Thursday 29 September 2016

MY TAKE ON THE GAME BETWEEN ATHLETICO MADRID AND BAYERN MUNICH.

now one thing that i was very intrigued with and always gets intrigued whenever i watch the match is that certain coaches does tend to stand on the touchlines and do nothing when there is need to be done . just like the players playing inside the pitch the coaches too play the game inside the head and they try to compute as to what can be done on both the ends and always try to improvise always trying to do better because there is always room for improvisation . the coach needs to provide input as to what the players are missing . i was not pleased with ancelotti  . when the coach is talking that keeps the players on their toes and their concentration and performance doesnt drop while if he sits up then it can . 
yesteday ath mad played bayern munich and lost and why shouldnt we be surprised by it . ancelotti's team's start very but they start getting stuck and in the end he doesnt knows as to what he needs to do . last night was no different bayern's attack was monotonous ,one dimensional and the opposition could just read it and stop them into the tracks . i was surprised at the way that ancelotti didnt change things or change the approach or even try something new ( i will point the shortcomings ) . when we are talking about bayern then the comparison between ancelotti's bayern and gaurdiola's bayern will be there . this bayern team was slow and here it is dependent on players abilities rather than coach's designed offense to open up opposition defense . the tempo to the game from bayern side was slow . the players were unsure of the next move as to what they need to do next they couldnt crisply pass the ball between themselves .
bayern started the game with a 4-3-3 formation while ath. mad started with their 4-4-2 or 4-6-0 formation because all the 10 players try to get behind the ball . now ancelotti system is different . the way he coaches or like to line up his team is different . he likes his fullbacks high up the pitch who would stretch the play from him and push the opposition wingers back to defend their opposite numbers . while the middle three are suppose to defend the space left by the fullbacks as well as supporting the front line . they try to work the traingle on either flanks and but there were shortcoming in that attack . first off there were too many touches and the attack was slow a facet which allows the oppostion to organise and close you down and does create problems for you .
first off ath mad . they play a very simple game . play on the counter . get players behind the ball when the ball comes in their half . defend deep and narrow and dont give too much space between the line . when the ball is upfield try to press the opponent and if they can win the ball then try to launch counter from there and thats what they did bayern . but bayern did had a flaw in their formation . first there fullbacks were pushed high up the pitch and ancelotti wanted the opposition wingers to mark them but they were marked by opposition fullbacks and ath mad wingers dropped on the midfielders . the trouble was that the midfielders were also having quite a space between them so when somebody lost the ball then it opened a big space for the opposition .( will explain in figure). ancelotti tried to stretch the opposition but instead it backfired on him . 
bayern started with having ribery on the left while muller started out on the right . while muller kept on coming inside ribery stayed wide trying to stretch the play .vidal,alonso and thiago were in the middle supporting the front three . the majority of the bayern's offense was on the left side with ribery trying to dribble in and link up with lewandowski but first lewandowski was very well martialed by savic who was good . while ribery was also trying too much and it was one dimensional where on the line of attack was the same. on the right hand side muller was coming inside which was giving space for lahm to bomb forward but first thing is that athletico defend deep . bayern's slow offense meant that athletico were getting time to close down bayern and get players behind the ball .
now the mistakes in bayern's offense . first off from fullbacks now the fullbacks moved up to a certain position and crossed . they never ever tried to go beyond that like leichesteiner of juventus . the formation was set up that way that had bayern tried to play the fullbacks deep then they could have had a surprise for athletico and created new angle for offense . secondly lewandowski always stayed at the top and it was correct for a certain time but when things arent working then it would had been wise to make a move and take the centre back with yourself and then trying to utilize that . nor were there any midfielders who were trying to get beyond lewandowski . to be honest there was a lack of movement from lewandowski but what can he do when his manager would had asked him to hold that position . there was a lack of creativity in the attack and crispness which is needed to open up a defense like at mad. there was no no.10 but then there was no need in this formation if only they can work the triangle on either flanks and then try to spread it on either flank or somebody does something some very creative in that offense but then bayern lacked all that and pushing men upfield wasnt going to do all that .
in second half ancelotti pushed the players up and made some personal changes . some were forced and some were necessary but did it made any change in the way bayern moved the ball or they tried to change the way they moved the ball or the way they tried something new . no they were just flat that way and lost the game .


Sunday 25 September 2016

MY TAKE ON ARSENAL VS CHELSEA GAME .

to be honest yesterday's arsenal's win over chelsea was very important . the win was for the cohesion in pieces . going forward arsenal were just unstoppable . most importantly yesterday for the first time i would say that their players were enjoying football . they were not scared of the oppostion and this approach will put fear in their oppositions  heart . even in the psg game when they were second best but still they could muster the offense and at times they were opening psg and were rightfully rewarded . the most noticable thing in that game was that conte wasnt having any answers to arsenal's approach . i find this very amazing . when they were one down at the same time he should had made some changes . he should had changed the approach . he  could have sit back for that half and soak up the attack and had prevented the lead from increasing and made necessary changes after the half time and could had saved the game . to be honest i am conte very incompetent for this job . yes he can feel aggrieved that chelsea hadnt buyied the players that he had  required to make this team work . it is said that the offense start from the back and the defense start from the top  . chelsea are hopeless at the back and their back line of ivanovic and cahill doesnt give them any confidence . but it all comes down to conte and his inability to drill this team and to make things work . if you had followed conte's juventus carrier then conte's juventus never went beyond the round of 16 in the ucl even though they were winning title in italy .
this win for arsenal was for beautiful football they play . now arsenal started the game with their usual 4-2-3-1 formation . while chelsea started with 4-3-3 formation . to be honest conte is more like jose mouriniho in that aspect very defensive minded and disciplined  . i cannot say that he is new and time should be given to him . in the modern game time is not the luxury . plus for me he has good enough players at his disposal with whom he can have a good team . for arsenal i think they have found the missing link on the left side someone who will inherit pires,ljuenberg and rosicki . iwobi for me was the standout performer of all the arsenal players . he was simply amazing and walcott should really copy him and he will be a good player as well . iwobi just keeps the game simple and i like his style he knows how to take position . he will not overtry to run on players or take them on . he has a very good vision and that was evident on the second goal when he released bellrin in open space .he is the very definition of wide player needs to be .not the typical type that are required in england but the arsenal type who is ready to go beyond the forward and will cut inside instead of staying wide .
i think wenger had been delibrately playing sanchez in the no. 9 position because he is very pacy so that pushes the opposition back because if they try to play a high line then sanchez will definitely exploit that space behind the back four . he likes to come deep collect the ball and he now has players who are ready to go beyond him like iwobi and walcott  . this was the game when ozil was at his best . he was avoiding challenges playing one two and just ticking the play and keeping the ball rolling . now arsenal delibrately play czorla and coquelin in the middle because i think they expected to be pressed although czorla went into hiding in the liverpool game but here he was pulling the strings . they just played their game and chelsea were just all over the place .
the reason why chelsea are all over the place is because the off the two centre backs off that cahill just doesnt likes to come out of the back he is stupid . if you had seen arsenals offense then it was all from the left and it was delibrate because both of them lack pace . arsenal would work that zone and then switch that ball to right where they would find bellerin bombing because hazard doesnt have got defensive discipline . but to be honest if you move that ball crisply then no team in the world can defend that . arsenal played one of the best football that we had seen so far this season and with this football they can challenge anybody .
to be honest i was disappointed with conte again there were flaws in conte's formation and the way they are working the ball . as i had said that they are playing very expansive . they are relying on individuals to do the the magic rather than as a team . certain players are spending too much time on the ball . there is no no.10 .there is no cohesion between players as apposed to arsenal's . one thing that i wanted to write is why was fabregas man marking coquelin in the game . really dont understand that the necessity for that .
earlier man utd played leicester and i still think that pogba is still played in the wrong position . he comes alive when he is near opposition's box and for me he is the best technically gifted player in the world . also blind playing at left back is not very good idea . he is another utd player who is technically superb and partner herrera in the middle of the field so that pogba can join ibra on the attack and that would be comment .

Thursday 22 September 2016

THIS IS MY TAKE ON THE INDIA UNDER 16 TEAM GAME AGAINST IRAN .

yesterday india played iran in the afc under 16 tournament . now i am definitely disappointed by the result because just like any other indian i want my team to progress but do have the sensible head that india was against iran which is a much better side . but the one thing that i was disappointed with manner of play and the way team played and the deficiencies in the team . yes iran's are better physically but let tell you that is one of the aspect of the game and there are other aspects of the game by which you can counter it .
first and foremost let me write that i am disappointed in the coach . let me tell you that any coach who coaches the team does needs to have his stamp on the team  .  there are different types of coaches each has his own style . some like to keep the ball and play possession football while some like to counter attacking football .some like to sit deep and ask the opposition to open them up while some like to press the opposition ,some mix them up and play as per the situation of the game but one thing that all the coaches have is that they have their own stamp on the team and you can identify the team with the playing style and they are known for that . but sadly for me after looking at the team i was disappointed with the team on both technical and tactical level . to be honest if you are not good technically good then it becomes far more difficult to execute a good tactical plan because if you are not that comfortable on the plan then you cannot use it properly when you have it and the opposition can just press you and regain it .
the game started the game with decent pace . but first india will have to produce some very good pitches for the upcoming world cup because the ball was wobbling and secondly it wasnt that watered properly as it needed to be to let the ball move fast .now i wont criticize the coach for asking the team to play deep and asking to have 10 boys behind the ball . if you pacy forward in your opposition then definitely ask you team to play deep . seconldy if you have numbers of players behind the ball then it becomes difficult for the opposition to find space and you can defend properly . but the trouble was with the way you were defending . first off you should never ever give space to the opposition in the hole( the space between defensive line and midfield) . for me the defense were sitting in their place and not coming out to close down their opposite number whenever he was coming inside . the one thing that i was disappointed was the way the team was sitting deep in its own half whenever they lost the ball . i mean you can defend deep but when upfield you should try to press them try to mix it up . you can start caving in when they start bringing ball upfield but atleast test them up when they are in their half. i wanted the coach to mix things up but i was disappointed by it . i think the coach's plan was that for the first half he would defend deep and try to stop the opposition and then hit them in the second half but to be honest when you are putting players on the pitch you should make them play and seconldy you should never ever let the opposition feel comfortable which iran were getting because of the way india were using the ball and way their offense was . the other thing was that when the ball behind the either fullback and the iranian winger was released in the space behind the back four the centre backs were reluctant to come out of their space and close down  . the coach needs to correc these mistakes .
now the most disappointing thing for me was the way india played on offense . i was very disappointed by the way they used the ball and the way team organised themselves on the offense . first off india wanted to play out from the back and there is nothing bad about it but to be honest the hardest thing in football is to play out from the back . although the defenders are not given that much praised about it but whoever knows football that whenever you are pressed and you know that one mistake from you can cost your team then you know the the importance of it . now whoever teaches serious football he will always teach you that you should not dribble in defense . it is criminal to dribble in defense because if you get caught then you let your team down and the left back was time and again doing it and at times he conceded possession leaving his team down .
now its just not important on how you organise on defense but its equally important how you organise yourself on offense and how can you move the ball effectively and open the opposition . i was let down the way they were taking positions on offense . they were not helping each other . seconldy its not good to spend time on the ball  because it slows down the game and it allows the opposition to close you down . time and again i was seeing indian players spending time on the ball . we definitely were second best in terms of physical strength but on floor everybody is equal and had we move the ball well then we could have caused the trouble but for me the coach was a failure in term of offensive abilitly .
now in the first half the team were trying to release komal i think behind the back four but to be honest first off when you are playing that much deep and dont keep the ball and pass around and bring players upfield and just try to release one forward then it becomes very easy for the opposition to stop you . in the second half they were trying to move through the wings but to be honest why i try in football is not to be one dimensional or to be one minded where on you intend to give pass to a certain player only . read the situation and then pass the ball . in the second half the players were adamant to pass the ball to a certain player only . thirdly when you move the ball through wings then you need to use the midfielder as the pivot but there was no use of that . to be honest there are too many deficiencies in the team and it needs to correct it and the coach needs to watch this game and show them what was wrong and correct it . 

Saturday 17 September 2016

THIS IS MY TAKE ON THE GAME BETWEEN CHELSEA VS LIVERPOOL . 1-2 .

yesterday chelsea played liverpool at stomford bridge .now before i write about the game let me tell you a short story. in the last century chess grandmasters tarrasch and name i forgot were playing tarrasch was the lower ranked player but was beating his opponent . at that time his opponent said that " you have great faith in your pieces to which tarrasch replied that " no its the other way around instead the pieces have great faith in me that i will use them the best way and win the game for them .
now it is said that italians are the best tacticians in the world and they but yesterday i would say that atleast for the first half conte was tactically wrong and most importantly other than shouting on the touchline he just couldnt correct it . i expected him to correct the flaw that was in the system as well as change the shape and change their style of play . kloop believes in his system but there was a warning in the first half and neither kloop nor conte failed to notice it . i expected conte to look at that opportunity and tell his team to do that more and then improvise on that .
now both the teams started it with the same formation with both playing 4-3-3 formation but the style of play and the way they use the ball is different . there is the difference in approach as to when they have the ball . liverpool players like to pass the ball quickly when they have the ball . kloop wants the ball to be in motion as well as the players . this system has its advantages first off with the movement off the ball the defense cannot settle down and has to be constantly on its toes . secondly with the movement of the ball there are newer angles being created with every pass . its now with the players surrounding you and beyond as how they make the run or adjust themselves to create the chances . while conte's chelsea relies more on individual brilliance  rather than the team play plus the way his team played and the part of the pitch where they played the football and the numbers of players involved in the offense when they have the ball . the build to the offense was wrong plus the shape on the attack .
liverpool like to build the play with quick one two's between their players . the basic difference between chelsea's formation and liverpool's is that chelsea's formation was very open while liverpoll was very close . what it did for them was that it allowed them to close down chelsea far more effectively and quickly than chelsea . chelsea were just sitting back and trying to hit liverpool on the counter but there approach was wrong . the difference in liverpool's shape compared to chelsea is that both the wide players mane and coutiniho were coming inside and trying to run beyond struddige . the distance between the middle players ( henderson.wijnauldum and lallana was not more that 8 to 10 yards between and liverpool kept it compact between them allowing very little space in the middle . compared to chelsea liverpool played a very high defensive line and it was necessary to close them down chelsea . compare that to chelsea they played very expensive . they play expansive so that hazard and willian will get the space to exploit . but here liverpool made it too narrow for the opposition to exploit the space . secondly they kep very tight tab on costa so that chelsea could not play through him . while liverpool were playing very correct chelsea's shape and approach and their ball handler were wrong . 
when chelsea had the ball everything and anything was going through kante and when he was closed davind luiz was making some very good passes and his ability to pass from the back is an asset from chelsea especially when opposition plays high line he can play very good ballls from the back just like bonucci of juventus . now the thing is that both matic and oscar were playing beyond kante and it was their job to take control of the game when the ball comes upfield or demand the ball when the ball is to be played upfield and support their wingers and forwards and pull the strings of the game. the second obvious drawback was that there no no.10 in the game for chelsea who would partner costa and at times he was a lone warrior . thirdly both hazard and willian like to spent time on the ball they like to dribble and try to run on opposition but it has its obvious drawbacks . firstly they allow they slow down the game . seconDLy they allow the opposition to regroup and close them down . so to be honest i would like chelsea move the ball faster and just try to dribble when its utterly necessary . i will talk about the incident which conte and kloop failed to notice . what had happened in the first half was that liverpool were able to close down chelsea  quickly and attack them with pace .
to be honest i dont think that chelsea's change in shape was conte's idea because he was standing there on the touchline for 45 min and he failed to notice the flaws in the system . credit to whoever who told to change conte to change the shape and it gave impetus to the chelsea attack . he shifted oscar from middle wide right to no.10 role with costa . now costa had somebody whom he could the play the ball . what this meant that livepool had to be more compact and it allowed more time for hazard and willian on the ball and ivanovic and azpilicueta on the attack . now what i had stated in the earlier para that's what happened . matic started the attack and from the zone from where chelsea should have started the attack in the first half while they were doing it 15 yards deeper than that in the first half . seconldy matic was involved and more forward than the first half . the bad thing was that the liverpool defense went into sleep on that goal . where was the midfielder who was guarding matic he should have had followed matic . seconldy matip should had just stayed on the feet and let matic work him and not trying to be presumptious and going to ground in trying to block the ground pass. chelsea made the changes but liverpool survived and came out winner .
now there were two incidences in particular which caught my eye . first off in the first half coutiniho received the ball at the edge of the box on offense and struddige was besides him . now struddige's job is to always make the run and make himself available on the pass or atleast create space for coutiniho with his run so that coutiniho will be able to exploit the available space because of struddige run . for me he doesnt do enough on defense with the first press trying to press cahill and luiz . he was rightfully substituted by kloop secondly when he shot the ball across the goal . he should had just taken the shot and made courtouis work the save . 
secondly when liverpool were trying to hard press chelsea in the first half chelsea made some very good passing and if you had seen but first time luiz had picked hazard when chelsea moved the ball well and luiz could pick out hazard with his good pass and second time he picked out costa . so chelsea should have tried this time and again could have pushed liverpool back or could have exploited the space behind the back four when liverpool were playing the high line .
all and all i would say that conte must had been given a rude awakening call and just like jose last week he was late to react and make changes which could have changed things .




Sunday 11 September 2016

MY TAKE ON THE GAME BETWEEN MAN UTD VS MAN CITY .1-2

yesterday mana utd played man city in utd's home .   the game can be clearly described as the game of two halves . the first halves was the proper footballing lesson from city to utd and the way you get ur formation correct and how you make it work .this was the game where on one team likes to have the ball and open the opposition by dominating then with possession and testing them with their defensive concentration and organisation . while the other one like to keep it compact and likes to play on the counter . the game could had been over and it would had been spanking had city been a little bit more clinical . while the first half was for city utd came into the game into the second half with the change of their personal and formation. but one thing that i was very much surprised and disappointed by was the time that mouriniho took to change the formation and personal . i expected him to make the changes immediately in the first half itself when he saw that his formation was not working and that the game was getting drifted away from him and man city having so much of ball . not only that they had the penetration  in the utd defense . for me he could have had made the formation changes in the first half itself and time that he took to make the changes was the reason that utd lost the game .
now it doesnt matter as to what formation you play but its the players who make the formation work . its the players understanding which comes from managers teaching which he does it on the training pitch to make them understand as to what they need to do in the run of play and what their position should be . i remember paul scholes talking about the way former man utd assistant carlos quieroz taking the team's defensive drills as to how and what they should do when they loose the ball and how much distance there should be between players and who should mark whom and how players will help each other out on defense . the reason of this writing is because in the first half man utd were too flat too much too much wide and just like most mouriniho team lacking cohesion .
utd started the game with 4-2-3-1 formation which was 4-4-2 on defense while city started the game with 4-1-4-1  or 4-3-3 formation. now the formation here are very important and as i had said is the kind of players that used to make this formation work . while utd had fellaini and pogba in the middle while  city had fernandiniho ,silva and de bruyne in the middle . first thing city had the numbers advantage in the middle of the park . seconldy there players were more mobile compared to utd . the game started with the familiar note of how gaurdiola's team play and he has started to put his stamp on the team . city had illenacho upfront with nolito and sterling on the wings . the gaurdiola stamp can already be seen they like to play out from the back . they are comfortable on the ball . the centre backs can play ball and pass it . the signs were in the first evident in the first five minutes itself when otamendi could bring ball out from the back and release de bruyne in the space between valencia and baiely . city's game plan was that nolito and sterling will keep on stretching the defense and you could see that city were passing the ball from one end to other in the bid to keep on stretching utd . what this will do was that this will create space in the middle for city where on they can exploit it with runners from midfield . there other plan was to release nolito or sterling behind the back four with them making the diagonal run . the trouble for utd was that utd were not that cohesive on their defense .
as i had written earlier about the paul scholes incidence about carlos quieroz . here fellaini and pogba just didnt had the cohesive ness between them . this fact can be seen with the space between them . this was the first thing that mouriniho failed to correct . he should have asked fellaini and pogba to close the gap between them . if you could see that they had somewhere around 10 yards of space between these two playes . now that kind of space is enough to exploit for the team like city . pogba and fellaini needed to complement each and that is what is expected of them on defense but for me pogba is not that good on defensive discipline . city dont spend time on the ball and players like silva and de bruyne didn infact exploit that space if you could see . utd were very much stretched in the first half . when utd had the ball utd were trying to go direct to zlatan . city just made sure that he didnt any time on the ball and closed him down very quickly and stones and otamendi were on ibra in a flash and just because of the lack of cohesion in mouriniho's team city could just close down utd quickly and have the possession back . second thing was the lack of confidence on the ball by certain utd players like rooney and lingard ( i dont know why he started ). although rooney had changed his game plan and he looks to passing the ball in one go but still he looks suspect with the ball . utd didnt really had the plan as to what they are going to do when they have the ball . silva was the main man for city his ability to come deep collect the ball and roll the play and control the tempo of the game . city's mobility in the midfield and utd's lack of it was the main reason as to why city dominated the first half and could have closed the game in the first half .
now credit to jose he made the changes in the second half and which bought utd back in the game but at the same utd were monotonous and one dimensional . first thing he bought herrera in the midfield now herrera is the most important player as far as utd are concerned he is there most mobile player who covers a lot of grass for them . seconldy he provided that all important mobility in the middle of the park which utd lacked . while he replaced lingard who had a bad game . he switched rooney on the right flank in the bid that he would be able to provide same kind of cross which won them the southampton game. for that he pushed pogba and fellaini forward in the bid to have more height in the box but city defended good and never allowed utd sniff at the goal . just as utd grew in the game city changed their approach they started to city back  deeper because rashford was on the pitch and the kid does link's up very good others . city didnt want to have him space behind the back to run . secondly they started to sit back and hit utd on the counter . thirdly they went defensive with having 5 at the back and congesting space . the thing with utd was that they just didnt had the game plan to open up city and they depend on players ability rather than team work to open defenses .
now something about the players specially utd's . baiely had started the first 4 games but i think he need to be dropped and needs to be taught the proper way to defend . he needs to be taught that defending is about patience and about picking ur moment . he needs to have the better game reading because he is the one who will be exposed if the front players dont do their job . i had already said that blind was made centre back because of the emergency and his best position should be in the middle of park with herrera . i think fellaini needs a mobile partner like herrera or blind and that will give them the edge . pogba had developed technically very well but now he needs to learn the game and how he should run and control the game and the defensive side of it if he wants to be a good no.6 . if we say that he was the same way that he was when he was young then sir alex wasnt wrong to let him go because he hasnt got the brain to control the game even after playing so many game . so time to learn . zlatan for me looked absent in the second half because when rashford crossed him the ball i think he wasnt expecting it . i think with the kid on the ball you should be ready . mikhitariyan had a bad day but he will show his true colors . stones needs to sort out his passing and cut out his mistakes cause if he doesnt gaurdiola will not hesitate to axe him .
last but not the least but why doesnt jose shows the balls and subbed rooney . utd had suffered enough because at times rooney doesnt belongs there and bringing martial in place of rooney earlier would had given utd more impetus . last but not the least i think this should give jose to create a better cohesion in the team and teach pogba the nitty gritties of midfield position . he should stop picking fellaini because his lack of mobility can cost utd . all and all i think jose will come back stronger while gaurdiola will keep on improving .


Monday 5 September 2016

DOES ROONEY DESERVE HIS ENGLAND PLACE . SLOVAKIA VS ENGLAND . 0-1

yesterday england played slovakia in the first world cup qualification match .the match was important because it was for the qualification plus it was the first match for new england manager sam allardyce . now whenever new manager comes with him comes new ideas as to how he wants  team to play . but to be honest after watching the game i was wondering as to whether it was roy hodgson's team and where was the difference in this team and the one that played under roy hodgson . the team looks the same except for one or two personal changes . the team is playing the same way as it used to play under hodgson . one hopeless manager replaced by another who keeps on chewing weed balls in the dugout . while looking at the qualification group it will go undefeated just like the last time and will again loose in the first round . to be honest the problem is not only in the manager but in the whole system . the players are technically inept and hopeless. doesnt matter what tactics you play but they will now be able to execute it because they are just not good enough . to be honest just tell as to how many of these england player will get into their club team if their selects them on merit . the answer will be less than 3 . 
before i write about the game i want to talk about the aura that was created around sam allardyce that he was ruthless and that he is tactically very astute and will get the best out of these players and blah blah blah . now i have a question to ask as to whether rooney is holding the england football team to ransom . instead of the coach dictating the terms and telling the players where they should play the reverse is happening . it seems that the players are telling the coach as to where they want to play .  havent the england coach got the balls to drop the captains and tell them that the best is beyond them and that they need to be left out . even after looking after rooney's performance if he is saying that he was good and he was satisfied by it then there is no bigger idiot than big sam .
what is different in this england team and the team that played under hodgson then the answer is none . under him they use  to play the same 4-3-3 system and here too they are doing the same . there was a big talk by big sam as to what position rooney would play . in hodgson's team he was playing in the midfield in the same position that he is occupying in big sam's team . i really will not clarify as to why he is shifted in that position but to be honest he is not a midfielder . england had three at the top while three in the middle . dier in the middle with rooney and henderson on left and right . i think it was told that henderson would go up and join the  attack while rooney will spread the ball and call the shots through the middle .  everthing and anything that england were trying to do with ball it was going through rooney as if players were trying to hand him the ball and  then waiting . firstly he cannot support the front three . seconldy his decisions on the ball are hopeless . thirdly he was spending too much time on the ball and making the game slow .
harry kane was criticized for his performance at the euros and even yesterday by alan shearer ( hopeless pundit) . to be honest what can you do when you are not  feeded the ball and not given enough touches on the ball or that  not enough chances are created for you then . first england didnt had the no.10 in the team who would be a link up between rooney and kane . rooney was not able to play passes to kanes feet or find him . the reason because he was slow and the interplay between the players was also very slow . seconldy rooney wasnt coming high up the pitch to link up with kane . the midfielders role is to now only supply the forward line with the ball but also support them when they are given the ball just as the back line does it with midfield so that when they are pressured they can pass it back and recive it when they are in the position . it was rooney's role to do that but he is hopeless . seconldy he can even go beyond the front with some good interplay but there was no link up between the front line and the middle one . big sam must have wanted rooney to have majority of the ball but his use of it was hopeless . first off he cannot get his head high quickly to pass it . seconldy he cannot make up the mind as to whom he is going to pass . his inability will certainly cost england . the reason being that the organisation of the england players on offense . they really dont know as to how they should surround or take their positions when someone is on the ball . if the move is not orchestrated or not practised then it becomes difficult to move the ball and if the players are not good then it becomes even more difficult to move the ball . the second player was dier in the middle but he too doesnt seems to be quite comfortable on the ball and when your boss has ordered you give the ball to rooney then what can you do . even if lallana and sterling had the ball still they didnt had the pivot around who they could play and take ball deeper . it seems its the same script that had been in roy hodgson team only thing is now big sam is in incharge .
now england managers were known in the world because of their organisation and their ability to organise a team but over the years what i had seen that that aspect had only been in one direction that is defense . organisation is not only for how you stop the team but also how you open the opposition . its about how you explain the players as to what you want to do when they have the ball and what they should do when they have it and without it . over the years the english managers have just concentrated on just one subject and the second aspect had been taken to the bins and this why they are no longer considered for jobs at big clubs .

Friday 2 September 2016

MY TAKE ON THE GAME BETWEEN ARGENTINA VS URUGUAY.

today argentina played uraguay in the world cup qualifiers . the match was important because messi had made the comeback to the national team but most importantly  now the national team was is under new coach and it was important as to what tactics does he adopt and the style of play that he was going to adopt .
for the argentian he went with the 4-4-2 formation with dybala and pratto up front for a little man small man partnership . now if you had watched the copa america championship then argentina convincingly defeated chile in the group stage and that was because the ball was spread all around and the threat wasnt just from one side . the offense wasnt all around and the ball possession or touches wasnt dominated by a single player . the offense wasnt revolving around one single guy but it was a team effort so it was important to see as to how the new argentian manager uses messi . for me the offense had been too much revolving around messi and that in turn had helped the opposition who now could sense that if they could stop messi they could contain argentina . when the ball comes out from the back and comes upfront they could sense as to whom the ball is going to so they just have to either stop that guy .
let me tell you first i watched the match till the 55 min and the match was virtually over after 45 min even though argentina were just one nil up and argentina played with 10 men for the second half . as i had said that it was important as to how messi by the new argie gaffer . to be i am disappointed . they had a big man small man upfront but the play whole and sole revolved around messi but most important than that everthing and anything was tried from the same zone or same half . i hoped that the play would be more spread around and with the players on the pitch argentina will be much more rounded in their approach with all the players involved in the offense instead it was only messi and him creating and shooting . i never saw the full backs coming forward too much and joining the attack and stretching the defense . argentina had height in the box with pratto but never cared to use that . 
messi started the game in the same position as his club position but the disappointing thing was that he was trying everything . if there was a chance need to be created then he would be the one who would pass it . he was the one doing the shooting . but most importantly he was collection just beyond the midfield and trying to either cut inside and create chances from there or shoot . i expected him to link up with dybala and pratto and have deeper penetration inside uruguay's half . yes uraguay always were going to have men behind the ball but argentina had the quality to open defense . di maria didnt saw much off the ball but to be honest i am disappointed in him . i like lamela more than di maria who had really comes leap and bounds in england . he can handle physical attribute more better . he is more comfortable on the ball and looks very good . argentina had always looked more threatning when he had been on the pitch . the argie gaffer should really see that they see more of the ball and design the offense around them and that will make the team more threatning .
i am disappointed with uraguay yes they were going to sit back but when they had the ball i expected them to do better when they had  the ball . most importantly argentina  was giving space and time to suarez who was coming into hole to collect the ball and both fuentes mori and otamendi were holding the position and not following him and closing him down . the player i was most disappointed from uruguay was cavani . he was hopeless not very good on the ball and was letting his team down and it would be wise if the uraguay coach can play with the idea of dropping him down .