The boys discuss England’s abject failure at the World Cup and ask themselves how and why, and what next for the Eng-er-land. They also have some advice for Fabio Capello and reveal their surprise choice for the next England Manager – Gazza. Genius!
Having lulled us into a false sense of optimism after beating the mighty Slovenia, England were totally humiliated by one of our greatest rivals and basically played like a pub team. The boys blame Capello for a poor use of players and the wrong system rather than what should have been Super Frankie Lampard’s first World Cup goal for England.
We think that Capello should take the fall for not getting the best out of the so-called Golden Generation, but who to replace him? The usual suspects are mentioned, but in a moment of inspiration Chidge makes the point that if Argentina can achieve success with a troubled and crazy genius in Maradonna, then why can’t England? Gazza must therefore be the only choice for next England manager. At least the players will have a laugh and be able to enjoy a beer. It could hardly be worse than what we’ve got!
With the World Cup effectively out of the way, the Chelsea FanCast can now get back to what counts: Chelsea. The boys preview the pre-season tour of Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Hamburg and errr…Crystal Palace. Only 2 weeks to go!! We also look at the latest transfer gossip and ‘Moody Blues’ a great Chelsea book following the 2007/2008 season written by James Clarke.
No Dr Mart this week, but fear not, Ross answers your questions in “Dear Mart” including the lack of gratuitous TV shots of fit women during the World Cup, decent USA players and media bias against JT and Chelsea players. Finally Chidge reads out the best posts from the website and facebook group in “You’re on CFFC”.
The Chelsea Football FanCast: Gazza for England Manager!
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I was shocked to read that Aston Villa won the first division title in 1980/81 using only 14 players for the whole season (see here). If we compare that to Manchester United’s 2008/09 triumph where Alex Ferguson used, unbelievably, 33 players we can see the vast changes to the game that have occurred over the years. My question now is, given the anomalous depth of talent of the Spain squad, is squad rotation applicable in a World Cup?
Squad rotation is still a much derided concept by many supporters and the media. The problem is that the general public don’t understand why 90 minutes of football twice a week is too much to ask from professional athletes. This isn’t a completely fair rendering of the circumstance that top managers face when competing in up to four competitions simultaneously. Playing to 100% intensity is more the issue than simply being able to last the 90 minutes so maximising players’ outputs remains the key issue. When United last won the title Ferguson did not name an unchanged XI in consecutive matches. Guardiola employed a similar concept for large portions of last season before injury (and tension) forced his hand in the latter stages. So why is Ferguson/Guardiola not admonished in the public sphere for ‘tinkering’ when the infamously dubbed Tinkerman (Claudio Ranieri) or restless Rafa Benitez had to answer for their changes?
The obvious reason is success. When there is a glaring gulf in quality between first team regulars and squad members squad rotation becomes a dangerous exercise. But Ferguson has repeatedly proven that the idea of rotating players in a domestic league is imperative. Whilst Aston Villa won the league in 1981 with seven players playing each of the 42 games, United won the league in 2009 with only Ronaldo and Vidic playing more than 30 games (no one being an ever present, whether it be through suspension, injury or rest).
So after such a long season for so many World Cup players can squad rotation actually be employed in a knockout tournament? I would say in Spain’s case, probably. At the moment they’re losing 1-0 to Switzerland so talk of favourites is evidently premature. But in terms of players coming back from injuries (Iniesta, Fabregas, Torres) these group matches were supposed to provide an opportunity to manage his stars. Does Del Bosque know his best XI? I think the starting team against the Swiss was what he thought to be his strongest team. But with the natural width of Navas and the direct threat of Torres coming off the bench to positively influence the Spaniards’ chase, Del Bosque has some difficult decisions to make.
In theory it would have seemed that the only team who could realistically manage some sort of squad rotation system would be the Spanish. But as I’m writing this I’m being proven wrong.
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Who will Johan Cruyff be supporting come Sunday? It’s definitely an interesting thought considering the emotional and ideological ties he finds himself caught in for both nations. On the one hand he embodies every quixotic notion that Dutch football has to offer and, on the other, he is very much responsible for the current Spanish contingent’s obstinate adherence to a possession-based philosophy.
It’s also a strange thing to hear such a polarised view about the Spanish national team. A majority of publications deal in terribly opaque rhetoric extolling the guile and craft of the Spaniards (failing to offer any insights on the actual football played and focussing more on the literary value that Spain’s precepts beget) whilst a small but vocal minority lament the ‘boring’, ‘death-by-a-thousand-cuts’, strangulating style that the team implements. I think that, much like the general tactics at this World Cup has proven, there is a blander middle ground being exhibited far closer to the truth – and Cruyff goes some way in representing it, whether he realises this or not.
For Dutch football there are few who can claim to be more influential than Johan Cruyff and I have spent far too many lines in the past few months dedicated to a man who I didn’t even have the good fortune to witness play. And in that admission lies the great danger of anything so widely recounted, reconfigured, and retold; my knowledge and experience of the early 70s Ajax team and Holland’s 1974 World Cup run is rooted in the aftermath of the event. The fact is forced, by the laws of physics and space/time, to be secondary to the interpretation of that fact. So everything I know, every facet of my understanding, is (at least) once removed from the actual event. And it is in this wall of mirrors that the truth becomes incalculably convoluted.
So imagine how Cruyff must feel? Constantly quizzed on the national team, he has been at pains to distance his own belief system from that on show at this World Cup – from the formation chosen to the players deployed; there is a tangible reticence in his dealings. But why do we, 36 years on, burden the weight of the gloriously unfulfilled past on the present Dutch team’s shoulders? It’s not only because there is an unresolved trauma surrounding the ’74 final for Dutch people but, more than that, there is a sordid and deeply romantic enjoyment to the epitome of the World Cup’s nearly-men in the wider football consciousness. We discuss them so widely, so heavily, and so passionately because they never won the ultimate crown. And on Sunday they have the chance to end this, to effectively trump Cruyff.
Germany have starred in seven World Cup finals and been serial iconoclasts in their toppling of Hungary in ’54 and Cruyff’s Holland in ’74 yet we never attribute anything near the cultural kudos to them. But with Holland, well, books have been written and many tears shed at the cosmic heartache felt at that team and that style’s captivating and almost-complete domination. Sneijder, Robben, Van Persie and co resemble the only universal truth in football and in life; it continues. Through tragedy or victory, it continues. Why do the Dutch play a 4-2-3-1 instead of three forwards? It’s because 2008, despite the same criticisms being levelled at Van Basten before the tournament, saw them beautifully entertain before being tactically outfoxed by Russia’s attacking fullbacks. And because, unlike club level (or the anomalous talent pool of ’74 and similarly this current Spain team), you are dealt your hand in the national team. I don’t think it’s a disrespect to say that this Spanish team possesses greater potential and talent than the Dutch but, equally, I don’t think it’s a disrespect to say that van Marwijk’s pragmatism has carved out a team of mental strength and discipline. It comes down to a single match on one day and there is a palpable chance here for victory but I fear that, instead of making history, this team will succumb to it.
“I am Dutch”, Cruyff writes in a Catalan newspaper, “but I support the football that Spain is playing.”
Spain enter Sunday as favourites but I also sense a greater confidence from them; one rooted in realising something which has been two decades in the making. Cruyff transformed Barcelona with four successive La Liga titles and a maiden European success and this Spain team adopts a similar approach to the game (and it’s plain to see that he loves it). It’s both creative and stifling, causing the mixed reviews from football fans. Some fall too easily by saying they are the creative apogee of football but 1-0 victories against Germany, Paraguay, and Portugal debunk this (statistically speaking).
And the other extreme is that ball retention is actually the reconfigured catenaccio. What’s so bad about that? I don’t think it’s a coincidence that having taken the lead, Spain have performed far better and thus systematically shut out the match. So the truth is a middle ground: they remain a supremely talented, perhaps unparalleled, creative group (watching Alonso has been a personal enjoyment at this tournament) who have not ‘clicked’ as many would have expected. But not compromising their style has led them to the final and to unexpected praise (or condemnation, depending on your outlook) as being defensively sound when in the lead – but this is the same ethos serving a dual function.
I think Spain survived a mini identity crisis. There was a period of a few matches where the balance of the team was certainly not right and an over reliance on Villa cutting in from the left materialised. But, in the game where it mattered most, Del Bosque proved his allegiance is with the ideology that has propelled Spain to something close to greatness; only one more match remains. And as for Cruyff, I think it’s far more interesting to note that his own national team distance themselves from everything he stood for (because it has become a burden) whilst he simultaneously associates himself with the team they face – a team who he believes he has much more of an ideological bond with.
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Click on image below to see the PORTUGAL babes at the World Cup
I for one have never understood the mentality of football clubs that fail to improve their squads in pre-season, so to give new signings ample time to settle into their surrounds and build up some chemistry with their teammates ahead of a new campaign. It is surely counterproductive and does little to help the manager.
I’m certainly not going to criticise Daniel Levy as he has done an incredible job with the football club, however when it comes to transfers we do tend to drag our feet somewhat and more often than not we do miss out on players as a result. I know there is the school of thought that the longer you leave it the greater chance you have to secure a better deal, but the way I see it is that to ensure greater success on the pitch it is vital you move early to secure the targeted players early and more importantly give them a better chance to be fully prepared for the up and coming season. Look at the problems Pavlyuchenko faced in settling in; what chance did he really have to succeed given he was just thrown straight into the team?
The general feeling is that it is a slow market and other clubs are also struggling to secure players. That maybe true but if your manager has pinpointed the players that you wish to sign then why not make every effort to secure these deals early? Harry has hinted on occasions that we can’t buy players until we generate some funds, but shouldn’t a club that is on the brink of the Champions League group stages, and the riches it will bring, be looking to perhaps take the financial hit upfront and look to recoup it later in the transfer window, or in January? Shouldn’t Harry be given every opportunity to build on last season’s success? It seems to me we are subsequently going to get dragged into last minute deadline deals in order to improve the squad, which is (as history has proven) hardly the best preparation for a new season.
Written By Matt Wright
With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery
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Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti expects Frank Lampard to be fit for their next Premier League game against West Ham United.
The midfielder was forced to miss England's Euro 2012 double-header against Bulgaria and Switzerland following hernia surgery.
Lampard was substituted during the 2-0 victory over Stoke City on August 28 after reporting discomfort.
The Chelsea medical staff decided to send the 32-year-old for surgery during the two-week international break and Lampard is now expected to be fit for their next match on September 11.
"For sure, Frank will be fit for the West Ham game," confirmed Ancelotti.
However, the Blues boss has denied suggestions that it was always their plan to send Lampard for surgery during an international break.
The Stamford Bridge club have been accused of undermining England's Euro 2012 qualifying bid.
"No, we didn't decide at the start of the season to do this now," Ancelotti told the Daily Star Sunday.
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"After the Stoke game, Frank was in a lot of pain.
"So he decided, after talking to the club doctor, to resolve and remove the problem immediately."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Fulham have been dealt a massive blow following news that striker Bobby Zamora will be out of action for up to 5 months due to a broken leg suffered in last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Wolves. Further tests have revealed that Zamora has sustained ankle ligament damage along with a broken fibula. Doctors have performed surgery on Zamora’s injured leg and he looks set for lengthy spell in the Fulham treatment room.
The news comes as a blow to both player and team. Zamora was a key player for Fulham last season, scoring 19 goals for the Cottagers in all competitions in their run to the Europa League final. He had just won his first England cap only last month in a friendly victory against Hungary and looked a certainty to be called up for Fabio Capello’s next England squad to face Montenegro in October.
Zamora’s absence leaves Fulham boss Mark Hughes will limited options upfront. Andy Johnson has been a long-term absentee for Fulham and is still a few weeks from full fitness and Hughes will not rush the return of Johnson to compensate for Zamora’s loss.
This means Hughes will have to rely on new signing Moussa Dembele to lead Fulham’s line. He has made an impressive start to his first season in the Premier League and Hughes will be calling on the Belgian to continue his good form in the coming weeks.
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The Italian Football FanCast is the podcast for fans of Serie A and Calcio.
The Azzurri were in action against The Faroe Islands in midweek and put in a good performance as they dismantled the minnows 5-0, thanks to a superlative display from Antonio Cassano. The result means a perfect start for Cesare Prandelli’s men in their quest for Euro 2012 qualification.
Elsewhere, AC Milan have moved ahead of rivals Inter in the wage bill stakes but the champions are looking to get one over on them by signing a former Milan idol. AS Roma may also have a new owner soon, plus find out about all the latest transfer news from in and around the peninsula.
As Ever we are joined by Kris Voakes and Dave is back with Legends of Calcio, who this week is the mercurial Michael Laudrup.
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Recently Arsenal FC posted record pre-tax profits of $88 million. In this current climate, you have to give it to the men upstairs at Arsenal. They’ve made a significant profit whilst one of their closest rivals, Liverpool have found themselves wedged in one of the biggest money related debacles in football history.
This said one thing that really stumps me as a neutral, is the air of content I get from the Arsenal fans who seem satisfied with their club even though they have not won a major trophy in 5 years. For me, supporting a club who proclaim to be a major player in world football being trophyless since 2005 would not sit well. Yet, the fans still turn up; I think I know why though.
There’s no doubt that Arsene’s men play attractive football. When on top of their game their technique, movement and quick inter changing passing is mesmerising. When all singing from the same hymn sheet I think it is fair to say that they are one, if not the best footballing side this country has to offer. Yet, the fans still turn up even though the trophy cabinet remains empty and collects dust as every trophyless day passes.
I’m then further stumped when I hear that Wenger believes he “would not be doing his job if Arsenal made a financial deficit.” Have the last 5 seasons without a trophy satisfied Wenger, Surely not! I am knowhere near reassured to then hear Wenger saying “I am quite proud that I work in a company that is in a strong financial situation. I have always worked in clubs which make money and I would not feel that I do my job well if we lost money at the end of the season.” Is success not the primary aim for a competing sports team?
Finally, my uncertainty is confirmed when I read an article from the back end of last season. Written and published by a respectable newspaper it states that “Arsene Wenger maintains Arsenal went beyond expectation, despite another season at the Emirates Stadium Which promised so much ending without silverware.” Since when did finishing third seem like something to write home about? Maybe Arsene Wenger and the fans are happy to be 2nd…sorry 3rd best.
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Perhaps Arsenal are just thinking that whilst the big three, Manchester United, Chelsea and currently Manchester City will splash the cash and play a dangerous game, they might just sit tight and trophies will follow. A dangerous game to play if you ask me.
After lurching from one crisis to another over the last few months Liverpool appear to have returned to some semblance of normality this week with two important wins for both their domestic and European aspirations.
Wins against Bolton and Napoli would be the bare minimum in previous seasons, but after the desperate run of results that had left the Reds locked in the Premier League basement, Steven Gerrard’s late hat-trick against the Italians and Maxi Rodriguez’s last gasp winner in the league put a more positive spin on Roy Hodgson’s start at Anfield.
On the blog front much has been made of Liverpool’s behind the scenes management changes. Roy Hodgson may claim to be comfortable with the continental approach reflected by Damien Comolli’s appointment as Director of Football, but what will this mean for the Reds in the long term? There is also analysis of the fallout from the end of the Hicks and Gillett era and Roy Hodgson’s bizarre spat with former manager Rafa Benitez.
We also cover the best of the web’s articles on the Anfield club.
Featured articles of the week
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The Premier League’s New Comic Strip #2
Spurs, Liverpool, United…whose need for Real Madrid swoop is greater?
Did Broughton miss a trick in safeguarding Liverpool’s future?
Should Liverpool fans look upon Comolli’s appointment with trepidation?
Controlled ruthlessness in football
An important FACT that is lost on most Premier League players
The FIVE ‘realistic’ transfer targets for Liverpool to ponder
Liverpool’s Stadium Dilemma
Will transfer deals meet expectations at Liverpool?
The ten most heated matches in England
Liverpool’s transfer policy could have a knock on effect
Ten things we have noticed from the Premier League this season
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Click here to see the Best LIVERPOOL BLOGS around the Web this week
Best of the Web
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Damien Comolli: A view from a Spurs fan – Live4Liverpool
Nice move NESV, Bad move Roy – Kopblog
Soto Kyrgiakos: Liverpool’s Unlikely Hero – This is Anfield
Red hails Young Starlet’s “Unbelievable Skills.” – Live4Liverpool
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is ready to throw John Mensah into his team for this weekend's Premier League clash at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Ghanaian has just recovered from a dislocated shoulder but, with regulars Michael Turner and Titus Bramble picking up injuries, Bruce believes the risk may have to be taken.
"It would be a big gamble. It's a gamble but, with his ability, if he can do it, I am prepared to make that gamble," he said.
"He trained today with it – in pain, I have to say – but he wants to try to give it a go, so a lot will depend on him.
"It's typical of him, he comes in and wants to train, which is probably three weeks quicker than he should be.
"But he wants to give it a go, so let's hope the specialists are right. They don't think by him training on it he can do any more damage, that's the most important thing.
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"But it is sore, as you can imagine. John trained this morning and came through it and if he comes through tomorrow, then it will be his call."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email