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Soccer Break Monday
Hello everyone at the start of this new week, where before we talk Champions League and give a reminder of the weekend’s action, there’s news of another foreign takeover.
Arsenal are not enduring the easiest of times on the pitch but on Monday announced that American billionaire Stan Kroenke is taking over the club. Arsenal fans, what are your thoughts? Will this new era usher in drastic changes such as a new manager?
For a weekend recap, the title races in Italy and France look like being the closest, although Manchester United’s pursuers in the Premier League did their best to keep things interesting, and in La Liga Barcelona would appear to have the title won though with several clashes against Real Madrid coming up you never know.
Elsewhere Louis van Gaal was sacked as Bayern Munich coach after a double-winning 2010. The Bavarians are set to hand over their Bundesliga crown, either to leaders Borussia Dortmund or Bayer Leverkusen who again narrowed the gap at the top over the weekend to just five points.
The best of Monday’s football is a Premier League cracker between Manchester City and Liverpool. The Anfield club were rocked by Steven Gerrard’s injury and the news on Friday that he’ll miss the season, though they have other injury worries and are looking nervously over their shoulder as they aim for a European berth for next season.
Looking ahead to this week’s Champions League matches, and Man United v Chelsea looks to be the only tie left in the balance. Here’s an interesting read on Alex Ferguson’s side, whose success is largely down to their scouting policy and the constant influx of talented youngsters into the club.
Finally, here are some transfer rumours to get you talking.
Soccer Break Monday
Good day everyone and welcome to a new week. Following a great weekend of footballing action and with so much at stake over the next few days in Europe, there is plenty to discuss.
Let’s begin with a look at the FA Cup quarter-finals, and please add the weekend of April 16/17 to your diaries as the Manchester derby will make its way to Wembley for the semi-finals while Stoke face Bolton.
There was drama in Spain (see photo), Barcelona’s thriller in Sevilla ending 1-1 to see their La Liga lead cut to five points.
Could Real yet pip them to the title? And will Real’s highly sought after coach Jose Mourinho remain at the club?
This is a huge week for the Madrid side, who play Olympique Lyon for a place in the Champions League quarter-finals. If statistics are your thing, read on here for the low down ahead of the four last 16 second leg ties this week.
Another two clubs badly in need of a last eight spot, are holders Inter Milan and 2010 runners-up Bayern Munich who were drawn together in the last 16. Will Bayern give their coach Louis van Gaal an end to the season to remember after the Dutchman announced last week he would leave at the end of the season?
The news that dominated the weekend was of course the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Sport, in particular football, is doing its best to bring some cheer to the people, in however small a way.
Very positive thinking Zecaluiz, I hope it rubs off on your team! There is a statistic in Bayern’s favour however. To advance Inter must become only the second team in Champions League knockout phase history to overturn a first leg home defeat with a second leg away win. According to UEFA statistics, the only team to have ever managed that was Ajax Amsterdam during the 1995/96 season, whose coach at the time was current Bayern boss Louis Van Gaal.
Soccer Break Monday
Welcome back after a breathtaking weekend of soccer action around Europe. If you missed anything then read our European roundup.
Now for some blogs. The real drama of the weekend came on Saturday, when FIFA banned the snood (in our picture). Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has said they shouldn’t be worn by real men. What do you think?
Ferguson was on the end of a thumping defeat to a rejuvenated Liverpool, though no one can be hurting as much as Nani, whose shinpad failed to stop a clattering Jamie Carragher tackle which left a nasty gash. Ouch.
Click here for five things we have learnt from the Premier League this season. Do you agree?
Over to Italy, and the Rossoneri blog says AC Milan’s 1-0 win at Juventus is “a leap forward” in their bid for a first scudetto since 2004. Massimiliano Allegri’s side, who visit Tottenham Hotspur in their Champions League return leg on Wednesday, hold a five point lead in Serie A.
Unlike Allegri, Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal is not having such a fun time and the Offside describes him as “Rasputin” and wonders how he is still in a job following their latest woeful result.
And finally, a nice tale about West Bromwich Albion striker Peter Odemwingie and his battle against racism.
Soccer Break – Thursday edition
Good day to you all wherever you may be, and let’s start with some advice from Barcelona defender Dani Alves about his teammate and arguably the best footballer in the world, Lionel Messi.
The fast-passing Catalans snuck past Valencia last night, while over in Germany Raul was making the headlines for scoring the goal that sent Bayern Munich crashing out of the German Cup in the semi-finals.
Could the end be approaching for coach Louis van Gaal?
In other European action, Ligue 1 leaders Lille progressed to the semi-finals of the French Cup, and are being tipped for a domestic double.
News on the owl-kicking footballer is that he is being banned and fined.
And to finish, both sides of the story following Aston Villa’s 3-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City.
On the one hand, manager Gerard Houllier was criticised for fielding a weakened side, while the Aston Villa blog says avoiding relegation is their primary concern.
Champions League final, Bayern Munich v Inter Milan — live
Join us for tonight’s Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in Madrid. Will it be Louis van Gaal or Jose Mourinho who wins the competition for the second time? Either way, we’re expecting a belting final at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
yeah,have given it all to the tactician jose mourinho.cos he wants to prove himself that he his a world class coach.he will definitely smile home bcos he has all it takes to smile home with the trophy.gud luck.jose
Champions League final approaches with so many distractions
Saturday’s Champions League final should be the only show in town but the build-up to the game in Madrid is offering a host of distractions.
The beautiful Spanish weather could easily lull a Bayern Munich or Inter Milan fan into thinking they had just popped over for a holiday…that is until they look at the news stands.
All anyone wants to talk about is whether Inter coach Jose Mourinho will quit for Real Madrid after the match, where incidentally both sides are gunning for trebles.
The fact the game is being played in the Bernabeu and Mourinho’s squad are practising at Real’s training ground just adds to the drama that seems to follow the Portuguese wherever he goes.
But it’s not just Mourinho’s future that is interesting people in Madrid. Bayern winger Franck Ribery is suspended for the final but media reports say he will jet into the Spanish capital anyway on Saturday to sign for….Bayern.
The Frenchman has been linked with Real and Barcelona but could be poised to stay in Germany.
Early Christmas present for Van Gaal, Bayern
Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal got an early Christmas present. He gets to keep his job until at least after the festive season is over following Bayern’s 4-1 crushing of Juventus in Italy to advance to the Champions League knockout stage.
Two weeks ago the Dutchman, who took over in July, looked to be on his way out with Bayern needing two wins in the remaining Champions League matches to advance, while languishing in seventh place in the Bundesliga.
Bayern have now won four consecutive matches, including two in the league to move into fourth place, four points off the top, and any talk regarding the coach has been put on the backburner.
“The way we played fascinated everyone,” Bayern General Director Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told his team and invited guests at a midnight banquet at the Hotel Principe di Piemonte, as waiters served tuna, beef and salmon. “It was a magical night which we did not expect. Here, even with our best players, we always had to settle for defeats. It is an early Christmas present for us and our fans.”
Van Gaal could not be happier. The team is on a winning run, despite missing its two best players through injury. Striker Mario Gomez, relegated to the bench for much of the season, has now scored in the four of the last five matches and with Dutchman Arjen Robben finally fully fit and playmaker Franck Ribery set to return to action after the winter break, things could not be rosier for van Gaal. Only two weeks ago he was under fire for not being able to do anything right.
PHOTO: Bayern Munich’s Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (L) celebrates with his teammates Mario Gomez (C) and Bastian Schweinsteiger after scoring against Juventus during their Champions League soccer match at the Olympic stadium in Turin December 8, 2009. Bayern Munich won 4-1. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi
Bayern are worse off under Van Gaal than Klinsmann — official
Bayern Munich directors must be feeling very uncomfortable at the moment. Their team are sixth in the Bundesliga and almost out of the Champions League.
So far their chosen successor to Juergen Klinsmann, who was sacked a few weeks before the end of last season for failing to secure any silverware, has had a worse run than the former striker.
Louis van Gaal, handpicked for what Bayern said was his discipline and teaching skills, was supposed to make everything good again after the Klinsmann experiment.
The Dutchman also got a roster boosted by more than 70 million euros worth of new signings including record Bundesliga transfer Mario Gomez, Croat striker Ivica Olic, Dutch midfielder Arjen Robben and Russian defensive midfielder Anatolyi Tymoshchuk as well as Croatia international Danijel Pranjic and Dutch defender Edson Braafheid.
Throw in 20-year-old Thomas Mueller’s superb current form and you have arguably a much stronger side. Klinsmann was begging for players but both Tymoshchuk and Olic, who were signed in December, joined in the summer.
Despite all this, Klinsmann still comes out on top on a head-to-head after 11 league matches played. Under him Bayern were in third place on 21 points with six wins, three draws and two defeats, with 25 goals for and 17 against.
‘Old style’ coaches not necessarily have the ways and means in terms of coaching technique to motivate a group of highly professional players of modern time. We all want discipline, commitment, etc,. The issue is: How does a coach get the entire team to ‘buy’ into one’s coaching style and communication. Klinsman was at least a coach trained in more modern psychology to deal with the players and should have had more time to challenge the team to rise to the top.
Van Gaal era starts with a whimper
Louis van Gaal came to Bayern Munich because the Bavarians were looking for a “soccer teacher“, someone who would rid the club of former coach Juergen Klinsmann’s experiments — the innovative training methods, the meditation sessions and the Buddha statues – and bring the club back to basics.
So far so good. By the time Van Gaal arrived in July, Bayern had already signed strikers Ivica Olic, Mario Gomez and defensive midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.
Whether or not he would have agreed to all these transfers is unknown. But fact is Tymoschchuk, worth 14 million euros, would not be starting any time soon if captain Mark van Bommel had not been injured.
“My captain will always play,” said Van Gaal, pointing to the bench as the temporary place for the Ukrainian.
Van Gaal’s first Bundesliga match in charge was unimpressive. Mind you they were missing Franck Ribery, Luca Toni, Miroslav Klose and Martin Demichelis.
But apart from injuries there are other issues that come into play. Ribery is fuming for not being allowed to sign with Real Madrid, Toni could still leave in the hope of getting a starting spot at another team ahead of the 2010 World Cup while Demichelis has failed to recover his stinging form of the 2007/8 season. And Tymoshchuck doesn’t like the idea of the bench.
If anyone knows how to get the best out of a player is van Gaal. He did it in the mid ’90s with Ajax Amsterdam, though mainly with a group of talented youngsters, more open to the discipline of the Dutchman.
That is one way of describing it but on the article form later date on June 15th 2011 the news came out with different info.
Thanks Fury. Whether you like Kroenke or not, do you see his investment bettering the club? People are quick to point out Arsene Wenger and his talented bunch are challenging every season for honours but the fact remains they haven’t won a trophy since 2005, so the buck has to stop somewhere no? What would you do?