I correctly predicted the Chavs would get spanked. I sometimes tire of being right. At least under Coco, Chavs won something. The Smug One is simply an embarrassment. No way will Mad Dog be pleased with that.
He'll get away with it. With, a little justification, he will plead that he did the best he could with "somebody else's" squad. Not the players he would have had, etc.....watch your wallet, Mr Sugardaddy!...
Chelsea tried to go toe to toe with At. Madrid and got shown about themselves, as you'd with any English side that played them, they're a top side. Better to lose whilst trying to attack than playing **** football though, in my opinion. Referee did really well today, didn't give the first two penalty shouts which were minor fouls not worthy of penalties but got the one he did give spot on. The commentators were embarrassing though, they couldn't brush aside the second penalty shout, which gets given all day for a big cluib in the Premier League, especially as all that Neville had to say about it was that "he was looking for it". Neville's the man that frequently defends players for falling over and criticises those that try to stay on their feet. I actually have more respect for Savage on the Beeb's live text who at least sticks to his guns and says it should have been a penalty, a rare moment of consistency from a pundit. Credit to Mourinho, at least he was gracious for once, although I'm not sure what he could possibly have complained about.
No better sight in football than seeing John Terry cry. Thank you Atleti! Yesterday was a win for football.
Midfielder Eden Hazard, 23, criticised Jose Mourinho's tactical methods after Chelsea exited the Champions League at the hands of Atletico Madrid. (Source: Daily Mail) Oh, dear! The Smug One isn't going to be impressed with that! I reckon we should make a cheeky little bid for Hazard, right now.
But its isn't just those three - the whole Barca team are better at passing than average and most of them came through the Barca academy. I happen to think that they are the fruit of a consistently better approach to the game which hones their skills rather than believe that Barca have just got lucky with personnel. Guardioala is trying to add good short passing and keeping possession to the skills Bayern already have to improve them long-term. This may have made them worse temporarily against the very best sides but it doesn't mean he is wrong.
I wouldn't disagree that many of Barca's players have learnt their basic ball retention and quick passing skills in their famous academy. However, these players start at La Masia when they are kids. This stuff is drilled into them every day. They learn over years, their formative years. No doubt playing countless practice games against made up sides who are told specifically to harry them, and try to dispossess them. They learn, again over numerous years as youngsters how to combat that kind of harassment by first touch, and quick pass and move drills. I still maintain that the three players I mentioned are exceptional talents, regardless. What Guardiola has tried to do is effectively teach old dogs new tricks. It won't work. Not to the level that he desires, anyway. Yes, he may improve those particular skills marginally, but he is wasting all the strengths that Bayern have as a team by his dogged insistence on imposing his preferred style of play on players who are just not capable of delivering what he wants.
"Yes, he may improve those particular skills marginally, but he is wasting all the strengths that Bayern have as a team by his dogged insistence on imposing his preferred style of play on players who are just not capable of delivering what he wants." Indeed. Perhaps the nightmare scenario will brew in their Academy and be upon us in the near future. To expect it to transfer on season 1 to an existing senior squad is naive at best.
Hazard comes across to me as a mercenary (not that most footballers aren't), whoever can offer him the bigger pay packet he'll go and sign for, so wouldn't surprise me if PSG are readying a deal.
Hazard is a merc. Which is one good thing that the lesser finances at Spurs ensure (we cannot afford their wages at the outset) .
You see career brawlers in boxing add defensive skills around the midpoint in their careers. People are impressed with how they look against second tier opponents. Then they face top fighters and don't defend any better than they did before. To beat top competition you can't rely on skills you learned when you were twenty five or twenty seven. The only ones that may do it are the ones you've been working on since you were ten--because those are the ones they're using against you.
