Aleix Vidal vs Dani Alves: Barcelona’s friendly rivalry at right-back

They say that opposites often attract. Perhaps that view holds true; well at least when it comes to Dani Alves and Aleix Vidal’s respective journeys to Barcelona.

Indeed, both at one stage played for Sevilla, they’re typically offensive wing-backs and they made their way to the Camp Nou in their prime.

Despite the similarities though, in many ways they’re complete opposites. One is a phenomenal talent who’s seamlessly adopted the Barcelona style of play, and has played a key role in their successes in recent years; the other is a former Barca academy player.

While one is often flamboyant both on and off the field, the other is content to knuckle down and work hard without much of a fuss.

But finally, what makes this comparison even more intriguing is the fact that both were once rivals, having faced off against each other for different La Liga sides on numerous occasions, and they’re set to restore their rivalry – albeit a more friendly one, one would hope – while donning the same shirt.

Read the rest of my piece on Squawka

Paulinho – the sorry decline of the Brazilian ‘Lampard’

Two years ago, Paulinho was on top of the world. When Argentinean playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme called Paulinho a ‘phenomenon’ and likened the Brazilian as the ‘black’ version of Frank Lampard for their similar box-to-box style of play, the 26-year-old simply took on board the comparison with little fuss, pledging to such a comparison as fuel for greater things.

“This comparison is a responsibility that I will take, I will not run away from it. Lampard is a great player…I intend to follow in his footsteps as he is a very professional guy. I’ve always looked at what Lampard does and to me he is a huge phenomenon. The way he hits the ball, what positions he takes up, he really is incredible.”

But following two seasons in England’s top flight, Paulinho has completed an astonishing move to Guangzhou Evergrande – the cash rich reigning Chinese Super League champions who are chasing their fifth consecutive domestic title and a second Asian Champions League title for a second time in three years – for £10m.

Not only does he leave England with his previously glorified reputation in shatters, but also 169 goals short of Frank Lampard’s goal tally in the English Premier League and 93 assists behind the Chelsea legend.

His departure for an a eight figure sum, though, seems to have been met with such delight from Tottenham’s faithful so much so that Daniel Levy has, momentarily at least, regained the trust of the club’s supporters. While the transfer fee highlights Guangzhou’s financial might, and Luiz Felipe Scolari’s power in negotiations, a £7m loss from their initial purchase of £17m seems to be a big win for the club especially given that the player has largely been underwhelming at the White Heart Lane.

Read the rest of my article for EPL Index

FFTASIA50: The Jedi Enforcer: How captain Mile Jedinak made himself indispensable to Socceroos

With the first half in its late stages, Australia were on the ascendency, searching for their second goal to give the side the lead heading into half-time of their opening encounter of the Asian Cup.

As far as starts to matches go, this was arguably not the Socceroos at their best — Kuwait had scored from a set-piece in the opening eight minutes and Melbourne’s AAMI Park fell silent. While Ange Postecoglou’s troops somehow managed to fight their way past Kuwait’s high-pressing play to equalise through Tim Cahill, as if to add insult to injury, the home side suffered another shock blow. Mile Jedinak injured his ankle.

The skipper, though, was not about to give up. Despite lying motionless on the turf for a good few minutes, agony visibly etched across his battle-hardened face, the “Jedi” soldiered on ruthlessly. He did so not with the help of painkillers but by sheer adrenalin, to lead his troops to victory, not only in their opening Asian Cup match, but ultimately as Champions of Asia.

Such stoicism is hardly the result of some pre-match pep talk Postecoglou delivered minutes before kick-off, nor the tactical training the team had undergone weeks prior to the tournament proper. Rather, Jedinak’s display of courage to play on for the glory of the nation is a result of a lifetime of hard-work, dedication to the task at hand, and, in some respects, patriotism.

Read the rest of my analysis on FourFourTwo

FFTASIA50: How former Bayern Munich recruit Takashi Usami is making up for lost time back home

"The Japanese are disciplined, hard-working and obedient toward the team. They have speed, technique, and discipline" - Felix Magath

For many football fans, Japanese starlet Takashi Usami is not exactly a household name. While most Asian youngsters continually dream of plying their trade amongst Europe's elite in the near future, the versatile attacker has been there and done that. For a player who is only 22 years of age, the realisation of his potential no longer lingers upon the hypothetical 'if', but the imminent 'when'.

How the tables have turned.

Nowadays, there seems to be an air of expectancy when it comes to producing talented footballers for the European stage. One does not need to look any further than Yasuhiko Okudera. While many may know of him as the former president of English side Plymouth, in the eyes of Japan's footballing fraternity, Okudera was a pioneer for the local game — a Messianic figure in many respects.
Indeed, Okudera's feats most notably at FC Koln, Hertha Berlin, and Werder Bremen opened the floodgates for the continual influx of local talent on the European stage. Japanese football, for that matter, is all the better for it.

The consistency of Keisuke Honda and the meteoric rise of Shinji Kagawa at Borussia Dortmund are just two modern examples of Okudera's legacy in action.

So while in some respects the aforementioned duo continue to struggle with consistency on the pitch, it seems almost coincidental, if not fateful, that their natural successor, Usami, would be creating shockwaves back home. With each performance, the attacking phenomenon finds himself edging closer to a permanent European move.

Read the rest of my analysis on FourFourTwo

Messianic Messi raises Barca’s bar

In many respects, it was a match of biblical proportions in a way which was somewhat expected. Only this time, though, Lionel Messi was the Messiah, and Pep Guardiola was the prophet.

“The way Messi is playing at the moment, there's no defence that can stop him. It’s impossible,” remarked the 44-year-old tactician ahead of his official return to Camp Nou.
And how prophetic that proved to be.

Barcelona, many opined, already had the tie in the bag prior to kick-off – there was no way in the world a depleted Bayern Munich set-up would be able to defeat a Blaugrana outfit in supreme form in their own fortress. But for 70 minutes or so, the match panned out in such a way many would have least expected.

Guardiola, as most would know, is not the sort of guy who dies wondering. Sitting back and defending with grit at the expense of potentially exposing their opponents with countless waves of attack is, for the Bayern coach, a mortal sin. And indeed, his troops gave the Catalans a run for their money in astonishing fashion.

Read the rest of my article on Football Espana

Why Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona return will see mixed reception

It was 19 March, 2015, and with 37 minutes gone, Manchester City were hanging onto dear life against a ruthless barrage of attacks at the hands of Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Pep Guardiola sat on the edge of his seat alongside his parents at the back of the lower tier, donning a thick black coat and a scarf as if to try to remain incognito. Yet, as Lionel Messi nutmegs James Milner to the raucous jeers of the Blaugrana faithful, leaving the latter in a heap on the turf, not even the former Barcelona manager could conceal his joy.

His expression said it all. You’d think the man who coached Messi to four Ballon d’Ors, during his tutelage at the club, would’ve seen all the skills and tricks of the Argentine maestro by now. But Guardiola’s need to hide his face in exacerbation would suggest otherwise.

On Wednesday evening though, Pep Guardiola will make an official return to the Camp Nou. This time, neither as a fan nor a coach, but as an enemy. And should he decide to take a seat in the one of the most iconic venues in world football, it will be on the opposing bench as Bayern Munich’s manager.

With speculation rife about his future in Bavaria, the 44-year-old tactician will hope that his boyhood club will lose, not that it will be an easy job.

Read the rest of my piece for Soccerlens.com

What you need to know about Barca's Munir El Haddadi

FACT FILE

• Date of birth: September 1, 1995
• Place of birth: El Escorial, Spain
• Height: 5ft 9in
• Position: Forward
• Clubs: Barcelona B, Barcelona; 1 app, 1 goal
• National: Spain U19; 3 caps, 3 goals

The 60 second story

It's perhaps ironic that Barcelona’s newest star was born in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a small town within the autonomous community of Madrid. Now, nearly 19 years later, Munir El Haddadi finds himself labelled as the next big thing at Real Madrid’s fiercest rivals. 

The 18-year-old’s rise to stardom is an interesting one. Aged 15, El Haddadi – of Moroccan heritage – was snapped up by Atletico Madrid after impressing on trial. Yet, for reasons unknown, he was shipped out on loan to fourth-tier Rayo Majadahonda – a stint which would play a pivotal role in his short career to date. 

During his time with the Madrid minnows, Munir scored 32 goals in 29 matches. Unsurprisingly, his form sent alarm bells ringing all over Europe; from England, the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal took interest in the starlet, while Paris Saint-Germain also showed interested.

However, it was when Barcelona found out that rivals Real Madrid were in the hot seat to sign the attacker that the Blaugrana came to the fore. Legend has it that, during negotiations, Real Madrid refused to provide him accommodation within their academy residencies. Barca, diplomatic as ever, offered him a place in their newly built €11 million facility. The choice was simple, and Munir inevitably headed north.

Why you need to know him

Since his arrival at La Masia, Munir has continued to impress and was given his chance to shine in the UEFA Youth League – the Under-19s version of the Champions League. On his debut he scored a brace against Ajax, before showcasing his striking prowess in several other impressive performances en route to the championship. He netted a brace in the final against Benfica, which included a magnificent strike from halfway in a comfortable 3-0 win.

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Earlier this year the 18-year-old made his professional debut for Barca B, and netted four goals in 11 appearances last term. 

Luis Enrique’s arrival as coach following the departure of Gerardo Martino was always going to be good for the youngster, and he was soon promoted to the first team. In addition, the suspension of Luis Suarez and Neymar’s injury meant the Spaniard has earned chances to prove his worth. By the end of pre-season, he was the Catalans' top scorer with four goals.

Strengths

Despite his young age, Munir exhibits maturity well beyond his years. At 5ft 9in, the teenager is a diminutive forward who exerts confidence and elegance on the ball. The left-footed attacker is pacey and, more often than not, has a trick or two up his sleeve.

It's his ability in front of goal which makes him most formidable, though – that aforementioned halfway wonder-strike is just one example of what he can do. Overall he is technically sound, and equally competent at taking set-pieces.

Weaknesses

Although brilliant with his left foot, Munir is less impressive with his weaker right. At times, despite finding himself in good goalscoring situations, his weaker peg lets him down. 

They said...

"I had no fear about playing him," claimed boss Enrique after Barcelona's opening day 3-0 win over Elche. "He trains like he plays, he gives us a lot of options and he has a lot of character. He never rests. But let's not get carried away, he still has a lot to do."

Did you know?

As a youngster, Munir often looked up to his team-mate “the excellent Messi” as an idol, and tries to base his game on that of the former Ballon d’Or winner. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact he still looks up to QPR player Adel Taarabt, with whom he could yet play with internationally after opening the door to the country of his parents' heritage. With the way things are going at the moment, it might be Taarabt who says the same of the youngster in a few years’ time.

What happens next?

Fortune is on Munir's side. With Suarez suspended until late October and Neymar still recovering from an ankle injury, the door is open for the young attacker to prove his worth. Should he keep his momentum going, the chances will keep on coming – and so will the goals. Expect him to take La Liga by storm in the seasons ahead. 

Why Falcao's Manchester United transfer raises more questions than answers

Radamel Falcao presented as a Manchester United player. Source: Getty Images

Following a lacklustre season in which Manchester United failed to qualify for the Champions League, Van Gaal entered the fray as Moyes’ successor with renewed hope of overhauling a depleted squad bereft of quality. Yet, months into his stint as manager, and it seems little has been done to restore pride to England's most successful club.

Perhaps their latest league outing is a prime example of how far United have fallen.

Slow and overburdened in defence and uninspired in attack, Van Gaal's troops slumped to a 0-0 draw against a recently promoted Burnley outfit which, on paper, is vastly inferior.

While it seems every department is in desperate need for change, forwards, though, should be the least of Van Gaal's worries. Indeed, Rooney and Van Persie still aren't at their explosive best. Slowly but surely, the duo are beginning to regain their form.

Surely, a buying another defender, or midfielder, for that matter, would be more worthwhile?

Instead, Falcao's signing on a loan deal represents another instant of Manchester United's panic buy strategy to appease fans. As for the player himself, it's another example of an illogical transfer.

For much of this summer, the Old Trafford outfit have given their followers much hope of reinforcing the side in the areas they need most. True to form, though, nothing has materialised and for Woodward, it has been another farcical window with no clear transfer policy.

The likes of Arturo Vidal and World Cup winner Mats Hummels have constantly been linked with moves to Manchester. Both are players of the highest calibre and their signings would go a long way to fixing the club's issues. Nothing, though, has been done to back up such interest.

For all it is worth, though, Woodward has shown that he can smell a bargain from a mile away. But he doesn't seem to understand how football works. Their latest signing, in many ways, is similar to their signing of Juan Mata earlier this year, a player who clearly doesn't fit the bill. In addition, Falcao is only starting to find his feet again following a cruciate injury which ruled him out of the World Cup.

The transfer itself also raises questions of Falcao's ambitions. For the second consecutive season, the Colombian has arrived at a club which will not feature in a European competition. I'm fact, he has only featured in the Champions League once - for Porto back in 2011. The fact that such a player with humongous potential sees no need to play against the best in Europe's premier club competition is a incomprehensible.

How Falcao fits into the 3-5-2 set-up is another worry. With the aforementioned duo already occupying the front two offensive spots, it seems as if pushing one of them out of the squad to make way for the 28-year-old could be a dangerous move? One which leads to more unrest in the
dressing room.

All that in conjunction with the recent departures of Patrice Evra, who in many ways was a defensive rock, Shinji Kagawa and Chicharito, or seems that Mancheater United are transferring themselves to destruction.

€200 million spent and numerous signings later, Manchester United are no closer to addressing their issues in defence and midfield. Indeed, the signing of Falcao raises me questions than answers for both the club and player. For United, it seems mediocrity is the way to go.

Follow @Cronan_Yu

Barcelona: Why La Blaugrana Still Have Work to Do During the Transfer Window

I'm completely dissatisfied with the year that has passed and I'm always thinking that I'm the man responsible. For sure, there were justices and injustices. It's hard for me to tell which were which. But I can say, as I said when I left Barca, that I feel responsible for their really bad year.

Thus far, Enrique has instigated the changes that were needed. Not only has he bravely promoted La Masia graduates Rafinha, Munir El Haddadi and Jordi Masip to the first team, he has also spent the cash n shoring up deficiencies his side may have, most notably in defence.

There is an old adage which states that competition amongst players only serves to push each other to greater heights. This could not be any more appropriate when describing La Blaugrana's summer additions.

In order to address Victor Valdes' departure, via the Daily Mirror, in came Claudio Bravo and Marc Andre ter-Stegen, per the Daily Mail—two established goalkeepers who will now fight for the No. 1 jersey.

The above statement also holds true for Barca's defensive acquisitions—Thomas Vermaelen, per BBC Sport, and Jeremy Mathieu, as noted by the Guardian—who are replacements for the recently retired Carles Puyol.

Both acquisitions have come under intense scrutiny, though, with many arguing that Mathieu, a natural left-back and Vermaelen, who has endured a terrible record of injuries over the past few years, having only managed to make 14 Premier League appearance last term, per Squawka, are not adequate signings to deal with the side's defensive frailties.

Nevertheless, both players are leaders of men in their own right and should be good enough fill in the void left behind by the former Barcelona captain in the short term.

In midfield, the signing of Ivan Rakitic, per the FC Barcelona website, has been a masterpiece as the 26-year-old Croatian has seamlessly slotted in to the side, while the signing of Luis Suarez, via Sky Sports, will undoubtedly add firepower to an attack which, at times, seemed sterile and uninspired.

Questions, though, have been raised with regard to the departures of Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas, players who were both held in high esteem at the club.

However, £130 million and eight summer signings later, La Blaugrana undoubtedly still have work to do before the transfer window slams shut. And their recent transfer ban should provide added incentive to bring in the signings they desperately need.

Indeed, Enrique has done well to reinforce a side which desperately needed a revamp. They should be fine this season. The thought of relying on their current crop of players in the long run, though, is absurd and could prove to be a risky move.

The transfer ban will only be effective come January, so with that in mind, Barcelona have another week or so to ring in the changes to the squad.

Concerns remain over a long-term successor of Xavi who, throughout the whole of the summer, has been linked with a move away from Camp Nou, with claims that he would leave for MLS side New York Red Bulls, per AS (h/t ESPN).

Either way, at 34 years of age and arguably in the twilight of his career, Xavi is no longer the key to Barca's midfield and buying a younger replacement would be an ideal solution.

Then there's obviously the Catalans' aging defence. With Mathieu about to turn 31, the injury-prone Vermaelen at 28 and the out-of-sorts Pique aged 27, a younger, more reliable defender of similar calibre is needed to ensure that Barcelona don't find themselves struggling in defence, as has been the case for the past few seasons.

There's also the question of how rivals Real Madrid will react to Barca's ban. Real always spend big—this summer is no exception. Thus far, Los Blancos have managed to sign players such as James Rodriguez, as per the Guardian, Toni Kroos, via the Daily Mail and Keylor Navas, as noted by BBC Sport.

Atletico Madrid, too, have made some shrewd transfers this summer, with Mario Mandzukic, per the Daily Mail and Antoine Griezmann, noted by the Daily Mail, joining Diego Simeone's La Liga-winning side. Any sort of advantage both clubs can gain could potentially see them pull away from Barcelona in years to come.

So far, Barcelona have done well to recruit and overhaul a side in decline. Yet, as evidenced above, more needs to be done by Enrique in what's remaining of this transfer window in order to guarantee success in the long run.

La Roja ratings: Spain 0 - 2 Chile

La Roja's 2-0 loss to Chile means that, mathematically, they are unable to qualify from their group. Cronan Yu runs through the ratings.

Iker Casillas: 4

The captain was nervy throughout the whole match, perhaps the result of the previous Netherlands match. Although unable to prevent the first goal, he gifted the second with a punch right into the danger area after an Alexis Sanchez free kick.

Jordi Alba: 4

Tried to get forward as much as possible in attack to hit those first time crosses, but didn't display enough quality to do so. Aranguiz's goal could've been avoidable had he had done more to percent Vidal from passing.

Sergio Ramos: 5

Was poor in defence yet again as he failed to strike up a sustainable partnership with Javi Martinez. Also lacked discipline and at one stage, looked like losing his head.

Javi Martinez: 4

Enjoyed a decent start to the game whereby he exhibited his midfielder qualities by attempting to play out from the back and initiate attacks. After the first goal, however, he went into his shell, failed to communicate with his partner and was slow and sluggish.

Read the rest of La Roja player ratings on Football Espana

A-League active support’s double edged sword

Forget the play-acting of Sergio Busquets, the bullish unrestrained antics of Pepe or even the arrogance of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo – the general consensus amongst football fans in Australia indicates that Damien de Bohun, the A-League boss who often prides himself in exhibiting strategic, forward thinking qualities, is perhaps the most hated man at the moment.

The A-League’s head honchos announced Monday that new protocols will be in place at the beginning of next season with regards to active support. The purpose is, erm, to protect the unique atmosphere which is generated by dedicated, club active supporters. They claim that it is a long term strategic move which will help in increasing the number of club memberships and also deepen fan engagement.

From the outset, it doesn’t sound at all that bad. But then again, Communism, from the outset, isn’t a bad idea either.

At first glance, it may seem justified that the FFA would bring in certain regulations. The fact is, nowadays, mainstream sports reportage on the beautiful game is much more fan orientated than football focused – the media seemingly set aside journalists to pounce on any sort of unruly fan behaviour.

Read the rest of my piece on From The Stands - an Australian football blog

Capello back at the World Cup with Russia

Fabio Capello returns to World Cup action on Tuesday as his Russia side take on South Korea.

The Italian's last taste of the big stage ended badly as England limped out in 2010 and he will be looking to amend that.

Here, Press Association's MatchStory looks at his chances.

Out of the blocks early

The Russians will be looking for a quick start for they scored a fifth of their goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches in qualifying. That was a higher proportion than all but three other finalists (Ivory Coast, Costa Rica & Holland), none of which have managed the feat in their opening matches so far.

On the flip side, the Koreans were often vulnerable early on, conceding three of their five first-half goals against inside the first quarter of an hour. This was more than any other team.

Read the rest of my piece for Press Association's MatchStory on ITV Football 

World Cup 2014 Preview: Belgium vs Algeria

Belgium will need Eden Hazard to be at the peak of his powers

Belgium arrive in Brazil with a hearty reputation to live up to.

They open up against Algeria on Tuesday having been glowingly spoken of for some months owing to the battery of stars they have around Europe.

Here, Press Association's MatchStory looks at if they can live up to the hype.

Winging it

This Group H clash could well be decided by what goes on down the flanks. Despite an mean defensive record, when the Belgians did slip up it was out wide where they were caught napping - three quarters of their goals conceded from the wings. And their opponents proved just as susceptible, conceding 71 per cent of their goals from out wide.

But, while both teams have demonstrated weaknesses in defending wide areas, they found joy in attacking them. Algeria scored half of their goals from the wings, while Belgium's 61 per cent of goals from wide is the second highest of teams in the finals, ironically behind the team they edged out into second-place in qualifying - Croatia.

Read the rest of my piece for Press Association's MatchStory on ITV Football

The Maracanazo: The game that changed a jersey

Brazil 1950 World Cup team. Getty images.

Such was the confidence of a maiden Brazilian World Cup victory on home soil in 1950, that the nation’s fans and media started celebrations well before a ball was kicked.

Prior to the final, the Selecao looked to be in impeccable form.

The hosts pulled off a 7-1 rout against Sweden before replicating their form in the penultimate stages of the World Cup with a 6-1 thrashing of Spain. And with that, Flavio Costa’s men entered the match as undoubted favourites to take home their first Copa do Mundo.

For Uruguay, well, things looked bleak.

A lacklustre draw against Spain in Estadio do Pacaembu was followed by a tight 3-2 win against Sweden - things weren’t looking great.

Sure, progressing to a World Cup final was and still is an achievement in itself, but the prospect of losing in an undignified manner against a rampant Brazilian side in front an additional 200,000 Brazilian citizens in a packed Maracana stadium was the stuff of nightmares.

Read the rest of this article on FourFourTwo

Villa deal throws spotlight on A-League's growth

After just one season at Atletico Madrid it came as a shock when David Villa announced he would leave the club - which gave him another chance following his leg-break - for pastures new.

Perhaps even more surprising was the news that he would join Melbourne City, a little-known franchise in the A-League, on a 10-match loan deal before linking up with sister club New York City.

Citing the existence of an "irresistible project" that would provide the all-conquering striker with a "new challenge" at a club that dubs itself as the heart of Australia’s sporting capital, seemed a rash decision for the 32-year-old.

He had just played a crucial role as Los Rojiblancos broke the Spanish duopoly, and had helped his side to a Champions League runners up medal - why then would he leave when there was silverware to defend?

Read the rest of this piece at FourFourTwo