Archive for May, 2007
Man United sign Anderson and Nani
Well, United’s summer has certainly started in an explosive fashion. According to a statement on the official website, it looks like the club has signed two young starlets from FC Porto- Nani and Anderson. Definitely looks like two potential replacements for Scholes and Giggs. And Sir Alex has always been exceptional in the way he has handled potential superstars. It is going to be interesting to see how he handles the two next season.
You can read the rest here- Guardian Football
Videos:
Nani Compilation- Click Here
Anderson Compilation- Click Here
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A Preview to the French Open
The contenders for the men’s singles title:
Rafael Nadal:
Till the Hamburg final it looked like dethroning the King of Clay would be next to impossible. But after a defeat in the Hamburg finals, it looks like there could be a serious rival for Nadal’s title defense in the form of Roger Federer. Nevertheless, taking the Spaniard’s supreme confidence on the surface, his custom-made game for the surface and his unbeatable record at Roland Garros, it would be unwise to not place the world no.2 as the title favorite. Rafa goes into the tournament without the burden of having to extend his 81-match winning streak. While his side of the draw is ridden with tenacious and top-notch competitors like Hewitt, Djokovic, Verdasco and Ferrer, Nadal is expected to rise to the occasion and clinch his third French Open title.
Roger Federer:
In his Hamburg triumph it looks like Federer has finally managed to implement all his “How-to-Conquer-Nadal†plans. He steps into French Open with his confidence at a real high level and he knows that this is the best year for him to clinch the one slam that has eluded him. While there are some tough clay courters like Canas, Ferrero, Safin and Volandri in his half of the draw. If he plays at the level he has managed to play in Hamburg, he should be able to put in some real strong performances in his path to the semi finals. His opponent there could well be the inform Gonzalez or the Russian fourth-seed Nilokai Davydenko.
Fernando Gonzalez:
Gonzalez lost to Nadal in the two clay court Masters tournaments in Rome and Hamburg. While in the first match he gets completely outplayed and manages just four games, in the second match the following week he won 8 games. He was able to point out his problem against Nadal – his inability to match Nadal shot for shot in long rallies on clay. Maintaining a high level of game for the span of 5 sets could pose a problem for Fernando. However, if he manages to play the brand of aggressive tennis that he usually does and if his giant forehand clicks, his chances cannot be completely ignored. If the form-book holds good, he should be facing Federer in the semifinals.
Nikolay Davydenko:
Last year’s French Open quarterfinalist and current World No.4 Nikolay Davydenko has so far been unable to replicate the kind of success he had last year, where he managed to win five titles and did consistently well in most of the tournaments he participated in. This year his start has been pretty good with him reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals. But he has played his best match against Spanish World No.2 Rafael Nadal in the Rome semifinals. He matched Rafa consistently and was successfully in hitting clean winners in some keenly contested rallies. In that match he was the one who dictated the terms stepping well within the baseline while Nadal was pinned on the baseline or a few feet behind it in most of the rallies. Such tactics would pay off well against most of the clay-courters whose retrieving skills are at a level slightly less than that of Nadal. But his lack of experience on the big stage could be a factor that could hamper his chances. But anyone who has seen the wiry Russian take Nadal to three tough sets should not discount his chances.
The contenders for the Women’s singles title:
Justine Henin:
The two time defending champion and the three time winner of the French Open is the firm favorite for the title. Clay is Henin’s best surface and she has always been at home at the Roland Garros. In the tune-up to the French Open she just played two events. She won one and reached the semifinals at the other, not an ideal preparation by the Belgian world no.1’s standards. The Belgian is however in fine form and her past successes here should make her really confident about her chances.
Svetlana Kuznetsova:
Kuznetsova has not been able to replicate her 2004 Grand Slam success after winning that year’s US Open. She came close to that last year when she reached the final of the French Open, losing to Henin in straight sets. The Russian third seed is very comfortable on the surface, having trained on the surface for 5 years in Spain. In the final last year, she did try to overpower Henin on many occasions, a ploy that did not work too well on account of the Belgian’s superior retrieving skills. But she did beat Henin this year in the semifinals of the German Open in a tough three-setter and that win should boost her confidence for a second shot at the title.
Serena Williams:
The Australian Open this year underlined one line of thought – “never underestimate a Williams, especially if her first name is Serena.†Clay though not her favorite surface, the younger of the two Williams’ sisters did taste success on the surface in 2002, winning the title by defeating Venus in the finals. This year she is seeded 8th and is expected to meet Henin in the quarters. She is the only player in the draw who can actually beat Henin even on a day when the Belgian is playing her best tennis.
Jelena Jankovic:
The Serbian has been a revelation this year, winning two titles and reaching a couple of semifinals. Her strong backhand, excellent court-speed and physical strength should be her key strengths, while on the flipside her lack of big match practice and her supposed “nerves†might cause a problem or two. She is in Henin’s half of draw and if form permits she should be in the semifinals. But Jelena must first be focusing on a likely third-round showdown with Venus Williams.
The Champions of Europe
The prestigious league had a familiar name etched on its cup and Italy had its second footballing achievement in as many years. AC Milan were by far the best team in the Champions League and were deserved winners of the UEFA Champions League. They outplayed favorites Manchester United in the semis after doing away with Bayern Munich in the Quarterfinals. In the lead up to their final against Liverpool, there was a lot of talk of *that* night in Istanbul and when Kuyt scored in the 90 th minute, it almost seemed like fate was against Senor Berlusconi’s team. But it was nothing more than a consolation goal as the match ended 2-1. This was after the most vilified man in the Milan dressing room put them two ahead after some fortitous and opportunistic finishing. Inzaghi was his usual self. Diving, time wasting, being called offside a million times but fortunately for Milan, also deadly in his finishing. He may have won over a few fans with that display. On the whole, Liverpool were the better(with a very small b) team. Milan lacked the fluency like they did against Man Utd but this was as Ancelotti envisioned. Few teams play with flair against Benitez. He is a master tactician and despite Valdano’s ramblings, he is still one of the best managers in the world.
I got the feeling that Gerrard got carried away with his prematch comments. He should have learnt from Totti’s example that it is very easy to talk a good game. No disrespect to him, He is still the best english talent in the world, a list that includes a certain Man Utd striker.
However, no one would complain that Milan didn’t deserve the CL. They were brilliant in their style and execution, not a trait normally associated with the Italians . It is a good sign that for the second season running we have had attacking teams (more measured in the case of Milan) win the Champions League and although this may be a pipe dream, I hope this continues for the coming seasons. Tactical football may be effective but for a spectator, it is mind numbingly dull.
The European season is nearly over. Spain will go on for a few more weeks before they go into hibernation (or is that aestivation?). After that we may have to live off the crumbs that fall of the transfer table.
Federer Clinches his fourth Hamburg Masters Title, Beating the King of Clay
Before playing Nadal in the second round of the Rome Masters, Daniele Bracciali’s team asked Federer to suggest how Nadal could be tackled on clay. Federer’s suggestion was simple- play a super-offensive game and it might pay dividends. While Bracciali did play an aggressive brand of tennis, he could not manage to dent Nadal’s reputation on clay. As for Federer, it appears like he has finally found the recipe for beating Nadal on clay, after coming agonizingly close on a couple of previous occasions. He finally ended Nadal’s 81-match streak on clay, beating the Spaniard 2-6,6-2,6-0 in the Hamburg Masters final.
Federer has always played well in Hamburg, the last major tune-up for the French Open. This year he won the title by beating five clay-court fanatics – Juan Monaco, Ferrero, Ferrer, Moya and Nadal – and his only straight set victory was over the 2003 French Open Champion Juan Carlos Ferrero. As for Nadal, he seemed to have run out of steam against Federer, especially in the decider of the final. Rafa’s punishing forehand was missing the lines often and he was making way too many errors. Federer on his part was pushing him way behind the baseline during many points and Nadal ran out of answers to Federer’s relentless attacking and forays to the net.
Next Stop: Paris
While both players did not seek to read too much into the result, it did succeed in strengthening Federer’s locus standi as Nadal’s strongest rival for the French Open title. Federer’s first title on clay in almost two years comes at a crucial time for the Swiss World No.1. He has split from his coach Tony Roche and has decided to go into the coming two grand slams without a coach and it appears that the decision is not after all a bad one!
Nadal on the other hand goes to Paris, without the pressure of having to extend his clay-court streak. He would however have a shot at becoming the first player since Bjorn Borg to win three successive French Open titles. To know if he is able to achieve the feat, his fans and the whole tennis world have to wait till the evening of June 10th to find out. That day another question could also be partially answered – Is Federer going to win his Calendar Slam this year?
Chelsea win the FA Cup!!!
After 120 minutes of football that bordered on the tedium, we had a winner, and quite fittingly it was Chelsea’s man of the season who finished Manchester United off. The setting, the new Wembley , was spectacular but the football played sadly wasn’t, it hardly justified the occasion.
It was the case of who could wear out the other faster. I guess both team had their moments and neither team deserved to win it. The game had very few talking points, may be the Giggs incident is the only one. Ronaldo has proved the big game bottler again. Giggs had some sloppy moments. Rooney was better than the other two. But in a game in which cried out for the flair players of Manchester United to do something, they failed miserably. Chelsea used their usual power play game and got their result. Fair play. A word on Essien, I mean what a player! Not a club in Europe would not want his service.
Its bit of an anticlimax for Manchester United who could rightly feel that they have let things slip in the fag end of the season. As for Chelsea and Mourinho, I think Jose would do very well if he went inside and gave Drogba a big hug. Drogba has been the difference between a trophy less season and one with 2 cups. Whether it was enough to keep Jose’s job? I have my doubts.
< Video of Droba's Goal:
Video of Drogba’s Goal
Nadal Conquers Rome for the Third Straight Year
Rafael Nadal successfully defended his Rome Masters title by beating this year’s Australian Open finalist Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 6-2,6-2 in an authoritative display of clay court tennis. While winning the title Nadal did succeed to create a bunch of new records, the fact that he succeeded in avenging three of his defeats this year must be a special reason for happiness. Mikhail Youzhny, Novak Djokovic and Fernando Gonzalez have had success against Nadal this year on hard-courts, but found their weapons inadequate in threatening Nadal on clay.
A disturbing news for Nadal’s rivals for this year French Open is that Nadal is playing much more aggressive than last year. He is finishing off points quickly by coming to the net, taking a lesser swing on his forehand, thus taking the ball early and his backhand too has become sharper. On the whole he is playing an attacking brand of tennis, thus spending less time on the court. His 77th straight win on clay has placed him as a firm favorite for the French Open, starting on May 27th.
No rivals on Clay:
With Roger Federer facing a dip in form and confidence, there is at present no clear rival for him for the title. The players who could do the damage are Nikolay Davydenko (lost to Nadal in the Rome semi-finals in a classic three-setter), Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Guillermo Canas, Fernando Gonzalez and Tommy Robredo. But whether any of them has the game or the confidence to beat the king on his favourite surface remains to be seen.
EPL- Arsenal and Livepool. Season in Review
Its time to look back at some of my predictions and how they went haywire. Seriously, I suck at these! The original post is here: Predictions
Arsenal (My Prediction- Fourth)
I got this one right. Arsenal ended the season at fourth place. A very disappointing season for the club and a poor start in the new stadium. Thierry Henry contributed practically nothing this year (due to a series of injuries). Ditto for Robbie Van Persie. They were pretty competitive against the the big teams (they took 6 points off United!) but poor away form and the inability to convert possession into goals resulted in a title no show.
A very disappointing run of form in the Champions League also resulted in getting knocked out by PSV Eindhoven. (how I relished that result!) A glorious run in the Carling cup was probably the only bright spot in an otherwise nothing season.
Expect the take over saga to run through the summer resulting in Kroenke winning full control and then promising a number of big signings for Wenger. Whether this team ever comes out of the “transition” period remains to be seen. A top quality striker is an absolute must during the transfer window.
Possible Transfers:
Arsene Wenger is expected to find his summer transfer budget this week. The club is doing well financially so Wenger would definitely be able to go after two or three players. And he needs some big signings to convince the likes of Fabregas and Henry. What will happen to Henry this year? Rumours are on that Barcelona are interested in getting Henry to Nou Camp. Samuel Etoo now seems certain to leave Barcelona and Arsenal’s style would suit him a lot more than those of Chelsea and Liverpool. Julio Baptista is definitely moving back to Madrid but whether Reyes will move in the opposite direction remains to be seen.
Liverpool (My prediction- Second)
>My original prediction was that Liverpool would run Chelsea close for the title. I expected Rafa Benitez to get it right in England after two attempts. But both haven’t happened. The Reds have lacked firepower up front and also creative wingers. That said, they are in the final of the one trophy that both Ferguson and Mourinho wanted more than anything else- the Champions League. Benitez will be looking to add one winger and one more striker during the summer. I expect him to offload Craig Bellamy to any team that will take him.
Benitez has proved his mastery in Europe but the fans want the league title more than anything else. Its close to two decades since Liverpool and have been crowned Champions of England and fans will undoubtedly be disappointed that the team is not even challenging for the title. But, the Champions League title could prove to be very sweet compensation.
Possible Transfers
Liverpool are expected to sign Brazilian youngster and Lucras Leiva. Funnily enough he is a holding midfielder. Liverpool really lack players in that position! But he has got to be one for the future, whether he adapts to life in England remains to be seen. It is very possible that Liverpool’s best signing of the season came in January when they signed on Mascherano from West Ham United. Liverpool have also signed Andriy Voronin from Bayern Leverkusen, he is expected to add much needed strike power to the squad.
Say Hello To Fischer Chess
Devangshu Dutta writes in the supplement of the Business Standard that this year’s Mainz Classic will feature an altogether new format – the C960, better known as Fischer Chess. In this format, the starting positions are randomized, thus killing off whatever advantage players try to gain from the openings.
It is reported that this tournament will be held alongside the normal Rapid tournament, and woud feature four players – Anand, Aronian, Kasimdzhanov and Bacrot. Should be really interesting to see how the champs cope up with the new format.
While on one hand it is exciting to know that the new format is being tried out, it also raises a few questions. Does this mean that classical chess is dying? Is the new format being introduced because classical chess doesn’t draw as much interest as it used to? Has the fight regarding the two ruling bodies (FIDE and Kasparov’s PCA) had such a negative impact on the sport?
There are also questions from the other side, viz. will the new format catch on? Will the new format be able to coexist with classical chess? How good will the classical champions be at this format?
We need to wait for a while before these questions get answered. In the meantime, we can look forward to the Mainz Classic and see how the new game pans out. And hopefully, it should get enough coverage from the mainstream media.
Stan Kroenke, Arsenal’s Devil or Saviour?
What do Aston Villa , Liverpool and Manchester United all have in common? Yes, The common denominator in all these clubs is an American owner. And if Stan Kroenke has his way, Arsenal FC will join that ever growing list.
The opposition has been vehement, both from the fans and from the board. Although there has been some misguided thoughts that the takeover will allow Arsenal to mix it with the big boys. The takeover doesn’t make any sense. It does not make sense the business way, let me explain why.
For all of those misguided souls who think that Stan Kroenke is another Russian sugar daddy like Roman, face it, HE IS NOT. Period. He is not going to walk into the Arsenal boardroom with a blank cheque in hand and ask Peter Hill Wood or Danny Fiszman to fill out an amount they deem enough. As one person in put it “We (Arsenal) won’t be a rich man’s play thing, more likely we will be his wallet and washing machineâ€. Put in simple terms, he is simply going to burden the club with more loans and subsequent interest payments.
For all those people who know how businesses work you can skip this paragraph, for those of you who don’t read on. When a business makes money it puts money in the pockets of the owner. Then owner then decides whether he wants to buy a shiny new Mercedes and let the business stagnate or whether he wants to reinvest the money and make the business even bigger. The latter is the case with present board of directors of Arsenal.
The present board does not take home the profits instead they let club take whatever profits it generates. Will Stan the man do the same thing?? You are going to have a tough time to convince me that he will do the same thing. There is otherwise no incentive for him to cross the Atlantic.
And you saw this in our site first, Arsenal WILL be the richest club in the world next year this time. No, please stop laughing; I’m not delusional neither am I high. The half year figures for the month ending November is 100.8 million pounds. Compare this figure to the 57 million last year. 9 million pounds can be written off as non-football related income so that makes it 91 million pounds. Arsenal made 156 million for the whole of last year, if we were to extrapolate this figure Arsenal would end up with something like 200 million pounds this year. Add to this the cash injection of nearly 20 million to all premier league clubs the picture does look very rosy indeed.
The extra income is primary due to 3 million pounds match day income, naming rights and other merchandise. The 3 million is the highest anywhere in Europe. Obviously, being in London has its own advantages.
In layman terms
40 million extra in revenues + 20 million TV money – 17 million in loans repayment – Lot of money in increased player wages(Gallas, Henry etc) – Running costs of the stadium = A very rosy picture.
Of course the 260 million pounds is being repaid over 25 years and anything can happen between now and then maybe English football will face a total collapse like the Italian league. But by in large there are reasons to be optimistic.
Coming back to my original point, If at all Stan Kroenke takes over the club, the money is not going come out of his own pocket. He is going to borrow nearly 700 million pound which will be required to buy the club.
Who is going to repay all that money??? Of course its going to Arsenal Football Club.
Just because Kroenke has taken over are the clubs profit magically going to increase? Of course not!
So basically what will happen is that the repaying of the 700 million plus interests will eat into the profits that Arsenal will generate. Which means lesser resources to compete with, more loans to repay and in case some untoward happens its infinitely more damaging to the club.
This is not the last time we are going to hear of this story, I’m sure it’s going to take up a lot of column inches in the back pages in the summer. Most likely idle gossip but what make the equation interesting is Double-D (David Dein) has sided with the Yank and is his 14.6% stake in the club going to have a say? Time will answer that question. The other members of the board positively baulked at the very notion of an American owing the club and so have many of the fans.
So there, the fans, I think are far more concerned about the financial side of the Football Club rather than the sentimental side. Finally, for the fans, the welfare of the club is paramount. If Kroenke was good for the club he will be welcomed with open arms rather than with pickets saying “Go Away, Stanâ€.
Milan thump United and enter final.
For the second time in three years we are going to have a Liverpool vs Milan final in the UEFA Champions league. Milan confirmed their position in the final after thumping Manchester United 3-0 in Milan to win the tie on aggregate 5-3.
If the previous final is anything to go by, we can expect a treat. I expect Liverpool to win, they are much better (in Europe, mind you) than what they were two years back. The middle of the field looks very settled with Mascherano and Alonso. And of course Benitez really seems to have mastered tactics required for success in Europe. For both the clubs, this trophy represents the only chance to redeem what has otherwise been very disappointing seasons at club level.
Manchester United:
A woeful defense and players like Ronaldo going AWOL cut short any hopes of a final and a shot at a second treble. United now need to recover by Saturday when they play Manchester City in the derby. The league title is in their hands but will they slip up?
The best player in the world
Before the semifinals, there were two contenders for the best active footballer in the world. And over the two legs, Kaka has made that position his own. Of course, 1) Gattuso hacking down Ronaldo all over the park and 2) United’s terrible defense have certainly helped.
The Goals from the match:
First goal – KAKA
Second goal- SEEDORF
Third goal- GILARDINHO
