It Reigns in Spain

How do you say ‘Golden Generation’ in Spanish?

If ever a team deserves that cliched label, one cannot ignore Spain’s current crop. At the risk of throwing numbers around too liberally, since a 2-0 loss to Sweden in Stockholm in October 2006, they have notched up 16 wins and 2 draws in 18 competitive starts. During that run, they have notched up 39 goals and conceded 6. In 2008 alone, they have won 13 out of all 14 matches played, including friendlies against opposition such as France, Italy and Denmark.

Along the way, they also handled the small matter of winning their first major title in 44 years after winning the European Championships in Vienna.

The wealth of talent throughout their ranks is nothing short of Brazilian. Cesc Fabregas would sail into the first-eleven of any international side—Brazil and Argentina included—but he is forced to understudy Xavi and Iniesta in the national set-up. The strength of their collective performances for both club and country are consistently exceptional, such is the understanding they have forged. If they possessed any more chemistry they would explode.

In the final third of the pitch, the Spanish Armada boast of more options than the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Vicente Del Bosque must feel like a child with too many PlayStation games to choose from when he selects his squad, but any manager in the world must feel slightly overwhelmed when he sees Silva, Carzola, Riera, Capel, Joaquin, Navas, De la Red and Krkic and realizes he must omit half of them. David Villa and Fernando Torres would induce certain Sheiks into mortgaging their oil wells had they any shot of procuring their services.

Perhaps the true beauty of this Spanish side is that there are no stars. Stop sniggering: There are eleven world-class footballers on the pitch. But when everyone is a star, no one is a star. This is unique. France was inspired by Zidane, Brazil counted on Ronaldo’s goals. Although the Italian Class of ’06 somewhat exemplified this, they were still reliant on Cannavaro’s superb defensive marshaling. An optimum equity exists in the current Spanish side. No player dominates the team, no individual is larger than life. The team as a result is durable and balanced. Balance breeds consistency. Consistency breeds success.

That Spain are so wonderfully synchronized is significant. There is ambiguity with regard to nationality in Spain as there exists a rich variety of ethnic groups fiercely loyal to their heritage. Indeed, the current Zapatero government promotes the concept of Spain as a ‘Nation of Nations’. What partisan loyalty players might have to either their ancestry or indeed their clubs (Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, all disparate autonomous communities) however, completely evaporate when they don the Red, Blue and Gold. Spain have eleven supremely talented players fighting for one cause and Capello is undoubtedly trying to instill a similar team ethos into England.

If anything, Spain are enjoying a golden sporting age. Rafa Nadal, Fernando Alonso, Sergio Garcia and Pau Gasol are young, Spanish and already internationally renowned. Surely there must be a Spanish adaptation of ‘Let The Good Times Roll’?

Borat, Capello and Wembley

England welcome mighty Kazakhstan to Wembley on Saturday. Apparently the only Englishman fired up for the showdown is Sacha Baron Cohen, who must see this as the perfect marketing opportunity to release Borat: The Sequel. Capello, on the other hand, will be hoping his charges avoid becoming the unwitting stars in what could turn out to be a completely different comedy.

In some respects, this match takes on an importance comparable to Zagreb, although for different reasons. With the 3-0 victory over Russia a possible exception, England have yet to register a convincing performance at Wembley. Capello believes the vociferous home support occasionally has a counter-productive effect on the players, particularly if they fail to score the early goal against supposedly inferior opposition. The argument is plausible, but the atmosphere in the stadium, even when England are displaying the worst elements of their game, is only one of pent-up frustration rather than nasty rancour. Compared to numerous stadia in South America, the most treacherous depths of hostility Wembley surely does not represent.

Furthermore, it is difficult to accept that the players are unaccustomed to playing under the most stressful of conditions. 7 of the 11 players in the probable starting line-up have played in a Champions League final. They are stalwarts for their clubs which are currently at the forefront of European football. The coach and his players must replicate the assurance displayed in Zagreb, heckling home support or not.

There is an interesting article by former England winger Chris Waddle in the Mail Online. He opines that Walcott will not be nearly as effective against the Kazakhs as he was in Croatia. Walcott, argues, possesses incredible pace but not much else.

 ”He’s very quick and beats players with his pace rather than tricks and cleverness. His ideal ball is not the one to his feet so he can take players on…But now for a note of caution. Although his acceleration is an obvious gift, maybe it’s covering cracks in his game which he will need to fix in time.”

Walcott thrives on space behind the full backs, against opponents playing a relatively high line. Unless Borat is appointed Head Coach before Saturday, the Kazakhs will fortify their goal, giving England about as much space behind their defence as have refugees on a boat. Walcott is not the most incisive passer of the ball, neither does England possess a distributor with the calibre of Fabregas at Arsenal.

Waddle feels Wright-Phillips, rejunvenated since his transfer from Chelsea, should supplant the Arsenal man against Kazakhstan and Belarus. While his contention is valid, it is unlikely that Capello will omit Walcott from the starting line-up come Saturday. Walcott is emblematic of Capello’s new England. Moreover the teenager did the Italian a great favour in Croatia. As a result of that perfomance, Capello has more time and greater leeway to implement his methods and ideas. He is probably inclined to return Walcott the favour by showing loyalty to him, at least for the immediate future.

This is still an experimental phase for Capello. Kazakhstan is a different animal from Billic’s Croatia and Capello has yet to prove that he has mastered a game plan when his team are the outright favourites. Comfortable three-nils over Kazakhstan and Belarus will not warm the heart of any English supporter, but will probably represent a safe bet that Capello is taking England in a positive direction.

Wenger unleashes Arsenal 2.0 / Liverpool or Man City?

 

It was party time at the Emirates last night. Vela, Ramsey and Wilshere were superb. It is no secret within the club that the trio are the most precocious amongst the present vintage, and they justified the hype with performances replete with the maturity reminiscent of an emerging Cesc Fabregas.

“These players do not play like kids. They play with intelligence, talent and with spirit. They can beat many teams and I would not be scared to play any individual in the Premier League.”

“Yes. This is the best crop.”

 Wenger is not one conveniently drawn into hyperbole. The fact, then, that he volunteered superlatives and comparisons speaks volumes. There are two significant points which can be drawn from this.

1. A number of players which demolished Sheffield last night, along with Fabregas, Walcott and Nasri, will eventually form the core of Wenger’s magnum opus, the final prototype of the mesmerizing brand of football he has developed. Wenger has a contract till 2011, and possibly might sign an additional short-term contract extension before deciding to step down.
2. The current batch are mentally equipped to handle both praise and criticism. Pennant and Bentley put their egos ahead of the team – something which Wenger will not tolerate. It is a testament to the emotional maturity of these players that Wenger is convinced praise will only inspire confidence, not breed complacency.

Notice also that Wenger did not single out one player for praise last night, not Vela for his fabulous hat-trick, nor Ramsey for his classy performance. His platitudes are aimed at fostering a stronger team ethos, ultimately to inculcate the belief that they are part of something greater than themselves. Occasionally, he will choose to highlight an individual, to inject confidence into his game, as he did with Walcott at the beginning of the season, and Vela before last night’s encounter. What is certain is that these comments are measured, deliberate, intended to extract the best out of his young stars.

Wenger is aware that the European powerhouses envy his Midas touch. He is also aware that nurturing these players through the academy to the first team will instill a loyalty that cannot be bought. This is a work of a visionary who predicted a trend when Abramovich imposed his largesse on the Premier League. This is a man who is the best in the business.

Those disinclined towards the Wenger way should cast their attention toward Merseyside, where a half-empty Anfield watched a Liverpool side composed of their own youngsters and bit-part players stutter to a 2-1 win over tenacious Crewe Alexandria. The second string displayed a lack of killer instinct, not unlike their seniors over the weekend. Benitez took it upon himself to affirm his personal commitment to the competition, thrusting Torres into the fray to score a third goal which did not arrive.

It is difficult to see how Liverpool have progressed from seasons past. The reliance on Gerrard and Torres is still glaring. Benitez acquired Keane to form an offensive triumvirate akin to Rooney-Ronaldo-Tevez, but the complete lack of chemistry shown thus far will concern the staunchest of Kopites. Why is Babel on the bench? He is two-footed, has pace and has a respectable goal tally, despite his limited opportunities. The season is still in its infancy, but it will not be surprising if two Manchester clubs are in the Champions League next season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scolari and Chelsea: Match made in Heaven?

Jose Mourinho gets what he wants. He does not adapt to the club. The club adapts to him. He possesses the self-assurance of a scientist, demonstrating an experiment to a skeptical audience and then saying “I told you so”. Abramovich understands Mourinho was the best signing he ever made, but he grew tired of Mourinho claiming all the plaudits and adulation from fans and media alike. A showdown was inevitable, but a mid-season sacking was unexpected.

Understandably, Abramovich appointed in his place a diligent but nondescript administrator, a man almost comically uncomfortable in front of cameras. If anything, Grant’s brief reign made us question how important Jose really was to this star-studded Chelsea side. It is significant that Grant accumulated more points than both Ferguson and Wenger in the league, and exceeded Mourinho by bringing Chelsea within one step of the European crown. These were stellar achievements, but underappreciated by the Stamford Bridge faithful. They made their voices heard: We want Style over Substance! In hiring Luiz Felipe Scolari, Abramovich thought he would give them both. 

Most Chelsea supporters think Scolari an entertainer by nature. He is Brazilian, temperamental and audacious enough to reject the England job. Two stylish, 4-0 wins at the Bridge appear to vindicate that belief. Chelsea appear more fluid, less inhibited. Lampard has started the season leaner and hungrier than he did the last. Ashley Cole is showing his best form since his move from Arsenal. Deco offers Latin adventure, and in Jose Bosingwa Chelsea finally have a reliable right-back.

If Scolari desires success in England and Europe, he must show a greater willingness to adapt than his Portuguese predecessor. He has essentially been given Mourinho’s tools. Mourinho built a house impregnable as his own ego. Using the same tools, Scolari must fashion a more aesthetically pleasing product. He must be architect as well as engineer. It is a tall order, a challenge few would envy if not for the pay package. Yet, Scolari, a man who has coached in 3 different continents, will have come mentally prepared. Placed next to Mourinho, Scolari is an elder statesman, substantially more experienced at negotiating the complex politics at Stamford Bridge. Mourinho was a cult figure at Chelsea, Scolari will not follow suit. He will not alienate Kenyon or Arnesen, and he certainly will not disparage his billionaire paymaster. In this sense, Scolari is the superior fit.

Chelsea must go into the weekend as favourites. United have not won in 3 games, losing 2, and have 1 win in 5 competitive starts this season. Ronaldo will play, but Ferguson will gladly accept a point. Scolari must not allow complacency to creep into his charges. He made some great comments after the Bordeaux match, when they won 4-0.

“We wanted to make more goals but gave chances to the other team. They only had one or two chances but they had more of the ball. We need more. We have the experience to know this. Maybe against another team we would have received more punishment because we lost many balls in the middle. It is dangerous for us.”

He was talking about the weekend and Manchester United. This is usually a sign of a high-calibre coach, always looking to stay one step ahead of the media and the opposition.

Why Manchester United will not win the Premier League

 

Amidst the transfer hoopla surrounding one Dimitar Berbatov, perhaps the less excitable among the United crowd would have taken the time to ponder the loss of their Portuguese Man-of-War. Carlos Queiroz does not profess to have “changed football”, but the impact of Queiroz’s close season departure must be as strongly felt around Carrington as is the current absence of his more famous countryman.

 

It is difficult to place a finger on exactly how, and where Queiroz’s departure has hurt the club. He was the consummate No.2 man –loyal, understated, disinclined to excessive attention. What is certain is that his contribution was invaluable. Sir Alex understands this as well as any other:

 

“It’s always disappointing to lose good men and Carlos was a good man. He was honest and very loyal to me. He was also a very good coach who brought a lot of initiatives that we have acted upon in recent years.”

 

One of these initiatives was undoubtedly a successful implementation of a creative, continental style which allowed Ronaldo, Rooney and Co. the Champions League trophy Ferguson so covets. It is not the first time Sir Alex has implemented this system, but it is the first time he has been successful. It is tempting to forget, but worth remembering Ferguson beaming with delight after signing Juan Sebastian Veron for GBP 28 million in July 2001. The Argentinian playmaker was to be the catalyst, a personification of United’s modern brand of football. Veron flopped, United suffered and Arsenal won the Premier League at Old Trafford.

 

The fact that Manchester United have a barren spell when an influential No.2 leaves his post is no accident. McClaren’s departure at the end of the 2000-01 saw Arsenal snatch the crown away the following season, while Queiroz’s short-lived tenure at Real Madrid coincided with the season of Wenger’s mighty Invicibles. While Sir Alex accepts the plaudits for overhauling a machine-like Chelsea side led by Mourinho, Queiroz was likely the mastermind behind the shift of power. Old Trafford is traditionally painted as a one-man domain in the media, but the reality is that Ferguson entrusted Queiroz with a great deal of responsibility, even deferring to the urbane Portuguese in team tactics. Roy Keane’s shock departure in 2005 is attributed to his displeasure at Querioz’s overriding influence within the club and his tactical preferences. But Keane was lamenting the past, Queiroz ushering in the future.

 

Therein lies the management dynamic at Old Trafford. Queiroz was not so much the reliable deputy as the creative force behind the figurehead. He was Rove to Ferguson’s Bush, and his departure has created a chasm in the United leadership.

 

Sir Alex’s tactics at Anfield were puzzling, to say the least. Mascherano-Alonso dominated midfield when Anderson, the midfielder most capable of offering resistance, played down the wing. When Ronaldo returns, it will be interesting to watch how Sir Alex deploys his men. If he decides to start with the front four of Rooney-Tevez-Berbatov-Ronaldo, then Hargreaves and Anderson must hold the midfield. At Anfield, they obviously lacked the balance which was such a crucial ingredient of their success last season. Wenger and Big Phil Scolari must have watched the United display on Saturday and taken great heart from it.