It is only fitting that my last post of 2019 happens to be about the team which has been head and shoulders above every other team in world football this year.
Liverpool's utterly dominant season reached a new high with a 4-0 demolition of Leicester City. Although Roberto Firmino scored two goals, the majority of the plaudits would go to Trent Alexander-Arnold and rightly so - he had perhaps the best match of his career against the Foxes.
However, as great as the Reds have been this season, I honestly believe that they are still underrated by most. This team is making history with every match they win. We are witnessing one of the greatest teams in the history of club football at the peak of their powers.
Liverpool currently hold a 13-point lead over second-placed Leicester in the Premier League as of this post. To make this statistic even more astonishing: only half the season has passed thus far. They will not only win the Premier League but must also be considered the favourites to clinch back-to-back Champions League titles. They seem to be lightyears ahead of not only every other club in England, but also every other club in world football.
This is a team which truly has no real weakness. To put into perspective just how stacked the Merseyside club's current roster is, they have no fewer than six players who are either arguably or unquestionably the best player in the world at their respective positions: Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson, Sadio Mané, and Mo Salah. Furthermore, Alisson and van Dijk are genuine Ballon d'Or contenders.
Of course, there cannot be any doubt that the person who has been most responsible for Liverpool's incredible success has been head coach Jürgen Klopp. Klopp has not only clearly established himself as the world's best coach today, but also one of the greatest coaches of all time. Of the players whom I mentioned in the previous paragraph, not one of them was regarded as a superstar when they were first signed by Liverpool. Much of their development as players has been because of Klopp. Klopp's tactics have also been on another level compared to every other coach. This Liverpool team employs his "Gegenpressing" strategy to its greatest extent; no other team seems to have an answer for this tactic because of the combination of Klopp's tactical genius and Liverpool's current personnel.
Liverpool's front office and scouting department also deserve an immense amount of credit. Not only has every bit of money spent on transfers been put to good use, but they have even been able to unearth many a future mainstay of the team through pickups from less heralded clubs such as Red Bull Salzburg, Newcastle United, Hull City, and perhaps most notably of all, Southampton. It is rare that a club actually gets better after selling their best player, but so well have Liverpool run the club and used the excess money in the wake of Philippe Coutinho's departure to Barcelona that such has proven to be the case.
Due to all of the factors which have been mentioned, Liverpool are now in such a position which sees them hold such a lead in the league that during weeks in which they have matches in both the league and Champions League, they could (and should) rest their starters in the league match to keep them fresh for the Champions League - realistically, they will not lose five more league matches than their closest rivals. This therefore would put Liverpool in prime position to clinch a Premier League and Champions League double.
There is a very real possibility that as soon as the end of this season, this current Liverpool team will be regarded as the greatest team in the history of English club football and one of the all-time greats. A successful Champions League title defense would undoubtedly seal their place as the greatest team to ever come out of England.
Decades from now, Liverpool fans will surely wax lyrical about this current Liverpool team - perhaps while standing in front of the Jürgen Klopp statue at the corner of the newly-renamed van Dijk and Salah Streets just outside Anfield.
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Friday, December 20, 2019
The Weekly Take, Issue 94: The Exact Opposite of a Coaching Masterclass
The rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid is the most storied in world football. Therefore, El Clásico matches are almost always hotly-contested affairs with many notable points to be mentioned.
Therefore, it was rather surprising that the latest edition of this iconic fixture ended in a 0-0 draw. Openings for goalscoring chances did not come easily for either team; this fact was reflected in the scoreline.
Undoubtedly, it would have been Real who would have been the more satisfied of the two teams at the end of the match. Player for player, Barça are clearly superior to Real; on paper, apart from perhaps goalkeeper, there is no position in which Real would seem to have the edge over their Catalan rivals.
If anyone wonders why the Blaugrana were unable to parlay their clear advantage in ability into a victory, the person who has to be blamed is clearly head coach Ernesto Valverde.
Valverde was completely outcoached and outstrategized by his opposite number Zinedine Zidane. His tactical setup and general strategy almost completely prevented players such as Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Frenkie de Jong from having the opportunities which they would have needed in order to have influenced the outcome of the match in Barça's favour.
Another key mistake made by Valverde was his decision to start Ivan Rakitić at defensive midfielder to replace the unwell Sergio Busquets instead of Arturo Vidal. The Croatian was obviously overmatched in a role with which he was clearly unfamiliar. Real's attacking midfield trio of Toni Kroos, Federico Valverde, and Isco carved Barça's midfield up at will; this superiority was reflected in the fact that Real managed 17 shots to Barça's nine. Only poor performances up front, especially from Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, prevented Real from claiming all three points. As a natural defensive midfielder, Vidal would have ensured that Real would not have dominated the midfield battle in the way that they did.
The number of Barça fans who have been calling for the firing of Valverde has increased in recent weeks; such calls have only become louder and more fervent after this match. Many have claimed that the only reason that Valverde is still the head coach at Camp Nou is the sustained excellence of Messi and his supporting cast, and this latest result will only have bolstered the claims of the Basque coach's detractors.
The way that Barça's 2018-19 Champions League campaign ended certainly does not help Valverde's cause. Although Barça held a 3-0 lead heading into the second leg of their Champions League semifinal against Liverpool, a shocking collapse by Barça saw the Reds overturn this deficit, winning 4-0 and advancing to the final. Liverpool would go on to win the tournament. Due to the tactical ineptitude which Valverde displayed throughout the second leg, one could easily make the claim that Valverde cost Barça a Champions League title.
Barça's initial hiring of Valverde in 2017 was also a rather baffling decision. At that point, he had almost no coaching pedigree whatsoever. He had never won a title in a country with a major football league. Apart from three league and two cup titles in Greece from his time at the helm of Olympiacos, Valverde had no achievements of note at the time.
If Barça are to seriously challenge for the Champions League title this season, it is almost certain that they will have to make a change in the dugout. It has become increasingly evident that the critics are right - Valverde is simply not good enough a coach to lead Barça to their sixth continental title.
A coaching change would not only benefit Barça now, but in the future as well; Messi is not getting any younger and this team has to prepare for a future without the Argentine legend. Hiring a coach who is more able to elevate Barça to a level beyond that which Valverde has displayed would be an important step to place the club in good stead for the coming years.
At some point, Barcelona's front office must recognize that with Valverde in charge, another Champions League victory will almost certainly not come. If ever there were a time to pull the plug, it is now.
Therefore, it was rather surprising that the latest edition of this iconic fixture ended in a 0-0 draw. Openings for goalscoring chances did not come easily for either team; this fact was reflected in the scoreline.
Undoubtedly, it would have been Real who would have been the more satisfied of the two teams at the end of the match. Player for player, Barça are clearly superior to Real; on paper, apart from perhaps goalkeeper, there is no position in which Real would seem to have the edge over their Catalan rivals.
If anyone wonders why the Blaugrana were unable to parlay their clear advantage in ability into a victory, the person who has to be blamed is clearly head coach Ernesto Valverde.
Valverde was completely outcoached and outstrategized by his opposite number Zinedine Zidane. His tactical setup and general strategy almost completely prevented players such as Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Frenkie de Jong from having the opportunities which they would have needed in order to have influenced the outcome of the match in Barça's favour.
Another key mistake made by Valverde was his decision to start Ivan Rakitić at defensive midfielder to replace the unwell Sergio Busquets instead of Arturo Vidal. The Croatian was obviously overmatched in a role with which he was clearly unfamiliar. Real's attacking midfield trio of Toni Kroos, Federico Valverde, and Isco carved Barça's midfield up at will; this superiority was reflected in the fact that Real managed 17 shots to Barça's nine. Only poor performances up front, especially from Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, prevented Real from claiming all three points. As a natural defensive midfielder, Vidal would have ensured that Real would not have dominated the midfield battle in the way that they did.
The number of Barça fans who have been calling for the firing of Valverde has increased in recent weeks; such calls have only become louder and more fervent after this match. Many have claimed that the only reason that Valverde is still the head coach at Camp Nou is the sustained excellence of Messi and his supporting cast, and this latest result will only have bolstered the claims of the Basque coach's detractors.
The way that Barça's 2018-19 Champions League campaign ended certainly does not help Valverde's cause. Although Barça held a 3-0 lead heading into the second leg of their Champions League semifinal against Liverpool, a shocking collapse by Barça saw the Reds overturn this deficit, winning 4-0 and advancing to the final. Liverpool would go on to win the tournament. Due to the tactical ineptitude which Valverde displayed throughout the second leg, one could easily make the claim that Valverde cost Barça a Champions League title.
Barça's initial hiring of Valverde in 2017 was also a rather baffling decision. At that point, he had almost no coaching pedigree whatsoever. He had never won a title in a country with a major football league. Apart from three league and two cup titles in Greece from his time at the helm of Olympiacos, Valverde had no achievements of note at the time.
If Barça are to seriously challenge for the Champions League title this season, it is almost certain that they will have to make a change in the dugout. It has become increasingly evident that the critics are right - Valverde is simply not good enough a coach to lead Barça to their sixth continental title.
A coaching change would not only benefit Barça now, but in the future as well; Messi is not getting any younger and this team has to prepare for a future without the Argentine legend. Hiring a coach who is more able to elevate Barça to a level beyond that which Valverde has displayed would be an important step to place the club in good stead for the coming years.
At some point, Barcelona's front office must recognize that with Valverde in charge, another Champions League victory will almost certainly not come. If ever there were a time to pull the plug, it is now.
Thursday, December 12, 2019
The Weekly Take, Issue 93: Back to the Drawing Board
It has been an eventful past year for Ajax.
From February to April 2019, the Amsterdam club embarked on an astonishing underdog run to the Champions League semifinals. They knocked out Real Madrid and Juventus along the way and were merely seconds away from a spot in the final before a stoppage-time Lucas Moura goal put Tottenham Hotspur in the final at Ajax's expense.
This unexpected success increased the level of interest by several major clubs in Ajax's players, so it was no surprise when their two best players in Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt left the Dutch capital for Barcelona and Juve respectively. However, although the situation appeared somewhat grim for Ajax after these two departures, they were handed an unexpected lifeline by being drawn into a Champions League group which one would probably have expected them to top. They were to play against a Valencia team which would soon fire head coach Marcelino for seemingly no reason at all, a Chelsea team in complete disarray, and a Lille team to whom Ajax were clearly superior.
Yet, as this post is being written, Ajax have just been knocked out of the Champions League at the first hurdle. A 1-0 loss to Valencia eliminated the reigning Eredivisie champions from the tournament, with Rodrigo scoring the only goal of the match.
Considering what they were able to achieve during last season's campaign, Ajax's performance in this season's Champions League can be deemed an underachievement, especially when one considers the fact that they were drawn into one of the tournament's easiest groups. This is exacerbated by the relative star power of their team; it would not be a stretch to suggest that among the 10 best players in Group H, six or seven of them play for Ajax. Dušan Tadić, Hakim Ziyech, André Onana, Nicolás Tagliafico, Donny van de Beek, Daley Blind, and arguably Quincy Promes are on paper better than any of Valencia's or Lille's players as well as all of Chelsea's apart from N'Golo Kanté, Christian Pulisic, and Tammy Abraham. Thus, while regression to the mean may have been a factor to be considered, it does not wholly explain their failure to qualify for the round of 16.
During the past off-season, Ajax should certainly have done more with the enormous sums of money which they received from the sales of de Jong and de Ligt. Both were signed by their new clubs for €75 million each. Despite this infusion of revenue, the most expensive signing made by Ajax during the 2019 off-season was that of Promes from Sevilla, who was signed for €15.7 million.
While it is certainly true that Ajax is today a far cry from the powerhouse it once was, the club showed a lack of ambition in the transfer market. The €150 million received by the club from the two major sales should have been put to use. It is understandable that not many top players would want to play in a major league such as the Eredivisie; however, that doesn't excuse the fact that Ajax did not even try to search for ample replacements for their two departed young stars. They could easily have gone after a player such as Leon Goretzka, Sergej Milinković-Savić, or Fabián Ruiz to replace de Jong. De Ligt, meanwhile, could have been succeeded by a centre-back such as Milan Škriniar, Alessio Romagnoli, or Ibrahima Konaté. Instead, Ajax chose to mostly stand pat, and paid for this decision through their early Champions League exit.
However, all is not yet lost at the Johan Cruyff Arena. The January transfer window is approaching, and this represents another opportunity for Ajax to use the money which they now have in order to bring in reinforcements and reload for next season's Champions League campaign; much like Paris Saint-Germain, the relative weakness of their domestic league means that Ajax are far too good to merely target a domestic league title.
Several teams in the past have made one deep Champions League run only to never again do anything significant on Europe's biggest stage with the same core group of players. It is possible for Ajax to avoid such a fate; however, it is likely that they will only be able to do so through heavy but intelligent expenditures on high-quality players.
From February to April 2019, the Amsterdam club embarked on an astonishing underdog run to the Champions League semifinals. They knocked out Real Madrid and Juventus along the way and were merely seconds away from a spot in the final before a stoppage-time Lucas Moura goal put Tottenham Hotspur in the final at Ajax's expense.
This unexpected success increased the level of interest by several major clubs in Ajax's players, so it was no surprise when their two best players in Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt left the Dutch capital for Barcelona and Juve respectively. However, although the situation appeared somewhat grim for Ajax after these two departures, they were handed an unexpected lifeline by being drawn into a Champions League group which one would probably have expected them to top. They were to play against a Valencia team which would soon fire head coach Marcelino for seemingly no reason at all, a Chelsea team in complete disarray, and a Lille team to whom Ajax were clearly superior.
Yet, as this post is being written, Ajax have just been knocked out of the Champions League at the first hurdle. A 1-0 loss to Valencia eliminated the reigning Eredivisie champions from the tournament, with Rodrigo scoring the only goal of the match.
Considering what they were able to achieve during last season's campaign, Ajax's performance in this season's Champions League can be deemed an underachievement, especially when one considers the fact that they were drawn into one of the tournament's easiest groups. This is exacerbated by the relative star power of their team; it would not be a stretch to suggest that among the 10 best players in Group H, six or seven of them play for Ajax. Dušan Tadić, Hakim Ziyech, André Onana, Nicolás Tagliafico, Donny van de Beek, Daley Blind, and arguably Quincy Promes are on paper better than any of Valencia's or Lille's players as well as all of Chelsea's apart from N'Golo Kanté, Christian Pulisic, and Tammy Abraham. Thus, while regression to the mean may have been a factor to be considered, it does not wholly explain their failure to qualify for the round of 16.
During the past off-season, Ajax should certainly have done more with the enormous sums of money which they received from the sales of de Jong and de Ligt. Both were signed by their new clubs for €75 million each. Despite this infusion of revenue, the most expensive signing made by Ajax during the 2019 off-season was that of Promes from Sevilla, who was signed for €15.7 million.
While it is certainly true that Ajax is today a far cry from the powerhouse it once was, the club showed a lack of ambition in the transfer market. The €150 million received by the club from the two major sales should have been put to use. It is understandable that not many top players would want to play in a major league such as the Eredivisie; however, that doesn't excuse the fact that Ajax did not even try to search for ample replacements for their two departed young stars. They could easily have gone after a player such as Leon Goretzka, Sergej Milinković-Savić, or Fabián Ruiz to replace de Jong. De Ligt, meanwhile, could have been succeeded by a centre-back such as Milan Škriniar, Alessio Romagnoli, or Ibrahima Konaté. Instead, Ajax chose to mostly stand pat, and paid for this decision through their early Champions League exit.
However, all is not yet lost at the Johan Cruyff Arena. The January transfer window is approaching, and this represents another opportunity for Ajax to use the money which they now have in order to bring in reinforcements and reload for next season's Champions League campaign; much like Paris Saint-Germain, the relative weakness of their domestic league means that Ajax are far too good to merely target a domestic league title.
Several teams in the past have made one deep Champions League run only to never again do anything significant on Europe's biggest stage with the same core group of players. It is possible for Ajax to avoid such a fate; however, it is likely that they will only be able to do so through heavy but intelligent expenditures on high-quality players.
Sunday, December 8, 2019
The Weekly Take, Issue 92: Breaking a 42-Year Drought
For the last seven years, Bayern Munich have had a stranglehold over the Bundesliga title. The Bavarian club have won the league title every year since 2013; thus, at the start of this season, most expected Bayern to make it eight in a row.
However, as things stands right now, it is not only plausible but actually likely that Bayern do not win the Bundesliga title this season. This fact was highlighted by their 2-1 loss to league leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach. A stoppage-time penalty scored by Ramy Bensaibini, his second goal of the match, clinched the victory for Die Fohlen. The win also helped Gladbach retain their one-point lead over RB Leipzig in their pursuit of a first league title since 1977, when they had a team containing players such as Allan Simonsen, Uli Stielike, Berti Vogts, and Jupp Heynckes.
Almost nobody could have foreseen the excellent season which the club from northwestern Germany have had thus far. They finished fifth in last season's Bundesliga, 23 points behind Bayern, and thus failed to qualify for this season's Champions League. Furthermore, they did not bring in any major signings during the past off-season and spent relatively modest amounts to bring players to the club. They even lost their best player when they sold Thorgan Hazard to Borussia Dortmund for €25.5 million.
These facts make one wonder: just how have Gladbach done it?
The most obvious reason has to be the coaching change made during the off-season. Dieter Hecking, who had been Gladbach's head coach since 2016, did not have his contract renewed and was replaced by Marco Rose. Although Hecking is an experienced coach, he was never able to bring the tactical nous and dynamism with which Rose has been able to infuse the team. Rose has already established himself as probably the best or second-best coach in the Bundesliga, depending on how one ranks Leipzig's Julian Nagelsmann.
The aforementioned new signings have also exceeded expectations. Marcus Thuram has begun to come out of the shadow of his father Lilian, one of the greatest defenders of all time. Unlike his father, however, Marcus plays up front and is having a breakout season. Prior to this season, the Frenchman had never before played in a major league and had scored just 12 career league goals. In just 13 league matches for Gladbach this season, though, he already has six.
Stefan Lainer is another of Gladbach's new signings who deserves a mention. He was brought to the club by Rose who already knew of him because he had played under Rose's coaching at Red Bull Salzburg. The Austrian right-back had not been on most teams' radars when he was signed during the off-season. Since then, though, Lainer has made teams across the Bundesliga and beyond take notice of him with a series of impressive performances. He too is in the midst of the best season of his career to date.
The impressive performances of Gladbach's new recruits have been augmented by equally notable displays from their veteran stalwarts such as Oscar Wendt, Christoph Kramer, and Yann Sommer. Not many expected these players to have been playing at their current level this season; although most knew that they were all solid and capable players, the level at which they have played during this season has greatly surpassed expectations.
Now, I won't get myself carried away with my praise of Gladbach. Though they have been extremely impressive thus far, I do not believe that they will win the league. At the moment, I consider Leipzig to be the favourites to win their first league title in their club's history. This is because player for player, the club from Saxony are superior to Gladbach. Nagelsmann is also probably the best coach in the Bundesliga; although Rose has been impressive thus far, Nagelsmann has also accumulated the big-match experience which Rose has not. Leipzig also have a larger budget than do Gladbach; thus, they can outspend Gladbach during the upcoming January transfer window and therefore bring in higher-quality players.
That being said, no credit should be taken away from Gladbach. They have exceeded everyone's expectations for them by a long way this season, and a first Bundesliga title in 42 years would prove to be a remarkable end to what is turning out to be the club's best season in decades.
However, as things stands right now, it is not only plausible but actually likely that Bayern do not win the Bundesliga title this season. This fact was highlighted by their 2-1 loss to league leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach. A stoppage-time penalty scored by Ramy Bensaibini, his second goal of the match, clinched the victory for Die Fohlen. The win also helped Gladbach retain their one-point lead over RB Leipzig in their pursuit of a first league title since 1977, when they had a team containing players such as Allan Simonsen, Uli Stielike, Berti Vogts, and Jupp Heynckes.
Almost nobody could have foreseen the excellent season which the club from northwestern Germany have had thus far. They finished fifth in last season's Bundesliga, 23 points behind Bayern, and thus failed to qualify for this season's Champions League. Furthermore, they did not bring in any major signings during the past off-season and spent relatively modest amounts to bring players to the club. They even lost their best player when they sold Thorgan Hazard to Borussia Dortmund for €25.5 million.
These facts make one wonder: just how have Gladbach done it?
The most obvious reason has to be the coaching change made during the off-season. Dieter Hecking, who had been Gladbach's head coach since 2016, did not have his contract renewed and was replaced by Marco Rose. Although Hecking is an experienced coach, he was never able to bring the tactical nous and dynamism with which Rose has been able to infuse the team. Rose has already established himself as probably the best or second-best coach in the Bundesliga, depending on how one ranks Leipzig's Julian Nagelsmann.
The aforementioned new signings have also exceeded expectations. Marcus Thuram has begun to come out of the shadow of his father Lilian, one of the greatest defenders of all time. Unlike his father, however, Marcus plays up front and is having a breakout season. Prior to this season, the Frenchman had never before played in a major league and had scored just 12 career league goals. In just 13 league matches for Gladbach this season, though, he already has six.
Stefan Lainer is another of Gladbach's new signings who deserves a mention. He was brought to the club by Rose who already knew of him because he had played under Rose's coaching at Red Bull Salzburg. The Austrian right-back had not been on most teams' radars when he was signed during the off-season. Since then, though, Lainer has made teams across the Bundesliga and beyond take notice of him with a series of impressive performances. He too is in the midst of the best season of his career to date.
The impressive performances of Gladbach's new recruits have been augmented by equally notable displays from their veteran stalwarts such as Oscar Wendt, Christoph Kramer, and Yann Sommer. Not many expected these players to have been playing at their current level this season; although most knew that they were all solid and capable players, the level at which they have played during this season has greatly surpassed expectations.
Now, I won't get myself carried away with my praise of Gladbach. Though they have been extremely impressive thus far, I do not believe that they will win the league. At the moment, I consider Leipzig to be the favourites to win their first league title in their club's history. This is because player for player, the club from Saxony are superior to Gladbach. Nagelsmann is also probably the best coach in the Bundesliga; although Rose has been impressive thus far, Nagelsmann has also accumulated the big-match experience which Rose has not. Leipzig also have a larger budget than do Gladbach; thus, they can outspend Gladbach during the upcoming January transfer window and therefore bring in higher-quality players.
That being said, no credit should be taken away from Gladbach. They have exceeded everyone's expectations for them by a long way this season, and a first Bundesliga title in 42 years would prove to be a remarkable end to what is turning out to be the club's best season in decades.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
The Weekly Take, Issue 91: How the Mighty Have Fallen
The most recent Champions League matchday was highlighted by a match between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in what was expected to be a hotly-contested clash between two of the tournament's powerhouses.
The match did not disappoint as both teams would split the points in a 2-2 draw. However, what was notable about this result was the fact that PSG were two goals behind after 79 minutes, but staged an unlikely comeback to claim a point. Pablo Sarabia scored the Paris club's equalizer against his former team.
This would never have happened to Real Madrid during their dynastic era spanning from 2013 to 2018. I have mentioned before that I consider the Real team of that era to be the greatest team in the history of club football. Part of what made that team great was the aura of intimidation which surrounded them - it sometimes felt like the opposing team was a goal behind before the match would even begin.
Therefore, this latest result thus serves as evidence that this psychological edge has vanished; it began to disappear after they crashed out of the Champions League in the round of 16 against Ajax last season and has only continued to dissipate since. Not even the hiring of Zinedine Zidane, who had coached Real to three consecutive Champions League titles, to his second stint as Real's head coach could reverse the trend. Real would go on to finish third in La Liga. They would end up a whopping 19 points behind arch-rivals Barcelona, who won the league title. Barça also knocked Real out of the Copa del Rey during its semifinals.
Real spent a massive amount of money on player signings during the past offseason. Los Merengues shelled out €258 million to sign players such as Ferland Mendy, Luka Jović, Éder Militão, and most significantly of all, Eden Hazard. These new signings were expected to breathe new life into a team which had seen its share of struggles during the previous season. However, thus far none of them, not even Hazard, have been able to make significant positive contributions to Real's success. A recent controversial incident that called Gareth Bale's commitment to the club into question has also served to destabilize the team.
Real's performance against PSG could in a way have been considered to be a microcosm of their season so far as a whole. Only Hazard and Karim Benzema played at the level at which they were expected to play. Players such as Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Thibaut Courtois, and Raphaël Varane underperformed throughout.
Real's next sequence of matches leading up to the January transfer window will be of utmost importance. This is because when one considers the club's massive outlay during the off-season, it is not likely that they will again spend large sums of money during the next transfer window. Thus, if Real find themselves in an even more difficult position at the end of December, their odds of winning any titles this season will not be good. For this reason, the upcoming "El Clásico" against Barça will take on even more importance than such matches between the two rivals usually would. Lose that match, and Real could find themselves on the fast track to another season which will end with them finishing empty-handed.
Not many would have expected Real's dynasty to have ended as abruptly as it did. Since then, the club has been attempting to rebuild and re-establish itself as a leading contender for yet another Champions League title. Their multiple big-money, eye-catching signings clearly indicated their intent to do so, but things have not quite gone according to plan at the Bernabéu this season. Although Real had been expected to experience a period of transition throughout this season, most nevertheless expected them to have played at a higher level than that at which they have generally been playing.
Now, it's not as though everything is bleak for Real right now. They are second in La Liga and will likely go top if they win El Clásico. They have also advanced to the Champions League's round of 16 after finishing second in their group behind PSG. However, all things considered, one would certainly have expected better from a club of Real Madrid's stature; right now, it does not seem likely that a fifth Champions League title in seven years will be arriving.
The match did not disappoint as both teams would split the points in a 2-2 draw. However, what was notable about this result was the fact that PSG were two goals behind after 79 minutes, but staged an unlikely comeback to claim a point. Pablo Sarabia scored the Paris club's equalizer against his former team.
This would never have happened to Real Madrid during their dynastic era spanning from 2013 to 2018. I have mentioned before that I consider the Real team of that era to be the greatest team in the history of club football. Part of what made that team great was the aura of intimidation which surrounded them - it sometimes felt like the opposing team was a goal behind before the match would even begin.
Therefore, this latest result thus serves as evidence that this psychological edge has vanished; it began to disappear after they crashed out of the Champions League in the round of 16 against Ajax last season and has only continued to dissipate since. Not even the hiring of Zinedine Zidane, who had coached Real to three consecutive Champions League titles, to his second stint as Real's head coach could reverse the trend. Real would go on to finish third in La Liga. They would end up a whopping 19 points behind arch-rivals Barcelona, who won the league title. Barça also knocked Real out of the Copa del Rey during its semifinals.
Real spent a massive amount of money on player signings during the past offseason. Los Merengues shelled out €258 million to sign players such as Ferland Mendy, Luka Jović, Éder Militão, and most significantly of all, Eden Hazard. These new signings were expected to breathe new life into a team which had seen its share of struggles during the previous season. However, thus far none of them, not even Hazard, have been able to make significant positive contributions to Real's success. A recent controversial incident that called Gareth Bale's commitment to the club into question has also served to destabilize the team.
Real's performance against PSG could in a way have been considered to be a microcosm of their season so far as a whole. Only Hazard and Karim Benzema played at the level at which they were expected to play. Players such as Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Thibaut Courtois, and Raphaël Varane underperformed throughout.
Real's next sequence of matches leading up to the January transfer window will be of utmost importance. This is because when one considers the club's massive outlay during the off-season, it is not likely that they will again spend large sums of money during the next transfer window. Thus, if Real find themselves in an even more difficult position at the end of December, their odds of winning any titles this season will not be good. For this reason, the upcoming "El Clásico" against Barça will take on even more importance than such matches between the two rivals usually would. Lose that match, and Real could find themselves on the fast track to another season which will end with them finishing empty-handed.
Not many would have expected Real's dynasty to have ended as abruptly as it did. Since then, the club has been attempting to rebuild and re-establish itself as a leading contender for yet another Champions League title. Their multiple big-money, eye-catching signings clearly indicated their intent to do so, but things have not quite gone according to plan at the Bernabéu this season. Although Real had been expected to experience a period of transition throughout this season, most nevertheless expected them to have played at a higher level than that at which they have generally been playing.
Now, it's not as though everything is bleak for Real right now. They are second in La Liga and will likely go top if they win El Clásico. They have also advanced to the Champions League's round of 16 after finishing second in their group behind PSG. However, all things considered, one would certainly have expected better from a club of Real Madrid's stature; right now, it does not seem likely that a fifth Champions League title in seven years will be arriving.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
The Weekly Take, Issue 90: As Far As They Could Have Gone
In a stunning turn of events, Tottenham Hotspur made a coaching change which not many could have seen coming. Mauricio Pochettino, who had been Spurs' head coach for over five years, was fired and replaced by José Mourinho after a recent run of form which had seen the London club fall to 14th place in the Premier League while also being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Colchester. Their only saving grace had been their expected progress to the Champions League's round of 16; even so, they will do so as the second-placed team in Group B, thus forcing them to play against a first-place team in the next round.
On the whole, I will say that Pochettino did an excellent job during his stint in North London. He led Tottenham to a second-place Premier League finish in the 2016-17 season and, even more impressively, took them to the final of last season's Champions League where they lost to Liverpool. The Argentine also played an important role in turning Harry Kane into a bona fide superstar while also surrounding him with several solid supporting pieces such as Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura, Toby Alderweireld, and Dele Alli.
However, I will also say that firing Pochettino at this time was a difficult call, but the right one by Tottenham's front office. This is because Pochettino had seemed to have reached his limit; he had extracted everything he possibly could have out of this Tottenham team. If Tottenham were to reach the next level and win the Premier League or even Champions League any time soon, a change had to be made; one must keep in mind that Tottenham's run to last season's Champions League final was a genuine underdog story and wholly unexpected. Thus, it would have been unlikely to be repeated with Pochettino at the helm.
That said, I do not believe Pochettino will be out of a job for long; his time at Tottenham showed that he is an excellent option for any team which would like to turn an average team into a good team. However, he just isn't cut out to turn a good team into a great team. That's not necessarily a major knock on him - there are many coaches who have made solid coaching careers out of improving otherwise average teams. However, now that he has elevated Tottenham beyond that level, the expectations around the team have changed and he simply isn't the coach who could be the one to make Tottenham one of the football world's elite.
Many Tottenham fans have expressed apprehension over the hiring of Mourinho. This is understandable in light of his most recent coaching stint: a tumultous tenure spanning two-and-a-half years at Manchester United. However, if there was ever a coach who knows what it takes to win and how to turn a team which is merely a good team into one of the world's best football teams, it is Mourinho. At almost every club he has coached, he has led the club to overachievement; one could even argue that his Manchester United team, despite the circumstances of his departure, outperformed expectations by winning a Carabao Cup and a Europa League while also finishing second in the league in spite of their relatively limited financial capabilities when compared to those of many other teams.
It cannot be denied that Pochettino has laid the foundations for the future success of Tottenham Hotspur. That said, the time was right for the baton to be passed; nevertheless, any success experienced by Mourinho or any other Tottenham coach in the near future will have largely been derived from Pochettino's efforts to being Tottenham to the level at which they currently are. However, sometimes risks have to be taken; in this case, the only way for Tottenham to become a perennial title contender in the league and in Europe was by moving on from the former Espanyol and Southampton coach.
Tottenham have not won the league since 1961 and have never won the Champions League. This is a club and a fanbase which is desperate for silverware. Although Tottenham fans will look back on the Pochettino years with many fond memories, in due time many of these fans will come to realize that he would never have been the one who would have led Tottenham to have broken either of these droughts.
On the whole, I will say that Pochettino did an excellent job during his stint in North London. He led Tottenham to a second-place Premier League finish in the 2016-17 season and, even more impressively, took them to the final of last season's Champions League where they lost to Liverpool. The Argentine also played an important role in turning Harry Kane into a bona fide superstar while also surrounding him with several solid supporting pieces such as Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura, Toby Alderweireld, and Dele Alli.
However, I will also say that firing Pochettino at this time was a difficult call, but the right one by Tottenham's front office. This is because Pochettino had seemed to have reached his limit; he had extracted everything he possibly could have out of this Tottenham team. If Tottenham were to reach the next level and win the Premier League or even Champions League any time soon, a change had to be made; one must keep in mind that Tottenham's run to last season's Champions League final was a genuine underdog story and wholly unexpected. Thus, it would have been unlikely to be repeated with Pochettino at the helm.
That said, I do not believe Pochettino will be out of a job for long; his time at Tottenham showed that he is an excellent option for any team which would like to turn an average team into a good team. However, he just isn't cut out to turn a good team into a great team. That's not necessarily a major knock on him - there are many coaches who have made solid coaching careers out of improving otherwise average teams. However, now that he has elevated Tottenham beyond that level, the expectations around the team have changed and he simply isn't the coach who could be the one to make Tottenham one of the football world's elite.
Many Tottenham fans have expressed apprehension over the hiring of Mourinho. This is understandable in light of his most recent coaching stint: a tumultous tenure spanning two-and-a-half years at Manchester United. However, if there was ever a coach who knows what it takes to win and how to turn a team which is merely a good team into one of the world's best football teams, it is Mourinho. At almost every club he has coached, he has led the club to overachievement; one could even argue that his Manchester United team, despite the circumstances of his departure, outperformed expectations by winning a Carabao Cup and a Europa League while also finishing second in the league in spite of their relatively limited financial capabilities when compared to those of many other teams.
It cannot be denied that Pochettino has laid the foundations for the future success of Tottenham Hotspur. That said, the time was right for the baton to be passed; nevertheless, any success experienced by Mourinho or any other Tottenham coach in the near future will have largely been derived from Pochettino's efforts to being Tottenham to the level at which they currently are. However, sometimes risks have to be taken; in this case, the only way for Tottenham to become a perennial title contender in the league and in Europe was by moving on from the former Espanyol and Southampton coach.
Tottenham have not won the league since 1961 and have never won the Champions League. This is a club and a fanbase which is desperate for silverware. Although Tottenham fans will look back on the Pochettino years with many fond memories, in due time many of these fans will come to realize that he would never have been the one who would have led Tottenham to have broken either of these droughts.
Monday, November 18, 2019
The Weekly Take, Issue 89: Time Is Running Out
As Euro 2020 approaches and the qualifying stage reaches its climax, every team which might still qualify for the tournament will be doing all they can to do so, while those who have already qualified will be attempting to prove why they should be among the contenders to win the title.
One such team which has already qualified is Belgium.
In the latest round of Euro 2020 qualifiers, Belgium registered an impressive 4-1 victory over Russia. Eden Hazard's two first-half goals served as the catalyst for the rather one-sided victory.
However, at this point fans of the Belgian team should be cautious. Ever since they first emerged as a genuine threat to win titles, they have made a habit out of looking extremely impressive in qualifying and the early rounds of tournaments, only to fall apart when the stakes are at their absolute highest.
During the 2014 World Cup, Belgium were drawn into Group H against Russia, South Korea, and Algeria after having cruised through qualifying. As expected, they made it out of the group with absolutely no problems, winning all three matches. Then, in the round of 16, they faced the United States, where they won a hard-fought but rather unimpressive 2-1 extra-time victory. Belgium then proceeded to crash out in the quarterfinals after losing to an Argentina team which had been underperforming up to that point of the tournament and whom many expected Belgium to beat.
Euro 2016 provided a similar story. After advancing from a group containing Italy, Ireland, and Sweden, Belgium took Hungary apart in the round of 16 to set up a match against Wales in the quarterfinals. Once again, Belgium would come up short against a supposedly inferior opponent, losing 3-1 to the unfancied Welsh team.
During last year's World Cup, Belgium again found themselves in what seemed to be a relatively easy group; they were drawn against England, Panama, and Tunisia after once again breezing through the qualifiers. They won all three group matches, scoring nine goals in the process. A round of 16 win over Japan from two goals behind was followed by a 2-1 victory over Brazil to set up a semifinal against France. With the less-favoured teams of Croatia and England facing off in the other semifinal, many believed that this was the "real" final; the winner of this match would go on to win the tournament. In what was their best chance to claim the biggest prize in football, Belgium once again stumbled in the spotlight as they were eliminated by a 51st-minute Samuel Umtiti goal. Although Belgium would go on to beat England in a group-stage rematch for third place, it would prove to be scant consolation for a team which had now blown three clear chances to win a tournament for the first time in the country's history.
The current Belgian team is overflowing with talent. Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, and Kevin De Bruyne are genuine superstars around whom a title-winning team can be built. They also have an excellent supporting cast featuring the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Axel Witsel, Nacer Chadli, Michy Batshuayi, Yannick Carrasco, and Thomas Meunier among others. Roberto Martínez has also done an excellent job as head coach since taking over in 2016.
That being said, at this point, one has to wonder if these constant near-misses have gotten inside the Belgian players' minds. In terms of sheer talent and star power as well as overall depth, Belgium were at or near the very top among all teams in their last three major tournaments, but fell short each time including twice against teams which they had been expected to beat.
This is a team which is beginning to run out of chances. Their stars do not have many prime years left; thus, Euro 2020 might represent their last tournament as a top-tier title contender for quite some time. There is a distinct possibility that this astonishingly talented generation, the likes of which Belgium had never before seen, might very well end up with nothing to show for their efforts when the story of this era of international football is fully written.
Has time run out on this Belgium team? Not yet, but the hourglass is ever closer to becoming empty.
One such team which has already qualified is Belgium.
In the latest round of Euro 2020 qualifiers, Belgium registered an impressive 4-1 victory over Russia. Eden Hazard's two first-half goals served as the catalyst for the rather one-sided victory.
However, at this point fans of the Belgian team should be cautious. Ever since they first emerged as a genuine threat to win titles, they have made a habit out of looking extremely impressive in qualifying and the early rounds of tournaments, only to fall apart when the stakes are at their absolute highest.
During the 2014 World Cup, Belgium were drawn into Group H against Russia, South Korea, and Algeria after having cruised through qualifying. As expected, they made it out of the group with absolutely no problems, winning all three matches. Then, in the round of 16, they faced the United States, where they won a hard-fought but rather unimpressive 2-1 extra-time victory. Belgium then proceeded to crash out in the quarterfinals after losing to an Argentina team which had been underperforming up to that point of the tournament and whom many expected Belgium to beat.
Euro 2016 provided a similar story. After advancing from a group containing Italy, Ireland, and Sweden, Belgium took Hungary apart in the round of 16 to set up a match against Wales in the quarterfinals. Once again, Belgium would come up short against a supposedly inferior opponent, losing 3-1 to the unfancied Welsh team.
During last year's World Cup, Belgium again found themselves in what seemed to be a relatively easy group; they were drawn against England, Panama, and Tunisia after once again breezing through the qualifiers. They won all three group matches, scoring nine goals in the process. A round of 16 win over Japan from two goals behind was followed by a 2-1 victory over Brazil to set up a semifinal against France. With the less-favoured teams of Croatia and England facing off in the other semifinal, many believed that this was the "real" final; the winner of this match would go on to win the tournament. In what was their best chance to claim the biggest prize in football, Belgium once again stumbled in the spotlight as they were eliminated by a 51st-minute Samuel Umtiti goal. Although Belgium would go on to beat England in a group-stage rematch for third place, it would prove to be scant consolation for a team which had now blown three clear chances to win a tournament for the first time in the country's history.
The current Belgian team is overflowing with talent. Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, and Kevin De Bruyne are genuine superstars around whom a title-winning team can be built. They also have an excellent supporting cast featuring the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Axel Witsel, Nacer Chadli, Michy Batshuayi, Yannick Carrasco, and Thomas Meunier among others. Roberto Martínez has also done an excellent job as head coach since taking over in 2016.
That being said, at this point, one has to wonder if these constant near-misses have gotten inside the Belgian players' minds. In terms of sheer talent and star power as well as overall depth, Belgium were at or near the very top among all teams in their last three major tournaments, but fell short each time including twice against teams which they had been expected to beat.
This is a team which is beginning to run out of chances. Their stars do not have many prime years left; thus, Euro 2020 might represent their last tournament as a top-tier title contender for quite some time. There is a distinct possibility that this astonishingly talented generation, the likes of which Belgium had never before seen, might very well end up with nothing to show for their efforts when the story of this era of international football is fully written.
Has time run out on this Belgium team? Not yet, but the hourglass is ever closer to becoming empty.
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