Dortmund shed hipster tag

Dortmund exploded onto the mainstream football vocabulary last week, casting doubt on their role as the hipster team of choice for discerning football fans.

A standing section that holds fans for as little as €12 a game, an eccentric and loyal young manager, constant suppression by a more financially powerful rival, young and local players, fluid and attractive football and playing in the world’s most happening league means Dortmund were quite rightly the most obvious (and successful) hipster team of choice over the last five seasons.

Dortmund have won two Bundesliga titles in the last three years and also claimed two German cups in this time. Of the team that beat Real last week, the two oldest outfield players, Łukasz Piszczek and Jakub Błaszczykowski  are 27 years of age, suggesting that this team can progress and become even more expansive.

However, the demolition of Real Madrid at the Westfalenstadion last Wednesday, has thrust Dortmund into the conscious of the mainstream media (especially Jamie Redknapp) and in the eternal hipster paradox, once something becomes popular, it is surely time to move on. Under-performing should be a pre-requisite of any hipster football team, and it is clear that Dortmund have been over-indulging in footballing success.

It is easy to forget that 12 years previously Dortmund were as guilty as Bayern are now in splashing the cash to compete in the German league. The Borussians spent €28.6 million on Nicolas Amoroso in 2001, a move which won them the title, but almost bankrupted the club by 2003. In fact Dortmund were reliant on a €2 million loan from Bayern to fund their own payroll, the financial situation was so dire.

It is hard to know whether almost bankrupting your club to achieve success is an attractive trait for football hipster fans (Portsmouth are just about hip, less so Leeds and Man City) but here is a list of  football clubs, that are likely to become and then be discarded by transient football hipsters in the next few years.

Borussia Mönchengladbach

Staying in Germany, the Bundesliga’s other Borussia outfit lay claim to several of the conditions needed to be football hipster material: a young squad, a cult hero in Juan Arango, a feeling of injustice (after Dortmund exploited a release clause to take Marco Reus back) and with a nickname of Die Fohlen, they will always have their indie fans. Lucien Favre has assembled a precocious set of players; Granit Xhaka, Luuk de Jong and Barcelona target, Marc-André ter Stegen, who all look set for a fantastic future. After finishing fourth last year, Gladbach have had a fairly tepid 2012-13, ensuring hipsters can continue to back them.

Getafe

Atletico Madrid often get a raw deal as Madrid’s second club, but few fans in England will even realise Getafe are based just outside of Madrid. Michael Laudrup continued his Spanish odyssey at Getafe for a solitary season, reaching the Copa del Rey final after thumping Barcelona 4-0 en route and only being beaten by Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup in 2008. Michael Laudrup, being oppressed by illustrious rivals and previously being sponsored by Burger King make Getafe hipster cat-nip.

Rayo Vallecano

Rayo were briefly thrust into the mainstream focus last summer after Michu introduced himself to the Premier league with a debut brace and people remembered he cost just £2 million. Thankfully this season the club have drifted back into the left-field, although that might change as clubs fight it out for this year’s top-scorer, Piti, who has 15 goals from midfield. Vallecano are another Madrid based club but unlike Real, who had strong ties with Franco’s governance, have a proud anarchist supporter group.

Fiorentina

Rather than going for lowly and leftie Livorno, Fiorentina are clearly the hipster team of choice for students of calcio. Going bankrupt in 2002, some 33 years after their last Serie A title, the club began their re-ascent with captain, Angelo Di Livio, who chose to stay with the fledgling club. Fiorentina have won a remarkable six Coppa Italia’s and current Italy boss, Cesare Prandelli cut his teeth at the Viola. Politics are important in football hipster affiliation, but any club who wears bright purple and boasts Gabriel Batistuta as a former player is impossible to resist.

Malmo

Fashion matters to football hipsters. Being able to pull-off a vintage jersey of your hipster team of choice is an important consideration. So if you’re going to go for one of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s former teams, Malmo are the least mainstream offering. Zlatan played for Malmo for two years, wearing the below shirt as they were relegated, before firing them back up in his second year at the club. Ajax, Roma and Arsenal came sniffing that summer, with the egotistical machine moving to the Arena. Ajax director, Leo Beenhakker, got the deal done for €8 million and famously remarked: “Give me 11 arseholes like him and we’ll be champions.”

Holland's Got Talent

The race for the title looks to be all but wrapped up in Europe's 'big' five leagues: Spain, England, Italy, Germany and France by late March, but the battle for the Eredivisie is incredibly close.

Man United sit 15 clear, Barcelona are 13 points ahead, Bayern are six points away from winning the Bundesliga, after a wobble Juventus are now nine points clear and thanks to a combination of their own wealth of experience and the implosion of any challengers, PSG look likely to hold onto their five point advantage. 

By contrast, the top four teams in the Eredivisie are separated by three points, with seven left to play.

PSV exploded out of the blocks and by early December looked on course to beat the previous goal-scoring record in the Netherlands, held by Ajax from the 1966-67 season who scored 122 times. Their form and rate of scoring has dropped off  in the new year and recent mistakes have allowed Ajax to climb to the summit of the Eredivise, at the most crucial part of the season.

Managed by Dick Advocaat and led on the pitch by returning talisman, Mark Van Bommel, PSV have played some fantastic football, a goal difference of +54 is indicative of this. The lack of an obvious striker has been disguised by the goal-scoring form of Belgian, Dries Mertens, who with 13 league goals looks set for a summer move to one of Europe's elite sides. 

Kevin Strootman is a ready-made Premier League player. The 22-year-old is famous for his coverage on the pitch and at 22 he is an established part of Louis Van Gaal's young national team, along with 25-year-old Jeremain Lens. 

Despite only conceding two more goals than Ajax, when any defence contains Wilfried Bouma, who looked past it at Villa two seasons ago, this area could well be where PSV lose the title. Bouma is only playing due to injury to former Newcastle target, Erik Pieters, who lost virtually all season to injury before being sent off and punching a glass partition on his eventual return.

By contrast Ajax have been the quietly efficient challengers who now lead the pack of four in Holland. Frank de Boer has assembled a squad of young technicians who, if kept together, could be destined for great success nationally and on the continent. Manchester City were left chasing shadows when they played Ajax in Europe this season, and with another years experience (and a more favourable group) de Boer could revive the 1995 Champions League winners in European competition.

Christian Poulsen (yes Liverpool fans, that one) anchors the midfield and allows Christian Eriksen and Siem De Jong to pull the strings in midfield, with the likely full-backs of the Dutch national team for the next ten years, Daley Blind and Ricardo van Rhijn creating passing channels. Swedish winger Tobias Sana was the star last season, but Denmark’s Viktor Fischer has had a phenomenal breakthrough this year. 

The 18-year-old scored five goals in his first 10 appearances for the club; a better return than Marco Van Basten or Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He made his Champions League debut against City and in the space of three months has established himself as an integral part of the Ajax starting XI. 

Feyenoord are level on points with PSV in third place as Ronald Koeman looks to steer them to their first title since 1999. The goals of Italian target-man, Graziano Pelle, have fired Feyenoord to this heady position, but the young trio of Bruno Martins Indi, Stefan de Vrij and midfielder Jordy Clasie have grabbed equal headlines. 

All three have been capped by van Gaal in his most recent squads, with de Vrij expected to become a mainstay of the defence for years to come. The 21-year-old captains his club and has already been scouted by Brendan Rodgers. Clasie has gathered interest from around Europe, with Fiorentina known to have submitted an official bid, and the diminutive midfielder has been compared to Xavi and compatriots like Wesley Sneijder. 

One man has grabbed the headlines for Vitesse this season and the Ivory Coast look to have found a new talismanic striker in Wilfried Bony, who has grabbed 26 goals in 24 Eredivise games. Prolific goal-scorers in the Dutch league should always be treated with caution: think Mateja Kezman or Alfonso Alves, but likewise there are also Robin Van Persie's or Ruud Van Nistelrooy's ready to test themselves in a more competitive league. 

After flirting with administration in 2003, Vitesse are now owned by Georgian businessman, Merab Jordania, making them the first foreign-owned team in the Netherlands. The purchase attracted a lot of controversy in Holland at the time, but the traditional minnows are competing with the established clubs this season. Alongside Bony, Marco van Ginkel was called up to the latest Dutch squad, a sign that the investment in youth at Vitesse is reaching fruition.

The Dutch have been going about it quietly, and they will continue to slip further down the UEFA coefficient, but the Eredivisie has been slowly been assembling a pool of talented youngsters. How long these clubs will be able to hang on to these players remains to be seen, but the league and its fans are enjoying the spectacle while it can.

Why the Demba Ba switch could be good business for both parties (and agents)

Demba Ba looks set to swap St James' Park for West London today, completing a £7.5 million move to Chelsea.

Newcastle's prolific striker is the first of the Graham Carr signings to have enhanced their reputation at Newcastle before moving on, and as long as the Magpies can keep their other main stars they should creep away from the bottom of the table.

After another defensive batting collapse, the 2-1 reverse to Everton, Pardew admitted what most of us could see: the Ba and Cisse combination was one that never worked.

Last season Ba was shifted right to accommodate the red-hot form of Cisse and this campaign it was Ba with the Midas touch, with Cisse shifted wide.

Given that Ba actually played as a wide midfielder for Hoffenheim, Pardew's deference to him must have been an, ultimately fruitless, ploy to convince the striker to commit to the club.

The Chelsea switch is beneficial for all parties: Ba's goals and form helped fire Newcastle to fifth last year and in doing so has earned himself a move to the European champions. A free-signing in a pay-as-you-play deal, Ba represents excellent value for money for Newcastle.

£5 million of that return looks to be signing Matthieu Debuchy from Lille, one of the few highlights from France's Euro 2012 campaign. Mike Ashley needs to back Pardew's eight year deal in the transfer market, with Newcastle needing at least another two defenders and now cover up front.

It can be no coincidence that Cisse scored in the first game since Ba's exit was all but confirmed, and if Davide Santon had glanced across the box the Newcastle number nine ought to have drawn the game level.

This graphic from whoscored.com is an excellent indicator of why I think Newcastle will be better off with Cisse up front on his own, without a team set up around Ba.

Ba has a fantastic goal-scoring record since moving to the Premier League, but his tally of 0 assists for Newcastle is a reminder of his limitations as a striker.

Newcastle's game plan this season has involved hitting it long to Ba, who in turn tries his luck from about 30-35 yards. Remember any go in? His inability to involve team mates can't have helped the team perform as a unit and is a polar opposite to his new striking rival at Chelsea.

Fernando Torres has surfaced from his dearth of confidence, but he still seems unwilling to try percentage shots, preferring a simple pass to a team mate which isn't always the best option.

Ba's shoot on sight policy at Newcastle is unlikely to be welcome at Stamford Bridge, but his selfish running and movement could be the perfect tonic for Chelsea's midfielders.

Ba's exit gives Alan Pardew an opportunity to start again at Newcastle. Cisse proved he can score for fun last season and with Hatem Ben Arfa and Yohan Cabaye returning to fitness, Newcastle fans should be quietly confident that their team edges up the table.

Sylvain Marveaux might have taken twelve months to recover from injury and settle at St James' Park, but he has been outstanding in recent games and a front three of Cisse, Ben Arfa and Marveaux will trouble defences in the Premier League. The absence of Ba, results in a more fluid triumvirate up front and Newcastle will no longer be able to rely on the long-ball.

Pardew was able to call upon the same back five in the first fourteen fixtures of 2011/2012, but a succession of injuries have meant his defensive unit and midfield has been in flux this season. Injury to Cabaye and Ben Arfa, Newcastle's best midfielders and the best  Frenchmen in England, has been a big loss and Cheick Tiote has had a disappointing 2012.

Newcastle's squad is of the calibre to be competing for a top ten finish. Mike Ashley must back Pardew in the transfer window and with a little more luck over injuries, Newcastle should ease away from danger in 2013.

Premier League window shopping

Daniel Sturridge looks set to be the first high-profile of the January transfer window, so here is my look at where and how clubs might strengthen in January.

Manchester United

Who they need: a defensive midfielder/enforcer type.

Who I would sign: Arturo Vidal would be the dream signing. Cheick Tiote or Gokhan Inler good alternatives.

Who they will actually sign: No one.

Manchester City

Who they need: defenders who can play a 3-5-2, wingers other than Scott Sinclair

Who I would sign: Giorgio Chiellini, Stefan de Vrij, David Villa, Pato could be available.

Who they will actually sign: Daniele De Rossi.

Arsenal

Who they need: two full-backs and a striker.

Who I would sign: Robert Lewandowski, Mario Gotze, David Alaba, Davide Santon.

Who they will actually sign: Fernando Llorente and Wilfried Zaha.

Everton

Who they need: an extra defender to cover at centre-back.

Who I would sign: Douglas from FC Twente.

Who they will actually sign: Rhys Williams

Tottenham

Who they need: a number 10

Who I would sign: Wesley Sneijder might be wishful thinking. Willian, Mezut Ozil, Ikay Gundagan.

Who they will actually sign: Willian or Joao Moutinho.

West Brom

Who they need: cover at full-back.

Who I would sign: Jetro Willems.

Who they will actually sign: Alan Hutton.

Chelsea

Who they need: a striker if Sturridge goes. A better sitting midfielder.

Who I would sign: Radamel Falcao, Vidal.

Who they will actually sign: Falcao, Pato, Robinho.

Liverpool

Who they need: a striker and goal-scoring midfielder

Who I would sign: Daniel Sturridge, Jonathan De Guzman.

Who they will actually sign: Sturridge.

Stoke

Who they need: set-piece maestro.

Who I would sign: Juan Arango.

Who they will actually sign: David Beckham.

Norwich

Who they need: at 31, Grant Holt will need replacing soon.

Who I would sign: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Who they will actually sign: Adam Le Fondre.

Swansea

Who they need: Wayne Routledge's hot streak will end soon.

Who I would sign: David Villa, Tobias Sana.

Who they will actually sign: Derk Boerrigter

West Ham

Who they need: a right-winger.

Who I would sign: Stefan Aigner, Alan. Diego Capel.

Who they will actually sign: Gareth McCleary, David Beckham.

Fulham

Who they need: central midfielders aged less than 30.

Who I would sign: James McCarthy, Fernando Gago.

Who they will actually sign: Douglas, Momo Sissoko.

Newcastle

Who they need: a centre-back.

Who I would sign: Douglas, Toby Alderweireld.

Who they will actually sign: Adam Lallana, Michael Dawson.

Sunderland

Who they need: two full-backs and defenders who aren't free transfers.

Who I would sign: Joleon Lescott, Martin Kelly, Matthieu Debuchy.

Who they will actually sign: Nicholas Anelka, John Heitinga.

Aston Villa

Who they need: a left wing-back.

Who I would sign: Sime Vrsaljiko, Juan Zuniga.

Who they will actually sign: William Kvist.

Wigan

Who they need: a more clinical striker.

Who I would sign: Joel Campbell, Dirk Kuyt.

Who they will actually sign: Marouane Chamakh.

QPR

Who they need: younger players with a point to prove.

Who I would sign: Demba Ba, Michael Dawson, Dries Mertens.

Who they will actually sign: Nicholas Anelka, Lucio.

Reading

Who they need: Premiership quality players.

Who I would sign: Stoppila Sunzu, Alan Hutton, Darren Bent.

Who they will actually sign: Nigel Quashie.

Will England ever produce a Pirlo?

A late raft of injuries and withdrawals mean England travel to Sweden with an inexperienced squad, and opportunities have presented themselves to two uncapped wingers, Raheem Sterling and Wilfried Zaha.

Both players have had brilliant seasons thus far and warrant their place in the full national squad, but an appearance on Wednesday is no guarantee that their long time allegiance lies with England. Roy Hodgson indicated in his Tuesday presser, that he was confident both players wanted to represent England at full international level, and expressed the naive and archaic notion that because both players have under-19 and under-21 caps, they would feel obliged to progress to full international status.

With Jack Wilshire’s progression stunted by over 12 months, these two players are the next big hope for the national set-up. Sterling has progressed from QPR trainee to an established Premier League star in three years and looks incredibly assured for a 17-year-old. Zaha, meanwhile, has lit up the Championship this season, after threatening to do so last campaign, at times looking unplayable in the English second division.

I’m convinced that both players will cement themselves as Premier League standard players for years to come and they have the potential to become mainstays of an England national side, but are they the players England need?

They are different players but their speed over the pitch and ability to commit players in one-on-one situations seem to be their main strengths; traits that work perfectly in the rough and tumble of the Premier League, but that are unlikely to transfer success in Europe or on the international stage.

In short pace and individual ability are not integral components of elite football performances, with possession and confidence on the ball now the integral skill for young professionals. Spain are the current trend setters and the history of football indicates that individualistic brilliance is being eroded from the game.

Association Football as pioneered by the British during the mid 1800’s was characterised by individuals who ran directly at opponents, hoping to slalom past them all to score, hence the 2-3-5 formation that existed for almost 100 years. Teams who deduced that a passing game, which utilised the collective of the team, rather than relying on an individual, inevitably started beating the archaic English style of football, and this trend has continued right up to the present day.

Passing was deemed as not being ‘manly’ by early English players and this distrust of possession in favour of a Roy of the Rovers, ‘up and at em’ approach is only just being kicked out of the Premier League. The tempo of the English game is completely unsuited to international fixtures and English teams seldom dominate possession in the Champions League, nor the national side.

Sterling and Zaha are clearly talented players but they are blessed with pace and trickery, not composure on the ball, mental bravery or the spatial awareness to conduct a game from the centre of the pitch. After being reminded of Andrea Pirlo’s brilliance during the summer, a debate briefly arose of whether England could ever produce such a player. Jack Wilshire and Tom Cleverley may be close, Nick Powell and James Ward-Prowse could challenge, but the simple truth is that England are some way from producing a caresser of the football like a Pirlo or Xavi.

Paul Scholes was the closest this country has come to moulding a ‘Pirlo’ and the unwillingness to change mentality away from the break-neck speed of the Premiership and in turn the national team saw Scholes shunted out wide, prompting his retirement from national duty. Glen Hoddle and Matt Le Tissier are another two examples of English technicians who received scandalously few England caps because of this countries distrust of passing.

To those who argue that Pirlo wouldn’t cut it over here, on a cold night in Stoke, consider the comments made by Swansea’s €2 million signing, Michu, after just three games in the Premier League. He articulated that although the game was faster in England the ‘space between the lines’ was far greater than La Liga, allowing him more room and freedom to pick a pass and expose defences. The Premier League’s self styled moniker as ‘best in the world’ takes a further battering by the ease with which Santi Cazorla has adapted to a less than convincing Arsenal team. Imagine what an Iniesta or Pirlo would do?

How many fast and direct wingers do Spain play with? Jesus Navas would walk into most teams in Britain, but hardly gets a kick for Del Bosque’s unit which prides itself on monopolising the ball and in turn the game. Until football is reinvented success will come from passing, the economy of thought and movement. Zaha and Sterling are exciting prospects, but not the template of footballs future. 

Ferguson misses the point

Sir Alex Ferguson doesn't misread situations very often. 25 years of perpetual success in Manchester and 12 titles indicate this. But his handling of Rio Ferdinand's Kick It Out boycott perhaps reveal a fallibility of the 70 year old.

This weekend player ratings in the Premier League were pushed to one side as interest focused on whether players would pull on a particular top in warm ups. Ferdinand was the lone United player to go incognito, but he was joined by Jason Roberts and two other Reading players, two from West Ham, and the entire contingent from the Liberty stadium.

Michael Vorm was one of the Swansea players who collectively shunned the t-shirt and he calmly and fairly explained why Swansea chose not to wear them. "Everyone expects the governing bodies to do more... They really have to do something and not just say something on a T-shirt."

Whether Ferguson objected to Ferdinand not backing the campaign or rather took affront to his disregard of his instructions is unclear. Ferguson was highly critical when informed about Robert's planned abstention on Friday and it would follow that the same stretch of thought applied to his own players.

Ferguson seemed to have missed the point on Friday, describing Robert's as "a stray sheep" and insisting that everyone should back the campaign. His comments suggested that dissent was a mistake, but without individuals who are prepared to challenge the existing hegemony progress will slow in all aspects of society, of which racial prejudices are one facet.

Alex Ferguson is clearly his own man and rules United with an iron fist. His comments over the weekend bely his trade union and socialist background and instead seem like totalitarian rhetoric. Why should any player be forced to wear a largely irreverent T-shirt bearing a slogan which they feel doesn't fairly represent them?

The FA, who are happy to spend £20 million soliciting favour from FIFA in the failed World Cup bid, and de facto UEFA, contribute just £300,000 to the organisation tasked with eradicating all discrimination in the game. It's a paltry sum and the shirts that hogged headlines are not subsidised by the clubs; KIO pay for the shirts to be printed and even pay for them to be sent out around the country.

The plight of the organisation is one of key aspects to come from this ill timed Kick It Out week and in fairness the player boycotts have attracted publicity that the own organisation could only dream off.

For refusing to wear a T-shirt which is symbolic of a culture that has failed to adequately defend his brother, Ferdinand is reportedly looking at a two week fine. Coupled with his £40,000 fine from the FA for a retweet, the United defender could end up paying more in fines than John Terry.

Chelsea have kept their own punishment in house and given that any fine greater than two weeks wages needs to be declared to the PFA (it hasn't) the two time former England skipper has got away extremely lightly.

The boycotts of Kick It Out are not necessarily aimed at that specific organisation. The recent scandal in Serbia, the cop out by Chelsea and the lenient punishments for Terry and Suarez have all contributed to a feeling of discontent amongst black players and managers. Who are we, Sir Alex included, to tell them how to protest?

Why are Bielsa's Bilbao imploding?

Last year threatened to be a breakthrough year for Athletic Bilbao and their left-field coach Marcelo Bielsa. However, the start of the 2012-13 season is a harsh reminder that attacking flair requires some defensive discipline and Bielsa’s project looks burnt out, to the point of destruction.

Bilbao made it to two cup finals last season, but were comprehensively swatted aside in both; losing 3-0 to Atletico Madrid in the Europa League final and by the same score line in Guardiola’s final match managing Barcelona in the Copa del Rey. Their swaggering defeat of Manchester United in Europe drew attention to the Basque region and the UK press took notice of the man dubbed El Loco for the first time after years of attacking football in Latin America.

United were beaten 5-3 on aggregate (and the three flattered United) and Bielsa’s uncompromising emphasis on attacking football saw them beat Schalke 6-4 and edge past Sporting Lisbon 4-3 on aggregate. In Fernando Llorente they had one of the form strikers in Europe and most expected a close final in the all Spanish affair.

Atletico had other ideas, and Falcao in particular ripped through the Bilbao defence to score two sensational first half goals, before Diego hit Bilbao on the counter on 86 minutes to condemn Bielsa to a runner up medal. Guardiola has gone on record confirming that Bielsa’s philosophy was an influence on his own playing style as a manager and despite averaging possession for 59% of the Europa League Final, Bilbao looked short of ideas and were ruthlessly exposed by their opponents.

The trend has continued this season and Bilbao only have one victory to their name in the league this season. A tally of 14 goals conceded, the most in La Liga, and eight scored indicate that Bielsa’s high pressing and possession based style is being exposed by other teams. Barcelona may have a 6-0-0 record in La Liga, but they have had to work for those wins and having Lionel Messi in your team helps.

By contrast Bilbao have had to make do with the loss of two of their best players over the summer. Javi Martinez eventually left to Bayern Munich, for a massive €40 million, in a protracted transfer which lasted all summer and Fernando Llorente has frequently expressed a desire to leave and has only played one league game this season. He walked out of a recent training session and ‘The Lion King’ looks set to leave for Juventus in January.

Bielsa went as far as to ask both players whether the problem was him; implying the solution “if it is me, I’ll go”, but after a breakthrough year in Europe which massively enhanced their own reputations is it likely that they both wanted to use 2012 as a platform to move on from. Llorente was considered so burnt out over the summer that Vicent Del Bosque didn't give the 27-year-old any game-time at EURO 2012, and the forward will want to complete a ‘big’ move before his stock fades.

Further controversy engulfed the Argentinean coach over the summer after Bielsa reported himself to the police for insulting and attacking the site manager overseeing renovations to the clubs training base. Bielsa was unhappy about promises not being kept and his reaction is indicative of the man who is famous for his touch-line displays, squatting and turning in exasperation like Andre Villas Boas on speed.

Bielsa has completely revolutionised the clubs identity, style of play and assembled the finest collection of Basque players for decades. When in full-flow Bielsa sides are a joy to watch, but Bilbao of 2012/13 look bereft of confidence and seem to still be reeling from their double 3-0 reversals at the end of last year. Bielsa is a flawed genius and another such genius, Bela Guttmann, lived by the moto ‘the third season is fatal’. Bielsa is leading Athletic into his second season and his own idiosyncratic approach may have proved too volatile for the club.

French Connection

The much vaunted Clairefontaine academy in France saw two of its recent graduates, Abou Diaby and Hatem Ben Arfa, star this weekend in the English Premier League and makes the recent opening of St George's Park in Burton seem about 20 years too late. 

Diaby was rightly named man-of-the-match after his role in the 2-0 dismissal of Liverpool and after two seasons virtually lost through injury the rangy midfielder is filling an Alex Song size hole with ease. It’s easy to forget that the Frenchman has been at Arsenal for six years, joining just two after Robin Van Persie came in from an exile at Feyenoord. His recent career has been stunted by injuries, which have affected his game since early on during his time at Auxerre, and if he had been available to Arsene Wenger more than 115 times we could be looking at an entirely different Arsenal team.

Quickly dubbed the ‘new Viera’ after joining in 2006, Diaby became an integral part of the Arsenal side and full international recognition came in 2007. His athleticism and presence in midfield was an integral part of Arsenal’s game with Diaby operating alongside Fabregas and Alex Song in a central midfield three; performances which led to a place at the 2010 World Cup. Diaby started all three of France’s disastrous campaign in South Africa and spent the next two seasons rehabilitating from injuries.

His seeming return to full fitness for 2012/2013 has been a substantial boost for Arsene Wenger who is still without Jack Wilshire and sold the influential Alex Song to Barcelona for £15 million. Arsenal are three games into the season and are yet to concede many chances, yet alone a goal. Much has been said about Steve Bould marshalling the Arsenal back four, but a midfield of Santi Cazorla, Mikel Arteta and Diaby hasn’t allowed other teams to settle and has masked what remain misfiring strikers.

Oliver Giroud missed another sitter (on his favoured foot this time) and despite scoring Podolski doesn’t look like a 20 goal a season finisher. Arsenal will always create chances because of their open and attacking principles and once the strikers start taking their chances, should have a good season.

Meanwhile in Newcastle the enigmatic Hatem Ben Arfa added another stunning goal to his repertoire, adding to strikes against Everton, Blackburn and Bolton. His rumoured fee of £5 million was somewhat of a gamble as the 25-year-old was recuperating from a Nigel De Jong-ed ankle and his given reputation for aggravating trouble and testing managers.

This temperament was captured on camera in the French documentary, A la Clairefontaine, which followed the French academy players, of which Ben Arfa was the youngest trainee. In a famous clip he is seen arguing and almost coming to blows with a 16-year-old Abou Diaby, providing a fascinating insight into what it must be like to leave home so young and dedicate your life to becoming a professional footballer (Take note Adrian Bevington).

Ben Arfa was part of a generation soon dubbed L’enfant terrible by the French press, that also included Karim Benzema, Samir Nasri and Jeremy Menez. This team won the European Under-17 Football Championship, defeating a Spain side that included Gerrard Pique and Cesc Fabregas but Ben Arfa was the star of the tournament. Feted as the new Zinedine Zidane, helped by his North African heritage, from the age of 17 Ben Arfa became a figure of disruption and managed to alienate Lyon and Marseille, then the two biggest clubs in France. A move to Newcastle was in all respect a come-down for a player who interested the likes of Real and Arsenal early in his career.

That Alan Pardew has been able to tame Ben Arfa is one of his greatest accomplishments at Newcastle and now he has devised a system that allows Ben Arfa to commit defenders the Frenchman has thrived. With a tally of nine goals for Newcastle he has beaten his goal record at Lyon and at Marseille in roughly half the number of games. Even more impressive is that at least five of his goals in England have been screamers, created from nothing.

Despite both Diaby and Ben Arfa enjoying a career renaissance, their fortunes on the international stage have contrasted visibly. Ben Arfa made Laurent Blanc’s 23 for Poland and Ukraine but fell-out with then France coach, Laurent Blanc, as did three other players. He was fined and dropped for the upcoming set of World Cup qualifiers and having finally broken back into the national set up, may have blown his second chance. Meanwhile, Diaby is included in Didier Deschamp’s squad for games versus Finland and Belarus, a first call-up since last June. Both players are products of the successful Clairefontaine academy, which you hope the FA have seriously looked at, and are enjoying second winds in the English game. 

Serie A preview

Vincenzo Montella, manager of Fiorentina

Italian football rumbles into action this weekend, with the Supercoppa Italiana taking place on Saturday, the game exported to the Bird's Nest stadium for the third time. Juventus take on Napoli in the Serie A curtain-raiser and interest will be high after Italy's excellent showing in Euro 2012.

Juventus completed an unbeaten season last year, and despite drawing 15 games they conceded just 20 goals all year, which saw them edge home ahead of the more volatile AC Milan who were four points away. As well as a resolute defence the midfield three of Pirlo, Marchisio and Vidal were key to the title for the bianconeri. Pirlo was magnificent in the deep playmaking role and Vidal and Marchisio had the energy to press extremely high-up, giving Pirlo time and space.

They have moved quickly this summer, signing Lucio from Inter on a free and adding Udinese's best midfielders; Mauricio Isla and Kwado Asamoah. Paul Pogba finally made the switch from Old Trafford and with Robin Van Persie heavily linked with a switch, Juventus look in best shape to defend their 28th scudetto (30th if you ask the club).

AC Milan have taken the biggest hit this summer, losing Thiago Silva and the league's top-scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic to PSG. Sold for a combined €60 million it remains to be seen how Massimo Allegri reinvests in his playing squad, if sanctioned by Berlusconi. Milan have already brought in Ricardo Montolivo, excellent business on a free, Bakaye Traore and Columbian, Christian Zapata, from Villerreal. However, none of these signings look like exciting the Milan faithful, and fans will be looking for a star striker to replace the outgoing Ibrahimovic. Carlos Tevez and Van Persie look dead deals, so fans will hope that Pato can stay fit the coming season.

Udinese finished an impressive third last year, but after losing more key players, they will be relying on youngsters stepping up to the plate in 2012-2013. Giampaolo Pozzo's Udinese experiment reached English shores with his acquisition of Watford, adding to a portfolio that includes the Spanish side Granada, and the president has invested heavily in scouting at the Italian side. Two of the latest products from the scouting set-up, Isla and Asamoah, were sold this summer and the only star performer left is 34-year-old Antonio Di Natale. I think they'll struggle to make the Champions League in 2013.

Lazio finished fourth last season, and claimed Italy's first Europa League spot, after the league lost its fourth CL place via co-efficient. They did well to finish above fierce rivals Roma, who spent heavily, and Miroslav Klose adapted well to Italian football. They pipped Napoli to fourth by a single point, but you would expect Napoli to finish above them this season, without the added pressure of Champions League football. The departure of Ezequiel Lavezzi is a massive blow, but the Naples outfit have invested in youth and Chilean Eduardo Vargas will get his chance in the starting XI. Further reinforcements come in the shape of Valon Behrami and Alessandro Gamberini from Fiorentina, and bring real experience.

36-year-old Andrea Stramaccioni has been thrust into the deep-end with Internazionale, and the club seem unsure of how to overcome their Mourinho vacuum. The club have flopped since his departure for Madrid, and despite the core of that side still being around they have failed to threaten domestically, let alone continentally. Expensive flop, Diego Forlan, has been moved on, but the acquisitions this summer are relatively modest for a club that splashed a then world-record €48 million on Christian Vieri in 1999.

Handanovic has been brought in at goalkeeper, but with the experienced Julio Cesar already at the San Siro his addition seems superfluous. Matias Silvestre has signed on loan, and Rodrigio Palacio has come in, as has free-kick specialist, Freddy Guarin, after a loan move. Doubts remain over Wesley Sniejder's future, as do Chelsea target, Maicon. Inter seem stuck in a rut. Unwilling to splash the cash like their competitors, they need to move on an ageing squad but their rivals are moving away from them. Winning the inaugural Next Gen series indicates that there is some impressive young talent coming through the ranks but these teenagers are not ready to be thrust into Serie A action en masse.

The team to watch for me however, are Fiorentina. They finished a lowly 13th last season, in a year that will be remembered by armchair fans for then manager, Delio Rossi, attacking winger Adem Ljajic as he was substituted. Unsurprisingly the club dismissed Rossi, and bought in the relatively 'green' Vincenzo Montella. Nicknamed 'The Little Airplane' he had a fantastic playing career at Roma and after a caretaker role with the Rome side, he spent last year managing Catania. Montella steered the unfancied side to a 11th place finish, their highest finish in 10 years.

This led to Fiorentina making their move and the Viola have invested superbly this summer. The club lost the integral Ricardo Montolivo on a free, but have acted quickly to make dreams of a Champions League return a real possibility. Alberto Aquilani is a ready-made replacement for Montolivo, whilst the Chile international Matias Fernandez and Emilano Viviano have also come in. Fiorentina managed to raid relegated Villerreal for two of their most important players; Borja Valero and Gonzalo Rodriguez. Despite his failure to breakthrough at West Brom, Valero is one of the most coveted midfielders in Europe and the experienced Rodriguez is a superb replacement for Gamberini.

Gabriel Batistuta scored this for Fiorentina in a remarkable Champions League run in 1999-2000, but within two years the club were on the brink of bankruptcy, and had to be re-formed as Associazione Calcio Fiorentina e Florentia Viola in 2002, starting in the Serie C2. They have a history of giving young managers a chance, Roberto Mancini cut his teeth at Artemio Franchi, while current national team manager, Cesare Prandelli was manager for five years before taking the national post. Montella was a cult icon at Roma and I predict an impressive year for him and Fiorentina. 

British bargains - lack of value in British players

With just a month left of the summer transfer window, clubs are once again spending over the odds for British footballers. Andy Carroll's transfer from Newcastle to Liverpool was the perfect illustration of how British nationality (English even better) can vastly inflate a players transfer value. Steven Fletcher is the latest player to have been afflicted with this British premium; reports today suggested Sunderland were prepared to bid £12 million for the Scotland international.

Fletcher is clearly a handy striker. A strike ratio of 0.35 goals per game is not to be sniffed at whilst playing for relegation skirting Wolverhampton, but the stats in no way indicate he is worth £12 million. Players with this kind of goal-to-game ratio will retail for almost half of the £12 million Wolves hope to wring out of the Mackems, if they play in Ligue 1 or the Eredivisie.

Of course Premier League experience also makes players more desirable, but it also incrementally increases their price in the market. Joe Allen is the subject of reported interest from Liverpool, and manager Brendan Rodgers doesn't seem put off by the Jordan Henderson experiment and is likely to bid £15 million for the Welsh youngster.

Allen impressed in Swansea's first season in the Premier League, but he was dwarfed in midfield by Gylfi Sigurdsson, who joined Spurs for half of Allen's potential fee. Both players are 22, but the performances of the Iceland international were clearly superior in the last six months of the season, but it is Allen who looks set for the big-money switch this summer.

Home-grown rules mean clubs are keen to bring in British players, but Newcastle have shown that with some through scouting there are some diamonds to be found over on the continent. Are scouts losing financial backing in tough economic circumstances or are club owners less prepared to take a risk on someone without experience of the English top-flight? It's unlikely we'll find out, but here is my alternative XI you could assemble for less than the cost of one Joe Allen.


Playing 4-5-1:

Robert Green (Free, QPR)


Joao Pereira (£3.5 million, Valencia), Hedwiges Maduro (Free, Sevilla), Lucio (Free, Juventus), Joan Capdevila (€350,000, Espanyol)

Tranquillo Barnetta (Free, Schalke), Ricardo Montolivo (Free, AC Milan), Michu (£1.8 million, Swansea) Rasmus Elm (£4.8 million, CSKA), Sotiris Ninis (Free, Parma)

Mladen Petric (Free, Fulham)

Total: £8,650,000

Golden era for Spain?

Malaga's best player, Cazorla, is expected to leave this summer

All two La Liga fixtures were announced last week, with the first El Clasico taking place on 7th October at Camp Nou before Madrid host Barcelona on March 3rd.

Real start as slight favourites to defend their title at 4/5 and Barcelona are virtually at odds on as well, they are available to win La Liga at 6/5

Then comes a band of three teams in the betting; Malaga, Valancia and Atletico Madrid. You’ll struggle to find odds under 100/1 on any other team winning La Liga in 2012-2013 with Atletico and Malaga both on 104/1, with Valencia further back at 123/1. (with Betfair)

However none of these teams looks closer to mounting a challenge to the top two; Malaga have transfer listed their best player in Santi Cazorla due to financial issues, Valencia sold their best player to Barca for the princely €13 million and Atletico have yet to beat Real Madrid this century.

Malaga were the subject of a multi-million euro takeover by Qatari investors and despite investing over €50 million into the club they could only finish fourth, 42 points behind winners Real. To exacerbate matters Santi Cazorla and Isco, widely regarded as their two best players, have both been transfer listed in a dispute that relates to unpaid wages.

Valencia lost converted left-winger Jordi Alba for just €13 million, which looks like daylight robbery if United end up paying as much for Leighton Baines, and despite adding Fernando Gago and Sergio Canales in midfield they look short in attack. Roberto Soldado is one of only two recognised strikers in their squad and he was a cast-off from Real Madrid B (Castilla).

Bilbao under Bielsa are the purists favourite, with Guardiola apparently suggesting the Argentinian's name to the Barcelona board when he decided to step down, and are likely to be plundered this summer. The only other contender (baring a Levante miracle like last season) are Madrids working-class neighbours Atletico. If they can keep Falcao and adequately replace the outgoing Diego, then they look a great price to finish ‘best-of-the-rest’ at 7/2. 

International success for Spain has increased the gap between the top two and the rest of la Liga, and most football fans in Spain also support one of the two super-clubs as well as their local side.

The two giants are first and second favourites to lift the Champions League at Wembley next year, and with television revenue not negotiated evenly by all the clubs this financial imbalance shows little sign of abating.


Barcelona and Madrid negotiate their own TV rights separately from the rest of La Liga, so clubs with existing popularity and appeal can essentially charge whatever they like. There is no instant financial reward for pushing and finishing higher up the table like the PL. Without changes to this process Spanish football could soon turn into a tiki-taka monopoly.


EURO 2008 Final - Spanish starting XI (six club teams represented)

Casillas (Madrid)

Ramos (Madrid), Marchena (Valencia), Puyol (Barca), Capdevila (Villereal)

Iniesta (Barca), Xavi (Barca), Senna (Villereal), Fabregas (Arsenal), Silva (Valencia)

Torres (Liverpool)

EURO 2012 Final - Spanish starting XI (three club teams represented)

Casillas (Madrid)

Arbeloa (Madrid), Pique (Barcelona), Ramos (Madrid), Alba (Barca)

Iniesta (Barca), Xavi (Barca), Alonso (Madrid), Busquets (Barca), Fabregas (Barca), Silva (Man City)

The Spanish team that started the Euro 2012 final featured just one player outside of the Barcelona and Real Madrid elite (Man City's Silva), indicating just how much the two giants now dominate Spanish football domestically.

Pescara to Paris, for Marco Verratti

Perhaps the biggest disappointment to come out after Italy's excellent showing at Euro 2012 is the news that talented young playmaker, Marco Verratti, has quit Serie A for the nouveau-wealth at Paris Saint German.

Verratti has already been lazily billed as the next Andrea Pirlo, after the Juventus midfielder reminded the English media he was quite good this summer, and after dominating Serie B with his home-town club Pescara last season, he departed to join PSG for a fee of €13 million. 


That the 19-year-old will not compete in the top league in Italy has caused some contention in Italy. After declaring his admiration for Pirlo and the less than subtle admiring glances from the Old Lady, it was widely assumed that the young midfielder would inevitably join Juve, whether this summer or the next.


The Pescara chairman has gone as far as to criticise Juventus and Napoli for not following up their interest in the hottest young talent in Italian football and being prepared to match the offer from Qatari funded PSG.


"Evidently, they lacked the will [to complete a deal], because if one seriously wants an important player, €1m should not make a difference," said Daniele Sebastiani. He was also keen for an Italian side to complete the transfer as it would have seen Verratti stay with Pescara for their year in Serie A.


Verratti was unveiled on the same day as the Zlatan-show rolled into Paris, and his own press conference was reduced to an aperitif before the Swede's 48 minute première. Leonardo was eager to point out that PSG had concluded their summer strengthening (a point undermined by Ibrahimovic in his first 48 minutes at the club) but the additions this summer fall into a different bracket compared to 2011.


Last summer Paris strengthened from within their domestic league. Jeremy Menez, Blaise Matuidi, Kevin Gameiro were recruited to bolster the squad, before the continental experience of Alex, Thiago Motta and Maxwell came in during January. 


The expenditure this summer has truly caught the eye though. Thiago Silva, Lavezzi, Ibrahimovic and Verratti (as well as all playing in Italy) are players who would interest the elite sides in world football. Owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi stated during the Ibra unveiling that the Champions League was their stated target, completely forgoing any mention of winning the domestic title. How the 19-year-old Italian fits into this grand vision is less than clear.


The departure of Pescara boss Zdenek Zenan  this summer, probably accelerated the sale of Verratti, as did match-fixing claims against the club, subsequently punished with a two-point penalty. Zenan, a figure of cult status in Italian football returned to Roma (again), and he is renowned for his attacking sides and building young outfits who like to play football.


Verratti came in for all of the 2011-2012 season and dovetailed beautifully with loan-signing Lorenzo Insigne, the pair contributing 20 goals in Pescara's promotion to Serie A. Zenan is a huge advocate of a 4-3-3 formation and on his appointment at Pescara immediately assigned Verratti to the deep-lying defensive midfielder role, finally bought to mainstream attention with Pirlo's exploits in Ukraine and Poland.


Deploying your most technical and ball-playing midfielder in defensive midfield might not seem conducive with attacking football, but with the other two central midfielders closing down higher up the pitch the DM is afforded more time on the ball to dictate the game and play the killer pass. 


Pescara won Serie B and many fans as they blasted home 90 goals en route to the title in 2012 and Verratti was the player who caught the eye. Only five foot five, the midfielder has enormous passing capabilities, and for his height is extremely strong on the ball. Coupled with the ability to trick his way past opposition players, it's easy to see why Cesare Prandelli thought highly enough to include the Pescora player in his initial 30-man squad for Euro 2012.


Verratti didn't make the final 23, but given the competition in the Italian midfield; De Rossi, Montolivo, new team-mate Motta and Pirlo, there is no shame in not making it into that squad at just 19. 


Competition for places could well be a big problem for Verratti at the Parc des Princes. Although he would face fiercer competition at the Bianconeri of Juventus, who have further bolstered their midfield with Isla and Asamoah from Udinese, dislodging €39.8 million signing Javier Pastore appears an even bigger challenge for the 19-year-old.


After arriving for a club-record fee expectations were going to be high, and despite 13 goals in his first year in Ligue 1, the Argentinian has struggled to win over fans and the media. He has struggled to fit into Carlo Ancelotti's 4-3-3 formation and has often found himself out on the wing, rather than in the centre of the pitch, where both Pastore and Verratti want to play.


PSG will keep spending money to improve their squad, meaning competition for a place in Ancelotti's midfield three wil be incredibly fierce. At 19, the last thing the Pescora native wants to do is halt his development by sitting on the bench.


Paris might seem like a step forward, but unless Verratti can make an impression on Ancelotti, and convince the Italian to mould the team around him, he may find he struggles to adapt. Verratti is clearly a huge talent, but he needs refining and that could have been served with one attempt at keeping hometown club Pescara in Serie A.

Watch Verratti in action for Pescara last season, he's the small chap putting all the passes in for the strikers to fluff.

Euro 2012 review

I did say that Spain weren't boring...

Spain made history on Sunday after winning three successive major international competitions and Andreas Iniesta was justifiably bullish in asserting that it was "something that cannot be repeated".

He may well be right and it will take some set of players to eclipse the current squad of Spanish players who have all peaked gloriously in the last four to five years. Other teams will adapt and try to copycat the tiki-taka style, with competition likely to increase among the top football nations making another three tournament run an incredible ask.

Italy did not play badly in Sunday's showpiece event. They created several good chances versus the strongest nation in world football, more than most teams have mustered at Euro 2012, but the standards set by Spain in the final were staggeringly good.

Spain well and truly dismissed the laughable claim that they are a boring side after some breathtaking football that saw them ease to a 4-0 victory. Saving their best performance of the Euro's for the final, the Spanish produced one of the best team performances to ever grace an international tournament and they extended their shut-out in knock-out games to nine games.

The basis of the knock-out stages is to avoid losing, and Spain have now gone 900 minutes without conceding a goal in the latter stages of 2008, 2010 and this year in Poland and Ukraine. Sergio Ramos was a colossus in defence and allowed Xavi and Iniesta to slice open the normally reliable Italian defence.

Spain's win was a joy to behold and the only downside of watching the game was the sight of Andrea Pirlo distraught after the final whistle. For some reason the sight of the Juventus man in tears had more of an effect on me than seeing Stevie G and co sprawled on the floor after England's exit. Worrying times for an England fan, but few would begrudge Pirlo a place in this Spain squad that were again the dominant side at a major tournament.

After the shocking team of the tournament from Garth Crooks (who still gets paid by the BBC), which included Gerrard and Glen Johnson, here is my best XI from Euro 2012.

4-2-3-1

Casillas

Srna, Ramos, Pepe, Alba

Pirlo, Busquets

Moutinho, Xavi, Iniesta

Cassano

Euro 2012 final and player of the tournament

Spain aim to make history on Sunday as they look to become the first side to win three consecutive international tournaments, but they will be up against a side who frustrated them in a 1-1 draw on day three of Euro 2012.

West Germany reached three consecutive finals in the 70’s, but you sense if Spain win tonight, they will go down as the greatest palette of players to ever play for a national side. This Spain side is not the all conquering side of Euro 2008 though. The efforts of the last four years seem to be catching up with the team (especially the Barcelona players) and their performance against Portugal was one of their least convincing in recent tournaments.

Their passing accuracy was down at (just) 75% against Portugal and Spain look like a long-distance runner desperately trying to make the finishing line. Performances have not yet peaked, but if Spain manage to grind out a 1-0 win it will have been a virtuoso lesson in monopolising possession and dominating games.

I didn’t think I’d say this two months ago after he blazed a penalty into the Allianz Arena to hand Bayern a spot in the Champions League final, but Sergio Ramos has arguably been the standout performer for Spain. Returning to centre-back the 26-year-old has covered for Carlos Puyol with all the gusto and passion that we are used to from the Barcelona captain. Neither player is the most technically proficient, but they will attack the ball and are incredibly committed defenders.

The Panenka penalty that Ramos coolly despatched past Rui Patricio, was sublime and suggested that the defender has spent the last two months practising penalties (or at least watching Pirlo). Spain don’t have a striker, and other than Busquets none of their midfielders has really impressed in Poland and Ukraine. Ramos has been part of a Spain side that has conceded just one goal and has made some superb individual contributions leading the way from the more established Pique.

UEFA and FIFA seem to have an instinctive predisposition to look away from defenders when awarding their player of the tournament, but if any defender deserves the accolade it is Ramos, who in the space of three weeks has matured incredibly, from the young man who already holds the red-card record at Madrid, into an international standard centre back.

In contrast to the burnt out Spanish, Italy look to be finding form at the right time and have produced two sensational displays in the quarters and semi-final. The Juventus inspired defence has been resolute and Andrea Pirlo, flanked excellently by two midfield dynamos De Rossi and Marchisio, has been the best midfielder at the tournament.

Pirlo, Buffon, Barzagli and De Rossi are the only survivors from the World Cup winning squad from 2006 and their play at Euro 2012 has arguably been more expansive then Spain’s. They dominated their two knockout games in midfield and with Cassano and Balotelli on-song up front they will thoroughly challenge the Spanish procession. Spain will need to disrupt the midfield axis that shields Pirlo or his passing ability will pick holes in the Spanish backline.

Andrea Pirlo has embarrassingly only been heralded by a mainstream audience at the age of 33, and the former Inter and AC Milan man has vindicated Prandelli’s decision to base the Italian team around him. Pirlo is one of the most gifted midfielders in European football and the level of his appraisal after the England match indicates the dismissive arrogance of the English media. The lack of European coverage in England and obsessive admiration of Pirlo after the quarter final and semi-final confirms that until a player delivers against England they are immediately dismissed.

Pundits are bemoaning the absence of an ‘English’ Pirlo after now having it thrust in front of them, but the reality is that Pirlo has been winning titles and World Cups for years previously without this level of deification.

Spain beat the Italians 4-2 on penalties in a gripping quarter final at Euro 2008, in what proved a watershed moment for the Spanish national team. Despite playing excellently in previous tournaments they had come un-stuck and choked in the knockout phases and their gritty elimination of the Italian's paved the way for their first major title since 1964 and the start of their current run. Should La Roja win tomorrow it will be a fitting and appropriate opponent for Spain, as they return full circle to the Italians, looking to make history as the greatest assembly of players in football history. 

'Boring' Spain march on

Spain face Portugal in the first semi-final of Euro 2012 and the build-up has been reduced to whether Ronaldo can beat Spain single handedly and whether Spain would change their approach after being labelled 'boring'.

Both statements are founded in ridiculous hyperbole and have reduced the amount of interesting journalism undertaken in the (English) mainstream press. CR7 has had quite a good tournament; scoring in five successive tournaments for Portugal isn't bad, but to suggest that the rest of the Portugal side are a side show waiting for Ronaldo to rescue them is to ignore the depth of experience in the side.

Other than Miguel Veloso, the indifferent Raul Merieles and the absence of a out-and-out striker, Portugal have one of the form teams in the tournament and they have an enormous amount of continental experience. Pepe and Bruno Alves have looked imperious at the back, while the two full-backs are amongst the most dangerous in Europe. Joao Moutinho has been superb and with two seasons under his belt at Porto looks like fulfilling his early promise. Nani came to Poland and Ukraine on the back of a poor league season but has impressed thus far.

Ronaldo has found some form at Euro 2012, taking 30 shots will help, but to suggest that Portugal are a weak team without him is foolish. The have shown enough to indicate that they will give Spain their toughest test at Euro 2012 and the Portuguese looked close to matching Germany, despite showing them too much respect in the 1-0 defeat.

After posting eight goals in their first four games, only behind Germany with nine, people seem to have got it in for Spain and the 'boring' tika-taka football that they've produced this tournament. After conceding just one goal in games against Italy, Croatia and France the Spanish squad have genuinely had to answer questions about their playing style and whether they would change it.

That the whole world was fawning over tika-tak football two (and four) years ago has been conveniently forgotten, and Xabi Alonso and Andreas Iniesta have had to declare in press-conferences that Spain would be sticking to their principles and passing philosophy.

Guillem Balague alluded to the extraordinary scrutiny and pressure that Spain are under and it seems to be fashionable to pick holes in the Spanish at present. The Chelsea Champions League win falsely reinforced a notion that playing ultra defensively will regularly defeat a passing machine and this has contributed to a footballing culture more happy to critique possession football.

Chelsea's win was down to some extraordinary luck in at least three of their European ties and was supposed to be based on the model that Inter perfected in 2010. The main difference being that Inter produced a masterclass in defending, so good it is unlikely to be matched, whereas Chelsea rode their luck and thumped it up to man-mountain Drogba. To defend that well, to a man, and eliminate Barcelona will happen 1 in 10 matches and Inter also rode their luck regarding Bojan's legitimate goal.

To contend that Spain need to change their approach is an absurd statement and from where I'm sitting their football this tournament has been superb. I can count two clear chances that they have conceded in four whole matches; the Di Natale goal and Rakitic chance v Croatia. Both were created on the counter and required two pieces of excellent individual skill, a step over and perfect pass from Pirlo and a mazy run and outside of the boot cross from Modric to come close to breaking Spain down.

As part of tika-taka football Spain will monopolise the ball and unless they come up against a foolhardy side, they will have to break down three walls of opposition players, quite a challenge. By keeping the ball for longer and playing less openly Spain are protecting Sergio Ramos and Gerrard Pique, which is a raw partnership and less stable than a Pique and Puyol or Puyol and Marchena.

The Spanish have now gone eight knock-out games without conceding a goal, which is normally a great way of progressing at competitions. Spain are not here to play entertaining football and put on a show for the public. They come to Poland and Ukraine looking to be the first side to win three successive tournaments and based on their form and resilient displays so far, look favourites to do that.

European team of the year 2011-2012

Goalkeeper: Joe Hart

With a second year as no. 1 at Manchester City under his belt, Hart is fast becoming one of the best stoppers in the world and remains England's only world-class player. Conceding just 29 goals in the Premier League helped City to the title this year and Hart has made some stand-out stops in their campaign; an instinctive save to deny Darren Bent the pick of the bunch, earning all three points for his side in the process.  Although he has had the leagues best centre-back pairing in front of him, Hart has had to produce when it counted and he duly delivered.  Special mentions go out to David De Gea who recovered from a shakey start at United and had the best shot to save ratio in the league and also to Italian stalwart Gianluigi Buffon, who had another superb season.

Right back: Lukasz Piszczek

The Borrusia Dortmund full-back had a second excellent season in Germany, a season which culminated in a second successive league title for Jurgen Klopp's young side. The Polish full-back was actually a free transfer from Hertha Berlin in 2010 and in those two years the former midfielder has transformed into one of the most dynamic right-backs in the game. He marked Frank Ribery out of the DFB Cup final which Dortmund won 5-2 and still managed to maintain an attacking threat. Real Madrid are rumoured to be hovering and if Poland have a strong Euro 2012 expect other teams to join them.

Left back: Ashley Cole

Despite a fairly poor start to the season, 'Cashley' has turned it on when the performances have really counted. Since the departure of AVB, Cole has put in a series of world-class shifts for Chelsea and was instrumental in their Champions League win. His goal-line clearance in Naples prevented Napoli taking a 4-1 lead to Stamford Bridge and surely kept Chelsea in Europe. Compettion in the full-back positions was pretty sparse this season; Phillip Lahm was solid if unspectacular and Giorgio Chiellini impressed when shunted out to the left, but Cole was the player who delivered in the big games.

Centre backs: Vincent Kompany and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa

Vincent Kompany was finally handed the captains arm-band after Mancini stopped pandering to Carlos Tevez and the Belgian has been the best centre-back in Europe this season. As anyone who plays Football Manager will testify his £6 million fee was a superb transfer and after muddling around in midfield under Mark Hughes he was finally placed in the centre of the Man City defence. He marshalled the meanest back-line in the Premier League this season and unlike the place of Vidic at United, his presence in defence was essential for City; without Kompant they fell apart, but the skipper returned in time to halt the slide and scored the deciding goal in the Manchester derby.

There were several contendors to play alongside Kompany but the 23-year-old captain of Montpellier wins the spot. Mbiwa led his side to an incredible success in Ligue 1 and was extremely unfortunate to not make  Laurent Blanc's 23 man squad for the Euro's, losing out to Laurent Koscielny who was part of that impervious Arsenal defence. Mbiwa has been at Montpellier for over six years and has already amassed 165 games for them. Montpellier were outscored by the Qatari funded PSG, but conceded just 20 goals in a defence that was superbly marshalled by Mbiwa. Matt Hummels of Dortmund came close to making the team, as did Sergio Ramos who I must begrudgingly admit had an excellent season at Madrid, when  not falling out with Mourinho.

Defensive midfield: Andrea Pirlo

There have been some inspired free transfers this season; Demba Ba to Newcastle, Brad Friedel to Spurs, Phillip Mexes to AC Milan but the move of Andrea Pirlo from Milan to Juventus will come back to haunt Milan for years to come. Milan are renowned for having an ageing midfield but after allowing World Cup winner Pirlo to leave on a free he was snapped up by Juventus who proceeded to win the league without defeat. In Antonio Conte's system, Pirlo has been dropping even deeper than before, and with Arturo Vidal and Antonio Marchisio pressing the opposition high up the pitch, he has been presented with the time and space to dismantle opposition defences. Juventus tightened up their defence to win this years Scudetto and the arrival of Pirlo helped them dictate play and ultimately win the league.

Centre midfielders: Yaya Toure and Mezut Ozil

Yaya Toure returned from the African Cup of Nations just in time to help City to their first title in 41 years, and if the Ivorian had been missing for one or two more games the title might have been  out of reach. The younger of the Toure's carried City through games early in the season and his dynamic runs from midfield would often create a goal from absolutely nothing. Upon his arrival pundits were quick to pigeon-hole the Ivorian as a holding midfielder and expressed surprise when he broke from deep to such devastating effect. The English media have finally caught up with what Yaya Toure can bring to a team but not before he lifted Man City to the title.

After doing well in his first year in Spain, Mesut Ozil has taken his game even further this season and was one of the reasons behind Madrid outscoring Barcelona to la Liga. Ronaldo might have grabbed the headlines with his goal tally, but the diminutive German finished with a remarkable 17 assists in his 35 league games, including that assist in the decisive el Classico for Ronaldo's winning goal. Ozil is keeping former World Player of the Year, Kaka, out of the Real Madrid team and he is central to their chances of repeating their success again.

Left wing: Cristiano Ronaldo

Despite scoring 60 goals in 55 appearances I've had to shift Real Madrid's main man out to the left hand side of attack. Say what you like about the competitiveness of the Spanish league, Ronaldo has blitzed opposition defences this campaign and is unlucky not to be selected up front in this team. Pretty self explanatory.

Right wing: Lionel Messi

Not being Pep Guardiola, I couldn't find room in my 4-3-3 formation for a false number 9 role for Messi, so unfortuantely the two best players in the world are out wide. Although I'm pretty confident he could do some damage from out here.

Striker: Radamel Falcao

Competition for this position was especially fierce. Robin Van Persie has had a sublime season as has compatriot Klass Huntelaar, both hitting more than 40 goals. Oliver Giroud of Montpellier also had an excellent season, hitting 25 as his side won the French league, while Sergio Aguero looked as if he had been playing Premier League football his entire life.

But for me one striker stood out and I would be amazed if Falcao is still at Atletico Madrid next season. The 26-year-old has every facet to his game. He is powerful, fast, strong in the air, can score golazo's and is a big game player. After deciding the 2011 Europa League final with a brave header for Porto, the Columbian tore apart Bilbao in this years final scoring twice with two equally brilliant goals. To have the presence of mind and ability to execute a Cruyff turn on the six yard box, take three defenders out of the game and then finish is staggering. He scored 36 goals in what was his first experience of Spanish football and will have Europe's elite chasing his signature this summer.