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Friday, 3 May 2013
Bappo & Cam's Weekly Football Manchat!!
21:00 | 
Posted by
Bappo |
Gareth Bale has been voted PFA Player of
the Year. If you had to hand in the award for Worst Player of the Year, who
would be your candidates and eventual winner?
Cam: Worst
player of the year? Good question. Titus Bramble will always be up there for me
just because he is a ridiculous character with no football brain whatsoever.
The Brazilian left back at Arsenal Andre Santos had an absolute Weston Super
Mare to the extent that he was eventually loaned out to avoid further
embarrassment. Ross Turnbull didn't exactly shower himself in glory in the few
games that he was called upon by Chelsea. Jon Walters scoring 2 own goals and
missing a penalty against Chelsea definitely stands out for me and he surely
wins the worst match of the season award! (talk about a bad day in the
office?!).
 |
| Andre Santos: poor signing Arsène |
Bappo: There
have been a few worthy candidates this year. Jon Obi Mikel's insipid
performances continue to baffle me, as does his continued presence in the
Chelsea team. Ashley young at Man Utd has also been absolutely atrocious. No
creativity, no quality, no desire. How he still finds his way into the England
side is beyond me. Honestly, he makes Anderson look incredible, and Giggs look
like he's 25. Other players at smaller clubs have also been found out: Adam
Federici of Reading has been extremely poor, as has Pavel Pogrebnyak, whilst
Jos Hooiveld has been superbly consistent in scoring own goals and forgetting
the offside rule all year long. Superb performance by Jos. But all these guys
are simply playing out of their depth.
No, this year is going to be a collective award.
I'm going to award it to QPR. They all deserve it, but here are the people I'll
mention in particular: Armand Traore, Nedum Onuoha, Anton Ferdinad, Samba
Diakite, Bobby Zamora, Jay Bothroyd, Chris Samba, Adel Taarabt and Rob
Green. I've decided, because I can, to award the captaincy to three of their
most 'deserving' players in that regard. Take a bow SWP, Jose Bosingwa and Park
Ji-Sung. You have now fallen to an all time low that even The Wanted wouldn't
sing about. You were an embarrassment to all professional footballers in the
country. Congratulations.
What did you make of the Real-Dortmund
game? Did Dortmund deserve to go through?
Cam: Real
v Dortmund was an interesting game. Real left it too late in the end and
Dortmund survived a late scare to deservedly go through. With Pepe dropped
after his stinker in Germany, Real did look better at the back but they couldn't
get the 3 goals they needed to progress.
Özil should have scored in the first half,
Ronaldo had a poor game by his standards and Higuain was very disappointing and
wasteful. Götze pulling his hamstring early on definitely didn't help the
Germans but Dortmund did still create a few chances and probably should
have scored. Lopez made a couple of great saves and Lewandowski wasn't as
hot as he was in the first leg. Perhaps this was partly due to the rough
treatment he received by the Real defence and Sergio Ramos in particular.
Overall, the best team over the two legs went through and personally I would
love to see BVB win it. They are a young team with a charismatic manager that
plays great attacking football and it looks like they are going to lose a few
of their big names this summer so it would be good for them to leave on a high.
Bappo: Dortmund
absolutely deserved going through. From dominating the first leg to riding
their luck bravely (but still carving out clear-cut chances) in the second,
BVB's band of merry men were superb, enthusiastic and attacking all along. They
played with a joy and dedication which was absent from Real. Of course things
might have been different had Real actually scored one of the 3 big
chances they had in the first 15 minutes, but all I saw was a team unable
to dictate play for the rest of the game. It also didn't help that
Mourinho wasn't really bothered (more on that later), Ronaldo gave two awful
performances (lucky for him that Messi was also injured and shocking against
Bayern) and that Higuain just didn't remember to stay onside at any point
in the game.
Dortmund were by far the better side, and it'll
be more of a pleasure seeing their young team attack in the final
than seeing a boring, conservative Real try and win it.
Where does this leave Mourinho, and what
have you made of his time at Real? Where will he go next?
Cam: Mourinho
has made no secret of his desire to return to England and there is no doubt
that the Premier League would welcome him back with open arms. Will Mr
Abramovich swallow his pride and bring him back to the Bridge? This seems to be
his most likely destination but I wouldn't rule out either Manchester club. I
think his time at Real has been successful. “Back to back to back” semi-final
defeats in the Champions League is still pretty impressive plus he did win the
league last season and looks odds on to win the Copa Del Rey this season. And
he transformed the team and club and got them playing extremely quick
counter-attacking football.
However what stands out more than anything during
his reign at Real is the utterly ridiculous amount of politics present at the
football club that is Real Madrid. In-fighting, power struggles, players
disrespecting the manager and vice versa, TV presenters, the press and agents
all getting in the way… Also the sheer hatred towards Mourinho the Portuguese
in Spain has been harsh, relentless and unjustified. Chants including "Die
Mourinho" are clearly going too far. Jose's public fall out with Iker
"golden hombré" Casillas somewhat typifies his struggle at Real and
has undoubtedly made his position untenable.In addition some of Mourinho's
signings were very expensive and haven't really proved their worth on the
pitch, Coentrao and Modric immediately spring to mind.
Overall his time at Real has been successful and
despite failing to win the Champions League, he can leave with his head held
high and look forward to taking on a new challenge.
Bappo: A
quick disclaimer before I answer this question: yes, I do think that Jose
Mourinho is one of the best managers around. Now let me criticise him.
For too long now at Real, Jose has been
interested in the politics rather than actual results. Yes, Real is a very
political football club. Just ask Vicente del Bosque and Pellegini. But
Jose, from the start, was given much more power than any of his predecessors.
He was backed all the way by a desperate Florentino Perez. Mourinho managed to
get rid of Jorge Valdano, a life-ling Madridista and ex-player who was meant to
have a negative influence on everything. Jose also brought and gave big
roles to a lot of Portuguese players under Jorge Mendes' supervision (by
the way, Jorge Mendes = one of the most powerful men in football at the
moment). I mean, £30m for Coentrao? Please. And signings like Modric or Essien
on loan? These were only done to maintain Jose's hold over the club.
Jose's time has been marked by a power struggle
all along, and a failure to unite anyone at the club. From segregating the
Portuguese or Mourinho favourites from the Spanish contingent, to alienating
Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas (surely two of the most important players
at the club), Jose has gone about dividing and conquering. Only problem is, he
hasn't been that successful.
It's all relative of course, but considering the
investment Real Madrid and, as importantly, Florentino Perez, have
put in him, Jose hasn't paid them back. I know he's faced a great
Barcelona side, but apart from the title last season, his team haven't even
been a close second. That's despite substantial, short-term investment in the
squad.
As for Champions' league, whilst there is no
shame in losing 3 times in a row in the semi-finals, Jose should be criticised
for his team's last 2 exits. Last year against Bayern, and despite running
riot in the league and wining the first leg, Real approached the second
leg with too much caution and a conservative game plan, giving Bayern the
initiative and letting them dictate play. This year's was even worse. Whilst
Dortmund are no doubt a team on the up, the selection of Pepe ahead of Varane
in the first leg was surprising considering how little he's played.
The overall aggregate defeat also clearly showed the limits of Jose's
tactical nous at Real: in 3 years he has failed to create a Plan B for his
team. Having shaped Real into the world's greatest counter-attacking side,
Jose failed to teach it how to dictate play, something which was quite
visible yesterday between the 20th and 80th minute where Real failed to
create anything after their initial flurry.
All in all, Jose is still a great manager.
But with his emphasis on shrt-term success (any youth team players coming
through at Chelsea, Inter or Real?) and his quest for total control, he seems
to have forgotten how to unite his players (remember Chelsea and Inter,
how much they loved him?) and was more interested in his own
reputation.
This has been highlighted by his constant
disregard for Real as an institution. Depsite the club giving him so
much, Jose has constantly mentioned Chelsea and put himself on clubs'
shopping list. His press interview following the defeat against Dortmund
was unashamed publicity and showed a total lack of consideration for a club
which has made so many people dream and still will once Mourinho is
gone. It was a despicable act from a man who thinks he is bigger than
everyone else in football.
 |
| Jose and Iker: Beef |
Barcelona were thoroughly thrashed
yesterday by Bayern. Is it the end of an era? And where should they invest?
Cam: End of an era? No. A big
wake up call and a German slap in the face? Yes. Bayern demolished Barca and at
times it was men against boys as the 7-0 aggregate scoreline would suggest.
However, most of the damage was done in Germany and Barca clearly and
disappointingly gave up in the 2nd leg (particularly in the 2nd
half after Xavi and Iniesta had been subbed). Messi was not fit for the first
leg and consequently unable to feature in the second leg (but why Tito played
him in the league game in between when they’ve already got the league in the
bag is a mystery). Barca’s reliance on the world’s best player is slightly
perturbing given the calibre of players in their squad. However, there are
clear problems in the Barca team and to quote one of my favourite pundits
Guillhem Balague, “Barcelona is like a delicious ice cream that has been
melting in the sun for the last 6 months.” Spanish Shakespeare? Villa has never
been the same since his leg break, Pedro is not the player we thought he would
be when he first broke onto the scene, Sanchez has been a massive and expensive
disappointment, Cesc has struggled to really establish himself, Song wasn’t the
best signing, and Xavi and Iniesta aren’t getting any younger or quicker and
Messi’s inevitably picking up niggles and injuries here and there. Plus their
distinct lack of actual central defenders (Mascherano, Bartra, Song?) is
starting to catch up with them. Guillhem suggests these are all reasons that
contributed to Pep’s decision to take a break and move on and I have to agree
with him. Let’s put things in perspective, they are still one of the very best
sides in Europe and have absolutely bossed La Liga this season leaving the two
Madrid teams for dead. Plus Messi, Iniesta and Xavi are three of the very best
players of our generation. However, Bayern were quicker, stronger, hungrier,
more efficient and generally much better than Barca and consequently brushed
them aside with consummate ease. Schweini and Martinez dominated the midfield
and Robben and Ribery really terrorized Barca’s defence.
Areas to strengthen? Almost everywhere to be fair which may seem
extreme for a team as good as Barcelona but hear me out. In goal Valdes is
leaving at the end of the season so Barca will need to make a big signing here
to fill his gloves. In defence they undeniably need a centre back or two to
help out Piqué and the now ageing and injury prone Puyol. A top quality
midfielder would help the team as Cesc is struggling to take the mantel from
Xavi. In the attacking positions, should Barca actually try and buy a proper
striker for a change? A Falcao or a Cavani would definitely strengthen Barca
and players like Sanchez, Pedro and Villa have struggled to impress this
season. Anyway, rant over. Good luck Tito!
 |
| Bayern slapping Barca in the face... |
Bappo: It's
not the end of an era, far from it, but it's a warning sign that Barcelona might
have become a bit complacent. Pique in particular hasn't really lived up the the
hype of a few years ago and just seems uninterested in defending. The scariest
part for me was that some of Barca's great players seemed incapable to take the
game on without Messi. I mean, Iniesta, Xavi, Villa and Pedro are all quality
players, but they just looked lost out there. Surprising considering that
Barcelona, even without Messi, should be a scary proposition for any team. And
yet they had nothing going for them.
Barcelona do have to invest. They have no depth
at centre-back, where Mascherano is just a mascarade of a centre-back. And need
I say Marc Bartra? They obviously need a centre-back, and hearing Hummels being
mentioned as a transfer target makes total sense. Cool, composed on the ball,
the Dortmund centre-back was superb against Real Madrid, and would be a great
ball-playing defender for Barca. Otherwise, Barca don't need that much
investment, although a back-up striker could help.
What Barca do need, though, is to invest better.
Alex Song has been an abject failure, and he follows Chygrinski and Ibrahimovic
(although he was still a success in my book) as players who came for big fees
and didn't deliver what was expected of them. The club are still in great shape
though, and they still have La Masia.
 |
| And again |
Bayern have been sensational this season,
but have you been surprised by their success? And do you think they'll go on
and dominate European football from now on?
Cam: Honestly not surprised at
all. The level of Dortmund’s success has surprised me but not Bayern’s. They
were an incredible team last season and suffered the trauma of losing the
Champions League on penalties in their home stadium, whilst also conspiring to
lose the league and German Cup final to rivals Dortmund. They strengthened over
the summer, in particular Javi Martinez (though expensive) has been incredible
in midfield, and they have come back harder, fitter, quicker, stronger, better
(cue Daft Punk reference) and most importantly hungrier than ever. Plus the
future’s looking very bright and the summer additions of Pep, Götze and
potentially Lewandowski will only make them better. They will definitely be the
team to beat next season.
Bappo: I
haven't been surprised by their success in the slightest. That might sound
cocky, but they were Champions League finalists last year, and invested well
last summer. So a great team just got better. They could go on to dominate
European football with Guardiola at the helm, and a lot of their players still
quite young. They also have great depth and have plugged holes where there were
some, most notably at centre-backs and in central midfield, where Javi Martinez
has simply been awesome next to the always impressive Pig-Mounter. Bayern have
been on the cusp of European greatness for a while, and they're becoming even more
dangerous and consistent. A scary proposition indeed, but one which needs to be
supported considering they have always played the right way. Well, that is
after Jens Jeremies and Steffan Effenberg left.
 |
| A camp and lunging Javi Martinez |
Chelsea have made it into the final of
the Europa League. How much of this is down to Rafa Benitez?
Cam: Rafa has done a good job
in getting Chelsea to the final, in fact he must have if Fergie’s praising his
work. Or is that mind games from SAF ahead of Sunday’s game… Anyway he’s done a
solid job and deserves some credit but Chelsea do have a very talented squad of
players at the moment and should have really been competing in the latter
stages of the Champions League. Let’s not forget that Chelsea may still finish
5th in the league and he did lose the Club World Cup final as well
as both the Carling and FA cup semi finals so he’s not exactly a magician!!
Bappo: Not
much really. He's got players ho should be hungry for titles, even if it's the
Europa League. I mean, once you're in the quarters, you've got to be interested
in winning it really. But Benitez hasn't changed anything, hasn't
revolutionised the way Chelsea approach games tactically and mentally. David
Luiz in midfield? That move was so obvious I don't really think he deserves any
credit for that. Yes, he has been dignified in the face of the torrent of abuse
hurled his way, but Rafa is also an opprtunistic egomaniac who lives in the
past and hasn't achieved anything since 2007. Considering how good the team he
inherited is, he really hasn't done much.
David Luiz has been pretty solid as a
central midfielder, and has scored two important goals against Basel. Do you
think his future lies in that position? And can you think of any players who
successfully or unsuccessfully moved from one position to the other?
Cam: David Luiz is a very talented
footballer who can play in a variety of positions: centre back, centre mid, he
even played at left and right back for Benfica! His versatility displays his
ability. He is young, powerful, quick, technically gifted and there is no
denying that he can pick a pass and hit a screamer! And for this reason he is
better in central midfield as he gets to really show us and the opposition what
he has in his locker. Plus his marking and positional sense at centre back
isn’t always the best but he is still young learning and improving. After
watching him live for the first time, I remember telling Bappo and Football Tom
that he was a special player but that he was more of a midfielder than a
defender. However, I was shot down and told that that was the typical and
mistaken English mentality; ie if a player is technically gifted, he’s wasted
at centre-back. Whereas on the Continent and around the world defenders are
generally better technically and held in higher regard as they often start the
attacking moves (ie Barcelona). This may be the case but I’m sticking with my original
opinion: David Luiz is better in midfield than defence.
In terms of players who have moved positions, the fact that Didier Drogba
was a qualified accountant playing as a right back in France is with hindsight
utterly ridiculous. Also Petr Cech started off his career as a massive striker
in the Peter Crouch mould and JT used to play in central midfield. One of the
best transformations has to be Henry changing from a winger to a prolific
striker and unfortunately for Arsenal and England fans, Theo is struggling to
do the same!
Bappo: I do
think his future is as a central midfielder. Notice I didn't say "defensive"
midfielder, even though David Luiz has made progress as a centre-back this
year. He's certainly better than Gary freaking Cahill. Luiz is technical, has
vision, two good feet and one hell of a motor; he should do well in midfield,
if he can learn to control himself a bit more. Some of his tackles really are
criminal. And we can't really say he's still learning. After all, he is 26. I
do think he offers more than Mikel (not hard) and even Ramires who, desppite
his Kenyan style of football, isn't the most technical of players. I'm just
hoping Chelsea buy Fellaini so we could have two Sideshow Bobs patrolling
midfield and creating havoc for Chelsea. Glorious.
As for players who have moved effectively from one position to the other, I think we can safely say that Drogba's coaches at Le Mans were clearly bonkers to play him at right bacj in his youth. I also remember Flamini doing really well at left-back before going into the wilderness back in midfield. Same thing for Lassana Diarra at right-back, where he once started ther efor France against Italy in a qualifier and certainly didn't look out of sorts. Jamie Carragher moving from an 'I don't cross the halfway line' right-back to centre-back was inspired. My favourite one of recent times was the positioning of Yaya Toure as an attacking midfielder. To see him bulldoze his way through teams was a joy to behold. Same thing for Fellaini at Everton with all that gorgeous hair flying around up front. Moussa Dembele's move from non-goalscoring support striker to deep lying playmaker was also genius. As for the ones who failed, I don't ever understand why Zat Knight ever played, let alone at centre-back, but that's a debate for another day. I also remember someone called 'Arry shifting Luka Modric to the left wing. Whilst the little Croatian certainly did no harm out there, it was still incredibly stupid and short-sighted to put him there. I had to say it.
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