Scolari Hears the Boos

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks



The Brazilian Football Federation has changed horses in mid-stream. They have fired Mano Menezes and replaced him with “Big Phil” Scolari. Since the second coming of Scolari, the Brazilian national team has not made much of a dramatic turn around. The Selecao possesses an abundance of talent but the molding of a great team has just not occurred. The Confederation Cup will be a test as to what this Scolari aggregation is capable of achieving.

At the end of the friendly with Chile that was drawn 2-2, the disappointed Brazilian fans, 50,000 strong, booed the poor performance of the team. As a result, Scolari in the Confederation Cup has opted to go with the young, the promising and the untested. In the Confederation aggregation, there is no Kaka, no Robinho, and no Ronaldinho. And even though Chelsea’s Ramires is in the bloom of his career, he was not included.

All signs pointed to Neymar being signed by Barcelona and making his departure from Brazil. Neymar, from whom much is expected in 2014, has been roughed up not by his opponents but by the fans at Santos and in Brazil in general. Scolari has been encouraging Neymar to play abroad and to develop his full potential. Santos recognizes that the timing is right and if they waited another year, Neymar would have been out of contract and they would have received no compensation for his departure.



World Cup teams need new stars to emerge and establish their credentials on the world stage. Bernard, Ronaldinho’s team-mate at Athletico Mineiro, is designated as a rising star. Often designated stars flop on the international stage like Ganso. But Neymar is no Atlas and cannot single-handedly carry Brazil to another notch in 2014.

Scolari is in the spotlight. Time is of the essence and if he “bombs” in the Confederation Cup, then the boos will not only be directed at the players but at the new manager. Scolari is a long way from covered with glory.

Winning Isn't The Only Thing

Words by Mike Jacobs

There are interesting situations playing out in Spain and Argentina this week that show the upside and downside of coaching.

In Spain, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has won 13 out of a possible 16 trophies since taking over four years ago, but he has yet to decide if he wants to coach the club next season.

Meanwhile, in Argentina, Boca Juniors, under coach Julio Cesar Falcioni, won the Argentine league title in December, is undefeated in the past 33 games and is one of the favorites to win the Copa Libertadores. Yet Falcioni is on the verge of being fired.

Both situations make you scratch your head. Success, it seems, doesn’t always generate happiness.

Ball Harambee Dec. 19

Messi is the King of the Hill By Bagga Wilks

Some months ago Pele compared Neymar and Messi as two of the world’s top footballers. According to the Gospel of Pele, Neymar had the potential of being better than him. Neymar was a far more completed footballer than Messi as he kicked with both feet. Pele also encouraged Neymar to stay at Santos and play in the Brazilian league until after the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

In recent years, aging Brazilian footballers like Ronaldo, Adriano, Elano, Ronaldinho, et al, having lost a few steps, have left European clubs to return to Brazil as a way of extending their careers.

Brazil is a rising world power. It is an integral part of what world economists call the BRIC emerging markets, Brazil, Russia, India and China. At the same time that Brazil has emerged as a world power, it is declining as a football powerhouse. The Brazilian national football team performed poorly in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The game has changed but Brazil is still playing at the same old anachronistic tempo.

At the FIFA club championships in Tokyo, Japan, that was telecast on Fox Soccer at 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning, Barcelona of Spain completely dominated Santos of Brazil. What made the game of historical importance was that it brought together Messi of Barcelona on the same pitch as Neymer of Santos. The two great players were on the world stage. Also the Brazilian league would be tested whether it was in the same class as the elite teams or leagues in Europe. It was not much of a contest as Barcelona pawed with Santos and simply held the lion share of possession and seemingly scored at will.

Messi was surrounded by a great aggregation of players, Iniesta, Xavi, Fabregas, Alves, Thiago and Busquet. Messi time and time again destroyed Santos’ pervious defense. He clearly demonstrated that Neymar is still a “babe in the woods” and is not yet in the class of the great Argentinian.

The question for Neymar and his Brazilian advisors is is it possible for Neymar to morph into a great player by limiting himself to the mediocre competition that he faces playing in the Brazilian league? Neymar is 19 years old and there is no question about his talent. But achieving greatness in the world of soccer requires more than national ability. It means developing a mental toughness, adhering to a strict physical regiment, staying uninjured and with the introspection to work on one’s game. Messi is beyond those trials. He is truly one of the great players in the history of the game and his wizardry against Santos in Tokyo is a testimony to his elite stature. Neymar is still climbing the hill of greatness and must in coming years maneuver the steep slopes. He has miles and miles to climb before he is in the class of Messi. Lionel Messi is sitting on the top of the hill of world soccer and before his playing days are over,he may be rated above King Pele but he will need to win a few World Cups for his country Argentina.

The Matador vs the Ball

By Bagga Wilks

There have been historic match-ups in the world of sports and the Barcelona vs Real Madrid struggle for soccer supremacy in La Liga, Spain, can rival any of the past epics.

In the world of boxing, we have had the epics between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. In baseball, there was the fierce rivalry of the New York Yankees vs the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the world of football, there is the fierce rivalry between Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. The mushrooming rivalry between Guardiola’s Matadors and Mourinho’s Bulls will do a lot for expanding the base of world soccer on cable stations.

The return leg of the Super-Cup was played in Barcelona on Wednesday, August 17, 2011 and it will go down in history as one of the greatest club soccer games in history. The first leg played in Madrid ended in a 2-2 draw. The finale ended Barcelona edging Real Madrid 3-2 and winning the Super-Cup. They also retained their place as the best soccer club in the world of soccer.



In a Barcelona-Real Madrid match-up, there are macro plots and there are micro plots. Throughout the night, Danni Alves, the Barcelona right full back was determined to keep Real Madrid’s Ronaldo in check. Although Ronaldo scored one of the Madrid’s goals and was outstanding, Danni Alves tackles against the Portuguese winger were superb. Alves played miserably in the Copa America tournament and below par in the friendly against Germany but against Real Madrid and Ronaldo, the Brazilian full back rose to the occasion.

Guardiola vs Mourinho

By Bagga Wilks

Guardiola and Mourinho are recognized as two of the top coaches in the world of soccer. Sir Alex Ferguson is included in that exclusive club. Last year in La Liga, Guardiola’s Barcelona beat Real Madrid consistently. This season as was clear in the Super-Cup on Sunday, 14th August, 2011, the Real Madrid’s coach, Mourinho, has developed a new strategy to knock off Barcelona from occupying the pinnacle of world football.

Barca has perfected the short passing game with mid-field players becoming non-stop moving parts, possessing the ball and immediately dispossessing opponents whenever losing the ball.

Guardiola has assembled a special cluster of mid-fielders that rhythmically control mid field better than any other team in the world. Busquet, Inesta, Xavi, and Messi are some of the best mid-field players in the world. Playing this brand of soccer last year, they had teams like Real Madrid and Manchester United mesmerized.

EPL: Play Ball

By Bagga Wilks

The English riots have subsided. Some sociologists would argue that growing inequality in the United Kingdom was the cause of the gang violence and damage to property. In the English Premier League, we do have inequality but that has not necessarily diminished the competitive nature of the League.

Manchester United began the new season with a bang. They beat West Brom 2-1 in a tightly-fought match which further raised questions about the successor to Van de Saar. De Gea looks shaky and the next couple of games will determine if he has the mettle to be a top class goalkeeper in the rugged EPL.

What would have been gratifying to Sir Alex is the versatility of his newly-assembled aggregation. Vidic and Ferdinand had to limp off injured but Phil Jones and Johnny Evans filled in ably. The pistons up front displayed their creative ferocity with deft passing, running off the ball, passing into spaces and kicking with great defiance. They have served notice on defences. The aggregation of Nani, Young, Rooney, Anderson, Welbeck and Cleverly will prove their uncontainability as the 2011-12 season continues to unfold.

Bicycle on Barcelona

It's not even debatable that there is a club team in the world right now that is better than FC Barcelona. This makes a friendly match a daunting task, but bear in mind there are reserve players in the travelling squad and the pressure isn't as heavy to win. Mexican Primera team Chivas de Guadelajara was able to put together a 4-1 victory over the UEFA Champions League winners including this stunner(above) by Marco Fabian. A concise counter-attack that ended with a sublime cross and immaculate finish.

David Villa Upper 90 Goal: Champions League Final

This is clearly my favorite goal of Champions League Final. Not only did David Villa hit upper 90 but he smoothly bend the ball around Manchester United Defender just so Van Der Sar could not see the ball..Pure World Class

How Great is Barcelona?

By Bagga Wilks

There is no question that Barcelona is the best team in football at this juncture. They do not have the best defense. Pique is an excellent central defender and Mascherano showed his versatility as a defensive player by partnering with Pique. Playing as a central defender is not Mascherano’s natural position. Danny Alves is more an attacking full back and Abidal’s quick return from cancer surgery was heroic. When Manchester United attacked, Barcelona’s defense looked shaky and Rooney’s masterful curler gave United hope and signaled that Barcelona’s defensive perimeter could be breached.

Other than Rooney’s goal, Manchester United looked incredibly ordinary. Barcelona plays against great teams like Manchester United, Arsenal and Real Madrid and treats the game like a training exercise.

Coaching is significant but the aggregation of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets, Alves, Abidal, Villa and Pedro make them into passing wonders. They short pass, they move, they turn, they mesmerize and then they strike like vipers.

The Manchester tactic was to pressure the ball and not give Barcelona time to dominate possession. It worked for a couple minutes in the first half but as Barcelona stepped into a rhythm, Sir Alex’s contingent was running in circles and when they got the ball, were immediately dispossessed.

A central aspect of Barcelona’s ability to dominate is their capacity not to allow their opponents to put passes together. What is unique is not the art of the short passing but the use of space and the nonstop running off the ball.

Guess Who Is Invited To Tonight's Party?

Tonight's Champions League match up between the Iberian super-powers will be hot! The 5th El Clasico of the season between Real Madrid and Barcelona FC, coming off a heated matchday 1 in the Champions League Semi-finals. Both teams have filed complaints about each other, so UEFA has called in one of the most recognized figures in world football. Pierluigi Collina the head of referees for UEFA will act as a official observer of the match. This man is a legend and hopefully will inspire a true classic between these two giants.

El Clasico Animated

Remember the animated drawing for Gareth Bale vs. Inter Milan? Well the team of A Hotspur & An Argyle has revisited the early 5-0 win by Barca over Real. We can all debate if it was a humiliation or a strategy, but the animation clearly shows the beauty of it all.

Midweek Superlatives

By Bagga Wilks

Real Madrid vs Barcelona
There is a legendary Robert Nesta Marley song “Dem a Go Tired to See Mi Face” (They will be tired to see my face). Last week, Real Madrid and Barcelona played to a 1-1 draw, both goals were scored through penalty kicks, Messi for Barcelona and Ronaldo for Real Madrid. Last week’s game was spectacular and today’s (Wednesday 4/20/11) was incredibly enthralling and they are not done yet. They will meet twice in the semi-final of the Champions League to decide who will be in the final that will be played at Wembley. Schalke of Germany and Manchester United of England comprise the semi-finalist in the other bracket.

Playing in the Cup final on a neutral ground, it took more than 90 minutes of ball for the breakthrough goal. Di Maria made a superb cross in extra time and Ronaldo showed his greatness with a superior header that gave the goalkeeper no chance but to retrieve the ball from the back of the net.

Big Games, Big Players

By Bagga Wilks

What differentiated Pele and Maradona from ordinary players was that in the big games, they unmistakably stepped up to the plate. Pele won a few World Cups for Brazil and Maradona did the same for Argentina. Both Pele and Maradona were successful not only at the international level but at the club level.

This week football enthusiasts had a feast of big games which gave top flight players an opportunity to display their greatness. The Real Madrid vs Barcelona game brought together not only tow of the top teams in the world but two of the scintillating offensive players in the world, Ronaldo and Messi. Pepe did smother Messi at times but not sufficient for the fans not to see glimpses of Messi’s greatness.

Race to the Top, Race to the Bottom

By Bagga Wilks

In the long and torturous soccer season, the race is not necessarily for the swift but for those who can endure it to the end.

La Liga
In the Spanish La Liga there is Barcelona and Real Madrid and the rest. This Saturday, April 16, 2011, the two Spanish League giants will clash. In addition, there is the strong possibility that both will play each other twice in the Champion League semi-final.

This Saturday, we will not only see two of the great soccer teams in the world but on display will be two of the great players in the game, Messi of Barcelona and Ronaldo of Real Madrid.

Barcelona has a comfortable lead over Real Madrid in La Liga. To narrow the 8 point gap, Real Madrid will have to win on Saturday and hope that Barca stumbles down the stretch. Valencia is in third place with 60 points and Villareal is in fourth with 54 points, a large separation between the men and the boys. At present, Almeria, Malaga and Hercules are poised for relegation.

Serie A
Coming down the homestretch, the Serie A race is among 3 teams. A.C. Milan, who defeated Fiorentina last Sunday with 68 points, the tenacious Napoli with 65 points and the unpredictable Internazionale with 63 points.

The Ball is Round but not for Arsenal

By Bagga Wilks
Arsene Wenger’s quest for a trophy is not faring well in 2011. Arsenal got to the final of the Carling Cup and the expectation was that they would have beaten lowly placed Birmingham but Arsenal found a way to lose.
In the UEFA Champions League, in the second half at the Emirates, Arsenal could have been compared to one of the better teams in the world and came away with a stunning 2-1 victory against Barcelona. In the replay against Barcelona away from home, Arsenal looked like a deer in headlights. For ninety minutes, they failed to produce a shot on goal. For ninety minutes, Arsenal had difficulty putting two passes together.

Barcelona are the masters of the possession game but their possession game is of a higher order than that of Arsenal. The Gunners are obsessed with the square pass and are constantly moving the ball across field. Barcelona maintains possession not innocuously but with players coming to the ball, the man without the ball moving forward into spaces. Barcelona’s attack is not dependent on a blind square ball floated into a dangerous area in the box but through balls splitting defenses with finishers in motion using exquisite timing.

Barcelona de-fanged Arsenal not just by efficacious offensive ball movement but by decisively shutting down the Gunners in mid-field. Arsenal’s predictability made that task easier. Barcelona could have easily scored six goals in their 3.1 victory.
Out of the Carling Cup, out of the Championship League, Arsenal matched up with Manchester United in the quarter final in the FA Cup at Old Trafford. Arsenal had the better of possession but lost 2-0. They won the battle but lost the war. The Gunners controlled mid-field but as usual ended up going nowhere. Against top teams, Arsenal’s finishing is poor. Forward ball movement is non-creative and the kicking is far from potent.

Every time Manchester counter attacked, Arsenal’s defense was in disarray. Arsenal defends as individuals, not as a unit. Ferguson finds ways of winning. Wenger finds excuses for losing.

Arsenal’s sole opportunity for silver in 2011 pivots around the Premier League. But if past is prologue, Arsenal will find a way to lose and Ferguson will find a way to win. Arsenal is at their best when all the stars are aligned. Injuries have not allowed that to occur too frequently. Sir Alex Ferguson has an array of stars but he makes do with the “arsenal” before him and through mix and match comes out triumphant. At the end of 2011, Arsenal will still be struggling to reach the top of the tables. For Manchester United, the ball is round. For Arsenal, the ball is square.

The Missing Link

A good club president has the duty to make sure that their club is equipped with the right players to take his team to the top. FC Borne's chief, decided that he would have to aim high if he was to take his 2nd division french side from the Haute-Loire league all 8 divisions up to Ligue 1 where you can compete against Olympique Marseille, PSG, Olympique Lyon, Bordeaux, etc. So with that in mind he submitted a bid to the French Federation of Football and was suspended for 6 months. I guess that the Federation didn't take it seriously when the name on the transfer bid showed up Lionel Messi.

Arsenal and the Mountain Top

By Bagga Wilks



Arsenal entered the game against Sunderland with their three scoring machines, Fabregas, Van Persie and Walcott, out of commission. Bendtner and Rosicky were expected to provide some punch in the offense and Arshavin in recent games is back to being an explosive player.
Unsurprisingly, without their three guns, Arsenal outplayed Sunderland as the team on the pitch adhered to the ball possession system that Wenger has instilled but for most of the game, no one had the creativity to step out of the system and unleash the unexpected.

The Sunderland game highlights that Wenger is an exceptional coach and an unexceptional tactician. Since Fabregas is hurt, it means someone has to step into the role as the playmaker. Wenger keeps hoping that Rosicky will rise to the occasion but Rosicky in the last two years has been a goal-less wonder and a non-playmaker.

Why wouldn’t the Arsenal coach give that responsibility to the creative and in-form Nasri? Nasri has been scoring goals, beating defenders in the last third and providing numerous assists. That responsibility was not given to Nasri until the second half when Nasri was brought in from the right wing position. He immediately began to work his magic and were it not for bad refereeing his through ball to Arshavin would have meant victory for Arsenal. Arshavin and Nasri combined well and if Nasri had a ninety-minutes crack as the playmaker, the outcome would have been different.

Arsenal faces Barcelona devoid of their scoring machine and if Arsenal is going to go forward in the UEFA Cup, Nasri has to start as the offensive mid-field playmaker.

The danger Arsenal faces, as was obvious in the Sunderland game, is that the two Polish players, Szczesny and Koscielny, seem to have a language problem. That failure to communicate cost Arsenal the Carling Cup. The persistence of that failure to communicate could result in Arsenal making an early exit from the UEFA Cup.



MANCHESTER UNITED FALL FROM GRACE

Sir Alex Ferguson went with his old reliable senior citizens in the match against Liverpool. He started Scholes, Giggs, and the younger crowd of Berbatov and Rooney. In the absence of the suspended Vidic, he brought back Wes Brown to anchor the defense with young Smalling.

As the season enters the final months, Scholes and Giggs are looking like heavyweight pugilists who have discovered that the punch and the reflexes are no longer what they used to be. Rooney, despite scoring a spectacular bicycle kick a few games back, was missing in action against archrivals, Liverpool.

Suarez was the impact player even though Kuyt was the Liverpool player who scored all three goals. Torres is yet to find himself since transferring to Chelsea while Suarez and Carroll have bolstered the Liverpool team offensive capabilities. Dalglish, the new Liverpool coach, who took over from Hodgson, has really made a difference. But if Liverpool is to re-emerge as a powerhouse in the English Premier League, at the end of the season, management has to go shopping for some central defenders and a creative mid-field player.




A.C. MILAN AND INTER MILAN

The race in Serie A is virtually over. Both Milan teams are rolling along like unstoppable juggernauts. Leonardo has managed to turn around Inter Milan’s season and Allegri has done a fine job with A.C. Milan. A.C. Milan squeezed a 1-0 victory over the lackluster Juventus and got a goal from of all persons, Gattuso.

Leonardo and Allegri have different coaching styles. Leonardo emphasizes finesse whereas Allegri places great emphasis on hard non-stop running. Pato had a slight injury and did not play against Juventus but if they are going to have a chance to turn around their 1-0 deficit playing against Tottenham at home in the UEFA league, Pato, Ibrahimovic and Robinho will have to convert and not squander opportunities. Tottenham showed on Sunday against Wolves that they can score spectacular goals but also give up a lot of goals.

The Serie A and the EPL have come down to a two-horse race respectively. In the Serie A, it is Milan and Milan. In the EPL, it is Manchester United and Arsenal. Dortmund seems a runaway in the Bundesliga as Bayern Munich lost again. With Ronaldo out with a hamstring for at least a fortnight, Barcelona is on track to win La Liga. Real Madrid trails and by the time Ronaldo returns to the starting line-up, Barcelona may very well be unreachable. Yet it is only March and spring could be replete with surprises.

Barcelona's Eric Abidal gets hit w/ Object Then Scores 1st Goal

AMAZING! Abidal gets hit with a foreign object thrown from the stands that knocks him out and leaves a severe lump on his forehead to then score the game winner to stick it to the opposing fans. NICE

Barcelona routes Real Madrid, 5-0.

In the summer, they were friends. But come winter, the seven Barcelona players who won the World Cup with Spain have dealt ruthlessly with the three Real Madrid teammates with whom they shared that triumph.
Read more at NY TIMES article on the El Clasico.

Coaches and Superstars

By
Bagga Wilks

The Brazilian, Robinho, was transferred from Real Madrid to Manchester City with a great deal of money and even greater fanfare. Robinho never found his footing under Mark Hughes or his successor, Roberto Mancini. Robinho played fairly well his first season in the English Premier League. In his second season, he got injured playing for his country and after his recovery never really got back his ‘samba” rhythm. He lost confidence in his game and the Manchester City coaches lost confidence in him.
Robinho was in a hostile work environment and went back on loan to play for his old club in Brazil, Santos. He recovered his form and confidence and played decently for his country in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa under Dunga.