The 2011 Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United this Saturday has the makings of something truly spectacular. Arguably the two best clubs in the world, this rematch of the 2009 Champions League final (which saw the Catalan giants win 2-0) will be the pinnacle of the season for both sides – and a career-defining moment for most of the players involved. It will also demonstrate how prestigious the Champions League is, and exhibit to Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal what they can look forward to next season.
Tottenham Hotspur have had what can be considered a successful season. They finished fifth in the Premier League as well as reaching the quarter-final stages of the Champions League. However, they will not feature in the competition next season. As a matter of fact, next season there will be six Premier League teams – Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool - all with the same ambition; to make it back into the Champions League. But of course, six into four does not go.
So with the emergence of other Premier League teams vying for the competition after several years of the top four more or less deciding itself, what does each side have to do to give themselves the best opportunity to reach the Champions League in 2012?
Manchester United
Now statistically the most successful English club of all time after picking up their nineteenth Premier League title last weekend (albeit with the lowest winning points total since 1999) Alex Ferguson has proven that with himself at the helm of this club, Manchester United will always be a huge threat in both domestic and European football.
However, with influential veterans such as Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs coming towards the end of their careers, Ferguson must ensure that his new, developing breed of Red Devils possess the same hunger and desire as former Manchester United greats did. He has the ability to get the best out of young, upcoming players and has been able to do this throughout his managerial career. A good example of this is Javier Hernández who has been a revelation in his debut season and scored twenty goals in all competitions.
Manchester United have not finished outside the top three since the Premier League began; a trend which they will hope to continue into next season. It is hard to imagine them not qualifying for the Champions League in 2012. If they win the final on Saturday, they become not only the team to beat in England, but in the world.
Manchester City
The noisy neighbours at Eastlands can be proud of a successful season following a third placed finish in the Premier League as well as winning the FA Cup against Stoke City. Roberto Mancini has now set the precedent by guiding his team into the Champions League and this will surely now be expected for the foreseeable future.
Manchester City are a team on the up and have quality in depth in most areas of their squad. They are also the richest football club in the world, and it could be argued that they were able to finish third because they did not have the distraction of the Champions League themselves this season. In spite of this, what Mancini has achieved should not be undervalued. The Italian has overcome huge media pressure at times this season when results have not gone favourably. He has lost key players for extended periods of time this season. He has ridden the waves of inconsistency offered by some Manchester City performance. But in spite of that, he has done what was required of him this season; finish in the top four in the Premier League.
However, the seemingly impending departure of Carlos Tevez will be a huge loss. Edin Dzeko has struggled to find the net this season and although Mario Balotelli has shown glimmers of brilliance, Mancini will need to find a quick replacement for the Tevez should he leave the club. Another problem will be keeping individual players happy; an abundance of finance is one thing, but will Mancini be able to guarantee all his star players, as well as potential summer signings, the desired amount of game time?
Manchester City reaching the top four next season seems quite likely, although the job Roberto Mancini has on his hands should by no means be underestimated.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur were unable to qualify for next season’s Champions League following a fifth placed finish in the Premier League. It is a shame because Spurs played some of their finest football of the season in the Champions League against Inter Milan, AC Milan and Young Boys before eventually being comprehensively beaten by Real Madrid.
Harry Redknapp faces a huge challenge to reach the Champions League next season and has without a doubt the biggest challenge ahead of him among the other five teams mentioned here. Firstly, Spurs qualified for the Europa League but it may act as more of a burden if they aim to achieve highly in said tournament – whilst hoping for a top four finish in the Premier League - simply due to the demanding amount of extra games involved.
Secondly, Tottenham will not only have to try to keep hold of their best players this summer but also look to bolster certain areas of depth by attracting at least four or five top quality players to the club. With Spurs not being in the Champions League next season, this may be easier said than done. Players like Luka Modric and Rafael Van Der Vaart will be difficult to keep at White Hart Lane after both enjoyed fantastic seasons with the club. Redknapp will also be keen to bring in a prolific goal scorer after Spurs managed just 55 goals this season – the lowest of any team in the top six.
Whilst it was no fluke that Spurs did finish fourth in 2010, they certainly face an uphill struggle to achieve such heights next season. Out of these six sides, on paper, they are the least likely to manage to do so.
Chelsea
Chelsea were at one stage in a fantastic position to overtake Manchester United after a fantastic run which saw them within three points of their rivals, but ended up winning no silverware this season. Despite finishing second in the Premier League, it was not enough for manager Carlo Ancelotti to keep his job at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea seem to be at a fork in the road. One the one hand, it appears that perhaps all Chelsea need is the right manager to get them back on track in terms of the race for the title. On the other, they could be heading towards a transition phase. Key players like Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka are all at least 32 years old and getting to the end of, or are past, their prime. Also, Fernando Torres has struggled since arriving at the club, and his future could be in doubt as he is a player who tends to individually thrive under certain managers, as can be seen from his time at Liverpool.
There is still a high level of player quality at Chelsea and it may just be that the right man in charge is needed – former manager Guus Hiddink has been linked with the role although this may just be mere speculation and the media filling in the blanks.
It is difficult to predict whether Chelsea will do better or worse next season than they did this year, but they should make the top four in the Premier League next season so long as they continue to get the best out of their current key players.
Liverpool
The turnaround at this club since the arrival of Kenny Dalglish has been astonishing. Liverpool were floundering in twelfth place in the Premier League when the Scotsman arrived in January after Roy Hodgson’s unsuccessful stint in charge. The Merseyside club soon went on a terrific run picking up 33 points in eighteen games towards the end of the season, at one stage giving themselves a viable shot at fifth place. The owners made the right choice in making Dalglish their permanent manager.
With Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez signing for the club at the start of the year, Liverpool seem to be heading the right direction with the right kind of players. On paper, this has been an unsuccessful season for Liverpool – but fans will be feeling optimistic about their club’s next campaign.
Liverpool are in a good position to get back into the Champions League in 2012 because they are back to winning ways under a manager who, like Ferguson, knows how to get the best out of his players. They should be looking at finishing fifth at an absolute minimum next year.
Arsenal
It really is a wonder how Arsenal ended up winning no silverware this year. They were in the running for four different competitions at the end of February, but a late defeat to Birmingham in the Carling Cup saw their season spiral out of control. They were eliminated from the Champions League by Barcelona before losing in the FA Cup final to Arsenal in the space of a week, before slipping down the league table and finishing fourth – meaning that they now must qualify to even get into the group stages of the Champions League this season.
The problem this season with Arsenal is twofold. Firstly, they are at risk of losing key players as a result of failing to win a trophy for the fifth consecutive year. Cesc Fabregas is constantly linked with a move to Barcelona, and offers are likely to come in for Robin Van Persie after a superb season for the Gunners. Secondly, several of their big name players are too inconsistent. Andrei Arshavin, Marouane Chamakh and Nicklas Bendtner simply have not been good enough this season when called upon.
While Arsenal have a tendency to struggle in big games against the top sides, they also tend to go on runs in the Premier League when they are absolutely unstoppable. But they are heavily reliant on a couple of key players as mentioned above, and with their next domestic campaign likely to contain more “big games” than ever before, they will need several individuals to perform better than they did last season – or invest in new talent. Will that be enough to maintain a top four spot in the Premier League – and if not, what happens to Arsene Wenger after that?
Based on how the teams currently stand, here is my forecast for next season:
1. Manchester United
2. Manchester City
3. Liverpool
4. Chelsea
----------------------------------
5. Arsenal
6. Tottenham Hotspur
Of course, this is all based on how teams are looking now – and next season is a whole summer away, during which time all six of these clubs will be looking to make changes to give themselves in the best opportunity to achieve as much success as is possible.
Feel free to comment whether you agree or disagree.
Showing posts with label Manchester City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manchester City. Show all posts
Thursday, 26 May 2011
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Leicester City 2 - 2 Manchester City - 9th January 2011
Leicester City earned a thoroughly-deserved replay at Eastlands after holding Premier League giants Manchester City to a 2-2 draw.
Sol Bamba put the Foxes ahead in the first minute, but James Milner’s low drive brought the visitors level midway through the first half.
Carlos Tevez poked the ball home from close range just before half-time to put Manchester City in front, but Andy King’s equaliser just after the hour mark ensured Leicester were guaranteed a rematch.
Leicester showed great determination and effort against Roberto Mancini’s side and at times had their Premier League counterparts on the back foot.
The game was certainly of significance to Foxes manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who formerly managed Manchester City during the 2007-2008 season before the Swede parted ways with the club after only one year.
Despite their high league position, Mancini fielded a strong team against the Foxes which included the likes of Carlos Tevez, Adam Johnson and James Milner.
But it was the home side who took the lead inside the first minute when debutant centre back Sol Bamba latched on to Jack Hobbs’ flick on from a Paul Gallagher corner to stab the ball away with his first touch in English football.
The goal emphasised how much of a dominating presence the former Hibernian defender would prove to be from set pieces, as he terrorised a Manchester City back line that failed to cope with him.
The visitors, although shocked by the early goal, responded well with good periods of possession which the Foxes were happy to sit back and absorb during the opening fifteen minutes.
Manchester City did find their equaliser on 23 minutes after James Milner played a one-two pass with Carlos Tevez, the former Villa man easing through the Leicester defence before firing a low drive beyond Chris Weale.
The equaliser was arguably no more than the visitors deserved for their patience, but the hosts appeared unfazed as Sol Bamba continued to threaten again from set plays before Yuki Abe’s stunning 25 yard drive was well saved by Joe Hart.
Minutes later, Paul Gallagher – who continued to be a constant threat with corner kicks – picked out Bamba again in the penalty area but his powerful header was punched away by Hart.
Andy King had a great chance to restore Leicester’s lead shortly after when Richie Wellens played a wonderful through ball behind Manchester City’s backline, but the Welsh international’s chip fell directly into the hands of Joe Hart.
At the other end, Adam Johnson should have put the visitors ahead after being picked out with a low drive into the six yard box, but the England international missed the target from close range after pressure from Chris Weale.
The hosts were made to pay for their missed opportunities however when James Milner’s low ball picked out Carlos Tevez at the near post, who put the ball past Weale to give his side the upper hand at half-time.
The second half offered more of the same end-to-end action as Lloyd Dyer latched on to a long ball over the top of the defence, but fired high and wide as his off balance shot was quickly closed down.
Leicester continued to threaten with set plays as Jack Hobbs’ powerful header flew just over the bar from another Paul Gallagher corner kick as the Foxes prowled for an equaliser.
And they were level on 64 minutes when Joe Hart fumbled a seemingly harmless long ball from Paul Gallagher into the path of Andy King, who regained his composure to slot the ball into an empty net.
It was no more than Leicester deserved, having been the better side in the second half.
Manchester City appeared content with a replay when Mancini opted to replace the largely ineffective Jo with a more defensive option in Pablo Zabaleta, with substitute Nigel De Jong sitting just in front of the defence.
But Leicester maintained their ‘nothing to lose’ attitude and pressed on, with Sol Bamba once again threatening from a corner kick, his header being cleared off the line by James Milner after beating Joe Hart.
Then, against the run of play, the Manchester City had a glorious opportunity to restore their lead when Carlos Tevez found substitute Nigel De Jong free in the penalty area, but the Dutchman’s scuffed effort failed to trouble Chris Weale.
As the match drew to a close, Tevez again could have won it for the visitors, but Sol Bamba was on hand to block the former Manchester United man’s shot after Chris Weale had saved his initial effort.
The final whistle indicated the two teams would face off again at Eastlands in a replay, the winner of which will travel to Notts County – another of Eriksson’s former clubs – in the fourth round.
Man of the Match – Sol Bamba
Sol Bamba put the Foxes ahead in the first minute, but James Milner’s low drive brought the visitors level midway through the first half.
Carlos Tevez poked the ball home from close range just before half-time to put Manchester City in front, but Andy King’s equaliser just after the hour mark ensured Leicester were guaranteed a rematch.
Leicester showed great determination and effort against Roberto Mancini’s side and at times had their Premier League counterparts on the back foot.
The game was certainly of significance to Foxes manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who formerly managed Manchester City during the 2007-2008 season before the Swede parted ways with the club after only one year.
Despite their high league position, Mancini fielded a strong team against the Foxes which included the likes of Carlos Tevez, Adam Johnson and James Milner.
But it was the home side who took the lead inside the first minute when debutant centre back Sol Bamba latched on to Jack Hobbs’ flick on from a Paul Gallagher corner to stab the ball away with his first touch in English football.
The goal emphasised how much of a dominating presence the former Hibernian defender would prove to be from set pieces, as he terrorised a Manchester City back line that failed to cope with him.
The visitors, although shocked by the early goal, responded well with good periods of possession which the Foxes were happy to sit back and absorb during the opening fifteen minutes.
Manchester City did find their equaliser on 23 minutes after James Milner played a one-two pass with Carlos Tevez, the former Villa man easing through the Leicester defence before firing a low drive beyond Chris Weale.
The equaliser was arguably no more than the visitors deserved for their patience, but the hosts appeared unfazed as Sol Bamba continued to threaten again from set plays before Yuki Abe’s stunning 25 yard drive was well saved by Joe Hart.
Minutes later, Paul Gallagher – who continued to be a constant threat with corner kicks – picked out Bamba again in the penalty area but his powerful header was punched away by Hart.
Andy King had a great chance to restore Leicester’s lead shortly after when Richie Wellens played a wonderful through ball behind Manchester City’s backline, but the Welsh international’s chip fell directly into the hands of Joe Hart.
At the other end, Adam Johnson should have put the visitors ahead after being picked out with a low drive into the six yard box, but the England international missed the target from close range after pressure from Chris Weale.
The hosts were made to pay for their missed opportunities however when James Milner’s low ball picked out Carlos Tevez at the near post, who put the ball past Weale to give his side the upper hand at half-time.
The second half offered more of the same end-to-end action as Lloyd Dyer latched on to a long ball over the top of the defence, but fired high and wide as his off balance shot was quickly closed down.
Leicester continued to threaten with set plays as Jack Hobbs’ powerful header flew just over the bar from another Paul Gallagher corner kick as the Foxes prowled for an equaliser.
And they were level on 64 minutes when Joe Hart fumbled a seemingly harmless long ball from Paul Gallagher into the path of Andy King, who regained his composure to slot the ball into an empty net.
It was no more than Leicester deserved, having been the better side in the second half.
Manchester City appeared content with a replay when Mancini opted to replace the largely ineffective Jo with a more defensive option in Pablo Zabaleta, with substitute Nigel De Jong sitting just in front of the defence.
But Leicester maintained their ‘nothing to lose’ attitude and pressed on, with Sol Bamba once again threatening from a corner kick, his header being cleared off the line by James Milner after beating Joe Hart.
Then, against the run of play, the Manchester City had a glorious opportunity to restore their lead when Carlos Tevez found substitute Nigel De Jong free in the penalty area, but the Dutchman’s scuffed effort failed to trouble Chris Weale.
As the match drew to a close, Tevez again could have won it for the visitors, but Sol Bamba was on hand to block the former Manchester United man’s shot after Chris Weale had saved his initial effort.
The final whistle indicated the two teams would face off again at Eastlands in a replay, the winner of which will travel to Notts County – another of Eriksson’s former clubs – in the fourth round.
Man of the Match – Sol Bamba
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
The Dependables
The Premier League is one which rewards strong sides. Sides which contain the fewest weak links within their starting XI. One player does not make a team, and reliance on the scoring of one player or a couple of players can ultimately lead to failure.
Here are three players from different teams who are, more often than not, depended upon more than anyone else in their side.
Tim Cahill – Everton
There’s no doubting Tim Cahill’s ability. He is a world class midfielder, certainly one of the best footballers at heading the ball, and is at the heart of the majority of Everton’s attacking play – as well-rewarded fantasy football managers will soon tell you. The problem is with Everton is that they lack an out and out striker. Despite the Toffees fielding a 4-5-1 formation, it seems impossible to predict who will be the lone forward in their attack out of Louis Saha, Ayegbeni Yakubu or Jermaine Beckford – who have mustered up a measly three league goals between them this season. Tim Cahill has scored nine out of Everton’s twenty goals to date. While this demonstrates his attacking threat and eye for goal, his side will struggle to fulfil their potential and break into the top six this season unless their strikers find some consistency, or manager David Moyes is given the opportunity to delve into the transfer market in 2011.
Andy Carroll – Newcastle
With eleven goals so far this season, Andy Carroll is currently the third top goal scorer in the Premier League – amongst names such as Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez, and more than Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka combined. In Newcastle’s first home game of the season, Carroll netted a hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Aston Villa, throwing down his own gauntlet for the rest of the campaign. In fact, fourteen of Newcastle’s 22 points have come when Carroll scores. But such expectation of a 21 year old, brand new to the Premier League, must come as a lot of pressure to the striker - who picked up his first England cap earlier this year. This is not to undermine Carroll’s ability; he has proven himself as a huge threat in front of goal; but the fact that Chris Hughton was sacked earlier this month seems to be a clear indication that chairman Mike Ashley is expecting more than just survival - or even a mid-table finish (Newcastle were eleventh when Hughton lost his job) – for the Magpies this year. Should Carroll happen to miss a string of games through suspension or injury, Newcastle could struggle somewhat due to their inconsistent home and away record this season.
Carlos Tevez – Manchester City
This might sound a bit of an odd one, but before (and probably still now) the drama surrounding Tevez’s future in English football and a possible rift between himself and manager Roberto Mancini, Manchester City fans would have told you that the Argentine international provided the real cutting edge to their side’s attacking play. Tevez has scored twelve goals, all of which have come in seven of City’s eleven league wins. Although Manchester City enter into 2011 joint top of the Premier League, they have scored the least goals out of the top four sides. Although Mario Balotelli is beginning to find his feet, no other player apart from he and Tevez has scored more than twice in the Premier League for Man City this season. The argument could therefore be made that the Blues can score goals from anywhere on the pitch – which might be expected with an abundance of quality players within the squad – but Mancini is right to be looking at bringing in another striker in January (namely Wolfsburg’s Edin Dezko, if reports are correct) – to provide another goal scorer and continue Manchester City’s title ambitions – especially as goal difference could prove to be vital in May next year.
Here are three players from different teams who are, more often than not, depended upon more than anyone else in their side.
Tim Cahill – Everton
There’s no doubting Tim Cahill’s ability. He is a world class midfielder, certainly one of the best footballers at heading the ball, and is at the heart of the majority of Everton’s attacking play – as well-rewarded fantasy football managers will soon tell you. The problem is with Everton is that they lack an out and out striker. Despite the Toffees fielding a 4-5-1 formation, it seems impossible to predict who will be the lone forward in their attack out of Louis Saha, Ayegbeni Yakubu or Jermaine Beckford – who have mustered up a measly three league goals between them this season. Tim Cahill has scored nine out of Everton’s twenty goals to date. While this demonstrates his attacking threat and eye for goal, his side will struggle to fulfil their potential and break into the top six this season unless their strikers find some consistency, or manager David Moyes is given the opportunity to delve into the transfer market in 2011.
Andy Carroll – Newcastle
With eleven goals so far this season, Andy Carroll is currently the third top goal scorer in the Premier League – amongst names such as Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez, and more than Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka combined. In Newcastle’s first home game of the season, Carroll netted a hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Aston Villa, throwing down his own gauntlet for the rest of the campaign. In fact, fourteen of Newcastle’s 22 points have come when Carroll scores. But such expectation of a 21 year old, brand new to the Premier League, must come as a lot of pressure to the striker - who picked up his first England cap earlier this year. This is not to undermine Carroll’s ability; he has proven himself as a huge threat in front of goal; but the fact that Chris Hughton was sacked earlier this month seems to be a clear indication that chairman Mike Ashley is expecting more than just survival - or even a mid-table finish (Newcastle were eleventh when Hughton lost his job) – for the Magpies this year. Should Carroll happen to miss a string of games through suspension or injury, Newcastle could struggle somewhat due to their inconsistent home and away record this season.
Carlos Tevez – Manchester City
This might sound a bit of an odd one, but before (and probably still now) the drama surrounding Tevez’s future in English football and a possible rift between himself and manager Roberto Mancini, Manchester City fans would have told you that the Argentine international provided the real cutting edge to their side’s attacking play. Tevez has scored twelve goals, all of which have come in seven of City’s eleven league wins. Although Manchester City enter into 2011 joint top of the Premier League, they have scored the least goals out of the top four sides. Although Mario Balotelli is beginning to find his feet, no other player apart from he and Tevez has scored more than twice in the Premier League for Man City this season. The argument could therefore be made that the Blues can score goals from anywhere on the pitch – which might be expected with an abundance of quality players within the squad – but Mancini is right to be looking at bringing in another striker in January (namely Wolfsburg’s Edin Dezko, if reports are correct) – to provide another goal scorer and continue Manchester City’s title ambitions – especially as goal difference could prove to be vital in May next year.
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