Dear readers, due to total boredom, i'm back blogging!
Stay tuned :)
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Friday, October 28, 2011
Alonso: Real learning to control games - FourFourTwo
Alonso: Real learning to control games - FourFourTwo
Real Madrid have won five straight La Liga games many times before but it is the dominant manner of their most recent run of victories that suggests they may be closer to ending Barcelona's three-year grip on the Spanish title.
Jose Mourinho's expensively-assembled side, who play at Real Sociedad on Saturday, relied more on swift counter-attacking last season and often seemed incapable of exerting the control that is a hallmark of their great rivals.
Lately, however, forward Cristiano Ronaldo, resurgent playmaker Kaka, in-form strikers Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain and their team-mates have blown their opponents away in the opening stages before shutting them out by keeping the ball for extended periods.
All four of their goals in last weekend's win at Malaga came in the first half, as did all three in Wednesday's 3-0 success at home to Villarreal. They have netted 21 goals on their run of five victories, conceding only three, and are a point clear of Barca after nine matches.
"We are increasingly able to control games and we are reading them better all the time," said midfielder Xabi Alonso, who dictates play in the central areas much like his Spain team mate Xavi of Barca.
"Today [against Villarreal] we were able to mix some swift attacks with holding on to the ball and knowing how to interpret the game," the former Liverpool player told reporters.
"This means the team is continuing to grow and that's a good sign. The team is ambitious and will continue to do things better. We cannot simply rest on our laurels."
REMARKABLE RUN
Under normal circumstances Real would be top of the standings but a remarkable run by Levante, who play at Osasuna on Sunday, has lifted them a point clear of the Madrid club and two ahead of Barca.
The tiny Valencia-based side, who lead La Liga for the first time in their 102-year history, have an annual budget of around 20 million euros, one of the smallest in La Liga and minimal compared with Real's of just under 500 million.
Under coach Juan Ignacio Martinez, who is making his debut in the top flight, they are unbeaten this term and have put together an unlikely run of seven victories, including a shock 1-0 home win over Real last month.
"We are the team to beat right now," Ruben Suarez, who scored a powerful stoppage-time free-kick to secure a 3-2 win at home to Real Sociedad on Wednesday, told reporters.
"We have only played nine games of course but we are top and people want to get one over on us now," added the 32-year-old, one of a slew of players in Levante's squad who are over 30.
Barca, bidding for a club record-equalling four straight titles, had mixed news on the injury front ahead of their game at home to Real Mallorca on Saturday.
Pedro has been ruled out for up to three weeks after twisting his left ankle in Tuesday's 1-0 win at Granada, while his fellow forward Alexis Sanchez trained with the squad for the first time since damaging a hamstring on September 10.
Central defenders Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique are back in full training after injury.
Barca's World Player of the Year Lionel Messi has not scored for three games in all competitions, a drought by his high standards that has prompted questions about his form.
"If there are doubts about Messi then I don't know what they think about the rest of us," midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who came through Barca's youth academy with the Argentine forward, told a news conference.
"I've never played with a player like him, either at youth level or professionally," the former Arsenal captain added.
"He's humble, never hides, always gives everything for the team, and loves the club. There's nothing more to say."
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Diego Maradona at 50
Barely a week after Brazil toasted Pele’s 70th birthday, the spotlight turns to neighbouring Argentina, where many a glass will be raised to a man who has enjoyed a verbal joust or two with the great Brazilian: the one and only Diego Armando Maradona, who turns 50 today.
Maradona’s unique story began in the outskirts of Buenos Aires half a century ago, although proud parents Dalma and Diego would have had no inkling that their newborn son would go on to become one of the greatest personalities the game has ever seen.
Diego Junior spent his childhood in the impoverished suburb of Villa Fiorito, situated in the south of Buenos Aires province. It was no easy upbringing, as Maradona, who was rarely seen without a football by his side, later recalled: “My old lady always lied, but I could see where she was coming from. At mealtimes she’d say she had a sore stomach, but she was fibbing. She only said that because there wasn’t enough food to go round and she wanted to make sure we all got something to eat.”
Such hardships forged Maradona’s character, one that would later manifest itself on the football pitch. “My parents sweated blood to make sure there was bread on the table, but there were a lot of us and there was never anything left over,” his brother Raul once commented.
“When Diego got his first pay packet he took us to all the toy shops in the neighbourhood and bought us presents, sports shoes and bicycles. He wanted to give us what we’d never had as children. I remember when he went on his first tour and bought me my first pair of football boots. They were three sizes too big but I put extra pairs of socks on and wore them anyway.”
The fame game
Maradona’s achievements on the pitch have been well documented. A favourite with Argentinos Juniors fans for his half-time ball-juggling routines, he made his first division debut for the club at the age of only 15, quickly staking a claim for a place in the Argentina team.
Tearful at his omission from the squad that would become world champions on home soil in 1978, he responded by helping La Albiceleste win the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Japan a year later. “I’ve never been happier than I was in that team,” he would later comment in his autobiography.
That was the first of many triumphs. Between 1981 and 1997 he ran out for Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell’s Old Boys and Boca Juniors, although it is with his beloved Argentina that he has enjoyed some of the most memorable moments of his life, having appeared in four FIFA World Cup™ Finals as a player and one as a coach.
“I tell the players that 30 days of sacrifice just to kiss that cup is nothing in a man’s life,” he toldFIFA.com a little over a year ago, his appetite for the most important prize in the game undiminished.
Maradona has experienced the whole gamut of emotions on football’s biggest stage. Sent off in a losing cause against Brazil at Spain 1982, he would scale the heights in Mexico four years later, plumb the depths of despair in losing to Germany in the Final at Italy 1990 and endure further pain following his suspension for doping at USA 1994.
Through his highs and lows, El Diez has always exerted a huge influence, as FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter explained: “Everyone has an opinion on Diego Armando Maradona, and that’s been the case since his playing days. His magnificent performances and extraordinary goals at Mexico 86 will live forever in the memories of all football lovers, myself included.
“My most vivid recollection is of this incredibly gifted kid at the second FIFA U-20 World Cup in Japan in 1979. He left everyone open-mouthed every time he got on the ball. And at the age of 50 he still has many years in which to keep showing us his talent. Happy birthday.”
The story goes on
Maradona was back in the spotlight at South Africa 2010, eclipsing the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo with his mere presence, his appearances at press conferences, training sessions and on the touchline generating huge expectation.
“When you walked out on the pitch with him and saw even rival fans singing his name and doing whatever they could to get a photo of him, well, you felt like you were 1-0 up already. It was truly amazing,” commented Nicolas Burdisso during the competition, attempting to explain the effect Maradona has wherever he goes.
Despite his bewitching presence, El Pelusa failed to prevent his side from going out to Germany in the quarter-finals, and having since left the Argentina job behind, he is now considering his options, weighing up a return to the game he loves so much.
“We have a few different proposals and projects on the table,” he said earlier this month. “We’ll be back soon, though. Very soon, in fact. I’ve got a point or two to prove.”
Despite the ups and downs, Diego Maradona’s hunger for the game remains as strong as it was when he made his first division debut 36 years ago. And as he celebrates an eventful half century, perhaps the only thing we can be sure of is that the football world has not seen the last of the kid from Villa Fiorito.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Good Luck
The candle of hope is the source of light for success in life so don't loose it. Failures try to blow it out but try to guard it with both your hands. Good Luck to U.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Talentspotter:Lionel Messi
| Club: | FC Barcelona |
| League: | La Liga |
| Position: | Striker |
| National team: | Argentina |
| Current rank: | 3 |
| Age: | 23 |
| Nationality: | Argentinian |
| Games: | 72 |
Argentinian genius, Barcelona's best player. And barely out of nappies... the closest thing yet to 'the new Maradona'The few hundred who watched Messi as 14-year-old playing for Barcelona’s youth teams will not be surprised at his progression to football’s ‘A’ list. |
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Decent
Every moment of ur life is a picture which u had never seen before and which u'll never see again. So enjoy n live life & make each moment beautiful.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
What Happened Next?
Carlos Roa
Eccentric Argentine goalkeeper Carlos ‘The Lettuce’ Roa broke helped knock England out of the 1998 World Cup on penalties. He then joined a religious retreat, saying the end of the world was nigh. It wasn’t, so he resurfaced to sign for Real Mallorca
“I know it will come as a bit of a shock to people that the man who knocked England out of the 1998 World Cup is now the goalkeeping coach for Constancio del Inca, a small team in the Balearic Islands. I’m only 35, which many people think is the peak for a keeper, perhaps the perfect age in terms of maturity. But then football, like life, is impossible to predict.
In 1999, I decided to devote myself to religion. The reaction I met everywhere was one of incomprehension. As a follower of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, I’d always taken my responsibilities as a Christian very seriously. For example I never ate meat – which is how I got the nickname Lechuga. My wife and I had always been heavily into meditation, and we both understood that it was time to embrace a deeper level of devotion.
I spent a year in a countryside retreat, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, doing a lot of reading and learning how to live a better, more meaningful life. Because it’s such a personal thing, only those very close to you can fully understand the meaning behind the decision.
It was based on that same kind of reflection and meditation that I decided to return to play for Mallorca a year later… with just one condition; that I wouldn’t have to play on Saturdays, instead observing the day of rest, as taught by my church.
Getting back into shape was tough. The hardest thing for a keeper to get back is his timing. And trying to return to the same level I had reached in 1998, when I was at my peak, seemed impossible. But I battled very hard and I was lucky enough to be playing well for Mallorca, a team on the rise. There were reports at one point that I was about to join Man United. I don’t pay much attention to the newspapers, but this was impossible to avoid. They said they’d offered $10 million, but there was never an official approach. It would have been a huge pleasure to play for them, especially as they’d just won the Treble.
I also spent five days on trial with Arsenal in 2002. Arsene Wenger wanted to sign me but I didn’t have a European passport and I was no longer playing regularly for the Argentina, which would have opened the door.
Strangely, my old Albacete understudy Manuel Almunia is now Arsenal’s keeper, enjoying a privilege that I almost had. It’s a shame it came to nothing because I’d love to have played in the Premiership, but I have no regrets.
Anyway, my comeback at Mallorca was really tough, because the Spanish league is very competitive and nobody was going to gift me a place in the team. So when the chance to sign for Albacete came up I didn’t hesitate, even though it meant dropping down a division.
Everything was going really well, but then God threw another crucial test in my path: testicular cancer. I had faced a similar test at my first club Racing, when during a tour of Congo, I contracted malaria.
Being a Christian helped me, the strength of my faith enabling me to put up a tremendous fight against cancer. It’s not something I can describe in detail, because you have to live with it to really understand what it’s like. It was by far the worst experience of my life, but God sent me a sign telling me I was meant to carry on living. I felt as if I’d been born again.
Now, my priority is to ensure that my career has a good swansong. The Balearic Third Division might not be the ideal place to be, but I’m still very excited. I train like a kid who is trying to earn his first professional contract. As time goes by, my chances of signing for a bigger club are slipping away, but you never know.
If I can’t find another [bigger] club for next season, I’d seriously consider quitting. But after the illness, I now enjoy life day by day, and don’t make too many long-term plans. After so many years of praying, the first lesson you are certain about is that, no matter how good or how bad things are, you must face them with your head up.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Valcke to miss technology meeting
FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke has cancelled a visit to Wednesday's goal-line technology meeting in Wales to deal with the ongoing corruption crisis.
Valcke was due to attend the International FA Board (IFAB) business meeting at Celtic Manor but now he will send other officials to meet the chief executive of the four British associations who with FIFA make up the game's law-making body.
Valcke will instead be in Zurich where FIFA's ethics committee are, on Wednesday, to hear the case of two FIFA executive committee members, Nigeria's Amos Adamu and Tahiti's Reynald Temarii, who it is claimed asked undercover reporters for cash in return for their World Cup votes.
The ethics body is also separately to investigate whether at least two countries campaigning to host the 2018 and or 2022 tournaments breached bidding rules.
Both the two men and the countries involved could be suspended by the ethics committee.
England are bidding for 2018 against Russia, Spain/Portugal and Holland/Belgium while the 2022 tournament hosts will be from Australia, USA, Qatar, Japan and South Korea.
FIFA said Valcke would be unable to attend the IFAB meeting "due to other commitments".
It is expected the IFAB meeting will take the first steps towards introducing goal-line technology, possibly by appointing an independent company to test the 13 systems that have put themselves forward to FIFA.
No major decisions will be taken until the full IFAB meeting in March however.
The FA will continue their push for the goal-line technology to be introduced.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Perfect 11
Goalkeeper
Neville Southall
I was an Evertonian as a kid and I stood behind him many times on the terraces so I couldn’t look beyond Big Nev for my goalkeeper. He saved Everton so many times over the years and even now he’s still probably the best keeper I have ever seen.
Right-back
Cafu
It has to be him by virtue of the fact that he has played in three successive World Cup finals
and that takes some doing. I don’t think anyone will ever do that again and to still be going at the age he is now shows just what a good player he is.
Centre-back
Franco Baresi
Baresi bossed simply the best club side I have ever seen – the Milan team of the late-1980s and early-’90s. They had great attacking players, not least Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten, but they were based on being sound at the back and Baresi was obviously the one who organised them. Basically he told the rest of them what to do and he was the main man in defence.
Centre-back
Marcel Desailly
I’ve played against him in the Premiership and he’s someone who could raise his game when he wanted to. He loved the big occasions. Whenever we used to play against him at Anfield he used to play so well that, to be honest, it was a case of men against boys.
Left-back
Paolo Maldini
It’s easy to take him for granted but he’s a legend in his own lifetime. Obviously Roberto Carlos is also a top player but Maldini is much better defensively – and, like Carlos, he can also get forward and provide an extra attacking option – like he did in the Champions League final.
Right-midfield
Zinedine Zidane
I would play four in midfield and that would have to include Zidane, the best player of the modern era. I would select him officially on the right but give him a free role because there’s no one better for such a job. He seems to have so much time on the ball and there’s so much to him – dribbling, creativity, passing, scoring and he’s a big lad too, powerful at set-pieces.
Centre-midfield
Graeme Souness
‘Souey’ had everything. You don’t see many players who can put their foot in and also dictate a game the way he could. It’s not just about tackling, it’s also about passing too. Obviously Steven Gerrard is a great player and maybe in years to come he can compare to Souness, but I’ve seen videos of Graeme and he was probably more like Roy Keane and Glenn Hoddle rolled into one.
Centre-midfield
Roy Keane
And talking of Roy Keane, I’d have him alongside Souey at the heart of midfield. The Man United skipper may be a little short of Souness in the passing department but he has so much drive, he can get forward into the box to score vital goals, and he can also put his foot in. And let’s be perfectly honest, the opposition would have trouble imposing their game on Souey and Keano!
Left-midfield
John Barnes
Barnesey is simply the best player I’ve ever played with or trained with. It was a real pleasure and a privilege to be there with him. He was phenomenal. I don’t think I ever saw him give the ball away, in a match or in training. He’d be on the left of the midfield, which is of course his natural position – and that’s why Zidane’s got to go on the right!
Centre-forward
Marco van Basten
Probably the best striker I’ve ever seen. He wasn’t just a goalscorer: he could hold the ball up superbly and had great skill, which he showed in his goals. He’ll always be remembered for hooking a stunning volley into the top corner in the Euro 88 final but at that time, at Milan, he was the main man in the best team in the world.
Centre-forward
Kenny Dalglish
Kenny would play just off Van Basten. Liverpool were obviously the most successful team in British football and to me, he was the best player who ever played for Liverpool. He won three European Cups and scored the winner in his first one, against Bruges at Wembley. He was a legend at Liverpool and rightly deserves to be in my Perfect XI. He was a goalscorer but he was equally proficient at setting up chances for others, notably Ian Rush – as Marco would appreciate!
Substitutes
Thierry Henry
Alan Shearer
Jamie Carragher
What a great player Thierry Henry is – I’d say he’s the best player ever to play in the Premiership, probably just ahead of Alan Shearer. And, as it’s my team, I’d put myself on the bench as well because I can play in a number of positions – not that it would be easy to get in this team!
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