutive week following a goal-shy, yet assist-laden, performance by the Spanish striker in Chelsea’s 2-0 triumph over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions’ League last Tuesday. Albeit the £50million signing from Liverpool has failed to replicate his most impressive form of days gone by – 31 goals in 41 appearances for the Reds in his first season in English football – ‘el Nino’ has at least been demonstrating fleeting expressions of remuneration towards the club that invested so heavily in his talent.
That is, arguably, on the pitch. Away from Stamford Bridge, and away from the sunshine-deficient island he lives and works on, Torres is alleged to have made inflammatory assessments of his current team-mates/co-care-home residents in an interview that later appeared on La Liga’s official website and the forward’s own. Chelsea’s ‘internal investigation’ concluded that Torres’ thoughts on the club’s older playing staff “retaining lots of possession” were not as incendiary as initially suggested, perhaps because the ‘pensioners’ do boast an experienced squad who maintain greater possession than the opponents they encounter most weeks. But possibly the most alarming aspect of the brief affair, other than the club’s hierarchy reeling at the completely justified spoken and written judgement of their team’s tactical strategy, was that a reaction was provoked purely because such judgement was articulated by a player.
Marina Hyde (Guardian) underlined this point by reminding us that at present, “players are a corporate cog first, a player second, and a human being perhaps eighth or ninth.” Footballers who regularly verbalize their frustrations and elations have come under intensifying scrutiny of late, as Premier League clubs attempt to curb disruptive behavior within their ranks and preserve as healthy relationship with the public as possible. Darren Bent was fined around £80,000 for tweeting his irritation at having a proposed move from Tottenham stalled a couple of years back, Joey Barton was advertised as a free transfer earlier this summer as Newcastle attempted to cut their loses on a player they deemed too volatile in the public domain/social media circus and therefore harmful to the image of Mike Ashley’s relentlessly ‘pleasant’ Toon administration, and Liverpool youngster, Nathan Ecclestone, has this week encouraged his employers to initiate an investigation in to comments he made regarding 9/11. While Twitter continues to provide an outlet for professional sportspeople and celebrities to broadcast their honest opinions by evading ‘sinister’ and ‘devious’ journalists – as Cesc Fabregas has done so emphatically this week – the trend has provided more consequences for the characters involved than it has freedom of expression; going some way to explaining the theory of footballers as mere ‘corporate cogs.’
And while he remains a world away from the shiny, mid-week, evening floodlights and deafeningly epic anthem of the Champions’ League, no player has represented the ‘corporate cog’ contingent quite like David Beckham. Although the former England captain has successfully maintained control of his private life throughout an impressive career, he, currently, demonstrates the embodiment of a modern professional athlete, much in the same way Jay-Z personifies the essence of a modern professional musician. Both pursued their passions with fervent enthusiasm and managed to exhibit their talents on the greatest stages of their respective fields, and both have notably engaged in projects that transcend the parameters of sport and music, ventures that are charitable as well as lucrative and have laid the blueprint for their pretenders to follow.
Recent speculation has surfaced linking the LA Galaxy midfielder with a move to either Queens Park Rangers or Paris Saint-Germain when the current MLS season, along with Beckham’s contract, expires. Perhaps a few short months ago this story would have raised far fewer eyebrows bearing in mind that both clubs in question represented institutions of a stature that would match Beckham’s deteriorating influence on the field. Today, however, QPR and PSG enjoy significant financial support from Malaysia and Qatar respectively, and both sides wasted little time in supplementing their newly-acquired wealth with a host of squad additions. So what does a 36 year-old who has featured in the fledgling American league for the past four years have to offer an up-and-coming team playing in an elite European league with aspirations of Champions’ League fulfillment?
[ad_pod id=’vip-2′ align=’centre’]
Leonardo, a Brazilian World Cup winner and current sporting director at the Parisian outfit provides the answer: “He is more than a football player – he’s a brand, a pop star. I would always consider him.” Eschewing even a modicum of discretion, Leonardo candidly emphasizes the allure of David Beckham being more about financial incentive and brand cognizance than the ‘cog’s’ ability with a football. Sentiments echoed in W12 by Tony Fernandes, the new owner of QPR: “Beckham’s advisers want to talk because our vision is a long-term one, with commercial things David can do with me in Asia.” It wouldn’t be the first time that Beckham, the brand, has been exploited through football for extra-curricular endeavors. On 1st June 2008, the FA cynically appointed Beckham as stand-in England captain for one friendly encounter with Trinidad and Tobago, for the express purpose of courting the favour of then FIFA vice-president, Jack Warner, who held an important vote in the bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Although the bidding process, along with Warner, have since generated controversy on a far more encompassing scale, the move to appoint Beckham as captain was largely conspicuous seeing as he relinquished his duties as skipper two years previously and had barely featured on the international scene for Fabio Capello or predecessor, Steve McLaren, since the 2006 World Cup.
There’s no doubting Beckham’s pedigree, past or present, seeing as the six-time Premier League winner has featured in 622 professional club matches, scoring 114, assisting an absurd amount more and has gained ardor from Manchester to Madrid and Los Angeles to Milan. Much like at any time in his revered career, he must not be completely written-off, although potential suitors should remain cautious about his capacity to play at a top level again. The danger, however, isn’t whether a gamble on a veteran midfielder will yield a sudden rise up the table or progression to a tournament’s next round, but that we are witnessing the open acceptance of professional athletes as marketing tools, the USPs of developing clubs attempting to forge an identity amongst the big-spending and traditional milestones on the European footballing landscape.
The recent and sudden suppression of players’ public broadcasts by their employers isn’t, as they would have us believe, an effort to shield the fragile fans from internal disillusion nor try to maintain dressing-room decorum or ‘set the right example to kids,’ but because their statuses now represent values far removed from the pitch. As much as the current state of play signifies a natural and predictable juncture in football’s development as an overall entity since the influx of television money in the 1990s, the potential cost to players’ freedom remains unknown, yet appears worryingly unstable at present. No matter where Beckham lends his services to next, his arrival will be met with warranted fanfare. I hope for his sake that his intentions remain consistent, in so far as playing regular competitive football will significantly increase his chances of appearing for Great Britain at next summer’s London Olympics. But it seems more than likely that his next club will reap benefits that far outweigh his personal accomplishments.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The 30-year-old winger signed for Arsenal in January 2009 after impressing for his country during Euro 2008 and then club Zenit.
However, after one bright season for Arsenal, Arshavin has failed to secure a first-team spot due to his lacklustre performances, leaving Graham to believe that the former Zenit playmakers heart is not at the Emirates and was a waste of money.
Graham told talkSPORT’s Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast Show this week:
‘Arshavin’s been a poor buy, his enthusiasm doesn’t seem to be there.’
‘Last night [against Marseille], and in the past, he’s looked like he doesn’t want to be there. When he pulls that shirt on he’s not been good enough for me.’
I believe a lot of fans will agree with Graham on this one, and whilst I am inclined to concur with him in a sense, I for one truly believe that the Russians performances have suffered due to Arsene Wenger ’s tactics.
Now before everyone starts cussing me and telling me that I’m talking out of my ass, hear me out.
Firstly, Arshavin is not a natural winger; he is an attacking midfielder, a player that roams behind the striker and creates through the middle. Any player playing out of position will look crap and will more than likely struggle to have an impact on a game.
In the past, Arshavin looked great for Zenit and his country. Why? Because he was deployed in his natural position. He managed to net 76 goals and make 109 assists in 309 games for the Russian club, which are impressive stats and indicate that he is a creative player.
In June of this year, his national manager, Dick Advocaat , had this to say on Arshavin and Wenger:
‘One of his problems is that he plays 20 minutes per game. Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger uses him as a player who can be fielded in the second half and who can refresh the game, Andrey is showing willingness to give the team the best of what he has. I worked with him for over two years at Zenit and I know who he is. A brilliant player of a single episode.’
‘At Arsenal it is not enough to be a player of an episode. Expecting from him a ninety-minute running means not knowing and not understanding Arshavin.’
Says it all really.
Finally, and I think this is the main reason why he looks disinterested as Graham mentioned, is because he’s usually the one to be substituted when he starts a game, even when he’s having a great one, which, deep down, must annoy and dishearten him – I for one would be pissed if I was having this done to me on a regular. Even when fit and at his best, I don’t’ think Arshavin has ever lasted 90-minutes has he?
Listen, I’m not saying that it’s all Wenger’s fault, but his displays have suffered due to Arsenal system and tactics. Arshavin needs to worker harder as well and prove to his critics that he’s still got it
So, has he been a poor buy for Arsenal? No, just been poorly used and treated by Wenger.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Is his heart at Arsenal? Well extracts from his recent interview suggest that it still is:
‘To be honest, I am still expecting more from me as well. But, believe me, I do everything I can do. I just must give everything I can at the moment.’
To conclude, people need to layoff Arshavin and give him a bit more support. I know he hasn’t been great for us in recent times, but he can turn it around. So let’s all get behind him and give him the boost that he needs instead of laying into him every week.
Article courtesy of Tony Merakli from Gunnersphere
The transfer window is obviously an integral part of any football season. It can make or break a player, a manager or even a whole team. In the summer months, build up to the new season starts as soon as the old one finishes with fans around the world anxious to forget any disappointments and look forward to better times with renewed optimism. However, it isn’t long before this optimism turns to over-excitement, and then to anxious waiting, which finally turns to impatience, all stemming from the many positive and negative factors which the transfer window brings. It’s probably the most schizophrenic period for any football fan as it contains the power to both delight and despair, in equal measures. In view of the love/hate relationship we have with this period I bring you the 10 best and worst aspects of it. You’ll hate it/love it!
Click on the football transfers image below to browse the ten aspects!
[divider]
Compiled by Jimmy Areabi
[divider]
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Former Brazil international Socrates has died at the age of 57, after suffering from an intestinal infection back in his homeland.
The Belem do Para born man has had persistent health problems linked to alcohol abuse, and was taken to hospital in Sao Paolo on Thursday, after what was suspected food poisoning.
On closer examination it was revealed that the ex-midfielder was suffering from septic shock, and the South American was admitted to be treated at the medical facility.
Despite the efforts of doctors on site, Socrates passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning, leaving behind a wife and six sons.
Socrates had spent time in hospital on separate occasions back in August and September, and was in line for a liver transplant in the near future.
He represented his country a total of 60 times, scoring 22 goals, and captained the 1982 Brazil World Cup team.
At club level most of his career was spent with Corinthians, who he stepped out for between 1978 and 1984, but the creative player also played for Botafogo, Flamengo, Fiorentina and Santos.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has admitted that Wigan’s last ditch goal on Saturday was hard to take, but feels he couldn’t have done much differently to avoid it going in.
Jordi Gomez scored in the dying minutes of the Premier League clash to salvage a point for the Latics in a 1-1 draw, which sees Andre Villas Boas’ men slip further behind the Manchester clubs and Tottenham in the race for the title.
Despite the disappointment of the goal however, the Czech Republic international feels there wasn’t much more he could have done to prevent it.
“When the shot came through, there were players coming across the flight of the ball and one of the other players – I think it was Ashley Cole or somebody – the ball just went through him somehow,” Cech told The Guardian.
“There was a split second where I could not see the ball and then it was too late.
“I tried to catch the ball but it was too late and it deflected. The feeling I have from the pitch is that this is not a goal I can be proud of but, in a way, it is hard to see what I could have done differently,” he concluded.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Wolves gave their survival hopes a massive boost after holding Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium despite playing the last quarter of an hour with 10-men.
Mick McCarthy’s side produced arguably their best away performance of the season with Steven Fletchers first half strike ensuring they would take a well deserved point back to the Midlands. It was made all the more special by the fact they had to come from behind to earn a share of the spoils after Gervinho had brilliantly opened the scoring for Arsenal after only eight minutes. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger will be disappointed his side failed to add to their early lead and will see this as two points dropped as opposed to one earned in their fight for a top-four finish. The visitors, on the other hand, will be buoyed by both the result and performance as they had to deal with a sea of Arsenal pressure in the second half but stood firm to move two points clear of the drop zone.
With Robin Van Persie chasing the record for the most goals in a calendar year the home support would have been expecting their side to hit the net at a frequent rate. It certainly seemed that would be the case as Gervinho put the Gunners a goal to the good after eight minutes latching onto Yossi Benayoun’s defence splitting pass before rounding Wayne Hennessey and keeping his composure to cooly slot the ball home. Van Persie then had the chance to move himself closer to Alan Shearers goal scoring record but could only roll his shot wide after being picked out by Gervinho’s clever reverse pass. Arsenal were simply dominating possession with Wolves forced to sit back and soak up the pressure. However they shocked the Emirates crowd into near silence in the 38th minute with Fletcher equalising against the run of play diverting Steven Hunt’s shot in after being played on side by some sloppy defending from the home side.
Chances were once again few and far between for the away side after the break with Nenad Milijas blasting his opportunity over the bar after being teed up by the bright Matt Jarvis. Arsenal soon went back on the offensive but just couldn’t find a way past Hennessey who did brilliantly to claw Van Persies sublime free kick away from the top corner. The Gunners attacked in waves only to be thwarted by a Wolves defence that just refused to lie down even after Milijas was sent off for a poor tackle on Mikel Arteta with 14 minutes remaining. Van Persie then blazed an effort wide before seeing his free kick draw another fine save from Hennessey. The Welsh keeper then denied Thomas Vermaelen with a point blank save at the death to ensure his side went home with a point and a major boost to their confidence that will kick their bid for survival kicked into gear.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.