Negative tactics in Champions League

 

Two supposed super-powers of Europe faced daunting first legs away from home in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Both would have hoped for better results, yet neither were helped by their negative selections in personnel and tactics which invited the home sides to prosper.

As I mentioned in my previous blog, the tie between Manchester United and reigning European champions, Bayern Munich was settled by Pep Guardiola's decison to not play an out and out striker, and instead select Thomas Muller upfront in a false nine role with ball handlers behind in an attempt to pass around Manchester United and eventually breakdown the United defence.

The improved defensive display by United was due to the fact that Munich did not play to the weakness of either Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, which is pace that scares them. Whilst Bayern had all the possession, United took the lead and it was only the introduction of Mandzukic that supplied Bayern with the impetus to score their equaliser.

Bayern have a vital away goal, and on paper should progess to the semi-finals due to their formidable home form, yet that is in domestic competitions. The last time they faced an English side in a knockout fixture at home, they lost 2-0 to Arsenal but thanks to a 3-1 first leg victory went through on away goals.

Chelsea also scored an away goal, however due to some inept goalkeeping and defending, they conspired to concede three goals to a Paris St-Germain team that were flattered by the 3-1 scoreline.  Chelsea also started the match without a recognised striker on the field, with Andre Schurrle leading the line yet the Schurrle's best form this season has come from the right wing and inside to the field; his hat-trick at Fulham can attest to that.

So why did Jose Mourinho not start either Fernando Torres or Demba Ba? Mourinho would have started Samuel Eto'o had he been fit, as the Cameroonian can lead the line well, timing runs and press up the field.  Schurrle was meant to press from the front yet could not forcing Oscar, Wilian and Eden Hazard to do more work in midfield.

Mourinho has clearly lost faith in Torres whose two year malaise is seemingly never-ending and Ba has shown little of the form that warranted a move from Newcastle to West London. Tellingly, Chelsea had little of the ball in the final third and their away goal came from a penalty converted by Hazard. 

Whilst the deficit of 3-1 is not insurmountable, as the victory over Napoli in the Champions League triumph of 2012 can attest to, Chelsea have certainly made the task more of an uphill challenge for themselves. 

Yet why such negativity, such attempts are trying to avoid the worst case scenario and invites the home team to gain momentum.  United could have had two goals before Vidic's set piece header and been 3-0 up.  Last season, Borussia Dortmund demolished Real Madrid in the first leg at home and winning the tie seemingly.

The old adage of having the second leg at home, is possibly a myth. You cannot be eliminated after the first leg, but the tie could well be over.  Chelsea will hope their pedigree will hold them in good stead nonetheless.

Follow me @JamieGarwood

Spain's striking solution

Spain are the current World and European champions at senior level, they are also the reigning U21 and U20 champions.  The country is currently going through as rich a purple patch as any in football terms - better than Holland in the mid-1970s dominated by the greatest team never to win the World Cup and the continental dominance of Ajax.

Spain's beauty is in the rich conveyor belt of talent they have had in midfield led by Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez along with the contemporaries, Xavi Alonso, David Silva, Cesc Fabregas, Juan Mata.  What an illustrious list of players. In defence they have had the central threesome of Carlos Puyol, Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos - do not forget that Puyol is ageing and it appears that Pique and Ramos will be the starting central pair for the World Cup, whereas Puyol can do a job his legs are giving up on him.

And how lucky for a side to have one of three goalkeepers to pick from; imagine having at your disposal the trifecta of Iker Casillas, Victor Valdes and Pepe Reina.  All three are exceptional goalkeepers in their own right, but this is akin to the dilemma Ron Greenwood must have had when deciding between Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence.  Victor Del Bosque appears to stick with Casillas in spite of his lack of first team action at Real Madrid, as both shot blocker and captain; yet Valdes (who is choosing to leave Barcelona this year) and Reina (who must fight for his place now against Simon Mignolet at Liverpool) would get into many other countries sides on merit.

However, it is up front that Spain seem to be suffering with a stagnant approach to goalscoring. This has been highlighted by the loss of form in their strikers, injuries being suffered and a victim of their formation.

When they won the European championship for the first time in 2008 and then the World Cup in 2010, Spain were thrust into the spotlight by the brilliant play of Iniesta, solid defence of Puyol but the conversion chances of both Fernando Torres and David Villa who seemed to play in such synchronisation that it was alarming how good they were.

Unfortunately, Torres has suffered a crisis of confidence for some time ever since his transfer from Liverpool to Chelsea eighteen months ago, Villa suffered a terrible broken leg during Barcelona's successful World Club championship roughly the same time ago.  Villa returned to the Barcelona side most definitely in the shadow of Lionel Messi - Messi gets the ball, he scores. Villa gets the ball and he struggles; is it any surprise he might be shipped out and transferred during this transfer window.

Other options like Fernando Llorente and Michu (Swansea) whilst regular scorers at club level are not getting enough of a chance at international level; partly out of loyalty towards Torres/Villa, partly because of the formation Spain more than likely play with the midfield dominated by Xavi/Iniesta with the runners off the wings of Silva and Mata. Even Alonso cannot sometimes get into the starting XI, when you have a bombing left wing back like Jordi Alba (who scored twice against Nigeria) there are options everywhere.

Del Bosque will state we will win, because someone will score, yet they have looked weak especially against a side like Italy who can match them in terms of possession under the leadership of Andrea Pirlo; the possession stats showed Spain only had 54% and they seemed to suffer in the final third as balls were played into the box with no-one ensuring to get a chance on target to trouble Buffon in the Italy goal.

The answer to Spain's troubles might be appearing again on their famed conveyor belt of talent, as showed in the recent European U21 championship in Israel where they successfully retained their title with a 4-2 victory over Italy in the final.  This was punctuated by the first half hat-trick by Thiago Alcantara, and the wing play of Cristian Tello and Isco.  Thiago plays for Barcelona along with Tello, whilst Isco has recently become Carlo Ancelloti's first signing for Real Madrid from Malaga.

In goal for Spain was David de Gea, who for all his troubles at Manchester United is now a young man who is used to winning.  A lot of these players are used to winning at an early age, something lacking in other European players, who struggle to get first team football yet alone a chance to impress.

Follow me on twitter @JamieGarwood

Premier League Review - 15th August 2011

And we are off.  The 20th Premier League season has begun, with less fanfare than recent years.  Perhaps it is because it has not come on the back of another dismal international campaign by our ever failing national team.  The constant rumours of transfer dealings occuring between London and Barcelona, and Manchester and Milan or Argentina seems to have taken most of the headlines. 

However, Manchester now holds two title contenders with one still firmly set in the west of London.  With two more in the northern territory of the capital with a sleeping giant of Liverpool attempting to waken from a season of slumber of last year.  Liverpool aim to recapture glory by splashing out, all for the guarantee of the treasured fourth place.  Seemingly, the season looks like a three-horse race for the title with three gunning for one place.

Arsenal gained 4th place and yet with the departure now of club captain, Cesc Fabregas to his beloved Barcelona, the future seems uncertain at the Emirates.  The talisman has gone, leaving two teenagers to protect a midfield.  The opportunity for Liverpool or Tottenham to snatch fourth is there.

I predicted a top 4 of United, Chelsea, City and Liverpool, if Fabregas was sold.  Now I look assured in my selection.

As for the first weekend of action, well following on from the thrilling Community Shield at Wembley last week goals were hard to come by for the most exciting league in the world.

The most goals came at Loftus Road for the returning Queens Park Rangers, who were dealt a harsh lesson, being virtually abused by Bolton who ran out 4-0 victors with goals from Gary Cahill, Ivan Klasnic, Federic Mulumbu and an own goal.  QPR will have to get to grips quickly, and use Bolton as a model of stability and continuity to succeed in the division.

Wolves who survived by three minutes on the last day last season, ran out 2-1 victors away at Blackburn who look like they may encounter problems due to a lack of potency up front.  Whilst Wolves look stable, have talent and in signing Jamie O'Hara from Tottenham have got their own talisman.

Liverpool for all their money and new faces ran out of steam at home to Sunderland in a 1-1 draw.  For the first half they were irresistible, with Adam spreading play and Downing finding woodwork on dazzling run.  Yet Sunderland, who themselves have splashed out this summer, found an equaliser from Seb Larsson a steal from Birmingham. Both sides need time to gel with the new faces, Liverpool need immediate results whilst Sunderland can have a chance at a Europa League place on either league finish or cup run.

Fulham and Villa cancelled each other out at Craven Cottage, expect more from both sides especially the attacking nature of Martin Jol's side.

At Newcastle, in another goalless draw, Arsenal seemed to have the same problems in any season.  All flair and technical prowess with no finishing touch.  The Gunners had enough possession to dominate but chances went begging and the loss of Gervinho for raising his hands to Joey Barton did not do any favours.  Newcastle have Barton who provides passion, but without Kevin Nolan (West Ham) and Jose Enrique (Liverpool), plus the loss of Andy Carroll it could be a long haul on Tyneside.

Andre Vilas-Boas' first game for Chelsea at Stoke was largely forgettable, but for some penalty appeals.  Typically physical at the Britannia, Fernando Torres found some form but no final quality, but AVB will have the familiar problem of attempting to keep Torres, Anelka and Drogba all happy.  The 4-3-3 formation with Torres leading Malouda and Ramires of him.  Stoke again are a sum of all their parts but with a back four that include Upson, Woodgate, Shawcross and Huth it looks formidable.

The champions returned at the Hawthorns, where last season they had their worst performance and prompted Gary Neville's retirement, on this occasion they ran out 2-1 victors thanks to the work of Ashley Young who set up Wayne Rooney for the first and then his dribble and pass led to the own goal of the winner.  Although new goalkeeper, David de Gea again fluffed his lines in conceded WBA's equaliser, though for a young man to come to a new culture he has still a lot of adjusting and this will come in time.  Otherwise, the movement and passing of United led by the growing maturity of Tom Cleverley in midfield means Alex Ferguson finally has the youth coming through and in Young and De Gea the notable signings to match the demands.  But for their awful away form last year, they would have won the title at a canter.  Last year's team would have drawn yesterday, today's team won, albeit somehow, which shows why they are the team to beat.

Tonight, Manchester City host Swansea City at the City of Manchester Stadium.  United have laid down a marker, can City reply and with Sergio Aguero not likely to feature the reliance will be on Balotelli and Dzeko to lead from the front.