The Weekly Take, Issue 37: Hitting the Comeback Trail

What if I told you that just four months after the conclusion of the World Cup, the reigning world champions, despite fielding a team full of players that helped them win the title, would be easily defeated by a team which did not even qualify for the tournament?

To most, such a scenario would seem unthinkable; however, that is exactly what happened in a recent Nations League match.

This match saw the Netherlands, who failed to qualify for the World Cup in dramatic circumstances, beat France 2-0 with Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay getting onto the scoresheet for the Oranje.

It has been a remarkable turnaround for the Dutch team ever since their ill-fated World Cup qualifying campaign. They have recently been on a tear, as this victory over France came not long after a resounding 3-0 win over Germany in another Nations League game.

After missing out on Russia 2018 despite being the top-seeded team in their qualifying group, the Netherlands chose to embark on a major rebuilding period. This decision to rebuild appears to be bearing fruit.

Out of the players who started the Netherlands’ last World Cup qualifying game against Sweden, only five did so against France: Jasper Cillessen, Virgil van Dijk, Daley Blind, Ryan Babel, and Wijnaldum. New faces such as Marten de Roon and Frenkie de Jong have been added to the team to great effect.

Former coach Dick Advocaat was also replaced, with Ronald Koeman one of the Netherlands’ all-time greats, taking over. Although Koeman had coached nine different clubs over 17 years, he had only ever won one major trophy: the 2008 Copa del Rey with Valencia. Hence, the appointment of Koeman was certainly a risky move.

As it turned out, however, this full-scale revamp could not have been timed better.

Although the Netherlands have won just four of their nine games played in 2018, three of them came against Germany, Portugal, and France. This is a team that has consistently played against high-level opponents, with games against Slovakia and Peru being the only exceptions.

The newcomers’ entry to the squad has certainly been of great benefit to the team.

Probably the most striking difference between the Dutch team of a year ago and now can be seen in its backline.

Vibrant, young defenders such as Matthijs de Ligt, Denzel Dumfries, and Kenny Tete have emerged as rising stars who will likely be mainstays of the Netherlands team for the foreseeable future.

But even more crucially, the team has also seen van Dijk emerge as the cornerstone of their defence and a true leader on the pitch. Despite having played just 24 games for the Netherlands, van Dijk has already become the team captain, and rightly so. His rock-solid defensive play sets the tone for the team’s overall mentality, whether for club or country. At club level, his arrival at Liverpool from Southampton turned the Reds’ shaky defence into one of the most solid in the Premier League. There is every chance that van Dijk will go on to become the next great Dutch defender.

The Netherlands are no slouches up front, either.

Led by the underrated Memphis Depay, this Dutch squad’s attack also packs quite a punch. The likes of Steven Bergwijn, Quincy Promes, and Babel, who has been in the midst of an impressive individual comeback of his own, have also contributed to the Netherlands’ Nations League success thus far, scoring several key goals along the way.

Koeman’s coaching also must not be overlooked.

Under Advocaat, the Netherlands clearly fell far below the heights they once reached and were evidently a step behind all of the top international teams. They often appeared limited and devoid of ideas on the pitch. However, Koeman has rejuvenated this team, infusing it with much more verve and vigour than it previously had.

The Netherlands is a proud footballing nation, having produced legendary names such as Johan Neeskens, Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, Edwin van der Sar, Arjen Robben, and of course, Johan Cruyff. After a fallow period in which the Oranje missed both Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, it appeared that this generation would never reach such levels.

However, after the events of the last few months, some fresh faces could perhaps be starting to write their own stories in that famous orange jersey.

The Weekly Take, Issue 36: It’s Not the Group of Death for Nothing

During the previous round of Champions League fixtures, the standout result was Red Star Belgrade’s 2-0 upset victory over Liverpool. This was a result that not many saw coming. However, overshadowed in the buzz over this upset was the fact that Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain drew 1-1, leading to this year’s toughest Champions League group becoming ever tighter.

As things stand, Group C of the Champions League sees all four teams separated by just two points after four matchdays. Napoli and Liverpool have six points, PSG five, and Red Star four. When the group stage draw was first made, many considered Groups A, B, and C to be the most difficult, but in the former two cases this has proven false, with Borussia Dortmund and Atlético Madrid pulling well clear of Monaco in Group A, and Barcelona and Inter Milan doing likewise to Tottenham in Group B.

To give you an idea of how difficult Group C is, I will first analyse each team in the group.

PSG entered the competition as one of, if not the outright, favourites to win it all and bring the Champions League trophy back to France for the first time since 1993. Not a whole lot more that hasn’t already been said about this team needs to be. PSG are absolutely loaded, boasting superstars such as Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, and Edinson Cavani, as well as a capable supporting cast including the likes of Thomas Meunier, Marco Verratti, and Adrien Rabiot. However, although PSG have won every single one of their league games thus far, the general weakness of Ligue 1 has meant that this domestic dominance has not carried over into the Champions League. This fact is evidenced by PSG’s underwhelming Champions League record of one win, two draws, and one loss. This team, tipped by many to go all the way, might just be sent packing in the group stage.

Next, we come to Napoli. This is a team that had to retool during the off-season after losing Jorginho and, more crucially, head coach Maurizio Sarri, both to Chelsea.

With Sarri at the helm, Napoli had overachieved during the past three seasons. They twice finished second in Serie A, and, despite consistently underperforming in European competition, were always seen as a dangerous team. Now, with legendary coach Carlo Ancelotti in charge, Napoli could be in line for their best season in a long time, despite the departure of Gonzalo Higuaín.

Liverpool also cannot be overlooked. Much like Napoli, the Reds overachieved last season by reaching the Champions League final, largely thanks to the goalscoring prowess of superstar striker Mohamed Salah and the coaching genius of Jürgen Klopp. Liverpool also spent heavily over the off-season, bringing in Naby Keїta, Fabinho, Alisson, and Xherdan Shaqiri for a combined sum of over ₤168 million. Players such as Georginio Wijnaldum and Joe Gomez have also excelled, taking their levels of play to new heights. The heavy spending and player development have both borne fruit, at least in the Premier League, with Liverpool still unbeaten and only trailing Manchester City by two points. However, their Champions League campaign hit a snag after the shock loss to Red Star.

Speaking of Red Star, despite being regarded as by far the weakest team in the group before the tournament began, they have proven that they are not to be taken lightly. Players such as Lorenzo Ebecilio, Marko Marin, and Marko Gobeljić are better than most people think, and their draw against Napoli and victory over Liverpool have put them in a position in which they could potentially defy the odds and top their group.

Groups of Death usually feature nail-biting, nerve-wracking action, but not in the wildest dreams of most fans did they anticipate that Group C would be quite this tight. When all is said and done, at least one team, and perhaps two, expected to progress further in this year’s Champions League will not. This bloodbath of a group is far from over, and the last two matchdays will be utterly crucial.

I leave you with one final thought: with two Champions League matchdays to go, Red Star Belgrade could conceivably finish top of the group, while PSG could finish bottom and even miss entry into the Europa League.

Let that sink in.

The Weekly Take, Issue 35: Don’t Forget About ‘Dre

When looking at the current Arsenal squad, it is evident that the best player and only genuine superstar on it is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. As a player, he is head and shoulders above the rest of his teammates, and it isn’t even close.

However, every star player needs a supporting cast.

So, just who is the second-best player on the Gunners?

Mesut Özil is not the force he once was; neither is Petr Čech. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is a solid player, but he has never quite reached the level I’m speaking of. Granit Xhaka is maddeningly inconsistent.

However, I believe that Arsenal’s best player after Aubameyang is a player often overlooked for various reasons, but while not quite elite, is one of the most important pieces of this Arsenal team.

I am speaking about Alexandre Lacazette.

Not too long ago, Lacazette, who was then playing for Lyon, was perennially linked with a transfer to one of the world’s leading football clubs, such as Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Paris Saint-Germain.  However, in a surprising turn of events, it was Arsenal who ended up signing the highly sought-after Frenchman for €53 million.

This past week, he again reminded those other clubs what they missed out on when he scored Arsenal’s equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool.

This was an impressive result for the north London club because they went into the game against the Merseysiders as the clear underdogs.

Lacazette and his contributions to Arsenal often get overlooked for several reasons: he is not as good a player as strike partner Aubameyang, his playstyle isn’t as eye-catching as those of Özil or Mkhitaryan, and he doesn’t have the sheer inner fire of the likes of Xhaka or Aaron Ramsey.

The centre-forward’s lack of recognition extends internally as well as externally.

This is reflected in the fact that despite being among Arsenal’s most consistent performers throughout the 2017-18 season, netting 14 league goals in 32 games, Lacazette was not named the club’s Player of the Month even once.

Yet in spite of all this, Lacazette has been a terrific fit on this team.

Lacazette’s willingness to track back, press, and play solid defence makes his style of play a good accompaniment to the spectacular, explosive game of Aubameyang. Furthermore, on offence, he brings solid dribbling skills and the ability to finish with either foot to the table.

Many players who move from a weaker league to one of the four major leagues initially struggle to adapt, while some never do. This has clearly not been the case for Lacazette, who has had no trouble adjusting to the higher level of play in the Premier League.

Lacazette has also been overlooked in his international football career.

Although he first played for France in 2013, Lacazette has just 16 caps for his country and has never played in a major tournament.

Lacazette has had to stay behind and watch as strikers who he is clearly better than, such as Olivier Giroud, André-Pierre Gignac, and Nabil Fekir were selected to represent Les Bleus in tournament play.

Giroud and Fekir were all part of France’s victorious 2018 World Cup squad – an honour which I believe Lacazette was extremely unfortunate to have missed out on.

The selection of Lacazette’s former Arsenal teammate Giroud was all the more surprising given the fact that Lacazette was clearly superior to Giroud throughout the 2017-18 season. In fact, Lacazette and Aubameyang’s arrivals at the Emirates Stadium made Giroud so expendable to Arsenal that he was shipped out to Chelsea during the January transfer window.

Lacazette’s form this season will be one of the key elements of how successful Arsenal will be during the current campaign. Much to the pleasure of Gunners fans, he is off to a strong start, with five league goals in 11 games.

Only time will tell if Lacazette ends up becoming the Dennis Bergkamp to Aubameyang’s Thierry Henry. So far, the two have combined seamlessly. On the other hand, there is still a possibility that he could flame out and prove that last season was just a flash in the pan.

But for now, as his solid play up front continues, Alexandre Lacazette does not deserve to be as underrated as he is.

The Weekly Take, Issue 34: The Sleeping Ruhr Giant Reawakens

This is the post that I have been hoping to make since the beginning of the season, though I never believed I would be doing so.

As a Borussia Dortmund fan since 2011, I was pessimistic about my beloved Schwarzgelbe’s chances of success heading into the season. In the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich looked like an unstoppable juggernaut which would roll to yet another league title, while in the Champions League, Dortmund were drawn into a tough group, as they were forced to play against Atlético Madrid and Monaco – two teams which I would not have been surprised to see Dortmund lose both group games to.

Yet, after approximately two months of the season, Lucien Favre’s team are top of the Bundesliga, and even more impressively, recorded a 4-0 Champions League victory over Atlético to remain top of the group.

This season is looking far more promising for Dortmund than last season, when they were only fourth in the league and were knocked out in the group stage of the Champions League, then the Europa League’s round of 16.

So just how were they able to improve so rapidly?

The most obvious factor has to be their off-season acquisitions. After the departure of superstar striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal in January, Dortmund struggled because they had no replacement ready to step in for the Gabonese ace.

However, that is no longer the case.

On August 28, 2018, Borussia Dortmund brought in Spanish striker Paco Alcácer on loan from Barcelona. Alcácer had been languishing on Barcelona’s bench, but almost immediately upon his arrival at Signal Iduna Park, he began to put the football world on notice.

The Valencian has been absolutely sensational thus far this season. At the moment, he is the Bundesliga’s joint-top scorer with seven goals, equal with Luka Jović of Eintracht Frankfurt. Alcácer even managed to score a hattrick as a substitute, leading Dortmund to a 4-3 win over Augsburg in doing so.

Two of Dortmund’s other signings have also made understated but important contributions.

Midfield duo Thomas Delaney and Axel Witsel, who arrived at Dortmund from Werder Bremen and Tianjin Quanjian respectively, have fit perfectly into Favre’s system and tactics. Although both signings went somewhat under the radar, particularly that of Delaney, when Dortmund play, the impact of both players can clearly be seen.

The appointment of Favre as coach has also been crucial.

Lucien Favre is one of the most underrated football coaches. In four years at the helm of Borussia Mönchengladbach between 2011 and 2015, he led Die Fohlen to two top-four finishes in that span, a feat they had not achieved since finishing fourth and third respectively in 1986 and 1987.

He also led Nice to third place in Ligue 1, their highest league finish in years.

Neither Gladbach nor Nice were expected to play at the level that they did under Favre, thus proving the former Switzerland international’s credentials as an excellent coach.

Dortmund’s young talent has also begun to blossom.

Jadon Sancho, Manuel Akanji, Christian Pulisic, Abdou Diallo, Mahmoud Dahoud, and Jacob Bruun Larsen have all been key contributors for Dortmund thus far this season. All six are between the ages of 18 and 23.

Thus, this team is not only set up well for this season, but for the future as well. If most of their young core stays together, Alcácer signs a permanent deal as is expected, and their veterans such as Marco Reus, Mario Götze, and Łukasz Piszczek continue to provide stability and guidance for Dortmund’s young stars, this could go on to be Dortmund’s strongest team since the Jürgen Klopp era.

Dortmund look like a contender to not only win their first Bundesliga title since 2012, but also make a deep Champions League run. Though it is unlikely that the Ruhr club will go on to win the biggest prize in European club football, this team has been defying expectations throughout this season, so who’s to say?

Borussia Dortmund are a club known for their extremely passionate fanbase. During home games, the “Yellow Wall” is truly a sight to behold. Now, after some difficult years, these fans, myself included, have once again been granted the privilege of witnessing their team perform at an elite level.

The Weekly Take, Issue 33: Barça’s Pyrrhic Victory

Every team would like to win every match, but sometimes, a victory can feel more like a loss.

In a highly-anticipated clash between two teams entering the match first and second in La Liga, Barcelona defeated Sevilla 4-2. Barcelona’s superior star power helped the Catalan club take control of the match and earn a comfortable victory, with Philippe Coutinho, Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Ivan Rakitić making their way onto the scoresheet. This win also put Barça back on top of the league, just one week after surrendering it to Sevilla.

However, the result was not the main talking point of the game.

In the 26th minute, Messi had to be substituted after breaking his arm following a collision with Sevilla midfielder Franco Vázquez. The injury to the Barça legend could potentially alter the course of the season, for he is expected to be out of action for three weeks.

This means that Messi will miss two Champions League matches against Inter Milan, and, most crucially, the upcoming El Clásico match against Real Madrid. Although Real are currently mired in a slump, El Clásico is exactly the sort of match that would fire up Los Merengues and see them produce a performance at a level we have not seen from them for a while now.

There is a term which I would like to bring up now; that term is “Pyrrhic victory”.

According to Dictionary.com, a Pyrrhic victory is “a victory or goal achieved at too great a cost”.

It must be kept in mind that Barça only lead now second-placed Sevilla by one point, and Real by four. Thus, if Barça go on to lose El Clásico – a distinct possibility considering that they will be without their ace - their lead over Real would be cut to just one, and the Blaugrana would probably also surrender their position as La Liga leaders.

This is not the first time that some of Barça’s victories came back to bite them. In fact, such a scenario occurred just last season.

Throughout the season, Barcelona really went all out to win La Liga and the Copa del Rey. However, their domestic exertions ultimately ended up costing them in Europe when they were knocked out of the Champions League by Roma, as the Serie A team pulled off a comeback for the ages to send a gassed Barça out of the tournament.

Despite the fact that Barcelona went on to win a league and cup double, the disappointing end to their Champions League campaign caused most around the club to regard Barça’s 2017-18 season as a failure. In fact, there was even speculation that coach Ernesto Valverde would be fired, solely because of their loss in the Champions League.

Had Barça taken a more measured approach to the league and domestic cup, it is certainly possible that they would have gone on to win the Champions League. While victories build confidence within a team, when a team goes too hard in less important matches, they risk running their players into the ground, risking injury, or causing fatigue. This would then lead to underperformance in the matches that matter most.

Now, with not only Messi, but also Samuel Umtiti and Thomas Vermaelen injured, Barça’s season hangs in a precarious position. Not only is their La Liga lead at risk, but now there is also a chance that they might only qualify from their Champions League group as the second-placed team, which would likely give them a round of 16 match against a title contender. That in turn could lead to an early exit for the second consecutive year.

At the beginning of the season, Messi openly declared that Barcelona’s primary focus this season would be to win the Champions League. Right now, it’s still far too early for Barça to panic – after all, they still have the La Liga lead and are still among the favourites to land the Champions League title – but one thing is clear: if Barcelona are to bring the European title to Camp Nou for the sixth time in the club’s history, they have to change the way they approach La Liga and the Copa del Rey. Their current strategy appears to be unsustainable.

The Weekly Take, Issue 32: The Beasts from the East Are Legit

Croatia’s remarkable run to the World Cup final defied all the odds and captivated global audiences.

The Vatreni stunned the world by almost going all the way, taking out Argentina, Russia, and England in the process, before losing to France in a memorable final.

However, there was still one question to be asked after the World Cup: was this Croatia team a one-hit wonder, or had they truly arrived as a new powerhouse of international football?

After the first game of the Nations League, it appeared that Croatia’s World Cup success may have been a one-off, as they were demolished by Spain, losing 6-0 and looking like a mere shadow of the team that achieved so much in Russia.

However, just when it looked like Croatia were ready to be dismissed as a flash in the pan, they earned a 0-0 draw against England, a match that was a World Cup semifinal rematch, in an empty Stadion HNK Rijeka.

Although Croatia weren’t able to leave with the victory, they were nonetheless able to back up their World Cup achievements with another solid performance against one of the world’s most exciting up-and-coming teams. Despite being unable to score a goal, Croatian players such as Luka Modrić, Ante Rebić, and Ivan Perišic caused problems for England throughout the game, sparking memories of their 2-1 World Cup semifinal victory.

So many times in the history of football, a team has a miracle run at a major tournament, only to fail miserably soon after, thus revealing that team as a one-hit wonder.

Teams such as Denmark 1992, Turkey 2002, Greece 2004, and Iraq 2007 can attest to this.

However, this Croatia team is different.

Generally speaking, teams that fizzle out after an amazing underdog run do not have a superstar-level player. This is not true of Croatia, for they have two: Ivan Rakitić and, of course, newly-crowned FIFA player of the year Modrić. The duo served as the foundation for Croatia’s run to the World Cup final and have emerged as arguably the most formidable midfield pairing in international football today.

On top of that, this Croatia team is deeper that most realise. Croatia’s supporting cast includes the likes of Mateo Kovačić, Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Marko Pjaca, and Rebić. Many, myself included, overlooked this fact heading into the World Cup because of Croatia’s history of underachievement at the tournament, but the reality was that this is a team full of high-level talent.

They also have an underrated coach. The previously-unheralded Zlatko Dalić had not achieved much success in his coaching career prior to the World Cup. However, since then, more and more people are beginning to realise that, while he might not be on the level of, for example, Jürgen Klopp or Diego Simeone, he has clearly now become a top-tier coach.

Furthermore, it’s not as if this team is a “here-and-now” team, because they do have some younger players who will carry the team after Modrić and Rakitić retire. Kovačić is 24, Rebić is 25, Pjaca is 23, Tin Jedvaj and Duje Ćaleta-Car are 22, and Ante Ćorić is 21. While they will likely not reach the same heights as their seniors, they should still be able to keep Croatia as a tough, competitive team.

I would even go so far as to say that the current Croatia team is the second-greatest international football team to ever come out of Eastern Europe, only trailing the legendary 1950s Hungary team.

Stack Croatia up against the likes of teams such as 1960-66 USSR, 1958-62 Yugoslavia, and 1974-82 Poland, and they actually look quite good. Although the USSR did win the European Championship in 1960, that was the inaugural tournament, when only four teams contested it.

With the possible exception of USSR great Lev Yashin, not one of those teams had a player at the level of Modrić. None of them had the squad depth that this Croatia team can boast of having, and, of course, none of those other teams reached the final of the World Cup.

Not only have Croatia proven that they are here to stay, but they have also made sure that years from now, when the story of international football from this era is told, they will be an important part of the narrative.

The Weekly Take, Issue 31: Where’s the Second Star?

During the latest Champions League matchday, Tottenham faced off against Barcelona at Wembley, with Barça coming out on top, winning 4-2. Lionel Messi scored two of Barça’s goals and assisted on the other two.

However, what was notable about this match was the fact that Barça’s fourth goal was only scored in stoppage time. Thus, Tottenham were able to keep it close against a team which are among the contenders to win it all.

While it was a commendable performance by the London club, especially since they were missing Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, and Jan Vertonghen through injury, the fact that the match played out the way it did raises an important question: why didn’t Tottenham sign anyone during the previous transfer window?

This is a team that should obviously be built around one of the world’s best centre-forwards in Harry Kane. Tottenham have thus surrounded him with a capable supporting cast which includes the likes of Eriksen, Alli, Lucas Moura, Kieran Trippier, and Mousa Dembélé, among others.

But here’s the problem: if they are to genuinely contend for the Premier League or Champions League, they need at least one other player who is of the same star-level calibre as Kane.

Looking at their domestic rivals, in terms of true superstar players, Chelsea have N’Golo Kanté and Eden Hazard; Manchester City have Sergio Agüero and Kevin De Bruyne, and, while Liverpool only have one player at such a level in Mohamed Salah, they are coached by Jürgen Klopp, a coach so great that he has a similar impact to a star player. While Mauricio Pochettino is no slouch himself, he does not even come close to the level of the man in the Anfield dugout.

It’s the same story when the leading Champions League contenders are looked at. Real Madrid boast a remarkable four superstars: Raphaël Varane, Luka Modrić, Gareth Bale, and Thibaut Courtois. Barcelona can say the same, as they have Ivan Rakitić, Philippe Coutinho, Luis Suárez, and Messi. Bayern Munich? Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, and Robert Lewandowski. Paris Saint-Germain? Kylian Mbappé, Edinson Cavani, and Neymar. Atlético Madrid? Antoine Griezmann and Jan Oblak. Juventus? Cristiano Ronaldo and Giorgio Chiellini.

The main point is this: a team need at least two superstars to challenge for the Champions League title. Tottenham do not have that.

Over the last three years, Tottenham have made some solid signings who have proven to be important contributors to the team’s success, such as Moura, Davinson Sánchez, Son Heung-min, and Toby Aldeweireld. However, when considering the fact that the signings of Moura and Sánchez cost a combined ₤67 million, one realises that Tottenham missed out on the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mohamed Salah, who cost ₤56 million and ₤34 million respectively and signed in that same season. If Tottenham did not have Moura and Sánchez, but did have either Aubameyang or Salah, I have no doubt that they would be genuine Premier League and Champions League title contenders.

Even looking at just the Champions League match against Barça, you can’t help but think that if Tottenham did have a second star player to pair with Kane, they would have left with a draw or perhaps even a win.

By failing to sign even one player during the summer transfer window, Tottenham have all but guaranteed yet another season of near-misses. It’s not like they can’t attract players, either. They have a rich history, are near the top of the Premier League, are based in London, play at Wembley, and, as I already said, are one star away from becoming one of the best teams on the planet.

If, as I expect, Tottenham once again come up short in all competitions this season, the blame must be placed upon the team’s front office. This was their opportunity to really elevate the club to a new level, and they blew it.

The reality of club football right now is that solid players may win you games, but superstars win you titles. Unfortunately for Tottenham Hotspur and their fans, that is “superstars” as in plural, not singular. Although I do think Tottenham will have a good overall season which will probably include a high league finish and a deep Champions League run, it is likely to once again end without a single trophy to their name.