James Beeson looks at five reasons why the oldest competition in football, the FA Cup, simply isn’t the competition it used to be.
The FA Cup, once the pinnacle of English football, the stage where dreams were fulfilled and hearts broken, appears to be on the wane. Low attendances, weakened sides and a general lack of interest have seen this once glorious competition become nothing more than a mere distraction for many English clubs. Here are five reasons for the FA Cup’s fall from grace.
1) Poor Coverage
Increased commercialisation in football has already lead to the League Cup being renamed the Capital One Cup, and since the 2008/09 season, the ‘FA Cup with Budweiser’ has been shown exclusively on ITV. Whilst this is not necessarily an issue in itself, with ITV being available for public consumption at no extra cost to viewers, the coverage of this once magnificent competition has deteriorated significantly during this period. Constant advert breaks, coupled with meagre highlights and shoddy punditry have deterred viewers and taken the sheen off the FA Cup to such an extent that many football fans now avoid watching the competition entirely.
Wigan fans celebrate their FA Cup victory. Photo: the72.co.uk
2) Resurgence of the League Cup
Traditionally seen as the lesser of the two domestic cups available to English teams, the League Cup, or ‘Capital One Cup’, has seen something of a resurgence in recent years, with some thrilling ties and big upsets. Just last season, Bradford City of League Two defeated the likes of Wigan, Aston Villa and Arsenal to reach the final of the competition. Despite being beaten 5-0 by Swansea in the final, Bradford’s plucky spirit and hard-working attitude inspired football fans across the nation and rejuvenated the reputation of the League Cup, perhaps to the detriment of England’s supposedly more prestigious Cup competition.
3) Foreign imports
Increasing numbers of foreign players and managers on our shores could be causing a shift in attitude towards England’s cup competitions. It has been argued by some experts that many foreign players and managers do not ‘understand’ the true significance of the FA Cup – partly because, in many foreign nations, the domestic cups are not treated with the same respect as their league counterparts. This disdain was exemplified by then-Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier, who in 2001 refused to allow his players to celebrate following their FA Cup triumph over Arsenal because of an important upcoming UEFA cup match.
4) Premier League revenue
Gerard Houllier was notable for his disdain for the FA Cup. Photo: theoffside.co.uk
While many Premier League sides in recent years have been criticized for fielding weakened teams in the FA Cup, it is perfectly understandable that they do so when you consider that the growth of the Premier League as a global brand has seen revenue streams to clubs increase exponentially. As a result of this, many top-flight clubs tend to prioritize their league objectives and thus do not take the FA Cup as seriously, playing a mixture of squad players and youth team prospects. It could be argued that this has caused some of the magic of the Cup to disappear in recent years; after all, giant-killing performances are rendered less impressive when the favourites don’t start many of their star players, as was the case with Manchester City’s recent game against Watford.
5) Predictability
Even considering the fact that many Premier League clubs do field increasingly weaker sides in FA Cup games, there appears to have been a decline in the number of ‘giant-killings’ in the competition in recent years. The gulf in revenue streams between top-flight and lower division teams means that, in the majority of cases, Premier League sides can afford to rest key players and still come out on top in cup ties. This predictability has made the FA Cup less exciting to watch, with Premier League teams tending to dominate; Chelsea have won four of the last seven FA Cups, whilst the Cup hasn’t been won by a non-Premier League side this century!
Like Exeposé Sport on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest in university, local and global sport.
The transfer window is a thrilling time in the football calendar, but all too often the signing that is supposed to save your club’s season has the opposite effect. Cillian Dunn takes a look at six of the worst.
Quashie celebrating his relegation mission. Photo: bbc.co.uk
6) Nigel Quashie: Portsmouth to Southampton – £2.1 million (2005); Southampton to West Bromwich Albion – £1.2 million (2006); West Bromwich Albion to West Ham United – £1.5 million (2007)
Nigel Quashie’s agent is a genius. The fact he succeeded in persuading Premier League clubs to take on his client, season after season, in spite of the fact the Scot was a proven bad luck charm, is nothing short of incredible. Quashie, still going strong for Íþróttafélag Reykjavíkur in Iceland, was relegated an amazing four times from the Premier League with four different clubs – QPR, Nottingham Forest, Southampton and West Brom – and even has a Facebook page in his honour called “Nigel Quashie was relegated with my club”.
Having learnt his trade early on, helping QPR and Forest to relegations in the late 90s, Quashie embarked on his quest to break all records with a vengeance. Frustrated with the monotony of mid-table finishes at Portsmouth, Quashie switched to bitter rivals Southampton for the excitement of a good old relegation scrap. “I am certain we will stay up”, he lied. Southampton finished bottom of the table.
Not content with this, Quashie moved on to West Brom the following January, where he achieved the rare distinction of being relegated from the Premiership in two successive seasons. But Quashie, always striving for more, was determined to make it a glorious hat-trick. Reviewing the league table carefully, West Ham must have seemed like the perfect place to fulfil his dreams.
Everything begun as planned, with Quashie making 8 appearances, none of them on the winning side. Believing his work to be done, Quashie allowed himself to be injured. He hadn’t counted on one Carlos Tevez. The Scot remained contracted to the Hammers until 2010 but failed to make a single further appearance in this time. Presumably his attitude was that if it wasn’t a relegation battle, he wasn’t interested. It was a shame he left when he did. He would have got on well with Avram Grant.
Benni McCarthy: offering an alternative football build. Photo: dailymail.co.uk
5) Benni McCarthy: Blackburn Rovers to West Ham United – £2.5 million (2010)
Mido. Chamackh. Katan. Paulista. West Ham traditionally sign at least one forward in this window, who never makes more than 5 starts, misses chance after chance, but is still paid more in a month than most people are in a year. Yet dire as they all undoubtedly were, none even come close to filling the king sized shirt of Big Mac.
A Champions League winner with José Mourinho’s Porto, McCarthy had scored 24 goals in his first season with Blackburn, but his form had deserted him during his last year with the club, and frozen out by manager Sam Allardyce, his weight had already begun to balloon. Future Hammers manager Allardyce probably couldn’t believe his luck when they offered £2.5 million to take an overweight 32-year-old off his hands, and the Irons were equally generous to McCarthy, handing him a two and a half-year £38,000 a week contract.
And boy did Benni make the most of it! Following the traditional injury on his debut, something of a rite of passage for all West Ham signings, McCarthy devoted his hard earned cash on a cause close to his heart – his stomach. By May, he was 15st, with a body fat percentage of 24.2 (the expected percentage of a professional athlete is five to 12 per cent).
South Africa were hosting the 2010 World Cup but McCarthy was so heavy that they were forced to omit their talisman and all-time leading goal scorer from the squad altogether. This might have acted as an incentive to some, but not to Benni, and although he was fined almost £200,000 by West Ham for his failure to shed the pounds, this approach was no more successful.
Ultimately, the Hammers were forced to pay him £1.5 million to terminate his contract. In just over a year with the club, he’d made just two starts, cost over £5 million in wages and transfer fees, and failed to score a single goal. He was, in the eloquent words of West Ham Vice-Chairman Karren Brady, a “big, fat mistake”.
4) Afonso Alves: Heerenveen to Middlesbrough – £12.7 million (2008)
It must be said in Boro’s defence that Alves’ goal scoring record in Holland was impressive. But then again, the same can be said of Marco Boogers, who was famously sent off on his Premier League debut, managing another three appearances before fleeing back to Holland to live in a caravan from where he declared himself “psychologically unfit to play football” (Boogers’ public stance was that “he was not mental, but just had a sore stomach”).
Alves never quite hit those barmy heights, although he spent much of his time on Teesside looking as though he’d much rather be residing in a caravan than spend another moment of his life in Middlesbrough (arguably the Brazilian is not alone in holding this view, but unlike the vast majority of Smoggies, he was being paid £50,000 a week to live there).
His first half-season with the club arguably showed some promise (6 goals in 11 appearances) but the warning signs were there already, with Alves criticised for his poor all round play. It was the following season, however, where Alves’ vilification begun in earnest; his record of 4 goals in 31 games an appalling one by any forwards’ standards, let alone a £13 million club record signing. Boro were relegated and can count themselves lucky to have made a loss of ‘only’ £7 million on the striker, who signed for Qatari club Al-Sadd, and has been gradually winding down his career in the Middle East ever since.
West Ham show off their proud new signing. Photo: thesun.co.uk
3) Savio Nsereko: Brescia to West Ham United – £10 million (2009)
Argentinians on dodgy third party contracts, eccentric Dutchmen with a fondness for caravans (oh come on, did you seriously think any other football club would sign Boogers?) and a goalkeeper called Ruud Boffin – they’ve pretty much seen it all in East London. Or at least they thought they had, until the club announced that star striker Craig Bellamy (sold to Manchester City for £14 million the previous week) would be replaced by a completely unknown Ugandan born teenager from Brescia.
Astutely realising that Hammers fans might not be too happy about this, crafty West Ham CEO Scott Duxbury claimed that the Irons had beaten off “fierce competition” from Europe’s leading clubs to sign the winger for a club record fee. With the club even releasing an ‘exclusive picture gallery’ to celebrate Savio’s first day of training, Hammers fans might have been forgiven for thinking they had landed the new Pele.
It quickly became clear that they had not – Savio made 10 appearances, just one of which was a start, and continued the proud tradition of West Ham forwards signed in January in failing to score. Come the summer, Savio had been sold to Fiorentina, and to say that his career went downhill from there would be a gross understatement; he is currently playing for Kazakhstani Premier League side FC Atyrau.
During this time he has been reported missing on numerous occasions (having his contract cancelled by more than one of his clubs as a result of this), spent £14,000 in casinos and strip clubs in the space of a week, and while holidaying in Thailand, even faked his own kidnapping, in a bizarre attempt to extort money from his own family. I’ll remind you again; a Premier League football club once paid £10 million for this guy. The current board have even launched an official investigation into what we are all wondering – why?
2) Fernando Torres: Liverpool to Chelsea – £50 million (2011)
Some people, it is said, have more money than sense. Others, it would appear on this evidence, just have money. It is certainly difficult to argue that there was any logic to Chelsea’s purchase of Fernando Torres – though he had proven himself a world class finisher at Atlético Madrid and Liverpool, injuries had resulted in him losing the pace and mobility that allowed him to be so.
But Roman Abramovich wanted a marquee signing, and so he brought Torres. Thus far, the Premier League’s most expensive player has repaid him with just 18 goals in almost 100 games. Admittedly, no one expected him to be quite that bad. But still Roman, £50 million, seriously?
One cost £22.8m, one cost £35m. Who would you pick? Photo: zimbio.com
1) Andy Carroll: Newcastle United to Liverpool – £35 million (2011)
The transfer fees for both Carroll and Torres were ridiculous, the inflated fee paid for the former a direct result of Newcastle taking advantage of the fact that Liverpool had just sold the latter for an equally outlandish price. Evidently, the logic at Anfield a little off, with Messrs Dalglish and Comolli apparently under the impression that having received such a generous fee for Torres, they were obliged to spend equally lavishly themselves.
And spend they did, with the £35 million transfer fee making Carroll, a 22-year-old with 14 Premier League goals to his name, the most expensive British player in history. It was almost enough to make Abramovich look sensible – at least Torres had once been a world class player.
Carroll, on the other hand, was not, never had been and never will be – 6 goals in 44 Premier League appearances for Liverpool sum it up. They persisted with him for a season and a half, but when Brendan Rodgers was appointed as the new Liverpool boss, looking to implement the passing style of football he had won recognition for with Swansea, Carroll was never going to be part of his plans.
There was, however, a problem. Surely no football club would be stupid enough to match both Carroll’s £90,000 a week wages and Liverpool’s £17 million asking price? Fortunately for the Reds, they then remembered that there was in fact one such club. In June 2013, Andy Carroll signed a six year deal with West Ham United.
Like Exeposé Sport on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest in university, local and global sport.
After Manchester City became the fastest ever Premier League club to rack up 100 goals in a season, Emmott Leigh argues that such a tremendous strike rate doesn’t mean the silverware will necessarily follow.
Whilst record-breaking centuries have been making headlines in cricket recently, with New Zealand’s Corey Anderson notching a ton off only 36 balls in their ODI series against the West Indies, the latest speedy hundred in sport is even more impressive – Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City reached the landmark in goals during their 4-2 routing of Cardiff City, after only 34 games in all competitions.
Luis Suarez may be the most talked-about striker in the Premiership due to his extraordinary finishing proficiency, but Manchester City boast three first-class finishers in Edin Dzeko, Alvaro Negredo and Sergio Aguero, two of whom have scored 20 or more goals this season already. As Alan Shearer astutely observed: “You just know they are going to score goals.”
Sergio Aguero has notched up 14 goals in the current Premier League season, second only to Luis Suarez. Photo: koonis.com
If Dzeko can notch four more goals to his tally, City will become the first side with three forwards who have bagged 20 in a season since 1981-82. Such a feat is obviously remarkable, but it should be noted that lots of goals does not necessarily equate to lots of success.
After all, it might be expected that the former champions would be sitting pretty once again at the head of the Premier League, but in reality, City are a point behind the league leaders Arsenal (whom they humiliated by 6-3) and finished only second in the Champions League group stage. How have Arsenal and Bayern Munich managed to edge ahead of the record-breaking side?
The answer tarnishes City’s feat a little. Yes, they have destroyed sides like Norwich (7-0), Newcastle (4-0) and even their Manchester rivals (4-1). Yes, their home record is absolutely phenomenal; only Bayern Munich have managed to come away from the Etihad Stadium with a victory this season.
Even the managers have been dealt the most severe of blows; Tottenham’s Andre Villas-Boas was sacked after his side leaked six goals to City and Sam Allardyce won’t last long after his West Ham outfit took a pummelling by the same scoreline. This is all very impressive, but it hasn’t lifted City to the top in the Premiership or the Champions League. Their losses may yet truly define their year.
With 18 matches yet to be played, the Blues have plenty of time to unseat Arsenal. However, it remains to be seen as to whether their ignominious 3-2 defeats at Aston Villa and Cardiff, of all teams, will ultimately decide their failure, along with a 1-0 loss at Sunderland. Conceding three or scoring none is lamentable for a top side, especially when two of their conquerors are struggling against relegation.
Similarly, their loss to Bayern Munich has proved to be by far the most decisive result in their Champions League exploits, far more than a 5-2 or 4-2 thrashing of the other sides in their group. Now they are faced with the daunting task of bettering the mighty Barcelona over two legs.
[poll id=”85″]
It seems that pundits are focusing too heavily on the team’s excellence in the final third. The ‘first third’ has seen them suffer a little, with 28 conceded goals outnumbering those of Arsenal and Chelsea by 30 percent. As full-back Zabaleta admitted: “Sometimes when you play an offensive game, you leave yourself exposed at the back.”
Such a point is evidenced by the likes of Yaya Toure, who charges forward like an Ivorian express train at the first opportunity only to amble casually back again once the ball is lost and danger threatens. Martin Demichelis has been unable to cover his weaknesses either, often leaving the rest of the back four exposed through over-eagerness.
Even City’s captain Vincent Kompany has faltered occasionally; he was turned twice in the lead-up to Cardiff’s second on Saturday, and not for the first time, as Southampton’s Dani Osvaldo will recall. In light of these issues, is it possible that Manchester City’s strike rate is too excessive?
It would explain why so many of their hammerings have been tainted by a couple of concessions at the other end. Arsenal have scored 43 goals in the top flight against City’s 63, but how does the significance of 20 more conversions weigh up against that of the six fewer conceded by Arsenal? The single point between them seems to indicate the increased importance of the latter.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side can’t afford to rest on their laurels despite their incredible scoring rate. Photo: caughtoffside.com
That relationship is apparent elsewhere in the table; Tottenham have converted only 29 times this season, yet find themselves level on points with Liverpool, who have blasted home 53 times (five of those occasions against Tottenham themselves). In fact, it is a sure indication of how important a defence is that 11 of the 26 goals let in by Spurs were scored by Manchester City and Liverpool, over two matches.
Pundits praise the forwards for bagging the goals, but they fail to recognise the fact that Tim Sherwood’s side have otherwise leaked only 15 times in 20 matches, less than a goal a game. Spurs have won 13 of their 22 matches, which is the same amount as Liverpool and only three times less than City. How many times did they win 1-0 or 2-0 when the other two were smashing five past their foes?
100 goals in 34 matches works out to an amazing strike rate of 2.94 goals per game, which is ridiculously impressive in the modern era and may never be surpassed. It is a statistic for the history books, but will it lead to trophies? Not if the more cohesive back fours of Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona have anything to say about it.
Like Exeposé Sport on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest in university, local and global sport.
It’s been a tough few weeks for all involved – forget the Christmas cheer, life has been a hard struggle without the reassuring comfort of Bugler’s predictions to hold your hand and tuck you in at night. Fortunately, the wait is over as he takes on a very big name in the (small) Exeposé world: News Editor and football purist Owen Keating.
Sunderland- Southampton
The player every kid dreams of emulating: Phil Bardsley. Photo: The Guardian
Owen: 0-1
This game doesn’t immediately strike me as a classic. Southampton’s form has been sketchy since they were forced to play with a hi-vis ball, and Sunderland are…Sunderland. Expect Adam Lallana to make a total mockery of Phil Bardsley before complaining that the terrible right-back teased him that he’d changed.
Matt: 0-1
Sunderland are in the midst of the Premiership’s slowest ever recovery from a poor start, as Gus Poyet has avoided the a Di Canio-style instant impact followed by general uselessness in favour of a gradual ascent from the relegation zone based on sneaky wins away from home. They still can’t win at the Stadium of Light though, and a Saints side playing for fun will assert their superiority.
Arsenal- Fulham
Owen: 3-0
Fulham’s appalling sprint towards the relegation trapdoor will continue here, as they’ll inevitably crumble against a far superior side. The thought of a beleaguered Steve Sidwell trying to keep up with Santi Cazorla is the kind of thing that everyone will surely enjoy, except Fulham’s away fans. Yeah, both of them.
Matt: 2-1
In recent weeks, Arsenal have transformed from a swashbuckling, rampant array of midfield cavaliers to a gritty unit grinding out wins over lower-table sides to a chorus of doubters. An 89th minute Oxlade-Chamberlain winner will add to their collection of “hallmarks of champions”.
Crystal Palace- Stoke
Owen: 1-1
A clash for the masochists, Tony Pulis has the chance to avenge his irrelevant sacking from the Potters against a team whose defence enjoyed a particularly restful Sunday last time out, shipping five against Liverpool. In this battle of philistine managers, of baseball cap and alarmingly errant grey hair, the only winner will be the person who chooses to stay in and watch Deal or no Deal instead.
Matt: 1-0
For Stoke, ditching Tony Pulis at the end of last season meant they would have the opportunity to progress into a more complete footballing side. In other words, they would remain in the same position hovering over the relegation zone whilst occasionally losing 5-3 at home. Palace are the new Stoke, although in Jason Puncheon they have one of the most underrated players in the League, someone who can win matches like these. As long as he doesn’t take a penalty.
Andreas Cornelius sprints onto a through ball. Photo: realmofmagyk.com
Man City- Cardiff
Owen: 5-0
Considering that Man City beat West Ham 6-0, and West Ham beat Cardiff 2-0, this should be 8-0. It won’t be (maybe), but nonetheless, Man City will have far too much for a Cardiff side who, like I said, lost to a team who rarely ever try to score goals. Cardiff are, in every sense, lambs to the slaughter.
Matt: 5-0
Cardiff’s first Premiersip result under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a 2-0 home defeat to West Ham, was an absolute stinker. Nevertheless, in new signing Magnus Wolff Eikrem they have a player who did great things for me on FIFA at Euro 2016. Although Andreas Cornelius was also good on FIFA, and he’s turned out to have the movement and agility of an ent.
Norwich- Hull
Owen: 0-1
Hull have been good value recently, and another win here would firmly ensconce them in the top half of the table. Steve Bruce has sprinkled a large amount of glitter on some dull, dull players, as opposed to Chris Hughton, who appears to have been tactically outsmarted by the childproof cap. Away win.
Matt: 0-0
Hull have somehow managed to reach 10th in the table in mid-January despite not having a striker. The answer to this gap in the squad lies in the two-pronged monster of Nikita Jelavic, who barely scored in the whole of 2013, and Shane Long, a striker who specialises in not scoring goals and who missed a sitter against Southampton last week that even Harry Redknapp’s missus would have put away. Goalless draw it is then.
West Ham- Newcastle
Owen: 1-2
Big Sam’s jump for joy as Mark Noble secured three priceless points at Cardiff last weekend signalled the end of a traumatic week for the Hammers. This is a tough home game, but the kind they need to win if they’re going to have any chance of avoiding Huddersfield away next year. They’ll also need to beat Alan Pardew’s men both at football and the inevitably messy touchline spat that will ensue in the second half.
Matt: 2-0
West Ham fans face football’s ultimate dilemma: do you support your team even when the football is dire and the results poor, or do you hope that your team loses enough matches to have no option but to sack Sam Allardyce and get someone better in to put long-term improvements in place? If the answer is the latter, then look forward to Big Sam spouting clichés about the enormity of back-to-back wins after this match while smugly knowing his job is safe for at least another month, when the cycle will begin again.
Liverpool- Aston Villa
Owen: 4-0
Aston Villa’s home defeat to Arsenal was a further indicator of their crippling mundanity, and Villa fans travelling to Anfield can only expect a tonking. At least they won’t get a nasty shock, as Luis Suarez and the returning Daniel Sturridge will do terrible footballing things to hapless midlanders like Nathan Baker.
Matt: 3-1
The disproportionately large number of Liverpool fans in Exeter have had reason for cheer this season, while Luis Suarez is bent on single-handedly derailing my Exepose Fantasy Football title bid. As for Aston Villa, who are they? What do they mean? Questions beyond a simple football predictor.
Football manager, life coach and after dinner speaker: Tim Sherwood. Photo: telegraph.co.uk
Swansea- Tottenham
Owen: 2-2
Michael Laudrup and Tim Sherwood look kind of similar, if you, like me, are both cripplingly short sighted and unable to locate their glasses. Spurs have undergone a renaissance since Sherwood brought his loathsome cheeky chappy shtick to the Lane (AVB, forever in our hearts), and they might have too much for a Swansea side whose redeeming feature is an anonymous superfan who was once seen on Twitter wearing a personalised white leather jacket, stitched with “Michu: The White Dove”. Different gravy.
Matt: 2-2
Swansea, lurking a dangerous three points above the relegation zone, have had a bit of a nothing season, aimlessly drifting through the monotony of life whilst sometimes kicking a ball into a net. For Tottenham, Tim Sherwood is the Robin Williams to Emmanuel Adebayor’s Matt Damon, and an exciting affair awaits.
Chelsea- Man United
Owen: 2-1
The biggest game of the weekend, both of these teams remain among the most dislikable in the Premier League. Moyes’ United are turgid and uninspiring, while Mourinho’s Chelsea are like the rich kid at school who bullies you by hitting you with his fat, gold £28million watch several times every Saturday. Expect over-entitled fans and abhorrent press conferences.
Matt: 2-1
The question is, how much controversy can be packed in one game? Chelsea will have a goal wrongly disallowed for offside, Mourinho will be sent to the stands, United will take the lead only to give away a soft penalty. With the scores level in the 70th min, Mourinho will react to Fernado Torres’ sending off by throwing on Demba Ba, who will stab home after a goalmouth scramble deep into extra time. Either this, or nothing will happen, like the reverse fixture in August.
West Brom- Everton
Owen: 2-2
Everton’s star has fallen slightly since the halcyon days earlier this season where they played with verve and vigour on the regs, as their main traits so far in 2014 have been gritty midfield performances and the troubling reappearance of Steven Naismith. The Baggies’ new boss Pepe Mel will have had easier home debuts, but Everton are not the force they were in October, especially without the recently injured Ross Barkley.
Matt: 3-2
Pepe Mel is an enigma wrapped inside a mystery, and the brooding Spaniard will have an enjoyable debut against housewives’ favourite Roberto Martinez. Rumour has it Mel knows a thing or two about charm as well, so expect a lot of courtesy pats on the back as the two go in for the pre-match handshake.
Like Exeposé Sport on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest in university, local and global sport.
Alex Bonner assesses the season so far for new Manchester United manager David Moyes, and asks whether there is still chance for the Scotsman to establish himself at Old Trafford.
Following Manchester United’s loss to Sunderland last Tuesday, many have begun to question the decision to appoint David Moyes as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor as United manager. The Red Devils’ loss to Sunderland marked their third in a row, the first time United have suffered such a fate since 2001.
Ferguson, when commenting on his first experiences at Old Trafford, was quoted as saying: “No manager can really be prepared… it’s so different from any other club in Britain.” Ferguson went on to suggest that: “Only through success can a manager become master of his own destiny”. Moyes has had a troubled start to his Manchester United reign, meaning the 50-year-old at this stage is unlikely to have control over his managerial destiny in the way his predecessor did.
It’s been a troubled start to David Moyes’ managerial career at Manchester United. Photo: soccerlens.co.uk
Indeed, Moyes has found replacing Ferguson a challenging task to say the lead, Ferguson’s incredible record just adding to the already enormous pressure. The legendary Scot claimed an incredible 38 trophies in just 26 years at United, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League wins. Ferguson’s standing as a manager was also increased due to his ability to rebuild teams following periods of immeasurable success, the famous “Class of ‘92″ is a clear example of this strength.
Every loss suffered by Moyes, as is to be expected for anybody in the position of Manchester United manager, has been subject to immense pressure by the media. Moyes did not receive anywhere near such scrutiny during his tenure at Everton, meaning the Scot will require a period of adjustment. Additionally, Moyes’ success at Everton has so far counted for little, his solitary piece of silverware to date with United being the Community Shield won at the season’s beginning.
[divider]
[poll id=”83”]
[divider]
Following their 2-0 win against Swansea yesterday, helping to erase the pain of the team’s 2-1 defeat to the Welsh side in the third round of the FA Cup, United currently sit nine points behind current Premier League leaders Chelsea, seventh in the table. This has to be ranked as a sub-par start to Moyes’ managerial career at United, the current title-holders.
In addition, United’s style of football of late has also been poor, with several of their recent performances, most notable against Sunderland, having been described as “laboured” by pundits. Despite this, there have been glimpses of brilliance by United this season, their 5–0 win against Bayern Leverkusen in the group stages of the Champions League a good example of this.
Moyes could hardly have a bigger pair of shoes to fill, Sir Alex Ferguson’s astonishing record a permanent source of pressure. Photo: goal.com
For this reason, time should still be given to Moyes, with the January transfer window offering a chance for him to add to his squad. This will give Moyes a chance to atone for United’s substandard performance in the last transfer window, with Marouane Fellaini the side’s only major acquisition of the summer. Indeed, many felt the acquisition of the Belgian, who lacks Champions League experience, was a poor choice.
With the January transfer window now open, this period seems like a perfect opportunity for Moyes to add much needed talent to an underperforming United squad, which needs strengthening in both defence and midfield. Attracting talent to United shouldn’t prove difficult in itself, but the January transfer window still has its pitfalls.
With the Champions League re-commencing in February, Moyes will find it tough to acquire talent from clubs also competing for European silverware, as well as United’s rivals in the Premier League. This next month will thus prove crucial for Moyes, with a failure to bring any world–class talent to the team likely to derail United’s challenge for a top four Premier League standing, the least Moyes arguably must deliver to satisfy the doubters.
Replacing Ferguson as United’s manager was always going to prove difficult for Moyes. What is important to remember, however, is that Ferguson’s success at United did not happen immediately, with the Scot given time to acquire his first trophy – Moyes thus deserves a similar period of grace to build a squad capable of competing for both domestic and European trophies.
Like Exeposé Sport on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest in university, local and global sport.
Ross Barkley, sans hair. Photo: liverpoolecho.co.uk
Alex Bonner casts his eye over several of the players in the Premier League that have made their presence felt in 2013.
Ross Barkley (Everton)
Barkley’s recent form has certainly put himself in contention for a much sought after World Cup spot in 2014. The Everton man has been praised for both his maturity and attitude to the game, credentials that are very fitting for a player who has delivered some outstanding individual performances of late. Justifiable acclaim for Barkley’s talents has come from all corners of the footballing world, underlying what has been an excellent year for the midfielder.
Adam Lallana (Southampton)
Despite having served the Saints since 2006, Lallana’s performances in 2013 have illustrated something of a breakthrough for the Southampton player. Lallana’s consistent play this year should be applauded, with his playmaking abilities even attracting the attention from Manchester United. Not only that, but the ever professional Lallana has gone on to represent his country on the international stage this year, justifiably receiving acclaim for his performances.
Phillipe Coutinho (Liverpool)
A January signing for the Reds, Coutinho has certainly demonstrated his credentials as one of the Premier League’s top midfielders this year. Despite not boasting much of a physical presence, the Brazilian has adapted well to the pace and intensity of the English top flight, his consistently superb performances having certainly contributed to a resurgent Liverpool side.
Andros Townsend. Photo: express.co.uk
Andros Townsend (Tottenham)
Having spent a majority of his playing career on loan, Townsend has established himself as one of England’s brightest talents this year. Having plied his trade at QPR in the early months of 2013, Townsend returned to the Tottenham setup, with consistent performances earning a call-up to the national side. Having started this season well, playing in victories over Crystal Palace, Swansea City and Dinamo Tbilisi, Townsend has marked himself out as a future star of the Premier League.
Christian Benteke (Aston Villa)
When Aston Villa invested £7 million in signing Benteke, many were quick to write off such a purchase as a reckless gamble. But, despite struggling recently for goals, the Belgian has succeeded proved these doubters wrong, securing the breakthrough he perhaps needed in 2013. Benteke has amassed 28 goals in 53 appearances for Villa, an impressive return for such a young striker.
Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Arriving at Chelsea as part of £32 million deal, Hazard has demonstrated his credentials as a future world class footballer in 2013. The young Belgian, who possesses both skill and physical strength, has been Chelsea’s standout player of 2013, with the dynamic winger contributing both goals and assists to the Chelsea title cause.
Rickie Lambert (Southampton)
Lambert’s performances in 2013, despite now being at 31 years of age, have been both exceptional and incredibly consistent. Having performed well for Southampton and Bristol Rovers in the lower divisions, Lambert has adjusted well to the demands of the Premier League, performances that have resulted in his inclusion in the England set up. Lambert’s ascendancy from a League One player to an international footballer is remarkable, an ascendancy clearly highlighted by his goals for England.
Luis Suárez (Liverpool)
2013, for Suárez, can be seen as the year that has demonstrated his ability and status as a world-class footballer. Suárez’s performances in 2013 have been nothing short of exceptional, with the striker amassing 19 goals in just 14 appearances this season alone. Suárez has also developed both his passing and defensive abilities, abilities not attributed to Suárez in 2012, with the Uruguayan now noted as a key team player in this now dynamic Liverpool team.
Luke Shaw (Southampton)
Despite only being 18 years of age, Shaw has demonstrated incredible maturity as a footballer in 2013. Having started his career in the Southampton youth setup, the young defender is now seen as Southampton’s first choice left-back. Shaw’s consistency this year should be applauded, demonstrating his supreme potential for the future. Having committed to Southampton for the long term, the future looks bright for the young defender, with an England call up now looking likely in the near future.
Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City)
Having established himself as City’s first choice right back by late 2012, Zabaleta has built on these foundations, with the Argentine now commonly regarded as the Premier League’s most accomplished right-back. 2013 has been a breakthrough for the seasoned defender as Zabaleta has now managed to add attacking intent to his already accomplished defensive abilities. After a superb end to last season, Zabaleta was voted Manchester City’s 2012–13 Player of the Year, with the defender continuing this form into this season.
Like Exeposé Sport on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest in university, local and global sport.
With the winner of this year’s coveted Ballon d’Or prize set to be announced on 13 January, a trio of Exeposé Sport’s finest pundits argue the case for each of the contenders – Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Franck Ribery.
Photo: thesun.co.uk
Lionel Messi – Joe Alexander
Messi has won the Ballon D’Or for the last four years running and will be in no hurry to give up the prestigious award after yet another scintillating season. 60 goals in 50 games in the 2012/13 season is an outrageous statistic, and whilst it is remarkably a downgrade on his goals-to-game ratio from the previous campaign, it is still five goals better than Cristiano Ronaldo could muster – in spite of playing five less games than the legendary Portuguese!
Messi’s efforts were instrumental in allowing Barcelona to clinch their 22nd La Liga title, as well as reaching the semi-finals of both the Champions League and Copa Del Rey. Whilst Barcelona’s failure to win the Champions League could count against Messi, the number of goals he has scored compares favourably to Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery, who could only deliver a sole goal whilst the Argentine scored eight.
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic and, increasingly, Gareth Bale now being regarded as of a similar calibre to Messi and Ronaldo, Messi cannot go on winning the Ballon d’Or forever. On the other hand, it would be profoundly wrong for FIFA not to give him the award this year because he has won it so many times before – he has the best stats, has made the biggest impact of all contenders, and hence deserves to triumph.
Cristiano Ronaldo – Alex Bonner, Sports Team
Ronaldo’s performances this year have been nothing short of superb, having scored 67 goals in just 56 matches this year and scoring a record 14 goals in the Champions League this year. He should also be credited for his performances in the big matches this year, as evidenced by his stunning individual performance against Sweden in this year’s World Cup play–off in which the Portuguese striker netted four goals.
Ronaldo was rightly credited for his sublime individual performance following this match, demonstrating his credentials as a world – class footballer on the international stage. Furthermore, Ronaldo’s performances since Gareth Bale’s record transfer to Real Madrid have highlighted his excellent attitude towards the game, with Ronaldo scoring 25 goals in just 18 appearances in this season alone.
Correctly identifying his current form as the best of his career, Ronaldo’s place among the footballing all-time greats is now assured. With Messi’s recent run–in with injury, Ronaldo appears to be in pole position to win the Ballon d’Or for the first time since his sole win back in 2007 – scooping the award for the second time would be nothing less than deserved given his performances throughout the year.
Franck Ribery – Matt Bugler, Online Sport Editor
Franck Ribery should win the Ballon d’Or because he has been the outstanding player of the best team in club football, Bayern Munich. He has already been voted European player of the year and best player in the Bundesliga for 2013, testament to his great respect amongst his footballing peers. Having inspired Bayern to the treble of league, cup and Champions League, Ribery can proudly reflect on a year of both team and individual success.
Indeed, in some ways it seems counter-intuitive to be awarding individuals for a team sport. The arguments for Messi and Ronaldo winning revolve almost entirely on how many goals they have scored, and while Ribery’s tally of 23 goals is very good rather than mind-blowing, his significant tally of 22 assists suggests he is as happy creating goals as scoring. Ribery is much more the ideal team player, and his desire to put in a shift for others by charging back 40 yards to make a tackle has led Pep Guardiola to describe working with him “an honour”. This contrasts with Ronaldo, who views defending as far beneath him, and plays football with one aim: to prove he is the best regardless of his team’s score.
As for Messi, he may have been scoring for fun, but like Ronaldo, he has found himself against weaker opposition in Spain. An ineffectual performance in the thrashing by Bayern and the all-Bundesliga nature of the final suggests that German football is the highest form of the game, and Ribery has proved himself the best contributor to the best team in Europe.
[poll id=”81″]
Like Exeposé Sport on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest in university, local and global sport.
Messi will have to dig deep if Barcelona are to overcome in form opponents Manchester City. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
With the draw revealed for the next round of the UEFA Champions League, Alex Bonner casts his eye across the eight round of 16 matches and offers his thoughts as to who will progress to the quarter-finals.
Manchester City v Barcelona
A mouth-watering tie with both teams’s tipped as potential Champions League winners. Manchester City will look to utilise their power and height to unsettle the Barcelona defence, a tactic that has worked against Barcelona in previous Champions league matches. The Spanish side have continued to use their “tika–taka” style of play, so expect City to rely on the counter attack. If Pellegrini’s men can utilise their advantages well, they can be expected to progress.
A tie between the current Premier league leaders and the reigning Bundesliga and Champions League champions was always likely to gain an unprecedented amount of attention and hype. Expect an open match, with both teams likely to rely on their passing play to open up their opponent. Bayern Munich may just have too much firepower for Arsenal to deal with, and as such can be expected to go through and subsequently challenge in the tournament’s latter stages.
Didier Drogba will have to take on his former side Chelsea. Photo: football365.com
Drogba’s return to Stamford Bidge is only one factor to look forward to with this tie, with the rivalry between Mourinho and Mancini likely to re-ignite following this match–up. Whilst there will be a spirited and well-organised Galatasaray side causing their opponents a degree of trouble, Chelsea, with the current array of talent on display in the likes of Hazard and Oscar, should be too much for the Turkish side’s defence.
United fans couldn’t have hoped for a better tie, with Olympiakos, despite boasting some dangerous players, likely to only provide a limited test for this current United team. With the likes of Rooney and Van Persie, assuming the Dutchman is fit, United boast a very strong forward line up, which should prove too much for this current Olympiakos defence. It’s this considerable attacking talent that will see the Red Devils progress.
Mario Balotelli’s AC Milan has a mountain to climb to progress in the tournament. Photo: nydailynews.com
AC Milan v Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid, currently holding second spot in La Liga, will be supremely confident heading into this round of 16 match. AC Milan have lost some considerable talent in recent years, such as Thiago Silva and Ibrahimović, and have only scraped through this year’s group stage. Expect Atletico to dominate possession, their current crop of talent putting them in real contention in this tournament after disposing of Milan.
Prediction – Atletico Madrid to progress
Key Players –Mendes, Villa, Costa (Atletico Madrid); Balotelli, Robinho, El Shaarawy (AC Milan)
[divider]
Bayer Leverkusen v Paris Saint-Germain
Bayer Leverkusen, currently placed in second in the Bundesliga, have had something of a resurgence in recent years under Sami Hyypiä, and will provide a stern test for Ligue 1 leaders Paris St. Germain. That said, the French side, who made it to the quarter-finals in last year’s tournament and will be eyeing a better result this time round, boast arguably one of the best strike forces around, in the form of Ibrahimović and Cavani, and thus should progress through this particular encounter.
Gareth Bale will be looking to help Real Madrid ease their way into the quarter-finals. Photo: doubletakedebate.com
Real Madrid, boasting arguably the most impressive squad in world football, should be expected to come through this tie in relative ease. Los Blancos, with both Bale and Ronaldo forming a devastating strike partnership, should have too much for this current crop of Schalke players. Expect the German side to play using their usual free flowing brand of football, which will likely be countered, and subsequently exploited, by Madrid’s wide players.
Dortmund, as last year’s finalists, found themselves placed in a very difficult group in this season’s tournament, and therefore did well to subsequently progress. Despite losing Götze to Munich in the summer, Dortmund still boast an incredibly talented squad, as evidenced through the likes of Lewandowski and Reus, and should therefore be expected to progress further than the last 16. Zenit, despite having performed well in previous Champions league campaigns, are certainly the underdogs in this particular tie.
Normal order was restored last week as Bugler defeated Dave Reynolds, who for all his chat could only muster a paltry 2 points. In the last round of term, before Bugler recharges his batteries over Christmas, will he finish in style over Marco Roberts?
Man City- Arsenal
Olivier Giroud: set to be portrayed in an artsy war film. Photo: bleacherreport.com
Marco: 2-1
A true test of Arsenal’s title credentials is a trip to the Etihad, where the Citizens have been banging in the goals left, right and center. The prospect of the pacey trio of Nasri, Aguero and Navas against football’s answer to the Giant Tortoise – Per Mertesacker – suggests a Man City win. Also, expect Arsenal to struggle in midfield, where Flamini will be too focused on the length of his sleeves to pick up any of Yaya Toure’s runs.
Matt: 2-0
Manuel Pellegrini’s knowledge of the football rules was exposed as being a bit shabby on Tuesday, so expect him to be in detailed conversation with Sergio Aguero before kickoff about the details of the offside rule. They’ll still have enough to beat Arsenal, who have elevated Olivier Giroud to the position of battered war veteran trying to muster up enough energy for one last battle.
Cardiff- West Brom
Marco: 1-3
Likely to battle with Hull vs Stoke for last place on Match of the Day. Cardiff have made their home ground a fortress, but West Brom under Steve Clarke are a good side. The Baggies to win, prompting Vincent Tan to change the kit colour to orange.
Matt: 1-0
West Brom are free-falling faster than George Clooney in Gravity, heading into an abyss even more frightening than space. Cardiff are going to win this 1-0, because that’s the only score they can win by.
Chelsea- Crystal Palace
Marco: 1-0
Tony Pulis will try to implement some of the tactics he studied on the continent during his sabbatical; expect to see a masterclass in ‘route uno’, pioneered at Stoke, perfected at Palace. The Blues’ multi-million pound strike force will again fail to show up, prompting rumours in the press that Mourinho will move for Chamakh in the January transfer window. I can see it being a tight match, with a 90th minute goal that sends Jose leaping into the crowd, followed by a press conference along the lines of “I told you I was the best”.
Matt: 1-1
The rebirth of Marouane Chamakh to atone for the sins of Man has allowed him to perform the miracle of keeping Palace up. They’ll be on course for a ludicrous win at Stamford Bridge before the appropriately biblical Eden Hazard will bring them back down to earth.
Everton- Fulham
A greater man than you and I. Photo: BBC
Marco: 3-0
Roberto Martinez has Everton playing some great football, and after giving Arsenal a tough time on Sunday they are likely to do the same to Fulham. Much of Fulham’s fate depends on whether Dimitar Berbatov can be bothered, and since he played well at the weekend it’s unlikely that he’ll be doing the same until the new year.
Matt: 3-0
With Nelson Mandela dead, Roberto Martinez has taken up the duty of most adulated person in the world. The charming, intelligent, England-praising Spaniard likes to reward his players with sweets for playing well, much to the delight of Gareth Barry’s dentist.
Newcastle- Southampton
Marco: 2-2
(Or France vs England). Two teams that flirted with relegation last year, but who are now pressing the top 6. Both were responsible for some unhappy fans in Manchester last week, and this should be an entertaining match. With Artur Boruc missing the Saints might lack a little flair and fancy footwork, but should be able to match the Magpies anyway.
Matt: 1-2
In the match obligatorily dubbed “the meeting of this season’s surprise packages,” the Saints will get back to winning ways against a Newcastle side who have ghosted so stealthily into European contention that Sam Fisher of Splinter Cell would be proud. Their comical negative goal difference will only decrease further in the face of Southampton’s attacking riches.
West Ham- Sunderland
Marco: 0-2
Tactical master Sam Allardyce has been baffling opponents recently with his crafty false nine, striker-less team. Unfortunately, he also appears to be baffling his players, who were so confused against Liverpool that they were scoring in the wrong goal. Sunderland have improved under Gus Poyet, and could deliver a surprise.
Matt: 0-0
In a match doing its best to dispel the myth of the Premier League being the best in Europe, Sam Allardyce will set his side out to kick the ball about a bit and stay solid defensively. Gus Poyet believes Sunderland’s best chance of success is to spend big in January, having meticulously studied the plight of QPR last season.
Hull- Stoke
Marco: 1-1
A fixture all football fans have been waiting for. Fresh from their victory against Chelsea, Stoke will have confidence. Hull haven’t been nearly as dire as most punters expected, and Steve Bruce has built a a solid team around on-loan Jake Livermore and half-man half-tree Tom Huddlestone. Both teams’ quality (or lack thereof) will cancel each other out.
Matt: 1-0
My return to home comforts and Sky Sports will be greeted with this turgid affair on TV. Still, better than a slap on the face with a wet fish.
Aston Villa- Man Utd
Tom Cleverly: not very good. Photo: englandfootballblog.com
Marco: 0-2
Benteke vs Fellaini: two Belgians who took the Prem by storm last year, but are having a tougher time in 2013-14. A must-win for Man United; and having left 13 missed calls on Paul Scholes’s phone, David Moyes may have to settle for Tom Cleverly again. It will all depend on whether RVP spends the entire 90 minutes concentrating on the match, as opposed to daydreaming about what would have happened if he had stayed at Arsenal.
Matt: 1-2
These two sides cower from the pressure of playing at home, where they are expected to pass it about nicely rather than turn up quietly and sneak it on the counter. Man Utd are slowly coming to terms with their descent into mid-table mediocrity, where wins like these will be crucial if they are to finish in the top half.
Norwich- Swansea
Marco: 0-2
Still in therapy to get over being bullied by Luis Suarez, Norwich will get turned over by the slick passing Swans, no doubt spurred on by the return of Michu. May lead to the sacking of Chris Hughton, with interim-manager Delia Smith taking the reigns until the end of the season.
Matt: 2-0
Norwich are perfecting the art of being dreadful for three quarters of their matches but winning just enough to stay out the drop zone and keep Chris Hughton in his job. After they farcically finished 11th last season, their current position of 14th speaks volumes about the declining overall quality of the Premier League. Swansea are just happy to be getting some exercise.
Tottenham- Liverpool
Marco: 1-2
Liverpool can’t defend. Spurs can’t score. It will be a true test of both Rodgers’ and Villas Boas’ teams, and with the form Suarez is in he’s bound to find the net at some point. Spurs will probably dominate the midfield as Gerrard is out and Allen/Lucas/Coutinho is hardly much of a physical presence. Fortunately for the Reds, Tottenham haven’t been particularly prolific of late, and their best chance of a goal is by aiming at Martin Skrtel.
Matt: 2-2
Tottenham will install the radical tactic of positioning 9 men to mark Luis Suarez. With Liverpool’s biggest threat out of the equation, Roberto Soldado will demonstrate his effortless superiority to his teammates by waltzing through the opposition team on his own, uninhabited by Andros Townsend’s well-meaning but ultimately not good enough crosses.
Like Exeposé Sport on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest in university, local and global sport.
Following last week’s draw for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Will Cafferky looks at each of the eight groups that were announced and offers his predictions as to which teams will progress.
Will Bayern Munich’s Mario Mandzukic make an impression on the world stage? Photo: sloanecroatia.com
Group A
It’s hard to see anyone other than the hosts triumphing in this one, with Croatia probably presenting the toughest challenge. Mexico will be hoping their current transition phase is before the tournament starts, whilst Cameroon need to ensure that they correct the divisions starting to form within the squad if either hope to challenge for the second spot up for grabs.
Prediction: Brazil and Croatia to progress
Key Players: Neymar, Thiago Silva, Kaka, David Luiz, Oscar (Brazil), Mario Mandzukic, Luka Modric (Croatia), Javier Hernandez (Mexico), Samuel Eto’o, Alexander Song (Cameroon)
Group B
This proves much less straight forward than Group A; without wishing to use the label “group of death”, there’s no doubting this is a strong group. 2010’s finalists Spain and the Netherlands speak for themselves. However, as I recently discussed for Exeposé, Chile go into the tournament looking very strong and could upset the Dutch. Meanwhile, spare a thought for Australia.
Prediction: Spain and Chile to progress
Key Players: Jordi Alba, Xavi, Iniesta, David Silva, Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Gary Medel, Arturo Vidal, Alexis Sanchez (Chile), Wesley Snjeider, Robin Van Persie (Netherlands), Miles Jedinak, Tim Cahill (Australia)
Group C
One of the weaker groups of the cup, Group C is without any of the main big hitters. Columbia undoubtedly boast the strongest squad and will look to capitalise on a favourable draw. Ivory Coast will be thankful to finally get a bit of luck with a World Cup group, and this arguably presents their best opportunity to progress to the next round with Japan and Greece likely to prove little more than cannon fodder.
Could Southampton star Adam Lallana ruffle a few feathers against Italy and Uruguay? Photo: telegraph.co.uk
Group D
There were few draws that could have been harsher to England – whilst they did avoid Spain and Germany, they did manage to get the next best thing. Italy are a team in the ascendency under manager Cesare Prandelli, whilst few teams in world football can claim to have two better strikers than Uruguay. It’s hard to see England escaping alive, with the only respite coming in the quivering shape of Costa Rica.
Prediction: Italy and Uruguay to progress
Key Players: Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Pirlo, Mario Balotelli (Italy) Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Diego Forlan (Uruguay), Steven Gerrard, Jack Wilshere, Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart (England), Bryan Ruiz (Costa Rica)
Group E
The unseeded France will be rather happy with the result of the draw, as they look favourites to redeem their disastrous 2010 campaign. Honduras will likely prove to be the proverbial doormat, whilst Ecuador and Switzerland will battle for second place, with the latter coming out on top.
Prediction: France and Switzerland to progress
Key Players: Hugo Lloris, Mamadou Sakho, Frank Ribery, Paul Pogba, Samir Nasri (France), Stephan Liechtensteiner, Valon Behrami, Xerdan Shaqiri (Switzerland), Antonio Valencia, Felipe Caicedo (Ecuador), Wilson Palacios (Honduras)
It’s time Leo Messi made an international tournament his own. Photo: empireofsoccer.com
Group F
This group seems fairly straightforward; Argentina’s overwhelming attacking talent will probably send shivers down the spines of Iranian defenders. Meanwhile, Bosnia-Herzegovina will likely be satisfied with the draw, especially following Nigeria’s fairly woeful display at the Confederations Cup earlier this year.
Prediction: Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina to progress
Key Players: Javier Mascherano, Pablo Zabaleta, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain, Ezequiel Lavezzi (Argentina), Asmir Begovic, Miralem Pjanic, Zvjezdan Misimovic, Edin Dzeko (Bosnia-Herzegovina), John Obi-Mikel, Victor Moses, Obafemi Martins (Nigeria), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Iran)
Group G
Germany are the favourites of many a pundit for Brazil 2014. Whilst Portugal, Ghana and USA present tough opposition, it’s hard to imagine anything other than an efficient group stage from the Germans. Portugal endured a hairy play-off tie with Sweden to earn their place, and whilst USA and Ghana enjoyed more relaxed campaigns, it’s hard to picture either coping with the superhuman ability of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Prediction: Germany and Portugal to progress
Key Players: Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, Mats Hummels, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil, Mario Gotze (Germany), Pepe, Joao Moutinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani (Portugal), Sulli Muntari, Kwandwo Assamoah, Asamoah Gyan, Kevin-Prince Boateng (Ghana), Tim Howard, Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan (United States)
Group H
Belgium couldn’t have wished for a better group as they look to capitalise upon their impressive qualifying campaign. Labelled a “golden generation,” the team is littered with Premier League superstars. Meanwhile, Fabio Capello’s Russia will face stiff competition from a promising Algeria side for the second spot in the round of 16, with South Korea also destined for an early exit.
Prediction: Belgium and Russia to progress
Key Players: Jan Vertonghen, Vincent Kompany, Alex Witsel, Moussa Dembele, Marouane Fellaini, Eden Hazard, Christian Benteke, Romelu Lukaku (Belgium), Igor Akinfeev, Aleksandr Kerzhakov, Yuri Zhirkov, Alan Dzagoev (Russia), Ryad Boudebouz, Sofiane Ferghouli (Algeria), Ki Sueng-Yueng, Kim Bo-Kyung, Lee Chung-Yong, Ji Dong-Wong, Park Chu-Young (South Korea)
Like Exeposé Sport on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest in university, local and global sport.
exeposedev 