From Donovan to Ganguly

Donovan’s loan spell

Landon Donovan returns to MLS after completing his loan spell at Everton. Barring one ignominious moment, which should qualify as one of the misses of the season, Donovan has had an excellent ten week stint. His dynamism and vivacity have proved crucial in Everton’s recovery from an appalling start to the season. It would come as no surprise if one of the bigger clubs in Europe sought to sign him on a permanent basis this summer

Berbatov’s class

Dimitar Berbatov oozed class against Fulham on Sunday. Often criticised for his languorous looking style, Berbatov dropped into the hole behind Rooney to devastating effect. His turn and pass to pick out Rooney for the second of Manchester United’s three goals was particularly notable in a thoroughly majestic performance. The Bulgarian may not be the most prolific of goal scorers, but the intelligence in his passing and movement could be crucial to United in the title run-in.

Alonso’s storming victory

Fernando Alonso stormed to a breathtaking victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday. Once he passed Sebastian Vettel, whose race was blotted by an exhaust problem to his Red Bull car, Alonso, imperious as ever, finished sixteen seconds ahead of his second placed teammate Felipe Massa. It’s early days yet, but Alonso’s nous coupled with Ferrari’s pace and reliability suggests that the Spaniard is the favourite for this season’s driver’s title.

Beckham’s injury

It would of course be tragic if David Beckham’s career is brought to an end by his ruptured Achilles tendon, but it’s scarcely significant from England’s World Cup standpoint. Although still capable of producing flashes of his old brilliance, Beckham has been past his best for a while now and in my opinion, even if fit, he doesn’t merit a place in England’s squad. The injury gives Capello the freedom to look at younger players with greater pace, players who perhaps deserved a place ahead of Beckham in any event. Adam Johnson of Manchester City, especially on the back of his sumptuous goal against Sunderland on Sunday is one who springs to mind.

Ganguly’s captaincy

Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy in KKR’s opening two games of season 3 of the Indian Premier League has been decidedly impressive. It’s far easier to heap praise on a skipper when his team is winning, but Ganguly’s ability to inspire has withstood the test of time. Particularly in the opening game against Deccan Chargers, Ganguly rung in the changes, innovated with field placing and more than anything else, stayed on the ball while others around him seemed to be drifting when the Chargers looked utterly secure in their run chase. Profligate shot making from the Chargers’ middle order batsmen played its part, but the value of Ganguly’s captaincy mustn’t be underestimated

A Fiver on Bridge, Terry and more

Bridge’s Withdrawal

The consequences of Wayne Bridge’s decision to stay away from international football have been overstated in some quarters. True, if Ashley Cole fails to recover from his injury in time for the World Cup finals, England will be without one of the world’s finest left full backs, but Bridge, even if all was merry between him and Terry, does not represent the ideal replacement. Whilst Bridge is a competent defender, he is ill-equipped to offer consistent attacking width, which England requires of their left back more than most other teams, considering that Steven Gerrard with his natural inclination to drift towards the centre is likely to be deployed on the left of the midfield quartet. Leighton Baines and Stephen Warnock, who are in England’s squad for their friendly against Egypt are both better suited than Bridge to don Cole's role, but their inexperience at the highest level makes me wonder about Phil Neville. Although, Neville has rarely played at left back for Everton, he is no stranger to the position and I would have thought his professionalism and versatility would at the very least have found him a place in the squad.

Terry’s Form

The more direct repercussion of the scandal leading up to Bridge’s withdrawal is John Terry’s abysmal form. Although, the immediate aftermath of the issue’s exposure saw Terry put in a relatively unruffled performance against Burnley, his errors have led to goals in losing causes for Chelsea against Everton, Inter Milan and embarrassingly on Saturday against Manchester City. If Terry’s form continues to spiral downwards, Capello would be forced to look for alternatives, which with Ferdinand’s incessant injury troubles does not bode well for England.

Shawcross’s Tackle

I have watched the video of Ryan Shawcross’s tackle on Aaron Ramsey several times and I am far from convinced of its maliciousness. No doubt, it was a bad tackle and Shawcross thoroughly deserved the red card that he was duly brandished by the referee, but to say that he intended to hurt Ramsey would be excessive, especially on available evidence. Arsenal, of course, will feel hard done by. Ramsey is a superb young talent and it is a terrible shame that he won’t play a part in the title run-in, but Shawcross doesn’t deserve to be maligned purely on the basis of the severity of the injury suffered by Ramsey.

Arsenal’s Recovery

Arsenal, though should take heart from the nature of their comeback after the incident surrounding Ramsey’s injury. The episode itself may have been reminiscent of Martin Taylor’s horrific tackle on Eduardo, two seasons back, but the manner of Arsenal’s recovery against Stoke on Saturday was starkly different from their abject capitulation to Birmingham City. Although the incident was initially met with circumspection, led by an inspired Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal recovered gustily to secure a crucial victory at the Britannia Stadium. Possessing, perhaps the easiest of run-ins amongst the title challengers, with their success against Stoke, Arsenal have ensured that they are in with a great chance of lifting their first piece of silverware since they won the FA Cup in 2005.

Modrić’s goal

Finally, a word on Luka Modrić of whom, I am an unabashed fan. Against Everton, this pass weekend, Modrić apart from putting in a singularly brilliant display capped off a terrific move involving fellow Croats, Niko Kranjčar and Vedran Ćorluka with a chip which was as precise in its execution as it was pristine in its beauty. Breaking free of the shackles of a conventional left sided midfielder, Modrić reemphasised his unique ability to change the rhythm of a game like the great playmakers of years gone by without losing any of the vitality that is essential for survival in modern day football. If Modrić stays free both of injuries and the mysterious virus that has engulfed White Hart Lane, he could play a crucially important role in determining the fascinating race for the final Champions League spot.

Capello rules on England's captaincy

The decision to remove John Terry from his post as captain of England’s football team may not have required much deliberation, but the manner in which the decision was arrived at, reemphasises Capello’s managerial judgment and authority. Terry’s position had become utterly untenable, not merely because of his latest moral transgression, but due to a series of imprudent actions. As easy as the decision may have been, Capello must be lauded for acting as swiftly as he did and for exerting his control in typically imposing fashion. The value of a captain in international football has been slightly overstated and it would have been a dreadful misjudgement to retain Terry as the skipper, purely for his supposed on-field leadership qualities. The captain of England’s football team is more a face of the team than a leader of men as some may have you believe and Capello’s choice of ridding Terry of the armband comes as no surprise.

Equally unsurprising is Capello’s decision to hand the mantle to Rio Ferdinand, who has matured tremendously, both as a player and as a person since the indiscretions he famously manifested when he missed a drugs test in 2003. Ferdinand who was often criticised in the past for his failure to make most of his precocious talent has improved both the physical and mental aspects of his game and is no longer blighted by the lapses in concentration that disrupted the early phases of his career. Besides ironing out deficiencies in his game, Ferdinand has developed as a fine role-model, particularly through the stellar work that he has performed in relation to anti-racism campaigns. Although Gary Neville has been the club captain for Manchester United over the course of their three successive championships, the influence of Ferdinand, both on and off the field cannot be underemphasised. The only concern is the injuries that have bothered him over the course of the present season, but Capello probably believes that the worst of his troubles are now behind him and that he should be amply fit to lead England out in the World Cup finals.

Quick Notes

1. Return of Valeron: It is wonderful to see Juan Carlos Valeron, a classical playmaker of exemplary stature once again at the forefront of Deportivo La Coruna. Valeron who has had a torrid time with his knee for a few years now had made a brief return to the first team last season, but this season has seen him revert slowly towards his scheming best.

2. Beckham to Milan: The Italian Serie A was not so long ago the most celebrated league to play your football in. Off late though the Serie A has only been able to attract players who are well past their sell-by date. That said Beckham’s proposed permanent move to AC Milan is certain to further his international career and may well see him play a vital part in the 2010 World Cup.

3. Influence of Nike and Adidas: Staying with Beckham, it comes as no coincidence that the last three clubs he has played for are all associated with Adidas, the brand that Beckham endorses. Nike and Adidas influence football transfers more than one would imagine and it is rumoured that Nike will do all that they can to ensure that if Cristiano Ronaldo does move from Manchester United, it would certainly not be to Real Madrid who are backed by Adidas.

4. Wide Open Relegation Battle in England: West Bromwich Albion look doomed, but 8^th place Manchester City are only 9 points ahead of 19^th place Middlesbrough meaning that this season offers the most fascinating relegation battle in ages. I pick Portsmouth and Hull City to go down to the Championship along with West Brom.

5. Referral System: The objective of the referral system is to cut out obvious errors made by the on-field umpires. By detailing more than is required on their part, umpires such as Daryl Harper have made a mockery of a system which could well prove to be a turning point in cricket officiating. At the end of the day technology can only be as good as its users are and as long as its users are the likes of Harper and Bowden we can be rest assured of its failure.  

 

Resurgence of Beckham and the Windies

David Beckham is doing the sensible thing by trying to broker a deal to AC Milan where at the cost of his status in Hollywood, his status in football is sure to surge. For all his off the field superstar image, Beckham has always been an excellent footballer. Beckham has never quite had the trickery to be a winger in the traditional sense, but his sublime right foot has meant that he has often been deployed in a role on the right wing from where his lethal crosses can cause maximum damage. With age though, Beckham has matured tactically resulting in Carlo Ancelotti deploying him on the right side of a central midfield three, a position from where Beckham can greatly influence games. It is amazing how some footballers are with age able to adapt and play in different positions so as to further their careers . Whilst a permanent move to Milan and a shift to the middle of midfield are likely to augment Beckham’s status as a footballer, Fabio Capello is unlikely to deploy Beckham in a similar role with the English national team who are blessed with a surfeit of talented central midfielders. Having said that though a move to Milan is sure to enhance Beckham’s chances of furthering his England career, even if he is restricted merely to a bit part role.

***

I was engulfed by a strange sense of satisfaction at West Indies’ superb victory against England at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. International cricket needs the exuberance and vibrancy of West Indian cricket and one would hope that this victory reignites interest in the game of cricket in the Caribbean. Jerome Taylor’s splendid spell of fast bowling in the second innings was a throwback to the glory days when the fiery West Indian fast bowling attacks terrorised batting line-ups around the world. Taylor’s dismissal of Pietersen in the second innings with a breathtaking yorker fired at tremendous pace was the highlight of a truly astounding spell from the Jamaican.

The atmosphere around Sabina Park as the Islanders romped to victory in sensational fashion was I am sure extremely gratifying to most cricket fans around the world. It would be stupid to suggest that this victory marks the return of West Indian cricket to its heady days of glory and magnificence, but it certainly is a reminder to the world of what the Windies are capable of, when at their best.

England of course played their part by capitulating in characteristically humiliating fashion. Only a few months back, English fans were filled with expectations of what they felt could be a highly successful period under the captaincy of Kevin Pietersen. With Australia facing an unusual period of decline, the Ashes could not come sooner for the English. But since then dirty politics and internal upheavals have meant that England are back to a state of familiar disarray with Pietersen being stripped of his captaincy. England were woeful in the first test with their batting line-up unable to respond to the inspired brilliance of the Windies’ bowling attack. Ian Bell continued to let down the selectors who have shown an inexplicable faith in his batting abilities. Owais Shah who deserved to be given a chance a lot earlier must surely be brought in to replace Bell in the eleven for the second test. With Alastair Cook’s batting abject at times over the last year or so and with Monty Panesar’s highly ineffectual bowling, England need to take a careful look at their team set-up if they are to recover from this shocking start to the series.

How Good is Frank Lampard?

The name of Frank Lampard, one of the foremost midfield players plying their trade in England is conspicuously absent from my previous post. Whilst there is no doubting Lampard’s effectiveness on a football pitch, there is no place for him in the England line up alongside Steven Gerrard. There are lots of football pundits who continually opine that Lampard and Gerrard can play alongside each other in the center of England’s midfield. I for one cannot get myself to agree with such a viewpoint.

Both Lampard and Gerrard are at their best when played in the heart of midfield and I believe they are far too alike to be deployed together, as doing so would only result in both of them getting to similar positions on the pitch and in all probability coming in the way of each other’s game. I also have my doubts as to the ability of either player to adapt to different systems so as to suit the needs of the England football team. Gerrard for instance has never quite looked comfortable playing anywhere but in central midfield for Liverpool.

Rafael Benitez one of the leading tacticians in European football has tried to deploy Gerrard in various positions including out on the wings, but the only position where Gerrard is at his most effective is in the center of Liverpool’s midfield. When Gerrard is played out on the wings, he has a tendency to drift inwards leaving a lot of room for the opposition’s full back to make attacking runs. Benitez seems to often doubt Gerrard’s ability to track back effectively from central midfield and has off late used him in the ‘hole’ behind the terrific Torres. However as I had mentioned in my previous post Capello must refrain from using Gerrard in the ‘hole’ as long as Joe Cole is fit and healthy.

There is also no question of playing Lampard and Gerrard as partners in a two man central midfield as neither of them is capable of anchoring the midfield. Therefore there is the need to play either Carrick or Hargreaves alongside either Lampard or Gerrard in the middle of midfield. Ultimately Capello has to make a choice between Lampard and Gerrard for one of the positions in central midfield.

Luis Aragones, the manager of the Spanish national team for instance has the enviable task of having to choose from Cesc Fabregas, Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso, Marcos Senna, Anders Iniesta, Mikel Arteta, Iván de la Pena, Guti, Ruben Baraja, Juan Carlos Valeron and Marti for two positions in the center of midfield. We have often seen the likes of Fabregas and Xabi Alonso being left out of the starting eleven. English football fans therefore must realize that it is commonplace in international football for national teams to have to choose between two quality footballers. How often have we seen Italy have to choose between Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti, both tremendous footballers in their own right?

Having said that, I believe it is a fairly easy decision for Capello to make as Lampard for all his effectiveness is quite simply not in the same league as Gerrard when it comes to pure ability. Gerrard is a far superior passer of the football and is technically more gifted than Lampard. When playing against the big teams Lampard often seems to go missing, whereas Gerrard seems to rise to the occasion much better. I am not for one moment suggesting that Lampard is a poor player. It’s just that I believe he is not good enough to play a starting role for England.

Don Fabio, Mortal?

I have never been a fan of Brian Glanville, but for once I agree with what he has written in last week's edition of the Sportstar. Fabio Capello's selection decisions for England's game against France were nothing short of ludicrous. Sentiments apart, I cannot see any reason for the choice of David Beckham for the outside right position, especially when England are blessed with the talent of David Bentley of Blackburn Rovers who at the moment is one of Europe's finest wide right players.

I am not trying to undermine Beckham's great talents or his contribution to the England outfit, but he quite simply does not have it in him to play a starting role for England. The move to LA Galaxy has resulted in him not playing against quality opposition day in, day out and someone who is not doing that cannot be picked to play for England. No doubt Beckham still has the ability to bend the ball whichever way he pleases, but when the quality of Bentley is available there is no place for Beckham in the England football team, at least not in the first eleven. Bentley is blessed with good pace and the ability to dribble past defenders, both of which are qualities that Beckham has never possessed, not even in his prime. And to add to that he has a wonderful right foot which is evinced by the superb free kick he scored at Wembley, whilst playing for the Under 21s, which incidentally was the first goal by an English player at the new Wembley.

Some might argue that Beckham was picked for the friendly against France so that he could have his 100th cap and that it was only fair to someone who has been a magnificent servant to English football. However the post match statements of Capello, lauding Beckham's performance suggests that he is going to be a regular feature of Don Fabio's teams. I believe Capello as Brian Glanville comments may just join the group of several successful club managers who have failed to make the cut at the international level.

Having said this I must add that I am not in complete agreement with Glanville as regards the other points he makes in his article in the Sports Star, particularly his criticism of the decision to play Rooney up front on his own. I for one do not see too much wrong in the decision especially considering the success that Rooney has had playing as a lone striker for his club side, Manchester United. I would however like to see Joe Cole being played in the 'hole' behind Rooney with Gerrard being deployed in a more conventional central midfield position alongside Carrick or Hargreaves. Although Gerrard is used in the 'hole' by Benitez, there is no doubting the fact that Gerrard's best position is in central midfield from where he can either make his powerful attacking runs or chose to play the raking through balls that we are so used to seeing from him. Gareth Barry or Stewart Downing must be played on the left wing with DB (the new and more effective one) being used on the right wing.

I think further disasters are waiting to happen for England if Capello continues to ignore players such as Bentley merely to accommodate heroes who are well and truly past their prime.