Champions League Predictions

Ah the Champions League.  It's what we all really want anyways isn't it.

Group A
The German revolution is continuing and Leverkusen is not being left behind.  Manchester United will win the group, but the Germans will push them for first place.

Group B
Juventus and Madrid will duke it out for first.  I can see Juve winning just because Madrid will be putting more focus on la liga this year. But watch out for Madrid in the group stages.

Group C
PSG and Benfica will take this at a canter. I know everyone wants to say Olympiakos away is a tough fixture, but they have to travel just as much as everyone else.

Group D
Bayern will dominate as they did last year but Manchester City will have a better showing than last year as well. I could see them making the quarters if they get a decent group of 16 draw.

Group E
I've seen a lot of picks for Basel to reach the round of 16, but I can't see past Schalke to be the runners up to Chelsea here. Basel has a good reputation when it comes to qualifying but they are poor in the group stages.

Group F
This year's group of death will see a surprised Arsenal realize how thin they are. Dortmund's experience will see them through and Napoli seem to have something to prove as they enter the competition for the first time in a while.

Group G
Both Atletico Madrid and Porto have been tough contenders for the last few years. I can see both of them making it to the round of 16 and I'd bet that at least one of them will make the quarters.

Group H
It's hard not to pick Barcelona and Milan to go through but I've heard rumors of Ajax spoiling Milan's party. But with the return of Kaka and the energetic youth they have I can see them being the Italian team to beat.

Winner: Bayern Munich
Madrid will make a good push but they'll lack a bit of creativity in the shape of Mesut Ozil. Bayern are still looking hungry and have some new blood that wants to win as well. Barcelona will have to adapt if they want to get back to their winning ways, Messi is good but he's the type of player that is only as good as the players behind him.

NFL 2013 Predictions

Just in the nick of time it appears.  I had planned to make my NFL predictions a few weeks ago, and before I knew it, it was 9:00a.m. on Sunday September 8th.  Kind of sort and sweet, but I do believe I have done enough research to predict most of these games correctly.  Enjoy the season! (I just want to say that like last year when I stated that the San Francisco 49ers vs. the New England Patriots would be the game of the year, this year it’s the Broncos visiting the Patriots in week 12.  It will be a doozy).

AFC East
#2 Patriots XII 12-4
Jets III 3-13
Bills II 2-14
Dolphins VIII 8-8

AFC South
#4 Texans X 10-6
Colts VIII 8-8
Jaguars IIII 4-12
Titans VI 6-10

AFC North
Steelers VIII 8-8
#6 Ravens X 10-6
#3 Bengals X 10-6
Browns VIII 8-8

AFC West
#1 Broncos XIII 13-3
#5 Chiefs XI 11-5
Raiders IIII 4-12
Chargers IIII 4-12

NFC East
Giants VIIII 9-7
#4 Cowboys VIIII 9-7
Eagles VI 6-10
Redskins VIII 8-8

NFC South
Panthers V 5-11
#6 Falcons XI 11-5
#2 Saints XI 11-5
Buccaneers VIII 8-8

NFC North
Vikings VIII 8-8
#3 Packers VIIII 9-7
Lions VI 6-10
Bears VII 7-9

NFC West
#1 49ers XIII 13-3
Cardinals V 5-11
#5 Seahawks XIII 13-3
Rams VII 7-9


AFC Wild-card
Baltimore at Cincinnati: A rematch of the week before.  I have Cincinnati winning that game, which is crucial because it gives them home field for this one.  It’s enough to get through and on to the divisional round.

Bengals 23 Ravens 20

Kansas City at Houston: I really like the Chiefs this year.  I think Alex Smith will be one of the biggest acquisitions of the off-season and he gets them to the playoffs and beyond.

Chiefs 17 Texans 13

NFC Wild-card
Atlanta at Green Bay: Green Bay is going to have a difficult season with the offensive line as a big question mark.  The whole division is tough and no one really stands out.  The Falcons start slowly (I had them 4-3 at one point) before turning it on late.  They come in and do it at Lambeau in my last season as a Packers fan.

Falcons 31 Packers 24

Seattle at Dallas:  I sat on this very same game earlier in the season before giving it to the Seahawks.  I think that Dallas matches up really well vs. Seattle, especially if they can get Miles Austin in the slot and therefore avoiding Richard Sherman. In the regular season, I think Seattle makes Dallas one-dimensional, but to Garrett’s credit, maybe he figures it out this time?  If Sid Rice and Percy Harvin are back to full health this goes the other way though.

Cowboys 21 Seahawks 14

AFC Divisional Round
Cincinnati at New England:  On October 6th, the Bengals should give New England their first loss of the season.  This time, I think it’s way more difficult.  By then, New England should be back to their balanced best, and I think Danny Amendola sees the field unlike half of the regular season.  New England is very difficult at Foxboro.

Patriots 35 Bengals 20
Kansas City at Denver:  I think Denver will be played tough by the Chiefs both times they meet in the regular season.  I do have Denver winning both games, however, because they don’t have the defensive depth to match up with the Broncos.  I’m not quite sure if anyone does, but Peyton remembers last season.  And that will make the difference.

Broncos 38 Chiefs 10

NFC Divisional Round
Atlanta at San Francisco:  I feel really bad for the 49ers here.  They probably enjoy the best regular season of any team in the NFL, but this may turn into a nightmare match-up for them.  They were lucky to do it last year, and that’s only because Matt Ryan made the wrong pass late.  Atlanta made personnel changes to beat teams like the 49ers (Osi Umenyiora, Desmond Trufant), and at this point, they are the hottest team in the league.

Falcons 27 49ers 24

Dallas at New Orleans:  Tony Romo finally gets his second win in the playoffs after all the criticism.  This game will be a little tougher for him to win, even though I believe the Seahawks are much more talented than the Saints. New Orleans (when good) is a tough place to play and Drew Brees picks teams apart better than any quarterback I've ever seen.  I think they use Darren Sproles frequently, and host the Falcons next week.

Saints 35 Cowboys 24

AFC Championship Game
New England at Denver:  Here we go again.  In what may be the last Brady vs. Manning game that we will ever get to see in the playoffs, we may have a barn burner.  Both these teams realize that the windows are getting smaller, and their quarterbacks are getting older.  I believe Denver will challenge New England to keep up offensively, which they are capable of doing.  Yet, little does Bill Belichick know that Wes Welker will be the X-factor in this game.  I love the Patriots secondary, (Talib, McCourty, Dennard, A. Wilson) but they are going to be one man short in this game.  Welker has the biggest day of all, and gets his moment of glory.

Broncos 35 Patriots 31

NFC Championship Game
Atlanta at New Orleans:  I keep thinking of ways that will make this game an NFC West showdown.  And the talents of Drew Brees and Matt Ryan keep me from putting the other two in this match-up.  I appreciate the talents of both Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick, but I think many of the football analysts are correct in saying that the option play will be much less significant as defenses will have gained a full off-season of planning and preparation.  The Falcons and the Saints both have defenses to overcome this new phenomenon.  The Saints offensive line is one of the best in football if they don’t lose anyone to injury.  I know that the losses of Will Smith and Kenyon Coleman will hurt on defense, but the running game will sparkle this year with Ingram taking that next step.  The Saints will get to the Super Bowl, but only if we get full seasons from Brees, Ingram, Jabari Greer and Keenan Lewis.  I believe they do.

Saints 28 Falcons 21


Super Bowl
Denver vs. New Orleans:  I never pick this game.  Ever.  But if it happens, it should be fantastic.

Soccer Sense

            Just like we all have favorite positions in baseball, basketball and football, I have come to love certain positions in soccer.  Some players execute them better than others, and give new meanings to the defense, mid-field and forward positions.  Just like people now understand what a slot receiver is, or a long reliever in baseball, or the sixth man off the bench in basketball, I hope to make aware the meanings of new and all-encompassing positions in soccer.  These are my favorite five.

#1. The tactically industrious mid-fielder. (CM; CDM) This is the type of player that gives full out energy for 90 minutes and is able to bring it to both the defensive and attacking aspects of the game.  Any team that can get a world class player at this position should automatically challenge for more trophies and higher places in the table (standings).  They are efficient at breaking up the attacks of the opposing team, not only with their strength and physical skills, but also through their understanding of where to line up and when to drop deep and take away the passing lanes.  They win a lot of challenges, and are able to begin the attacks going the other way as well.  They won’t put in for very many goals during the course of a season, but can still contribute 3-8 goals a season that help make a good team great.

A.  Claude Makelele – The player whom the position is now named. (Makelele role). While at Real Madrid, he sat back behind the midfield, broke up play, and contributed to the success of Figo, Raul, etc.  After moving to Chelsea, I believe he was the catalyst that helped Chelsea win back-to-back titles during Mourinho’s first campaign at the club.  He hardly ever was out of position, and won enough tackles to make opponents fear coming through the middle of the park.

B. Roy Keane – My favorite player ever to play this position and one of my favorites of all-time.  You tube some of his highlights to get a true understanding of what this position means.  He was a dangerous player, not only because he was talented on the ball and could mark any attacking midfielder, but because he wasn’t afraid of any challenge, and had no fears in taking a player out.  My favorite part of his game though was the attacks forward and the energy he put into them.  There were a number of times when Keane’s 60 yard runs ended up with the ball in the back of the net. 

C. Paul Pogba – The evolved version of this role.  He’s a player that is just getting started, but plays the position as well as anyone in the world at the tender age of nineteen.  With that being said, there is nothing tender about his game.  He’ll put a foot in, run around all day, and even take a pop at the goal. Some of his goals have been simply incredible and he’s continuing to get better.  Might be #1 on this list by the end of his career.

#2. The tracking-back forward (CF, LW, RW) The type of player that is good for any team.  They work hard, always support the cause, but can score 15-25 goals a season as well.  They are just as committed to defending the opposing forward on a corner, as they are diving in for a header on the other end.  Fans love them, coaches need them.  If you can get them on your side, it almost feels like there is a 12^th player out on the field.  But, as I have been a fan for over 15 years now, they are very hard to come by.  No forward wants to sacrifice glory for grit.  Just about none, anyway.

A. Wayne Rooney – Even with all of his issues, he is still my favorite player of all-time.  When it comes to talking about being fully motivated and giving effort, no one in the world can match the focus and effort that Wayne Rooney brings to the pitch.  One of my great attributes to the world of sports is my ability to recognize greatness in the youth.  The first time I watched Rooney play, I knew he was headed for that level.  He made a tackle, went on a run, and scored one of the most fantastic game-winners I have ever seen on any level.  This before his 17^th birthday.  All the things a world class forward should do.

B. Dirk Kuyt – In his prime, he was one of the most frustrating players to deal with being a Manchester United fan.  Speaking of 12 players on the field, I felt like there were 2 Kuyt’s out there.  He never appeared tired, and gave the impression that he could play another match that day.  He didn’t score at the highest level, but was always a threat to finish.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a forward, or many other players for that matter, that put forth such high effort for 90 minutes.  The fact that he did it from the corners of the pitch made it even more impressive. 

C. Thomas Muller – I challenge you the reader to watch him play.  He currently plies his trade for Bayern Munich who at the time of this blog is arguably the best team in the world.  Now Muller is not pretty.  He is not creative.  He really isn’t high energy in the way I’ve described.  He isn’t clinical in his finishing.  But by the end of the match, you will have realized that he made his mark on the game and probably has a goal to his name as well.  I can’t explain how it was done, only in that he did it.  Perhaps he is the smartest player in the world, but I can say in full confidence that Munich wouldn’t be the world’s best without him. 

#3. The thundering full-back. (LB, LWB, RB, RWB)  These guys are fun to watch.  This player plays back in defense, but you can tell in their heart that they want to be out there either scoring goals, or helping the forwards finish them off.  The difference between a thundering full-back and just your average full-back is that they are literally up and down the sidelines for 90 minutes and are looking to get forward at every opportunity.  They also may not be afraid of taking corners and free kicks for the team, and some have been known to take a penalty kick as well.  A world class player at this position can’t be considered such unless they are able to dive in and make a tackle and I believe that all three examples are definitely in that category.

A. Roberto Carlos – Legend.  He is far and away the greatest attacking full-back in the history of world football.  He could do everything that was required of this role.  He took amazing free kicks, he could SCORE from corners, and he was almost impossible to mark for the full 90 minutes.  I mentioned before that any teams that have these types of world class players become instantly better, he made every single team he was on World Class. Brazil should’ve won more than just 2002, but if you are a great fan of the sport, you have to believe that Brazil and Real Madrid will win many titles soon if they just had another Roberto Carlos.

B. Cafu – Which makes the whole Brazil thing ridiculous.  For a number of years, they had two of the greatest full-backs in the same side at the same time.  They were both more known for their attacking skills, but the national team kept a surprising number of clean sheets considering how often they liked to attack.  Cafu wasn’t as great at set pieces as Roberto Carlos, but his tactical awareness was almost flawless.  He was part of the great Milan team during the mid 2000’s, and a team which many consider to have one of the greatest back four’s in the history of the game (Maldini, Costacurta, Nesta). 

C. David Alaba – Another star for today’s Bayern Munich.  The position has evolved over the last ten years, but he almost plays it flawlessly for Munich.  He can run down the sideline, cut inside, defend in open play, defend set pieces and score the odd goal after long runs.  He’s on the young side of his 20’s, and should be a threat for many years to come.

#4. The creative mid-fielder. (CAM).  Most every fan’s favorite position.  They can do all of the pleasing aspects of the game.  They can score great goals, set up great passes, dribble, avoid contact, and generally just make the right play at the right time.  This is the position that tends to go for the most money on the transfer market (Zidane, Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo in a way).  A world class one of these can change history; clubs tend to becoming bigger the minute they get one (Napoli, Villarreal).

A. Zinedine Zidane – For me, the greatest player that ever played.  A smile comes to my face every time I hear his name.  Most people will remember him for the head butt; I have come to terms with that.  But if they could see his elegance, his tactical shrewdness, his dribbling determination, and his gentle arrogance, then they would know what type of player he was.  He did things on the field, that I could never dream of.  He did things on the field that no professional would ever think of.  I’m sure Diego Maradona and Pele were fantastic players, but Zidane deserves every mention of that breath as well.

B. Michael Laudrup – By the time I was getting interested in the game, Laudrup was well past his prime.  He and his brother were both nearing the end of great careers, and I didn’t quite understand the impact that they had on the sport.  But I mean this as a great compliment when I say that I have yet to see another rendition of their skill levels.  Like Thomas Muller, it is hard to define in just words.  I would say that Laudrup saw the field very well, and could think 2 or 3 passes ahead of the game.  But the effects that he had on the opponents, and the fact that he was always involved in the big moments of the game, made me realize that a gem like this doesn’t come around very often.  He never had a red card in his career either. 

C. Kevin de Bruyne – Many of you knowledgeable soccer fans may laugh at this inclusion, but my own confidence in youth had me keep him in here.  There are a number of young players in the world right now that could fill this particular spot (Özil, Isco, Bale, Schweinsteiger, Hazard, etc). Yet, we are literally only seeing the tip of the iceberg with this player.  I was absolutely shocked and appalled when I heard that Chelsea was spending £14 million pounds on an unknown kid.  I take pride in certain things; certainly following young stars is one of them.  I had never heard of de Bruyne, and when I heard that they loaned him out immediately after, I knew it was going to be a waste of cash.  Now... I think he could be one of the great players of our generation, and he should be Chelsea’s best player in the next few seasons.  He sees the pitch like a chess master, and has no fear.  Similar to that of Wayne Rooney.  He finishes like a forward, runs like a mid-fielder and marks like a defender.  Sounds world class to me. 

#5. The first attacker (ST). These are the guys that lead the lines, and are expected to score many goals.  The reason that I prefer them to a drifting striker, a shadow striker or a false nine, is that they are required to only score goals and to do so often.  As a fan of this sport for 15 years, I have seen a great many “first attacker’s” lose confidence and start missing the back of the net.  It can literally, ruin careers.  Andriy Shevchenko will never be remembered fondly at Chelsea.  Zlatan at Barcelona. Karim Benzema at Real Madrid.  But the greats?  The truly greats?  They can go on to legend status. 

A. Andy Cole – Some may think of this as a bizarre inclusion, but let me share this – United could get goals from just about anywhere.  This team was so talented, that they did not require a striker on the front lines.  Robin van Persie may have been mediocre during those great teams of the late 90’s.  (Personally, I think he would’ve done well). They got multiple goals from Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Teddy Sheringham, Dwight Yorke and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.  That’s a lot of players to share the ball with.  Denny Welbeck had 1 premier league goal last season.  So in Andy’s case, for a guy that was required to score many goals, but wasn’t really given that many opportunities in which to do so, the fact that he was able to score 93 goals in 195 appearances with Manchester United makes him seem like a pretty great attacker to me. 

B. Gabriel Batistuta – The guy that just banged them in.  There have been many great attacking forwards since I have been alive, but not so many that were able to hit them hard and accurately like Batigol ever did.  He didn’t play with the greatest teams during his career, but he was still able to score goals like they were being distributed at every moment.  He scored for Argentina 56 times in just under 80 caps, and it seemed like every goal was blasted from the spot.  His style hasn’t really been duplicated since, and for his uniqueness plus his knack for scoring so often gets him into this category.

C. Mario Balotelli – A polarizing character to say the least.  As a player on the pitch, he is probably one of my least favorite players that I have ever watched.  He is lazy, selfish, detached and reacts bizarrely to certain situations.  But he is a genius.  He has a 100% penalty scoring rate, which is absurd considering the amount of penalties that he has taken over his career so far.  (24 for 24 at time of writing) He has great physical size and skills and isn’t afraid of taking a shot from anywhere on the pitch.  I would never want him to play for my favorite club because I believe the bad outweighs the good, but damn if the good isn’t spectacular.  

The death of the agent?

With only a few days left in the summer transfer window there seems to be a theme that is prevailing throughout the European leagues, a theme that’s been missing for nearly a decade.

The contract.

In layman’s terms the contract is something that must be fulfilled and can only be broken when both parties agree it would be the best course of action.  In football the contract has two different definitions for the two parties.  For the team it is something that must be maintained, updated and extended whenever possible in order to get the maximum value out of every player.  When you sign a player, you want it to be for its maximum length, baring older players, for the smallest amount possible.  For the player you think it would be logical to sign short contracts for the most money possible but in reality it becomes 5 year deals with as much as they can get by threatening to not sign when their current contract gets down to one or two years remaining.  With the huge caveat that if they want they can hand in a transfer request, and due to the ridiculous spending that some of the top teams have been accustomed to in the past decade or so, most of the players get what they want.

But it seems that a lot of that has changed this year.

It could possibly be due to financial fair play, possibly due to the major shift in managers that the biggest leagues in Europe have seen this summer, possibly because it’s a world cup year, but it seems the power has shifted back to the clubs for a little while. The biggest leagues have all seen its effects, even if it’s not as much as it should be.  Wayne Rooney seemed intent on going to Chelsea but has had his hopes wiped out by a consistent (in this respect) David Moyes. Robert Lewandowski was perhaps the most public about his desire to move and was quickly stifled by Borussia Dortmund.  The Luis Suarez affair took a little longer to deal with but in the end Liverpool caged their dog. And even Real Madrid had some caging to do as Fabio Coentrao handed in a transfer request, only to be told to shut up and play, unless he’s a make weight for the Garreth Bale deal.

One of many who were bitch slapped into place.

In the end it seems as though the teams have put the players in their place for once. I do not have a problem with players leaving on a Bosman, that is the nature of a contract, but I do have a problem with them using that threat as leverage for a better contract.  Instead the players seem afraid that if they are too obvious about their desire to move they won’t get a lot of playing time and will end up watching the Brazil 2014 from their couch.

I for one couldn’t be happier.  The mercenary has become far too common in the European game and there seems to be a lot more players that listen to their agents than to their hearts. They piss and moan when they feel they need to be paid more and then sign 5 year deals for higher wages, only to hand in a transfer request a few months later (see Rooney/ Gerrard).

That’s not to say that I think transferring is bad, sometimes you do have to move in order to fulfill a dream (Cristiano Ronaldo), reach your potential (Anyone who’s left Benfica since 2010), or just avoid bad management (see Rafa Benitez), but if you’ve played for more than 3 teams in your senior career, you’re probably not going to be remembered for much at any of them (see Carlos Tevez).

Remember these days? Don't feel bad.

And while I’m at it, even from a Manchester United fan, the Fellaini/Baines deal from Everton to United is not a classy proposal. If you've agreed to not raid your old team maybe stick to it or else forget about your legacy. Your word should be your word, almost like a verbal agreement or, god forbid, a contract.

Predictions for my "Soccer Following"

Back for what should be the best season yet.  And I can’t get around to watching it because my life has been overwhelmed by the lives of three young children.  What I can offer you is a little glimpse into what I might believe will happen this season, but the likelier story is that I will be wrong about everything.  Oh well.  I won’t have the time to watch it unravel anyway.

English Premier League:

The three most entertaining stories of the off-season are coming to their conclusion rather soon.  It’s amusing how all three of them come from the media gauntlet that is the English Press.  Will Wayne Rooney join Chelsea?  Will Gareth Bale head over to Spain?  Will Luis Suarez find a dentist in London?  I honestly think all three will stay with their current clubs for one more season, but I won’t be surprised when they all make moves in 2014.  Wayne should have a little more negotiating power when his contract winds down to its last 12 months.  Bale probably needs Real Madrid to move out one of their expensive midfielders before the price tag is finally met (Ozil, Di Maria, Modric)?  Suarez won’t be sold to London it appears, but Monaco might realize they need just a little more firepower to tackle the best teams in Europe.  Well, as I’m sure you are getting tired of these three dilemmas, it should be time to make some guesses.

Champion:  Chelsea – Won’t be as easy as last year was for Manchester United, but their midfield could be the world’s best.

Top 4:  Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Manchester City – Mancini was really good, and I don’t think they got that much better.  Spurs only 3rd if Bale stays, but it’s a deep and talented squad.  United looks the same, but the continuity should be enough to get them 2nd.  It’s a hungry group.

Rest of Europe:  F.A. Cup winner: Chelsea; League Cup winner: Everton; 5th and 6th place spots: Arsenal, Liverpool. -  Chelsea was listed at 14/1 to do the domestic league and cup titles, and I seriously would consider taking that bet.  Arsenal and Liverpool have the resources to move into those places if they happen to be a bit lower by Christmas, and I think Roberto Martinez’s magic continues in the other cup this time.

Safe mid-table clubs:  Southampton, Everton, Swansea City, West Ham, Aston Villa, Norwich City.  No one here should be threatened by relegation.  Maybe the Hammers, but they look good for a top half position.

Nervous mid-table clubs:  Newcastle, Fulham, Stoke City, West Bromwich, Crystal Palace. I think West Brom and Newcastle should have it wrapped up before the final weekends, but neither club really showed ambition to stay mid-table.  Stoke, Palace and Fulham all may have to sweat for a little while.

Relegation teams: Cardiff City, Hull City, Sunderland.  Cardiff and Sunderland definitely have the financial wherewithal to stay up in the league, but I think both managers are probably a little above their heads to stay around.  I don’t think Cardiff fires Mackay, unless they are Derby poor near the end of the season.  Sunderland spent, and if Jozy scores a ton, they will be safe.  I bet he doesn’t.  Hull is managed by Steve Bruce which is a plus, but with the extremely small squad they have, any injury crisis probably knocks them back down for a year.  

Promoted teams from the Championship: Bolton, Leeds United, Charlton Athletic

Spain:  Barcelona, Real Madrid....um... hmm.

France:  PSG, Lyon, Monaco, Marseille

Germany: Dortmund, Bayern Munich, VFL Wolfsburg, FC Schalke

Italy: Juventus, Napoli, Fiorentina, Milan

Europa League: Fiorentina v Tottenham

Champions League: Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

5 new stars to watch for:

GK – Simon Mignolet.  Could push Liverpool to that 4th spot.

CB – Alvaro Dominiguez. Borussia Monchengladbach are on an up tick, and he’s one of the reasons why.

CM – Paul Pogba. Juventus won’t be able to leave him out soon.

CAM – Jonas Hofmann. Should seamlessly step into Mario Gotze’s shoes for Dortmund.

ST – Diego Costa. Should get the 25 goals that Falcao used to get for Atletico Madrid.

Soccer Season is Near

The season is almost upon us.  Lots of changes have come about since the last few weeks of last season.  None bigger than the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson from the manager position at Manchester United.  Although I do believe that the success or lack of for David Moyes will be one of the biggest stories of the 2013-14 season, there are three more stories that have sparked my interest that I would like to share thoughts about as we approach the pre-season in European football.  First, I would like to touch on the midfield of Bayern Munich and why they felt the need to improve what was probably already one of the top two or three best midfields in the world.  Second, I want to take a look at the youth movement coming out of AC Milan, which is quite unusual for a club that sees so many player careers push into their mid to late 30’s and still maintain much success.  The final discussion will cover my own reflections and analysis on why it is so difficult to create all-time elevens, or those of just one season.  Let’s welcome in the new season and hopefully we will get a season to remember from all leagues and competitions!

            Most outsiders believed that midfielder Thiago Alcantara would either join Manchester United or stay with Barcelona this summer.  Then at the eleventh hour, (or the first hour, depending on what you believe) Thiago decided to join Bayern Munich.  This is a club that already has close to ten midfielders of top quality, and one would even consider that they have three of the world’s best in Müller, Ribery and Schweinsteiger.  Javi Martinez and Arjen Robben could also be considered in that class, and Mario Götze, Xherdan Shaqiri and Toni Kroos are well on their way to that level.  Luiz Gustavo starts for the Brazilian national team, and David Alaba is more than capable of covering in the midfield.  So why the luxurious buy?  Perhaps, only Pep Guardiola knows the answer to that question.  It is rumored that he is going to introduce the 4-1-4-1 system to Bayern.  This would mean that they would probably line up like this:  Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Alaba; Martinez; Ribery, Götze, Schweinsteiger, Müller; Mandzukic.  This would leave a bench with Thiago, Gustavo, Robben and Kroos.  Fully healthy and firing on all cylinders, there are going to be a number of unhappy players within the squad.  Now there are still six weeks remaining in the transfer window, and a number of clubs around the world would surely be happy with an addition of Luiz Gustavo or Xherdan Shaqiri.  If Pep truly knows what’s best, he may loan out one or both of those players.  Shaqiri really is an impressive talent; he demonstrated this while he played regularly with FC Basel.  Time will tell, but I think Pep is going to have a difficult time replicating the success of last year’s team, as well as keeping all of his midfielders happy.  And he still has Robert Lewandowski to consider for!

            AC Milan is introducing a wave of young talent that reminds us of the quality that Manchester United introduced in the 1990’s and that Barcelona introduced in the 2000’s.  It really shouldn’t be a surprise considering the money and prestige that AC Milan possess in the world of football.  Yet, many are shocked about the talent coming through.  For many years, AC Milan has always purchased already proven talent, and developed a system and facility that allowed for those players to succeed late into their careers.  Players like Paolo Maldini, Gennaro Gattuso, Filippo Inzaghi, Clarence Seedorf and many others have benefited from this system, and there was no reason for AC Milan to change.  That is until the Champions League changed from a technical, slow-tempo chess match to the competition it is today with brains, brawn and full-out energy.  Milan had won two titles in the mid 2000’s and also lost a title in 2005.  Yet, over the past couple of seasons, they were getting destroyed by the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham, Barcelona and the like. 

Then, in the last couple of seasons did we start to see a change.  Players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexandre Pato and Thiago Silva were moved for large fees even though Milan didn’t buy or have already made replacements.  I, for one, was concerned.  I thought it would be the end of the AC Milan as we knew it.  And in a way, I was correct.  There started to be a change in both attacking and defensive mindsets at the club.  They weren’t afraid to send size out onto the pitch even if it sacrificed technical ability.  They started playing 3 up front instead of the former 4-4-1-1.  They introduced younger, more physical players to combat the power of European’s top clubs.  Adding to this, their purchase of Mario Balotelli in the last transfer window, really put Milan in a position to succeed. 

With a team that should be starting El Sharaawy, Niang, Balotelli, Strasser and De Ceglie over the next couple of years, Milan has built a solid foundation on which to work with and a team that can compete with the big, bruising sides of Europe.  I don’t expect them to overtake Juventus in Serie A, or even appear in a Champions League semi-final, but this new ideology of theirs can get them back to the elite class of Europe.

I have spent the last couple of months trying to create an all-time eleven team to satisfy my own needs, and to compare with others.  It seems like something easy to do; you just pick your eleven favorite players at each particular position and then you have yourself a squad.  Except after starting, it hasn’t been very easy at all.  I have had to take a number of things into consideration.  Can I add players that I never saw play?  Can I take players whose careers are just beginning to surface?  Should I consider team chemistry when choosing a team?  Then I got to a point where I couldn’t even whittle the team down to eleven players.  I had about 60 players that I was trying to squeeze into an eleven person squad, maybe eighteen with the addition of subs.  I began to get annoyed.  It wasn’t this hard for basketball (Magic, Michael, LeBron, Bird, Olajuwon).  My baseball line-up has been perfected (Henderson, Mauer, Ripken Jr, Ruth, Mays, Gehrig, Jackie, Morgan).  Even for football it’s pretty dang close (Jerry Rice and all the rest).  Yet, soccer I couldn’t finish it off.  To only be able to choose 2-3 players in an attack when the world allows for Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Romario, Del Piero, Shearer, Henry, Klose, Batistuta, and Rooney.  This is just from my generation.  There are still plenty of other options in which to choose from.  Midfield?  No chance.  I had to leave Xavi, Kaka, Ballack, Rivaldo, Vieira, Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard Figo, Pirlo and Iniesta off my team just to name a few.  Thank God for the goalkeeper position and the fact that no one will ever touch the gifts of Peter Schmeichel, at least through my eyes.  Then I got to thinking about specific individual seasons, as that tends to be easier.  Not really.  Xavi would probably walk into most elevens as would Messi/CR7.  After that anything goes.  I couldn’t even find room to consider John Terry, who many would name as the greatest Chelsea CB of all-time.  At least I get to wear tinted colored glasses while I participate in this activity.  But for all you soccer fans, I suggest you give it a try.  It’s not as easy as you think.

Schmeichel; R.Carlos, Vidic, Rio, Thuram; Giggs, Keane, Zidane, Overmars; Ronaldo, Van Nistelrooy.  Bench:  Scholes, Rooney, VdS, Maldini, Robben, Desailly, CR7. 

The Final

The Final

                I hope I don’t have to say which final it is that I am discussing as there is only one 'big' game that matters in sports in the month of May.  I am excited to say that this Saturday brings us a European Cup Final that I have personally been waiting for since my exchange experience in Germany back in the 1999-2000 school year.  On exchange, I was sent to Dortmund on my exchange, and my interest in soccer/football went up tenfold.  The fans there are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, maybe outside of the Dortmund-Galatasaray (gala fans) fixture I went to that season.  It’s usually 75,000 strong, and it’s loud and passionate and just an absolutely fantastic atmosphere.  It was the first time in my life that I recognized that being a fan of your favorite team meant more than the simple pleasure of enjoying the sport.  It was a lifestyle.

                That being said, I can still look at this game from beyond my yellow tinted glasses.  Living in Dortmund it was only natural to dislike Bayern Munich.  For everything that they stood for, and beyond that.  Coming back to the states and not experiencing that disgust on a weekly basis though, I really learned to appreciate how Bayern plays and how they manage and react to organizational success.  They don’t care how fans and the media view their club, and they always do what’s in their clubs own best interests.  They have no concern for the league, or the country, and certainly not the fan base.  For better or worse, it’s what makes them so successful.  And it’s what has put them in this position today; a third Champions League Final appearance in four seasons.

                This clash is probably one of the biggest matches in the history of German football.  Dortmund will be hard pressed to get back to this summit with their current squad; many of the players are expected to be leaving over the next couple of seasons.  Mario Götze is already leaving for Bayern Munich after the game.  Dortmund have changed their brand significantly over the last couple of seasons; they used to challenge with Bayern style money.  Once their club’s finances hit the skids and they were close to bankruptcy, did they decide to build from the ground up and create one of the great youth academies on the entire continent.  Bayern’s legacy will also be challenged during this affair.  They haven’t won a Champions League Final since 2001; in fact they have lost in three of their last four final appearances.  A lot of their players have made Bayern their summit, and with their philosophical change after the hire of Pep Guardiola, the former great Barcelona manager, a number of these current players could be gone after the season.  Arjen Robben is viewed in most circles as a rather selfish player, and it appears that Götze will be his direct replacement.  Boateng, Gomez and Pizarro could all be replaced as well.  This has been a dominant domestic side this year, but they wouldn’t have brought in Guardiola if they weren’t prepared for some change.

                I see the game playing out one of two ways.  The first way is how most domestic clubs continental matchups go, which is boring and unconnected.  No team wants to lose to a big rival, and no player (or manager) wants to take it upon himself to be the hero.  A la 2003 European final between Juventus and Milan which was a bore 0-0 draw.  In 2000, Madrid was just superior to Valencia in every way, and the game was almost an afterthought beyond halftime.  The 2008 match between Manchester United and Chelsea had its moments, but outside of Cristiano Ronaldo’s sensational header, and Drogba’s casual slap, it rather lacked creativity and passion.  The other direction this game could go is a barn burner in which both teams attempt to attack the same way they decided to against the Spanish sides in the semi-finals, and we get a 4-3 classic.  I believe that the game will attempt to begin in this fashion as both teams sense their own confidence in being capable of winning the match.  Bayern went this route last year, and just couldn’t get the goals to finish off Chelsea.  But no fan doubted who was the better side that day.  I can't remember specifically, but I think they outshot Chelsea 28-5 on the day. Dortmund knows that their legacy with these kids is going to soon end, as there is too much money in the sport now to keep this group of talented players intact.  Bayern’s overall dominance is reason enough to give Dortmund all they can handle.  I think that with Götze officially out of the game, and with Javi Martinez and Bastian Schweinsteiger playing magnificently during these last few weeks, that Bayern will get the best of Dortmund in an open match, 3-1.

 

Borusssia Dortmund player to watch: Robert Lewandowski.  Stud. Scored 4 goals in the home leg against Real Madrid in the semi, and will be in different colors next season.  Ideally in Rooney’s #10 shirt.

Bayern Munich player to watch: Javi Martinez.  I would’ve picked Philip Lahm, but I have every round, so it’s time for someone new.  Javi is the defensive-midfield version of Zidane.  Elegant on the ball and a great, all-around understanding of the game. 

Probable Lineups:

Dortmund 4-2-3-1

GK –Weidenfeller
LB – Schmelzer
CB – Hummels (if he’s healthy)
CB – Subotic (if he’s healthy)
RB – Piszczek
DM – Gündogan
DM – Bender
LM – Großkruetz
CM – Reus
RM – Blaszczykowski
ST – Lewandowski

Bayern 4-2-3-1
GK – Neuer
LB – Alaba
CB – Boateng
CB – Dante
RB – Lahm
DM – Martinez
DM – Schweinsteiger
LM – Ribery
CF – Müller
RM – Robben
ST – Mandzukic

It would’ve been interesting to see if Toni Kroos would’ve had a place in the final before his season ending injury.  I think this is their best line-up even though I rate Kroos very highly.  Mario Gomez will be brought on if they are down, as will Schieber if Dortmund is in the same situation.  Should be pretty straight forward.  Dortmund did pass the animal test for those of you that know the history of Paul and the German obsession with his success. Enjoy the match, and until next season, goodbye readership!

The End

The European seasons are not officially over yet but in all fairness the league competitions have been over for weeks, if not months.  In truth, none of the major leagues really offered any suspense at the top as clear favorites broke away early and the competition quickly turned into “who’s second best”.  Here’s a quick rundown of what’s been going on and of course I couldn’t stop myself from giving out some awards.

Italy – The biggest mistake AC Milan has made in the last decade was letting Andrea Pirlo go to Juventus. He may not put up big numbers but you can’t really argue with how good Juventus have been since he arrived.  They also benefit from a well balanced strike force who don’t really scare anyone in Europe, but are good enough for the sub par Serie A.

This year they led the league every week with the exception of the first because Napoli and Inter had a better goal difference for 5 days.  Since then they haven’t looked back and their biggest competitor this season, Napoli, lost their footing in February and March.  With one game left they now hold a 9 point lead, with the third place Milan 9 more points behind that.

At the bottom, it’s sad to see Palermo go, only real men can wear pink like they do while Siena are confirming their yo-yo status, and Pescara, well 22 points is 22 points I guess.

Player of the Season – Arturo Vidal. You could make an argument for Edinson Cavani but Cavani doesn’t do it against the really good teams, and he doesn’t really do it when it matters that much.  Vidal is essential to a dominant Juventus and is one of the reasons that they’ll probably repeat their Championship bit next year.

One goal against a top 5 team does not impress me.

Spain – Thanks to infighting that inevitably follows Jose Mourinho wherever he goes, this two team league has been a one team season since…well since Christmas. Strangely enough it was the other side of Madrid that held on longer.  Real Madrid was out of the race in September while Atletico Madrid put up a fight until they started giving away points after the New Year. Barca was clinical until everyone realized that they’ve become a one man show.

The relegation fight is still on as Spain finishes later than most other leagues and there are seven teams still duking it out, but Mallorca look to be in serious trouble.

Player of the Season – Other than the two givens, I’d feel silly if I didn’t give a shout out to Radamel Falcao.  He’s the most sought after forward in Europe, which is pretty big considering there are some big guns who are going to command some big transfer fees this summer (Rooney, Cavani, Lewandowski) but the guy is clinical and unlike some of his competitors he scores in a lot of different ways.  It’s too bad he’ll probably be moving to a different league as he’s made La Liga bearable this season.

Another Atletico forward bound for big money England?

Germany – Bayern Munich has had one hell of a season.  They could wrap up an outstanding treble if they can dominate like they have all season for their two upcoming finals. Again, they finished the league relatively early by opening up a ten point lead at the top by the end of November…NOVEMBER!

Dortmund has had a fantastic run in the Champions League this season and they’ve done well in the league but they just haven’t been able to be quite as dominant as Bayern.  It’ll make for one heck of a final at Wembley though. Unfortunately it looks like they will get relatively dismantled this summer with Gotze and Lewandowski looking certain to leave.

It would also be good to make a note of Bayer Leverkusen’s season.  If they can keep their players they have a squad that could do some damage in Europe next season.

The relegation battle is going down to the last day with Fortuna, Augsburg, and Hoffenheim competing for the one safe spot on the table.  Augsburg has the easiest last game as they host already regulated Furth while Hoffenheim heads away to Dortmund to wrap up their season and potentially their 5 year spell in Bundesliga 1.

Player of the Year – I really want to lean towards Robert Lewandowski and all he’s done for Dortmund in the past few years, but even Sweet Lou can’t hide how important Bastian Schweinsteiger has been to Bayern and the amazing season they are having.  They’ve only given up 15 goals, they’ve only dropped eleven points in the season this year, eleven.  They are winning the league by 22 points, that’s more than last placed Furth have accumulated over the entire season.  And he is the center of it all, consistently making that team attack like clockwork while stifling other teams’ midfields attacking abilities. As a general rule, if a team doesn’t have a breakthrough forward who scores 20+ goals a season but is still successful, you need to look at their midfield to find the source of their strength, Bayern and Schweinsteiger are a prime example.

Whitest player ever.

England – One of the ‘closer’ races in the top divisions this year, the two sides of Manchester fought it out amongst themselves for a little while at least.  At the end of November United had a one point lead at the top, by the end of December it was seven.  While Robin Van Persie highlighted their early season, Wayne Rooney filled in the cold months with a few performances worth remembering, all the while helping United pull away from City so that by the end of March the lead had gone to 15.  Even a few late stumbling blocks by United couldn’t overcome a City squad that seemed to be struggling with its identity as Roberto Mancini seemed to lose control and eventually lost his job. 

The relegation battle was lively for a long time but in the end Reading and QPR never really looked like Premier League teams and Wigan who have had a long run in the EPL were sent down with one game to go after they dared to win the FA Cup.

Player of the Year – Gareth Bale, hands down. Argue about RVP or Luis Suarez all you want but teams and defenders fear Bale like they haven’t feared a wide player since Ronaldo left for Spain.  Usually players start as Forwards and work their way back to defense as they work through their teens. Bale has done the opposite of that as he’s worked from a fullback to midfielder to winger, to central attacking midfielder.  It’s a bizarre progression that you don’t see often but Villas-Boas is finding out just how versatile and talented this kid is.  Hopefully he stays at Tottenham even if they don’t see Champions League football next year.

Not a current photo.

Champions League Final – I’d be remiss if I didn’t make a prediction for the “most important game of the season”.  As a general comment on the Champions League this season I have to say it’s been one of the better seasons I can remember.  The favorites were knocked out in spectacular fashion, the underdog hipster favorites have squeaked by to make it to the final, plenty of stories and “what if’s” to talk about and most of all, another switch in the balance of power in European football. Remember when Germany only sent three teams to the Champions League every year? Italy used to be good.

Dortmund are still underdogs for this game and you can see why considering Bayern’s season.  And to be honest do see Bayern winning in the end but I think there will be goals on both sides and I don’t see a blow out like we saw in the semi-finals.  I’ll say 3-2 Bayern when it’s all over.  Lewandowski with a brace and Muller will score one or two in that bizarre, ghostly way in which he tends to score without actually participating in the game.

Sir Alex Ferguson Retires – There’s more than enough being written about this so I won’t waste a bunch of your time but I would like to say that while his successor David Moyes has done an outstanding job at Everton while spending, on average, less than 1 million pounds per year. He may have some problems attracting players the way SAF has. Ronaldo, RVP, Van Nistelrooy...they all claim to have come because of the manager, not necessarily the money. 

What could have been.

Europe's Final Four

Champions League Semi-Finals

 

                My apologies to those that actually read these snippets that I wasn’t able to offer you my thoughts and opinions on the Champions League quarter-finals.  Life has gotten a little busier now that I have two infants that have figured out how to crawl around, pull themselves up on tables, and make overlapping runs on the soccer pitch. 

This pair of matches though, are far too important to not say something about, and I think we could be in for some of the most exciting matches in the past couple of seasons in the Champions League.  For most of the season, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid have been the in-form teams, and the clubs that always had the most likely of chances to lift the cup.  All four clubs have also made this competition the priority this season, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone that all four have matched their expectations as of now. 

Bayern Munich v Barcelona:

Bayern Munich – At times this season, they have been absolutely unstoppable.  They have a +75 differential in the bundesliga with games to go, and they have been brilliant in the knockout rounds of the ECL.  First they went and played Arsenal off of their own ground in winning 3-1, and looked like they could’ve scored a few more.  They were fluid, and Arsenal could never really figure out how to maintain them.  Then, in what possibly may have been their worst game of the season, they lost at home to Arsenal 2-0.  I believe they went into the match far too relaxed, but did enough defending when it mattered to push through to the quarters.  That’s where they met Juventus, who many people felt like it would be the tie of the round.  Bayern made sure it was quick work by winning at home 2-0, and dominating in Italy and also pulling down a 2-0 victory.  They have been tough to defend, and they have a nice selection of fifteen players that have maintained a health streak unlike anything I’ve seen in years.

Barcelona – Usually the favorite any time they get drawn with an opponent, they might have to be considered the underdog going into this tie with Bayern.  In the first knockout round, they faced an organized Milan squad that sat back and took away the diagonal passing lanes that make Barcelona so dangerous.  Milan was lucky to score the first goal, but after that moment, dominated the rest of the first leg.  The second leg, we saw Barcelona and more specifically Messi at his best, and it was a comfortable 4-0 win to get to the quarterfinals.  They drew PSG in that round, and had some difficulty in defending both Lavezzi and Ibrahimovic, while maintaining their strategy of the monster possession game.  They may have been better off playing just a little bit deeper and forcing PSG to play more simple passes, but they were able to score 2 goals in Paris, which allowed them to win the round on goal difference.

Bayern v Barcelona – This is definitely the juicier of the two match-ups.  For reasons that are almost unfathomable, these two clubs haven’t met in Europe since the 2008-09 season even though one of them have appeared in every single ECL final since that year.  They have similar ideologies in the fact that both teams love to control the ball and get most of the squad involved in various attacks.  Neither club is afraid to attack away from home, and it should make for some interesting moments.  I see Bayern wanting to keep things tight in the first leg and win the game 1 or 2-0.  They know they have an advantage on set pieces and dead ball situations and may look to try and expose some of the Barcelona weakness in those situations.  I think Barcelona will attempt to control the tempo at the Alliance, and may even push to win the match to make things easy at the Nou Camp.  If Messi is able to play, Barcelona will be allowed to do what is comfortable and should make for an easy like path to Wembley.

My Prediction – 1^st leg: Bayern 1 Barcelona 1       2^nd leg: Barcelona 3 Bayern 2

Barcelona through to the final.

 

Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid:

Borussia Dortmund – With a very impressive feat, Dortmund won what many consider to be one of the toughest group stage draws of all-time with Madrid, Manchester City, Ajax and themselves, all champions of their respective domestic leagues.  Dortmund was unlucky not to win all six games within the group.  They gave up a questionable 90^th minute penalty against Manchester City at the Etihad, and let Mesut Özil equalize with less than 5 minutes remaining at the Bernabeu.  They played an attractive, free-flowing style of football that was difficult to defend, and were able to score some big goals form Robert Lewandowski and Marco Reus.  They drew Shakatar in the round of 16, and while faced a difficult match in the Ukraine, they preceded to cruise once they got back to the Signal Iduna and took the round 5-2 aggregate.  They faced Malaga in the quarterfinals, and you may already know the story that got them to this point.  It’s one of the most exciting moments I’ve witnessed as a football fan, and the whole city has gotten behind them.  For those of you that haven’t heard, they were down 3-2 aggregate and needed to score twice to get through to the semi-finals.  With less than 3 minutes to go, they struck the first one back, and then in the dying seconds, Felipe Santana bumbled the ball over the line to start euphoria among the 70,000.

Real Madrid – Nothing has gone easy for Real so far this season.  Every two weeks, fresh newspaper reports claim that Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo are heading for “greener pastures”.  They haven’t been in their domestic race since October.  There have been many rifts within the squad this season, and no one believes that Mourinho knows what his strongest eleven really is.  Yet, here they are.  They finished second in Dortmund’s group, but did look like they were going through by matchday 5.  They played some exciting matches vs Manchester City, and came back from a goal down beat them in Madrid.  In the round of 16, they drew Manchester United, and looked to be struggling until they went up a man.  Mourinho, with a stroke of magic, brought on Luka Modric and within 5 minutes had Real Madrid going through to the quarterfinals.  Once there they met up with Galatasaray, and although the final score made it seem like it was simple going for Madrid, they had a difficult time handling the counter attack with Didier Drogba at the forefront. They still won the first match 3-0, but with their foot off the gas, gave Gala every opportunity to make things interesting before Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal at the end put Madrid safely through to the semi-finals. 

Dortmund v Real Madrid:  Looking back at the last time these two teams played, Madrid had a little bit of a difficult time handling the counter-attack of Borussia Dortmund.  Dortmund likes to attack through their full-backs and then get the ball toward the middle where the likes of Mario Gotze and Lewandowski can latch on to it.  Madrid, and more Angel Di Maria and Cristiano Ronaldo specifically have a hard time tracking back and marking these full-backs.  Mourinho might come into the first leg and play three central midfielders that will keep Dortmund from hitting on those quick breaks.  He might be better off playing Michael Essien, Xabi Alonso and Modric and wait until the second half before bringing on a Di Maria or a Kaka.  Madrid has plenty of options to use off the bench, and Mourinho may even consider playing Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain at the same time.  Dortmund usually doesn’t defer from their normal formation, nor do they pick an eleven based on their opponents.   Madrid will know exactly what they’re going to get, and we’ll see if Mourinho has the tactical wherewithal to make adjustments and get Madrid to their first final with him at the helm.

My Prediction – 1^st leg: Dortmund 2 Madrid 1      2^nd leg: Madrid 2 Dortmund 1

Aggregate 3-3 and Dortmund will win on penalties.

Dortmund through to the final.