AFTER yet another a week of international nonsense, the time has come for girlfriends and wives to be again put to one side as the Premier League season restarts. Since the Premier League was put on hold temporarily, we have learned that Wales really are rubbish, Ghana fans are still brilliant, and that not even slight traces of radiation in the UK can speed up Joleon Lescott’s feet. As Premier League and Champions League action returns, the business-end of the season is ready to rock and roll.
As English Champions League TV executives licked their lips at the prospect of putting together yet more montages featuring John Terry kissing his armband, Wayne Rooney gesticulating towards officials, and Fernando Torres yet again losing possession, the rest of the nation looks forward to the two Premier League giants lock horns in what could be an explosive clash, or again a piss-poor anti-climax.
With the taste of Nandos still lingering badly in the mouth of Rooney after his clash with ex-Benfica defender David Luiz in the 2-1 defeat to the Blues earlier this month, the in-form (at last) England striker will aim to shoot down a defence he has a half-decent recent scoring record against. Conversely, Torres himself has a decent record against United, but faces a battle to stay on the pitch (and on his feet) long enough to do Sir Alex Ferguson’s team any serious damage.
Across London, it is the excitable fans of Tottenham Hotspur that are most eager to get the quarter-finals under way, as they host Spanish giants Real Madrid. Spurs have taken to the Champions League brilliantly, with fans at White Hart Lane continuing to create the passionate noise that has arisen from their terraces over the last few seasons. The atmosphere has coincided with an obvious improvement in the fortunes on the pitch. Winning the League Cup in 2008 and qualifying dramatically late on for the Champions League last season has gave the fans something to shout about at last, rather than abusing Sol Campbell, whether he is playing or not.
It is a shame that the club have openly expressed their desire to move from White Hart Lane. As the 2012 Olympic stadium was completed ahead of schedule this week, Spurs are still miffed about the Olympic Park Legacy Company’s decision to award the stadium to West Ham United following next year’s games. True, Spurs wanted to instantly rip up the running track, let a lot of dogs come in to do their business, and also build a brand new ground from scratch, but they were willing to pay for renovations to the existing Crystal Palace athletics stadium to make it into - a superb athletics venue to rival the, er, Olympic Stadium. Sigh…
The White Hart Lane ground is one of Spurs’ biggest strengths, and is one of the few remaining in English football to create that cauldron of noise that English stadiums used to be known for. The club has partaken in some memorable games in recent seasons, and combined with an attacking attitude that Spurs fans often demand, Harry Redknapp’s boys seem to have the right mix as it stands. Like Liverpool’s Anfield saga, the argument for whether a slightly larger capacity would do the club much good if it cost them millions is for another day.
Spurs’ refreshing attacking qualities have lit up the Champions League this season, and it is almost a throwback to the times where English clubs dominated in Europe playing a modified 442 system with outright wingers. This is in stark contrast to the tighter, more conservative set-up that the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea have all used successfully in recent seasons in Europe. Opposition clubs on the continent have found it harder to set out their stall against a Spurs side whose inexperience and naivety in the Champions League is one of their biggest strengths.
Not that Spurs have gone radically gung-ho this season. Rafael Van Der Vaart’s role just off a lone striker has proved Redknapp has tactical nous as well as decent man-management skills. However, with the Dutchman struggling for full fitness recently, and also struggling to shake off tabloid rumours of a deteriorating relationship with Redknapp, Spurs fans must wait with baited breath that everything is hunky dory with the midfielder.
Redknapp has also managed to find the talismanic Luca Modric his best position at long last - playing in the centre of the Spurs midfield - although this may now mean that Manchester United are finally convinced enough to pay £30m for the talented Croatian, an increasingly arduous price which we see in the Premiership all too often. Whatever happened to top flight players switching clubs for that magical fee of £800,000? Modric has toughened up since his arrival in 2008, and his passing and movement rivals any player in the Premiership.
Despite injury problems to the Tottenham backline throughout the season, and seemingly throughout every season since time began, Redknapp has held his defensive unit together admirably, albeit sometimes with rope and a spirit level. The Tottenham boss has a plethora of midfielders who can sit in front of the back four to cover Michael Dawson and his injured cronies, with Brazilian midfielder Sandro impressing in particular over the two legs against AC Milan in the last round.
Of course, Spurs defenders have yet to face the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Mesut Ozil this season. Indeed Ronaldo looks to have shaken off the ‘injury’ that forced him out of the recent international weekend, although Benzema himself may have done just the opposite by injuring himself in midweek for France against Croatia. Madrid, on the back of an 11-game unbeaten run and a fine derby win against Atletico, will also be boosted by the return of Argentinean striker Gonzalo Higuain, who should feature more prominently in the second leg rather than next Tuesday’s first leg for manager Jose Mourinho’s team.
A few neutrals fancied the chances of Spurs meeting up again with Mourinho’s former club Inter Milan in the quarters - the team they banged six goals in against in the group stages. Brazilian sometimes-defender Maicon wouldn’t have been too impressed at the prospect of facing Gareth Bale again, even if the Welshman has struggled with niggling injuries ever since the group phase finished.
Tottenham’s other flanker Aaron Lennon was arguably almost as good against AC as Bale was against Inter, with the Leeds-born winger offering a lightning-quick attacking threat to scare the Maicon out of Marek Jankulowski on numerous occasions in the 1-0 victory last month at the San Siro. Indeed it was Lennon’s superb run that set up Peter Crouch for a simple goal that he tried hard to miss. The pace and directness of Bale and Lennon could be as crucial to Tottenham’s progress as the defensive set-up of Redknapp’s men against Madrid.
Redknapp and his right-hand man Joe Jordan need to be careful not to relinquish the attacking responsibilities of the two wingers if they want to progress. Jordan’s amazing non-response to Genaro Gattuso’s shocking antics last month showed that the Scot is more than equipped to curb any urge to attack, but he and Redknapp must not be afraid of trying to expose Madrid’s deficiencies at the back. The Spaniards may well have conceded only 21 goals in the league this season, and only two in the group stages, but any top English club has a chance of scoring against an attack-minded defence featuring Ricardo Carvalho, Pepe, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos.
Up front, whether it is Peter Crouch, Jermaine Defoe or Roman Pavlyuchenko, Spurs forwards have bags of goals in them. However, Redknapp’s tendency to rotate his strikers suggests more that he doesn’t know who is best forward is, rather than who he feels is best for a certain game or situation. This problem will have to be addressed if Spurs’ transition into a major and consistent force in Europe and the Premier League is to be completed, but for a cup competition this is not such a problem.
Not that Spurs have had it easy in front of goal this season. Goals at White Hart Lane in particular have strangely been harder to come by, although goalless draws at home to West Ham United and Manchester City were the consequence of a combination of bad luck and erratic finishing rather than a struggle to create. Redknapp would have loved to blamed Darren Bent again, but fortunately for the England striker, he was too busy gasping for air in Gerard Houillier’s sinking ship.
Of course, with the abundance of world-class talent at their disposal, Madrid should create plenty of chances themselves over the two legs. Even without attacking full backs, the midfielders and attackers offer enough variety and flair to trouble any team. However, their full backs may well be the key in offering Spurs hope.
In 2006, Spurs’ North London rivals Arsenal overcame Madrid over two legs with a masterful tactical display by Arsene Wenger’s men. Wenger’s side were already traditionally superb on the counter attack, but they were ably helped by the gaps left by Brazilian full backs Cicinho and Roberto Carlos. Arsenal sat back then swarmed forward at will, in a display that although left you praising Wenger’s tactical acumen also left you flabbergasted at the ineptitude of Madrid’s strategy.
Arsenal defeated Madrid 1-0 that evening, but it could have been a lot more. If Spurs can soak up the inevitable pressure from Ozil et al, and release Bale and Lennon on the break, then Spurs could have considerable success. It’s just a shame Crouch doesn’t quite have the pace of a 2006 Thierry Henry, although it’s not as if Henry has the aerial threat that the beanpole striker does, and Crouch’s record against top-class teams is nothing to be ashamed of.
Tottenham have always been categorised as a ‘cup team’, but they certainly won’t be complaining at the tag if they are holding aloft the coveted trophy at Wembley in May. Stranger things have happened. Redknapp’s teams always emit great belief, so if Harry believes that he won’t be mugged by a group of Spaniards for the second time this season, I’ll believe him.
Showing posts with label Wayne Rooney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wayne Rooney. Show all posts
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Sunday, 21 November 2010
How do you solve a problem like Berbatov?
THERE are fewer frustrating sights on a football field than when a footballer doesn’t appear to be trying. No matter how much you cheer him on from the terraces, or indeed your own sofa, it’s like water off a duck’s back. The player in question has most likely got to where he is by having the exact same ethos throughout his career, right from youth football up to the first time he pulled on a shirt for his country.
Take Manchester United’s Dimitar Berbatov for example. The Bulgarian is often seen pacing somewhat leisurely around a football pitch, waiting for precision balls to his feet for him to conjure up a moment of magic, ignoring the responsibility of tracking back to help his team-mates. The mercurial Eric Cantona was not too dissimilar throughout his United career, though the Frenchman was a warrior in leadership and spirit, if not in physical graft. Cantona set the example for a breed of younger players like David Beckham and Paul Scholes, inspiring them to put extra hours in on the training ground in which to hone their skills, and attempt to fulfil the premise of ‘practice makes perfect.’ Even a poor last showing in the 1996/1997 season couldn’t put a black mark on what had been a fabulous career at United, with the Frenchman still conjuring up the ability to score arguably his most iconic United goal – that chip against Sunderland.
This season’s hat-trick against arch-rivals Liverpool looked to have helped Berbatov gain the hearts of United supporters that had criticised his attitude and end-product for a club that had spent £30m on him early in the 2008/09 season. However, just as the saying ‘form is temporary/class is permanent’ goes, Berbatov looks unlikely to change his ways. The lethargic swagger around the pitch which Berbatov exhibits is simply his style, and United fans wishing to see moments of brilliance will also have to put up with the more incredulous times.
The hat-trick appeared to have helped Berbatov also win over his critics. A week earlier he had swept in a fantastic goal against Everton, and the striker appeared to brimming with confidence as he led a forward line that appeared to be coping admirably without Wayne Rooney. Since then however, Berbatov appears to have fell into the same inconsistent form as we have seen from him since he joined the club in 2008, and it is well publicised that he is not managed a single goal since the Liverpool game.
Yesterday’s omission from the starting line-up against Wigan saw Sir Alex Ferguson confessed that he had chosen to simply leave Berbatov out, and there was not even a place on the bench for him. The United boss admitted: "I just left him out - picking my subs today I just thought I had to give a different type of variety.”
This is not the first time the Bulgarian has been left out of match-day squad completely this season. Berbatov did not feature in United’s previous home fixture against Wolves, a game in which United were poor in and needed a last-minute goal by Ji Sung Park to secure three points. Earlier in the season, Ferguson admitted to making a mistake by not including Berbatov in the squad for the Champions League fixture against Glasgow Rangers, a match that saw both teams draw blank.
Ferguson has always defended Berbatov openly in the press, and was particularly in high praise for the striker after the Liverpool game. Ferguson said: "There's been a lot of criticism of him, which happens at this club when we sign someone for big money and he isn't scoring a hat-trick every week. But there has never been any question about his ability.
"Lots of questions were asked about him last season and he was made something of a whipping boy, to the point where he must have wondered whether he had a future at Old Trafford. We could have avoided the worst of the aggravation if people had only asked themselves two questions. Firstly they should have queried whether the man had real ability, and the answer for me was undoubtedly yes. Next they should have looked to see if he was a Manchester United kind of player and, again, I think there was no doubt about him. I concede that at times he seemed to struggle but if you are satisfied about a player's credentials you must persevere and trust your judgment."
However, Ferguson is astute enough to know when a player is in poor form, and is brave enough to take action. Defenders Johnny Evans and John O’Shea were seen as culpable for the poor defensive showings of United earlier in the season, and the United manager has given few minutes on the pitch to the two ever since. Alarmingly for Evans, the Northern Ireland international has not played a single minute since the 2-2 draw at Bolton. Rio Ferdinand’s return has of course hampered Evans’ chances of game-time, and Evans’ lack of versatility compared to O’Shea does not aid him, but Ferguson has clearly sent a message to the defender. Berbatov himself will be given no differential treatment.
Indeed it was the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa last weekend which prompted Ferguson’s surprising line-up yesterday against Wigan. United were poor in most areas at Villa Park, but the decision to replace both Berbatov and striker Javier Hernandez early in the second half was a sign that Ferguson had become ultimately frustrated with the output of United’s forward line. Berbatov may well have complained about a lack of service from a stagnant midfield, but one needs to only look at Sunderland’s Darren Bent to see that a striker can still score and lead the line effectively without world-class support. Hernandez, in his first season with the club, looks a fantastic prospect and has plenty more to offer, but Berbatov’s lacklustre performance must have given Ferguson some serious grievances about a player that cost the club £30m.
Berbatov started his career at United in a decent fashion. In the league, he reached double-figures in assists, and with a similar amount of goals to his own name he looked to have a bright future at Old Trafford. Indeed a couple of scrappy goals at home to Celtic in the Champions League gave a suggestion that Berbatov might well be the classy poacher that United have lacked since Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s departure in 2006.
For all the class that Berbatov possessed, the languid style of his football slowly frustrated the United fans that wanted him to become a legend. United fans the season previously had seen a fabulous front-three of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez bring home the Champions League as well as retain the Premiership title. That front-line had skill, power, pace and goals. Ronaldo won the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2008, and Rooney and Tevez proved that having hard-working strikers blessed with an abundance of talent really is the best attributes a manager could want.
It was somewhat strange then that Ferguson chose to spend such money on an area that was arguably the best in Europe at the time, although the United manager may have already foreseen that Carlos Tevez would not have a long-term future with the club. The injury-prone Louis Saha would have also given Ferguson concerns about strength-in-depth, and the Frenchman was shipped off to Everton around the same time Berbatov was signed.
If Ferguson is looking to sell Berbatov this summer, United’s strength in depth is something he will have to consider, and it may well seal Berbatov’s fate.
Wayne Rooney will be looking to hit the same form he reached last season now he is back from injury, and few doubts remain that he will, once he wins over the United fans again. Hernandez is a fantastic talent with pace, goals, heading ability and technique, and it will be him and Rooney that will spearhead United’s title challenge. Young Federico Macheda still has his doubters amongst the Old Trafford faithful, but United’s backroom staff have undoubted faith in the Italian’s ability to improve. His terrific strike against Villa last week would have done him a world of good. Danny Welbeck has also shown signs of improvement during his loan spell at Sunderland, and Ferguson would have been delighted to see his young forward destroy Chelsea in last Sunday’s 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Such young talent however, does lack the experience Ferguson craves, particularly when competing in Europe. Indeed, it was Berbatov’s experience, technique and patience that was expected to help United fare better, particularly as United (up till the 2007/2008 season), were struggling away from home. Unfortunately for Berbatov, Rooney’s improvement in operating as a main striker last year restricted his appearances. Such success with Rooney as the front man in a 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation inspired Ferguson to implement tactics in league games as well as in Europe.
Berbatov’s ability to bring others into the game is unrivalled at United, and this unselfishness hampered his own goal-scoring record. He had scored 15 league goals in his final season at Tottenham and thus looked to be a complete package when United finally showed serious interest in signing him. However, goals at United have generally been shared around throughout Ferguson’s reign, and this has been very much the case since Berbatov’s arrival.
The Bulgarian is often derived for being in deeper positions than United fans would like, despite these positions often being determined by the tactics of Ferguson himself. Berbatov would also have found it frustrating how he wasn’t picked for the ‘big’ fixtures last season, only thrust into the action against inferior opposition. Thus when he does get a chance he is often so starved of confidence by the manager that he is unlikely to get on the score-sheet, particularly as he is expected to threaten the goal from non-threatening, deep-lying positions.
It is becoming more and more apparent that Berbatov will most likely be playing his football elsewhere this time next year, despite Ferguson’s praise of the striker earlier this season. Loved more by football purists than fans and critics, the striker still has a good few years in him to leave his mark on the game, and will undoubtedly still have an important part to play this season for United. Neutrals would love to see Berbatov continue to play regularly in the Premiership, and players returning to Spurs and Harry Redknapp are not uncommon, but one hopes that his United career hasn’t damaged the confidence in which he used to use to enormous effectiveness.
Take Manchester United’s Dimitar Berbatov for example. The Bulgarian is often seen pacing somewhat leisurely around a football pitch, waiting for precision balls to his feet for him to conjure up a moment of magic, ignoring the responsibility of tracking back to help his team-mates. The mercurial Eric Cantona was not too dissimilar throughout his United career, though the Frenchman was a warrior in leadership and spirit, if not in physical graft. Cantona set the example for a breed of younger players like David Beckham and Paul Scholes, inspiring them to put extra hours in on the training ground in which to hone their skills, and attempt to fulfil the premise of ‘practice makes perfect.’ Even a poor last showing in the 1996/1997 season couldn’t put a black mark on what had been a fabulous career at United, with the Frenchman still conjuring up the ability to score arguably his most iconic United goal – that chip against Sunderland.
This season’s hat-trick against arch-rivals Liverpool looked to have helped Berbatov gain the hearts of United supporters that had criticised his attitude and end-product for a club that had spent £30m on him early in the 2008/09 season. However, just as the saying ‘form is temporary/class is permanent’ goes, Berbatov looks unlikely to change his ways. The lethargic swagger around the pitch which Berbatov exhibits is simply his style, and United fans wishing to see moments of brilliance will also have to put up with the more incredulous times.
The hat-trick appeared to have helped Berbatov also win over his critics. A week earlier he had swept in a fantastic goal against Everton, and the striker appeared to brimming with confidence as he led a forward line that appeared to be coping admirably without Wayne Rooney. Since then however, Berbatov appears to have fell into the same inconsistent form as we have seen from him since he joined the club in 2008, and it is well publicised that he is not managed a single goal since the Liverpool game.
Yesterday’s omission from the starting line-up against Wigan saw Sir Alex Ferguson confessed that he had chosen to simply leave Berbatov out, and there was not even a place on the bench for him. The United boss admitted: "I just left him out - picking my subs today I just thought I had to give a different type of variety.”
This is not the first time the Bulgarian has been left out of match-day squad completely this season. Berbatov did not feature in United’s previous home fixture against Wolves, a game in which United were poor in and needed a last-minute goal by Ji Sung Park to secure three points. Earlier in the season, Ferguson admitted to making a mistake by not including Berbatov in the squad for the Champions League fixture against Glasgow Rangers, a match that saw both teams draw blank.
Ferguson has always defended Berbatov openly in the press, and was particularly in high praise for the striker after the Liverpool game. Ferguson said: "There's been a lot of criticism of him, which happens at this club when we sign someone for big money and he isn't scoring a hat-trick every week. But there has never been any question about his ability.
"Lots of questions were asked about him last season and he was made something of a whipping boy, to the point where he must have wondered whether he had a future at Old Trafford. We could have avoided the worst of the aggravation if people had only asked themselves two questions. Firstly they should have queried whether the man had real ability, and the answer for me was undoubtedly yes. Next they should have looked to see if he was a Manchester United kind of player and, again, I think there was no doubt about him. I concede that at times he seemed to struggle but if you are satisfied about a player's credentials you must persevere and trust your judgment."
However, Ferguson is astute enough to know when a player is in poor form, and is brave enough to take action. Defenders Johnny Evans and John O’Shea were seen as culpable for the poor defensive showings of United earlier in the season, and the United manager has given few minutes on the pitch to the two ever since. Alarmingly for Evans, the Northern Ireland international has not played a single minute since the 2-2 draw at Bolton. Rio Ferdinand’s return has of course hampered Evans’ chances of game-time, and Evans’ lack of versatility compared to O’Shea does not aid him, but Ferguson has clearly sent a message to the defender. Berbatov himself will be given no differential treatment.
Indeed it was the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa last weekend which prompted Ferguson’s surprising line-up yesterday against Wigan. United were poor in most areas at Villa Park, but the decision to replace both Berbatov and striker Javier Hernandez early in the second half was a sign that Ferguson had become ultimately frustrated with the output of United’s forward line. Berbatov may well have complained about a lack of service from a stagnant midfield, but one needs to only look at Sunderland’s Darren Bent to see that a striker can still score and lead the line effectively without world-class support. Hernandez, in his first season with the club, looks a fantastic prospect and has plenty more to offer, but Berbatov’s lacklustre performance must have given Ferguson some serious grievances about a player that cost the club £30m.
Berbatov started his career at United in a decent fashion. In the league, he reached double-figures in assists, and with a similar amount of goals to his own name he looked to have a bright future at Old Trafford. Indeed a couple of scrappy goals at home to Celtic in the Champions League gave a suggestion that Berbatov might well be the classy poacher that United have lacked since Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s departure in 2006.
For all the class that Berbatov possessed, the languid style of his football slowly frustrated the United fans that wanted him to become a legend. United fans the season previously had seen a fabulous front-three of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez bring home the Champions League as well as retain the Premiership title. That front-line had skill, power, pace and goals. Ronaldo won the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2008, and Rooney and Tevez proved that having hard-working strikers blessed with an abundance of talent really is the best attributes a manager could want.
It was somewhat strange then that Ferguson chose to spend such money on an area that was arguably the best in Europe at the time, although the United manager may have already foreseen that Carlos Tevez would not have a long-term future with the club. The injury-prone Louis Saha would have also given Ferguson concerns about strength-in-depth, and the Frenchman was shipped off to Everton around the same time Berbatov was signed.
If Ferguson is looking to sell Berbatov this summer, United’s strength in depth is something he will have to consider, and it may well seal Berbatov’s fate.
Wayne Rooney will be looking to hit the same form he reached last season now he is back from injury, and few doubts remain that he will, once he wins over the United fans again. Hernandez is a fantastic talent with pace, goals, heading ability and technique, and it will be him and Rooney that will spearhead United’s title challenge. Young Federico Macheda still has his doubters amongst the Old Trafford faithful, but United’s backroom staff have undoubted faith in the Italian’s ability to improve. His terrific strike against Villa last week would have done him a world of good. Danny Welbeck has also shown signs of improvement during his loan spell at Sunderland, and Ferguson would have been delighted to see his young forward destroy Chelsea in last Sunday’s 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Such young talent however, does lack the experience Ferguson craves, particularly when competing in Europe. Indeed, it was Berbatov’s experience, technique and patience that was expected to help United fare better, particularly as United (up till the 2007/2008 season), were struggling away from home. Unfortunately for Berbatov, Rooney’s improvement in operating as a main striker last year restricted his appearances. Such success with Rooney as the front man in a 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation inspired Ferguson to implement tactics in league games as well as in Europe.
Berbatov’s ability to bring others into the game is unrivalled at United, and this unselfishness hampered his own goal-scoring record. He had scored 15 league goals in his final season at Tottenham and thus looked to be a complete package when United finally showed serious interest in signing him. However, goals at United have generally been shared around throughout Ferguson’s reign, and this has been very much the case since Berbatov’s arrival.
The Bulgarian is often derived for being in deeper positions than United fans would like, despite these positions often being determined by the tactics of Ferguson himself. Berbatov would also have found it frustrating how he wasn’t picked for the ‘big’ fixtures last season, only thrust into the action against inferior opposition. Thus when he does get a chance he is often so starved of confidence by the manager that he is unlikely to get on the score-sheet, particularly as he is expected to threaten the goal from non-threatening, deep-lying positions.
It is becoming more and more apparent that Berbatov will most likely be playing his football elsewhere this time next year, despite Ferguson’s praise of the striker earlier this season. Loved more by football purists than fans and critics, the striker still has a good few years in him to leave his mark on the game, and will undoubtedly still have an important part to play this season for United. Neutrals would love to see Berbatov continue to play regularly in the Premiership, and players returning to Spurs and Harry Redknapp are not uncommon, but one hopes that his United career hasn’t damaged the confidence in which he used to use to enormous effectiveness.
Friday, 15 October 2010
Wayne Rooney - Born of Frustration
WAYNE Rooney has frustrated many a football fan in recent years, particularly those supporting the team he is playing against. However, this week provoked debate amongst even his own Manchester United fans as to whether he is doing all he can to lift himself out of the barren spell he finds himself in.
The Old Trafford faithful have adopted ‘The White Pele’ as one of their own, a far cry from one of their first glimpses of Rooney as a cocky Merseyside scally playing for Everton. Indeed, the Stretford End’s chants of “Have you ever had a salad? Have you f*ck!” provoked a then-tubby Rooney into hacking down young emerging talent Cristiano Ronaldo with such force you would think Ronaldo had hidden Rooney's Mars Bar. However, two years later, a chocolate-free Rooney was lining up with Ronaldo as the two looked to bring back glory to a Manchester United side in transition.
Seven years down the line, and recent comments to the media have surprised many, concerning his recent form and fitness. Rooney seemed to cast aside any arguments about his fitness of late, by stating his ‘troublesome’ ankle has been fine all season. This, despite the fact that both Sir Alex Ferguson and his assistant Mike Phelan (who must rival Ralph Milne as one of Ferguson’s worst signings) have openly indicated that Rooney has had a problem with it. Speaking after England’s qualifier against Montenegro, Rooney said: “I’ve had no ankle problem all season.” Of course, Rooney may well believe he is fit enough, and is simply taking some of the blame himself. Ferguson on the other hand, as the superb man-manager he always has been, is protecting his own player. Phelan on the other hand is simply doing a "Yes-Boss" job that would make Phil Neal proud, and Graham Taylor orange with rage.
With Ferguson claiming Rooney’s on-the-pitch problems have been physical, it’s more likely that Rooney is suffering from the same mental problems that have blighted his short career to date. Despite Rooney’s intimidating presence on the pitch, his high-tempered aggression, and his tremendous will to win, Rooney has had more than couple of notable bleak periods in his career, where goals have dried up and his usually-assured touch has eluded him.
Of course, much has been said about Rooney needing to mature, about his need to learn how to control both his aggression and also his instincts to track back. As a teenager, Rooney was arguably a more explosive player than he is now, being more prone to run at defenders, rather than his modern game which sees him looking more likely to create something from an exchange of passes or to deliver a deadly through ball. Even his aptitude for long-range shooting seems to have dwindled somewhat, much to the relief of goalkeepers.
However, as he approaches his 25th birthday this month, Rooney needs to focus on his game more than ever. He needs to cut out the media-work for a start, although rumours have it that sponsors have been less than impressed with his recent misdemeanours with women other than his wife, thus some of these decisions may be taken out of his 'busy' hands.
The awful Street Striker TV programme on Sky One, which Rooney attaches his less than glitzy name to, should be the next to go. With today’s modern innovative coaching techniques, it seems unlikely that monitoring a bunch of teenagers run around an industrial estate avoiding a bunch of dead cats, whilst attempting to chip the ball into a disused skip is not going to mould them into the new Lionel Messi.
If it’s not the off-the-field distractions, we must look on the pitch. Confidence can affect everyone, but Rooney seems to suffer most. Though for a player with his reputation, being a ‘confidence’ player is not acceptable. Indeed, an argument can be made that the best players have supreme confidence at all times – their confidence in their own ability overshadowing any distraction or factors that may try and lessen their performance.
His ex-team-mate Ronaldo for example, is as popular as George Best was for his celebrity status as much as his footballing competence. However, Ronaldo, despite his tendency to flop around the pitch with his arms flailing and deploying THAT facial expression, has a steely, unflappable confidence, which has helped him reach the highest levels of his capabilities. However, Rooney’s goal-droughts and losses of form are becoming much too common and are often unexplainable. Such inconsistency is threatening to affect Rooney’s status as one of the country’s finest ever players.
In Rooney’s defence, Ronaldo rarely suffered from injuries during his time at United, whereas Rooney unfortunately picked up impact knocks such as metatarsal injuries, which were beyond his control. However, it is the less obvious injuries that many have speculated that Rooney has been suffering from, which is the cause for debate. His manager Ferguson has tried to put a positive spin on the issue, claiming it is Rooney’s eagerness to play with injuries that can be his downfall. If this is the case, is it not up to Sir Alex to and his medical team to decide what is best for the team, the player, and the club in the long run? Ferguson it seems, may be giving Rooney more liberty than he has ever given one of his players since the Scot took the reins at Old Trafford.
Despite appearing to be a family man, who is perfectly happy living the rest of his life out in the North-West, Rooney has developed an ego in other areas, and somewhat of a superiority complex. His obvious frustrations with England’s performance in the World Cup led to an outburst on camera abusing England fans for booing the players. Sorry Wayne, but whether booing or not is particularly constructive, fans who travelled to South Africa had every right to express their own opinions on the England team after such an abject display. His outburst was almost definitely pre-meditated, meaning Rooney, in his own mind, believes he is justified in such actions, and that he can ‘do no wrong and basically ‘do as he wants’. It wouldn't have been too surprising if he'd blamed Steve McClaren. When his head goes in a match, he simply cannot mentally pick himself up again. It’s this maturity issue that is harming his game.
Rooney, like Fernando Torres in some aspects, is running out of excuses when it comes to explaining his own personal performances. Torres, in his defence, has had injury problems, though his attitude, particularly in body language, has been nothing short of childish over the last 18 months. Within just a few months of his arrival in the summer of 2007, neutrals marvelled at the skills and goal-scoring talents of the Spaniard – a foreign player taking wonderfully to the Premiership in a similar vein to Gianfranco Zola and Jurgen Klinsmann when they moved to Premiership football in the mid 1990’s. Now Torres has become a victim, or a parody if you will, of the egotistic ways of the Premiership, where money and big club aura’s rule, and lesser clubs and players are looked on in disdain by expensive big-club imports. However, this issue is for another day…
Rooney is at home to West Brom this weekend, and although now playing in a deeper role to last season, mainly due to the excellent form of Dimitar Berbatov this term, Rooney is still capable of a world-class display. As he proved last season when he hit a season’s best goal tally, and produced terrific form both in domestic and European competitions, Rooney is a world-beater on his day, and is arguably the striker most defenders in the Champions League fear most, such is the variety of his game combined with a fantastic work-ethic. However, he must achieve consistency quickly for his stock to rise again.
The Old Trafford faithful have adopted ‘The White Pele’ as one of their own, a far cry from one of their first glimpses of Rooney as a cocky Merseyside scally playing for Everton. Indeed, the Stretford End’s chants of “Have you ever had a salad? Have you f*ck!” provoked a then-tubby Rooney into hacking down young emerging talent Cristiano Ronaldo with such force you would think Ronaldo had hidden Rooney's Mars Bar. However, two years later, a chocolate-free Rooney was lining up with Ronaldo as the two looked to bring back glory to a Manchester United side in transition.
Seven years down the line, and recent comments to the media have surprised many, concerning his recent form and fitness. Rooney seemed to cast aside any arguments about his fitness of late, by stating his ‘troublesome’ ankle has been fine all season. This, despite the fact that both Sir Alex Ferguson and his assistant Mike Phelan (who must rival Ralph Milne as one of Ferguson’s worst signings) have openly indicated that Rooney has had a problem with it. Speaking after England’s qualifier against Montenegro, Rooney said: “I’ve had no ankle problem all season.” Of course, Rooney may well believe he is fit enough, and is simply taking some of the blame himself. Ferguson on the other hand, as the superb man-manager he always has been, is protecting his own player. Phelan on the other hand is simply doing a "Yes-Boss" job that would make Phil Neal proud, and Graham Taylor orange with rage.
With Ferguson claiming Rooney’s on-the-pitch problems have been physical, it’s more likely that Rooney is suffering from the same mental problems that have blighted his short career to date. Despite Rooney’s intimidating presence on the pitch, his high-tempered aggression, and his tremendous will to win, Rooney has had more than couple of notable bleak periods in his career, where goals have dried up and his usually-assured touch has eluded him.
Of course, much has been said about Rooney needing to mature, about his need to learn how to control both his aggression and also his instincts to track back. As a teenager, Rooney was arguably a more explosive player than he is now, being more prone to run at defenders, rather than his modern game which sees him looking more likely to create something from an exchange of passes or to deliver a deadly through ball. Even his aptitude for long-range shooting seems to have dwindled somewhat, much to the relief of goalkeepers.
However, as he approaches his 25th birthday this month, Rooney needs to focus on his game more than ever. He needs to cut out the media-work for a start, although rumours have it that sponsors have been less than impressed with his recent misdemeanours with women other than his wife, thus some of these decisions may be taken out of his 'busy' hands.
The awful Street Striker TV programme on Sky One, which Rooney attaches his less than glitzy name to, should be the next to go. With today’s modern innovative coaching techniques, it seems unlikely that monitoring a bunch of teenagers run around an industrial estate avoiding a bunch of dead cats, whilst attempting to chip the ball into a disused skip is not going to mould them into the new Lionel Messi.
If it’s not the off-the-field distractions, we must look on the pitch. Confidence can affect everyone, but Rooney seems to suffer most. Though for a player with his reputation, being a ‘confidence’ player is not acceptable. Indeed, an argument can be made that the best players have supreme confidence at all times – their confidence in their own ability overshadowing any distraction or factors that may try and lessen their performance.
His ex-team-mate Ronaldo for example, is as popular as George Best was for his celebrity status as much as his footballing competence. However, Ronaldo, despite his tendency to flop around the pitch with his arms flailing and deploying THAT facial expression, has a steely, unflappable confidence, which has helped him reach the highest levels of his capabilities. However, Rooney’s goal-droughts and losses of form are becoming much too common and are often unexplainable. Such inconsistency is threatening to affect Rooney’s status as one of the country’s finest ever players.
In Rooney’s defence, Ronaldo rarely suffered from injuries during his time at United, whereas Rooney unfortunately picked up impact knocks such as metatarsal injuries, which were beyond his control. However, it is the less obvious injuries that many have speculated that Rooney has been suffering from, which is the cause for debate. His manager Ferguson has tried to put a positive spin on the issue, claiming it is Rooney’s eagerness to play with injuries that can be his downfall. If this is the case, is it not up to Sir Alex to and his medical team to decide what is best for the team, the player, and the club in the long run? Ferguson it seems, may be giving Rooney more liberty than he has ever given one of his players since the Scot took the reins at Old Trafford.
Despite appearing to be a family man, who is perfectly happy living the rest of his life out in the North-West, Rooney has developed an ego in other areas, and somewhat of a superiority complex. His obvious frustrations with England’s performance in the World Cup led to an outburst on camera abusing England fans for booing the players. Sorry Wayne, but whether booing or not is particularly constructive, fans who travelled to South Africa had every right to express their own opinions on the England team after such an abject display. His outburst was almost definitely pre-meditated, meaning Rooney, in his own mind, believes he is justified in such actions, and that he can ‘do no wrong and basically ‘do as he wants’. It wouldn't have been too surprising if he'd blamed Steve McClaren. When his head goes in a match, he simply cannot mentally pick himself up again. It’s this maturity issue that is harming his game.
Rooney, like Fernando Torres in some aspects, is running out of excuses when it comes to explaining his own personal performances. Torres, in his defence, has had injury problems, though his attitude, particularly in body language, has been nothing short of childish over the last 18 months. Within just a few months of his arrival in the summer of 2007, neutrals marvelled at the skills and goal-scoring talents of the Spaniard – a foreign player taking wonderfully to the Premiership in a similar vein to Gianfranco Zola and Jurgen Klinsmann when they moved to Premiership football in the mid 1990’s. Now Torres has become a victim, or a parody if you will, of the egotistic ways of the Premiership, where money and big club aura’s rule, and lesser clubs and players are looked on in disdain by expensive big-club imports. However, this issue is for another day…
Rooney is at home to West Brom this weekend, and although now playing in a deeper role to last season, mainly due to the excellent form of Dimitar Berbatov this term, Rooney is still capable of a world-class display. As he proved last season when he hit a season’s best goal tally, and produced terrific form both in domestic and European competitions, Rooney is a world-beater on his day, and is arguably the striker most defenders in the Champions League fear most, such is the variety of his game combined with a fantastic work-ethic. However, he must achieve consistency quickly for his stock to rise again.
Friday, 23 July 2010
A Big Season For Nani?
Former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva once claimed Manchester United’s Nani had a ‘big head’, after an FA Cup 4th round tie in 2008. The young Portuguese winger, whose head size had never before been questioned but whose face is certainly annoying, had terrorised Arsenal all game, scoring once and assisting in two goals. It showed promise for a player bought only a few months earlier, suggesting Nani could evolve into the type of top-class winger Manchester United have had a knack of producing over the years. Trickier than Steve Coppell, more of a threat from long-distance than Ryan Giggs, and young enough for his manager Alex Ferguson to mould as he sees fit, Nani looked to be at the right stage of his career, and at the right club too.
That same season however, Nani was overshadowed by a magnificent season by his Portuguese compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo, who hit over 40 goals in all competitions, including a Champions League final goal against Chelsea. If Nani wanted to realise the level he needed to reach to be a Manchester United star, Ronaldo had shown him the way.
Fast forward a year to the end of the 2008/2009 campaign, and Nani had played only half the games he had in his first season, scoring only league goal. The potential Nani had shown in his debut season had not been reached. Manchester United supporters were left frustrated by Nani around this time. They saw a player with undoubted skill, good pace and a rocket of a shot. Nani’s tendency to overplay and not supply good enough service to United’s strikers was becoming a bad habit that he, and Ferguson, needed to address.
Tricky, skilful wingers are often associated with having a poor end product by fans and pundits, though this is often a lazy criticism. There is a more accurate correlation between the speed of the player and his crossing quality. A moving ball is harder to hit accurately than a standing ball, as it requires greater timing. If the player crossing the ball is running at full pace, then the quality of the cross delivered is at even greater risk of losing accuracy. Note the quality of crosses from Ryan Giggs as his career has progressed. The lightning speed and trickery of the Welshman was never in question in his early United career, but his final ball was often inconsistent. Giggs no longer has anything like the pace he once had, yet his crossing accuracy is now second to none. Indeed Giggs is always likely to be able to produce these crosses of brilliance. Indeed, at 37 years old, it is unlikely Giggs would still feature for United if he couldn’t bring qualities like this into Ferguson’s team.
The England international team have had an abundance of speedy, diminutive wingers in recent years. Aaron Lennon, Shaun Wright Phillips and Theo Walcott were all battling for the right-wing spot in South Africa, and all three have been criticised for their final ball throughout their career. It is their lightning pace however, which hinders their ability to cross accurately. (One imagines the un-predatory instincts of Emile Heskey also didn’t help wingers when they were deciding where to deliver a cross)
In regards to Nani, he has shown the ability to be an excellent crosser, and also has showed signs of being very quick on occasions. However, he tends to cross when he is in full control of the ball. He has the ability to cross with two feet also. Thus it is the question of when Nani will put the ball into the box that must frustrate strikers like Wayne Rooney. Rooney openly raved about the service from the more direct Antonio Valencia last season, a player who tended to cross the ball earlier. These crosses were often delivered back into an area just in front of the opposition defence, where Rooney would drop off into, and more often than not convert. Indeed, when United played away to AC Milan in last years Champions League, it was a cross from the substitute Valencia, on for Nani, that led to Rooney putting United in front.
Nani, although still young, still remains a frustrating player to this day, though his form improved dramatically in the second half of last season, single-handedly tearing apart Arsenal and a shockingly-under par Gael Clichy at the Emirates Stadium in January. ‘Maturity’ is often a buzz-word thrown around young players like Nani when they begin to show improvement, but he showed a level of performance at times that gives every United fan hope that next season will be Nani’s best season yet. Whether his final-third link-up play with Rooney will improve is another matter, but one imagines that if the two form an-on field relationship like Rooney and Ronaldo did, then United could be in with a great shout of bringing the Premiership trophy back to Old Trafford.
That same season however, Nani was overshadowed by a magnificent season by his Portuguese compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo, who hit over 40 goals in all competitions, including a Champions League final goal against Chelsea. If Nani wanted to realise the level he needed to reach to be a Manchester United star, Ronaldo had shown him the way.
Fast forward a year to the end of the 2008/2009 campaign, and Nani had played only half the games he had in his first season, scoring only league goal. The potential Nani had shown in his debut season had not been reached. Manchester United supporters were left frustrated by Nani around this time. They saw a player with undoubted skill, good pace and a rocket of a shot. Nani’s tendency to overplay and not supply good enough service to United’s strikers was becoming a bad habit that he, and Ferguson, needed to address.
Tricky, skilful wingers are often associated with having a poor end product by fans and pundits, though this is often a lazy criticism. There is a more accurate correlation between the speed of the player and his crossing quality. A moving ball is harder to hit accurately than a standing ball, as it requires greater timing. If the player crossing the ball is running at full pace, then the quality of the cross delivered is at even greater risk of losing accuracy. Note the quality of crosses from Ryan Giggs as his career has progressed. The lightning speed and trickery of the Welshman was never in question in his early United career, but his final ball was often inconsistent. Giggs no longer has anything like the pace he once had, yet his crossing accuracy is now second to none. Indeed Giggs is always likely to be able to produce these crosses of brilliance. Indeed, at 37 years old, it is unlikely Giggs would still feature for United if he couldn’t bring qualities like this into Ferguson’s team.
The England international team have had an abundance of speedy, diminutive wingers in recent years. Aaron Lennon, Shaun Wright Phillips and Theo Walcott were all battling for the right-wing spot in South Africa, and all three have been criticised for their final ball throughout their career. It is their lightning pace however, which hinders their ability to cross accurately. (One imagines the un-predatory instincts of Emile Heskey also didn’t help wingers when they were deciding where to deliver a cross)
In regards to Nani, he has shown the ability to be an excellent crosser, and also has showed signs of being very quick on occasions. However, he tends to cross when he is in full control of the ball. He has the ability to cross with two feet also. Thus it is the question of when Nani will put the ball into the box that must frustrate strikers like Wayne Rooney. Rooney openly raved about the service from the more direct Antonio Valencia last season, a player who tended to cross the ball earlier. These crosses were often delivered back into an area just in front of the opposition defence, where Rooney would drop off into, and more often than not convert. Indeed, when United played away to AC Milan in last years Champions League, it was a cross from the substitute Valencia, on for Nani, that led to Rooney putting United in front.
Nani, although still young, still remains a frustrating player to this day, though his form improved dramatically in the second half of last season, single-handedly tearing apart Arsenal and a shockingly-under par Gael Clichy at the Emirates Stadium in January. ‘Maturity’ is often a buzz-word thrown around young players like Nani when they begin to show improvement, but he showed a level of performance at times that gives every United fan hope that next season will be Nani’s best season yet. Whether his final-third link-up play with Rooney will improve is another matter, but one imagines that if the two form an-on field relationship like Rooney and Ronaldo did, then United could be in with a great shout of bringing the Premiership trophy back to Old Trafford.
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