The Weekly Take, Issue 118: A Tribute to a Goalkeeping God

Goalkeepers are perhaps the most underappreciated players on a football pitch. It is they who often receive much blame after a loss, but seldom much credit after a victory. This is unfortunate because on many an occasion, it is the goalkeeper whose contribution often makes the difference in a match.

This week, perhaps the greatest of them all called time on his storied career.

After an unforgettable 21 years, 16 of which were spent with hometown club Real Madrid, and over 1,000 matches, Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas announced his retirement at the age of 39 via a statement posted on Twitter. The Spaniard had not played since April 2019 after suffering a heart attack during a training session. The announcement deservedly brought the football world to a standstill as former teammates and rivals alike as well as fans from all over the world flocked to social media to pay tribute to "San Iker".

Casillas' list of achievements speaks for itself. Three Champions Leagues. Five La Liga titles. Two Copa del Rey titles. Two European Championships. And of course, the 2010 World Cup.

Casillas is also the proud owner of many individual achievements and records. He has played in more matches and registered more clean sheets in the Champions League than has anyone else. He is the only goalkeeper to have ever made the FIFPro World XI five times. He won the Golden Glove at the 2010 World Cup after conceding a joint-record low of two goals over the seven matches of Spain's victorious campaign. He is the only player to have played in 20 consecutive Champions League campaigns. He is the only goalkeeper to have registered 100 clean sheets in international play.

When Iker Casillas first stepped between the posts in 1998, few could have foreseen that the kid manning the goal that day would go on to become one of the all-time greats. Almost two years later, Casillas would take his first step on his path to greatness when in his first season at Real, he was the starting goalkeeper as Real beat Valencia to win the 2000 Champions League title.

In the 2002 Champions League final, Casillas proved that he was as clutch as they come when he broke a recent slump by making numerous key saves to preserve Real's lead against Bayer Leverkusen to clinch the title for Los Merengues. It soon became evident that Casillas possessed a combination of physical attributes and mental intangibles which had seldom been seen in any goalkeeper.

From 2008 to 2012, Casillas was the starting goalkeeper as Spain won two European Championship titles and a World Cup. At this point, he had firmly established himself as not only the best goalkeeper in the world, but arguably the greatest goalkeeper ever. This recognition came in spite of the fact that his Furia Roja teammates such as Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, and Sergio Busquets often received more credit for the tournament victories than did Casillas.

Casillas' greatest save took place in 2009 when playing in a La Liga match for Real against Sevilla after Sevilla's Diego Perotti took a close-range shot from an Álvaro Negredo pass. It looked like a certain goal, but Casillas not only somehow kept it out, but in play as well to even deny Sevilla a corner kick.

One underrated element of Casillas' game was his leadership. Casillas first captained Spain in 2006 and Real Madrid in 2010. His analytical and organized approach to matches was a steadying influence on his teammates. Casillas exemplified a true captain in deeds rather than in words.

Even after leaving for Porto in 2015, Casillas' love for Real never dimmed. Indeed, just a few weeks before officially announcing his retirement, Casillas had agreed to return to the Santiago Bernabéu, this time in an advisory role. Madrid's beloved son had finally come full circle.

Such has been Casillas' impact that ever since he hit his prime, every Spanish goalkeeper who has shown even the slightest bit of promise has been in his shadow. Almost any up-and-coming goalkeeper to come out of Spain will also inevitably draw comparisons to the iconic shot-stopper.

When discussing who is the greatest goalkeeper ever, there are only three who could be possible correct answers. The first is Lev Yashin, the second is Gianluigi Buffon, and the third is none other than Iker Casillas Fernández.

The Weekly Take, Issue 117: Maybe He Isn't the Guy

The latest edition of the FA Cup final saw London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea squaring off. In the end, two goals scored by Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang led the Gunners to a 2-1 victory and their record-extending 14th FA Cup title. It also put them into next season's Europa League even though they had initially failed to qualify after a dismal Premier League season in which they finished just eighth.

As for Chelsea, there are several reasons why the match did not go as planned. However, in my opinion, the person who is primarily culpable for the Blues' loss is head coach Frank Lampard.

It is true that Lampard has definitely improved as a coach as the season has gone on. After a shaky start, the former Chelsea legend began to grow into his new role on the other side of the touchline. He clearly increased his level of understanding about how this Chelsea team should be set up while also getting the players to fully trust him and buy into his tactics and ideas; these points are notable because many Chelsea coaches during the Roman Abramovich era have struggled in these areas.

One glaring error which was made by Lampard was the omission of N'Golo Kanté from the starting 11. Although there had been doubts over his condition heading into the match after having recently recovered from an injury, he should nevertheless have started. If a team's best player is fit enough to be on the bench, that player should start. Kanté is too good to be benched for a vital match such as this one. The Frenchman's omission was made even more obvious after Chelsea's central midfield duo of Jorginho and Mateo Kovačić were completely dominated by their opposing numbers Dani Ceballos and Granit Xhaka. Kovačić was also sent off after a second yellow card following an unnecessary foul on Xhaka with Chelsea already trailing. It is highly unlikely that Kanté would have committed the same error, and it is also possible that Chelsea might have equalized if the match had remained 11 against 11.

Lampard's substitutions were also somewhat questionable. It should not have taken him until the 78th minute to switch out the underperforming Mason Mount and Antonio Rüdiger, who had both been struggling throughout the match. Substitutes Tammy Abraham and Ross Barkley showed more ability, heart, and desire in their short stints on the pitch than the two who were replaced by them. Lampard's decision to replace captain César Azpilicueta with Andreas Christensen after Azpilicueta suffered an injury also backfired. Christensen's defensive error was the catalyst that ultimately led to Aubameyang scoring the winning goal. Furthermore, given Arsenal's typical style of play as well as the flow of the match at the time, Fikayo Tomori would have been a much more suitable selection to come off the bench.

Lampard also showed a relative lack of tactical nous during the match. Arsenal are a team known for their heavy use of long through-balls. However, the Chelsea coach failed to adapt his team's strategy to counter this and went on to pay the price when such a through-ball resulted in Arsenal's winning goal.

It is definitely worrying that in the most important match of his coaching career thus far, Lampard produced an extremely poor performance which likely cost his team an FA Cup. Although this is Lampard's first season coaching at this level, it must be kept in mind that Chelsea next season will be a vastly improved team when compared to the Chelsea of this season. Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech will be welcomed to Stamford Bridge; Bayer Leverkusen striker Kai Havertz will probably follow in their footsteps. This will be a team expected to challenge for Premier League and even Champions League titles, but they will win neither if Lampard's coaching does not improve further.

I would not say that Frank Lampard will never be a good coach. He has shown signs of progress throughout the season and has not only learned a great deal but also put what he has learned into practice. Certainly, he is today a far better coach than he was a year ago. However, judging by his display in the final, one might wonder if he is indeed the coach who might lead a rebuilt Chelsea to a Champions League title.

The Weekly Take, Issue 116: Robert Lewandowski? No, "Robbed" Lewandowski

In an announcement which has caused shockwaves across the landscape of elite football, L'Équipe, the Paris-based football magazine responsible for the awarding of the Ballon d'Or, stated that the honour will not be presented in 2020 due to the extreme circumstances caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

While such a response is perfectly understandable given all that has happened, there is one player who will undoubtedly be extremely dismayed about this decision. A player who has had by far the best season of his career. A player who, over the last two to three years, has made the leap from just being among the leading players of this generation to being a true all-time great. A player whom not many would have selected as a potential Ballon d'Or winner just a year ago, but would likely have claimed the award had it been presented this year.

That player is none other than Bayern Munich legend (yes, we can call him that now) Robert Lewandowski.

Lewandowski led Bayern to a come-from-behind Bundesliga title victory by scoring an astonishing 34 league goals. The Pole claimed the European Golden Shoe by doing so. Lewandowski's 34 goals were the most in the Bundesliga since Dieter Müller netted the same number in 1977. Over the past decade, only four players have scored that many over the course of a major European league campaign - Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suárez, and Gonzalo Higuaín. What makes Lewandowski's achievement even more impressive is the fact that he did in the Bundesliga. Unlike other leagues which have seasons running for 38 matches, Germany's top flight uses a 34-match schedule. Adjusting for this factor, Lewandowski would have scored 38 league goals in a 20-team league.

Lewandowski has also been killing it in the Champions League as well. He has already amassed 11 goals in the tournament even though the round of 16 is yet to be completed. It is likely that he will add to his tally in the second leg of Bayern's tie against an overmatched Chelsea. If Bayern make a deep Champions League run, there is a distinct possibility that Lewandowski's season could reach historic levels. This will probably happen as the Bavarian club are currently the favourites to win it all, thanks in no small part to Lewandowski's outstanding play.

Lewandowski hasn't just been putting up empty numbers. His goals have directly translated to wins for Bayern. He was the scorer of over a third of Bayern's league goals this past season. Such was his level of marksmanship that he scored more goals than Jadon Sancho of Borussia Dortmund and Wout Weghorst of VfL Wolfsburg, the third- and fourth-highest goalscorers in the league, combined. Take away his 34 goals and Bayern would likely not even come close to defending their Bundesliga crown.

While Lewandowski's absence would not have had quite the same effect on Bayern's Champions League campaign owing to their relatively easy path thus far, it will nevertheless be Lewandowski who will serve as the focal point of Bayern's attempt to win European football's most prestigious honour for the sixth time.

Such has been Lewandowski's dominance this season that on many an occasion, teams which play against Bayern centre their entire game plan around stopping Lewandowski. He has become a game-changer on the level of the likes of Ronaldo and Messi in their primes. Not even the most die-hard fan of Die Roten could have seen this coming when the club signed Lewandowski from arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund in 2014.

Obviously, Lewandowski has become one of the greatest centre-forwards of all time. If he were to lead Bayern to Champions League glory this season, it would elevate his legacy even further to one of an inner-circle legend. What's more, if it turns out that his missing out on the Ballon d'Or ends up fueling him, every other team ought to be put on notice because Robert Lewandowski might just be about to unleash hell on Europe's leading clubs in a manner which has seldom been seen before.

The Weekly Take, Issue 115: Greatest Career Ever

I'll begin this post with a question: who has had the greatest football career of all time?

At first, most people would suggest names such as Diego Maradona, Pelé, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo Nazario, and several others. However, the question was not "who is the greatest player of all time", but "who has had the greatest football career". After the events of the most recent matchday, this question may have been settled once and for all.

In a clash during the penultimate round of La Liga matches, Real Madrid beat Villarreal 2-1 to clinch the league title. Karim Benzema scored both goals in the victory which not only sealed the title for Los Merengues but also added another chapter to the already incredible football career of head coach Zinedine Zidane.

Zidane was arguably among the top 10 players of all time. He spearheaded France to a World Cup title in 1998 and a European Championship title in 2000. Zidane was also part of the Galácticos-era Real Madrid which won the Champions League in 2002. In the final against Bayer Leverkusen, Zidane scored a spectacular volley to earn Real their third Champions League title in five seasons. He was also named World Player of the Year by FIFA in 1998, 2000, and 2003 and was among the top five players in the world for around a decade after consistently excelling for and being in contention for titles with Juventus, Real, and France.

Incredibly, Zidane might very well be on his way to becoming an even better coach than he was a player. After first having become the coach of Real's reserve team, Real Madrid Castilla, in 2014, Zidane took over the reins at the main club in 2016 after replacing Rafael Benítez. The Frenchman's impact at the Santiago Bernabéu was immediate as he went on to etch his name into football history by leading Real Madrid to three consecutive Champions League titles, thus placing that Real team as perhaps the greatest club team of all time. After leaving the club in May 2018 after Real's third straight Champions League triumph, Zidane returned to the helm in March 2019 and has already helped them wrest the La Liga title from Barcelona despite having a vastly inferior squad talent-wise.

Zidane has clearly already had quite the career in football. It might already be the greatest ever when football achievements as a non-player are also taken into consideration. It is true that purely in terms of achievements, Franz Beckenbauer and Michel Platini are both in the discussion. Both were among the greatest players of all time. However, both their legacies have also been tainted by scandals. Ordinarily, this would not impact their standing in this discussion; however, in this case the scandals do have an impact because they were football-related scandals.

Frank Rijkaard might be another name to be considered. As a player, the legendary Dutch midfielder won three European Cups or Champions League and the European Championship in 1988 with the Netherlands. He was also a Ballon d'Or contender in the late 1980s. Rijkaard would subsequently go on to coach Barcelona to a Champions League title in 2006.

However, with all due respect to Rijkaard, as great a player as he was, he never even approached the level attained by Zidane at his peak. Rijkaard also found almost no coaching success outside his stint at Barça and has thus not coached since the end of his ill-fated stint coaching Saudi Arabia's national team in 2013.

Furthermore, Zidane has only been coaching for around five years. Over the next 10 to 20 years, there is no telling what he could achieve based on what he has already done. A fourth Champions League title would almost certainly assure his position as the person with the greatest football career ever. If he chooses to move into a front-office role at some point down the line and is successful in that role as well, it would only burnish his already standout legacy. Based on his career thus far, there is no reason to believe that he would not.

Not every player who becomes a coach or enters a front-office position is able to handle the transition and pressure as well as Zidane has. Ultimately, that may be the main reason why Zidane has had what I believe to be the greatest football career of all time.

The Weekly Take, Issue 114: The Path Back to the Top Begins Here

In a rare bright spot amidst a difficult season, AC Milan put the brakes on would-be Serie A champions Juventus' title coronation. Against the odds, Milan beat their arch-rivals from Turin 4-2. This was a victory made even more impressive by the fact that the Rossoneri overcame a 2-0 deficit to do so. Zlatan Ibrahimović, Franck Kessié, Rafael Leão, and Ante Rebić all scored within an 18-minute goalscoring explosion to give Milan the win. Milan also overtook Roma in the chase for an automatic spot in next season's Europa League.

This season has not been an easy one for Milan by any means. Before the season even began, they were disqualified from this season's Europa League due to financial violations which they had committed. This was then followed by an off-season transfer window in which they spent large sums of money; however, in spite of the large transfer fees paid, the team was not significantly improved. Milan also experienced the departures of key pieces such as Tiémoué Bakayoko, Patrick Cutrone, and Riccardo Montolivo, among others.

A slow start to the season followed, resulting in the firing of head coach Marco Giampaolo. He was replaced by Stefano Pioli. However, Milan would remain far adrift of the Champions League spots throughout the season. There was also discord in the front office when chief football officer and former San Siro fan favourite Zvonimir Boban was unceremoniously fired. His dismissal came on the back of scathing remarks made against the club's CEO, Ivan Gazidis.

To top it all off, the club's home province of Lombardy was among the most affected areas in the world during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. The most notable name associated with AC Milan to contract the disease was club legend and current technical director Paolo Maldini. His son Daniel, who is currently a Milan player himself, was also a victim.

However, despite all the adverse circumstances which have taken place, this most recent victory can be used by Milan as something of a roadmap for their current team towards regaining their former glory.

When compared to previous matches this season, Milan played with a great deal more vigour and aggression against Juve. Is it possible that part of the reason for this lay in the fact that they were playing against a historic rival? Perhaps, but that doesn't discount the fact that their approach to this match starkly differed from their approach to prior matches. During the second half in particular, Milan throttled the Bianconeri with an avalanche of rapid-fire attacks and a high tempo of play. They also picked up four yellow cards to Juve's one; however, one will easily live with that outcome if the other outcomes are generally positive, as they were in this case. Rebić and Kessié in particular flourished against Juve; this approach might serve Milan well going forward as well.

Another factor which has caused an uptick in Milan's recent level of play has been the arrival of Ibrahimović at the San Siro. In January 2020, the Swedish veteran returned to Milan for a second stint. During his previous time there between 2010 and 2012, Ibrahimović had two of the best seasons of his remarkable career. Ibrahimović scored 42 league goals in 61 appearances and helped Milan win the Serie A title in 2011.

It's true that eight years and one torn ACL later, Ibrahimović is no longer close to the athletic marvel who once struck fear into the hearts of almost all opposing defenders. However, "Ibra"'s veteran presence and experience has helped galvanize this team and elevated its overall performance. Should the 38-year-old Ibrahimović choose to call time on his career at the end of this season, it might even be in Milan's best interest to retain his services, whether in a coaching, advisory, or any other role within the club.

AC Milan can rightly regard themselves as one of the most storied football clubs on the planet. However, this club has become a fallen giant which is currently experiencing its most difficult stretch in many years. Nevertheless, there is clearly a blueprint for them to return to the top. The only question remaining is if it will come to fruition and restore AC Milan to its place as one of the world's leading football clubs.

The Weekly Take, Issue 113: Just a Blip, or Something More?

Sometimes, there are moments which at first seem insignificant, but in hindsight signalled the beginning of the downfall of a great team. Such a moment might just have taken place.

In a result which nobody could have seen coming, Manchester City registered a remarkable 4-0 victory over Liverpool. The Citizens dominated the Reds right from the opening whistle. Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, and Phil Foden scored three of City's goals; the fourth came by way of an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain own goal.

Certainly, the past three seasons have seen Liverpool enjoy more success than they have in many years. This has been a stretch which has seen the Merseysiders reach two Champions League finals, winning one. They have also won one Premier League title while also finishing second in the league once as well. Not since their glory days of the 1980s have Liverpool had so much success in such a short span of time.

That being said, there are some points of concern which must be addressed. The first of these is if the current Liverpool roster has reached its ceiling and will never again approach the heights of the past few seasons. While this may be a surprising statement, consider the following: every single one of the few greatest club teams of all time had one, and usually more than one, inner-circle all-time greats. Think top 20 or so in the all-time rankings.

Real Madrid 1955-60: Ferenc Puskás, Alfredo Di Stéfano
Bayern Munich 1970-75: Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller
AC Milan 1988-95: Marco van Basten, (arguably) Ruud Gullit, (arguably) Paolo Maldini
Barcelona 2008-15: Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, (arguably) Carles Puyol
Real Madrid 2013-18: Cristiano Ronaldo, (arguably) Iker Casillas

Looking at the current Liverpool team, it is highly unlikely that any of the players now on the roster will finish their careers as such a player. Probably the Liverpool player who will eventually have the highest all-time rankings when all is said and done is Virgil van Dijk. However, a final ranking of around the top 75 or maybe even 50 players ever is more realistic. Although more unlikely things have happened, the odds of the Dutchman's eventual reaching of the "pantheon" level are rather long indeed.

Liverpool must also be sure to avoid the temptation of over-emphasizing domestic league play. It is understandable that they might inadvertently do so, given the fact that prior to their most recent league title, they had not won the league in 30 years. However, this is a Liverpool team which is now chasing history. Years from now, the fact that this Liverpool team broke a 30-year league title drought will be but a mere footnote when compared to discussion about their Champions League performance. It is in the Champions League where the legacies of the greatest teams of all time are forged and burnished. Unfortunately for Liverpool, their Champions League title defense this season did not go according to plan. They were stunned in the round of 16 by an Atlético Madrid team which had not been expected to offer Liverpool much resistance.

With this in mind, Liverpool's Champions League campaign in the 2020-21 season could potentially be a legacy-defining one. A second title would elevate them into the realm of the greatest teams to have ever taken to the field. Another early exit, however, and they will likely be regarded as a great team in their own era, but no more than that.

Now, I won't belittle what Liverpool have accomplished since the 2017-18 season. Jürgen Klopp has proven that he is the world's best coach by turning what seemed to be a directionless, meandering team into the best team on the planet and one which is the envy of all. Players such as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, and van Dijk have also turned into genuine superstars at Anfield.

That being said, it is also true that Liverpool have now reached a stage where they are trying to stamp their mark in football history. Time will tell if this loss to Manchester City is a turning point or just a speed bump on the long road to the "Mount Rushmore" of football. Will they get there in the end? It's possible, but they still have far to go.

The Weekly Take, Issue 112: They Are Officially Legit

One of last season's most unexpected success stories has proven that their exploits were no fluke.

Getafe continued their pursuit of a Champions League spot by beating Real Sociedad 2-1. The victory not only boosted the club from central Spain's chances of qualifying for Europe's leading club tournament next season; it also all but ensured that their Basque rivals would fail doing so. Jaime Mata scored both of Getafe's goals in the victory which put them just two points adrift of fourth place in La Liga and the final Champions League berth.

Earlier this season, I made a post questioning if Getafe's excellent season in 2018-19 was a one-hit wonder. It now is evident that such is not the case. Getafe have clearly backed up their rapid improvement last season and are more than likely here to stay.

What makes Getafe's sustained success even more impressive is the fact that by almost every conceivable metric, this should not be happening. The club operates on one of the lowest budgets in La Liga. Its stadium, the Coliseum Alfonso Peréz, is also extremely small with a maximum capacity of just over 17,000. The average attendance at each of Getafe's home matches in the league has been around 11,000. They also have a roster which do not have any names which jump off the page. None of their players have been major transfer targets of bigger clubs. None of their younger players are likewise regarded as superstars in the making.

When assigning the credit for Getafe's success over the past two seasons, the bulk of the plaudits must go to head coach José Bordalás. Bordalás has become one of the most underrated coaches in the world. Ever since his appointment to the position, Getafe have only gone from strength to strength. He has proven to be a shrewd tactician and intelligent decision-maker who thoroughly understands his personnel and how to best deploy them. It is interesting that Bordalás' formation of choice is the 4-4-2; this is a formation which had seemingly fallen out of style at the top level of world football. However, the man from Alicante has shown that there is still a place for this throwback tactical approach.

The club's front office has also shown a great deal of acumen in constructing the current Getafe roster. In spite of Getafe's limited budget, the front office has managed to identify players who suit the team's system and tactics. The off-season additions of Allan Nyom and Marc Cucurella have turned out to be astute signings, as both have been important contributors to Getafe's season to date. Other signings such as Jason, Kenedy, and Deyverson have added more depth to the squad. It must also be mentioned that the club spent very little money on transfers; thus, their success in the transfer market is all the more impressive.

Speaking of the players themselves, they have really gelled over the past two seasons and turned into a solid, cohesive unit which is able to cause problems for any team - even Real Madrid and Barcelona. Players such as Mata, Damián Suárez, Mauro Arambarri, Cucurella, and Nemanja Maksimović have outperformed expectations all season long. It might not be long before bigger clubs take notice and consider signing one or more of them during the coming off-season.

Of course, there is still some work to be done. Getafe currently trail Sevilla by two points with six matchdays remaining. Furthermore, Getafe have never qualified for the Champions League before. Thus, the pressure of the situation could end up getting to them and derailing their bid for a debut appearance on the biggest stage in European club football.

That being said, Getafe have never had it so good. Their fifth-place league finish last season was the best in the club's history. If they end up bettering that result this season, they will have created yet more history by qualifying for the Champions League.

Although the odds might be stacked against Getafe achieving such a feat, they have made a habit of defying the odds in recent times. Nevertheless, one thing is certainly true of Getafe now: no club, whether in Spain or beyond, will ever underestimate this plucky bunch again.