Goal of the Day: Robin Strikes
Don’t hate me, Joe!
Marco Reus – Your New Favorite Player
How is it that a team loses its best player two years in a row and continues to thrive? That’s the question I constantly find myself asking of Borussia Dortmund. Two years ago, after winning the Bundesliga, they watched their young captain and talisman, Nuri Sahin walk to the Bernebeau for a measly transfer fee. They repeated as champions in spite of Bayer Munich.
This summer they’ll look to repeat that as they’ve watched Shinji Kagawa, arguably their most important player a year ago, walk away to Old Trafford for a relatively small transfer fee. So the plan this year? Let me introduce you to your new favorite footballer. His name is Marco Reus.
He’s young, energetic, creative, and a hell of a finisher for a midfielder. Toward the end of last season Dortmund sealed a deal to sign the young German international away from Borussia Monchengladbach for £17m. Is he Shinji Kagawa? He actually looks to be a better, more complete Kagawa.
The BVB debutant even scored the first goal of the season for the reigning champions on his debut. Expect another special season for this break out star, but more importantly, expect to have a new favorite player.
Hardest Part
My roommate and I are in a bar watching England versus Italy. The PKs come up and I’m tapping him on the shoulder, messing with him. “Stop!” He protests. “It’s a penalty shoot out!” I laughed, “I’ve had my fair share, and it’s a lot less dramatic when you’re watching it.” Mind you, its the Euro, I have no real stake in the event.
Italy won, to which I stated “losing in PKs is the hardest and most disappointing loss in any sport.” He stopped, looked at me and said “walk off home run.” I looked at him and replied, “there isn’t nearly the tension during the 9th in baseball as there is through penalty kicks.” It’s the most anxiety in sports.
In high school, not nearly a EURO stage, I was one of our 5 shooters and the goalie. So I had 6 chances to do it all. As a goalie there isn’t as much pressure as the shooter. You’re six feet tall with a 6 foot wing span trying to stop a sphere that’s about a foot in diameter from getting into a goal that’s 8×24. Its a fairly difficult thing to do without pressure.
I could never watch out shooters during PKs. I felt like it made me more nervous to watch someone miss knowing that I had to stop the next shot rather than just knowing it. That sort of breath out of the stadium experience.
After the game, my mom called asking if I’d seen the game. I told her what Eric said about the walk off home run, she said (mind you South Carolina baseball is her favorite thing on earth) “no contest losing a PK shoot out is harder than losing in a walk off home run.
I’m sure of South Carolina losses game 3 of the CWS from a walk off home run, I’ll get another call with the exact opposite reaction.
But seriously, how good is Pirlo?
Video: Bargain Shopping
So it appears after comments from Sir Alex Ferguson that Dimitar Berbatov can be yours for a measly £5m. This has to be one of the best bargains out there this summer. The guy scores in droves and is quite enjoyable to watch.
Rooney to PSG?
Rumors surfaced earlier today that Qatari owned French “powerhouse”(I use that term quite lightly for obvious reasons…it’s Ligue 1) have put away €150m to help secure the capture of Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney. This is quite possibly the most shocking transfer rumor to hit football in some time.(Probably since Rooney’s superstar teammate Ronaldo left for Real Madrid a few years back) So what is the probability of this transfer happening, and what would it mean for Manchester United, the Barclay’s Premier League, and the rest of the footballing world?
Probability – 25:1
Okay, I’ll admit, I’m not a bookie or a Vegas odds maker, but I feel like these odds are pretty dead on. They’re far off enough to say two things – he most likely won’t be prised away from the northwest English club, but that it’s not that far off of a jump.
Wayne Rooney is THE Manchester United talisman, and is the heart and soul of the team, and quite possibly English Football as a whole.(EPL and FA) In many ways, the argument could be made that he is the best all around player in all of world football, something that my cohort Joe Champey and I have discussed a lot recently. More on that in a moment. He means more to Manchester United than any player in the EPL means to their respective team, the true definition of MVP, and with a total of 35 goals in 44 games this season(all competitions), it’s hard to argue. Odds of Manchester United wanting(key word) to sell him are near nil, but it’s not entirely up to the club. In a lot of ways, transfers are not only a two-way street, but a three-way. Get your minds out of the gutter for a moment.
The €150m that PSG has supposedly put away isn’t entirely for the transfer fee. There are plenty of other things that get factored into that, whether it’s agent fees, buyout clause, or maybe the most important, player wages. Remember back in 2010 when Manchester United had a press conference, and Sir Alex Ferguson let the world know that Wayne Rooney wanted to quit the club? Yeah, it wasn’t too long ago, and yes shortly after that statement he did sign a ridiculous 5 year deal that made him the world’s third highest paid player. He made a statement, or his people did rather, that he isn’t drawn to money, but ambition. Does that mean he’s married to the club? In no way shape or form. Paris Saint Germain are part of the nouveau riche in world football, led by Qatari billionaire owners. Two things the club do not lack as of late are money, and ambition, so Wayne Rooney wouldn’t have to choose from either. He will be faced with playing in the lowly French Ligue 1, which isn’t the most appealing league as late.
Partner Manchester United’s attachment to the player, Wayne Rooney’s recent desire to leave the club(2010), and PSG’s money and ambitious goals for the immediate future, and you have 25:1. As stated, it’s not that far of a leap if he does indeed get snapped up by the Parisian club.
What would it mean for Manchester United? – The World
It’s that simple. He is the aforementioned heart and soul of the Manchester club, and among the most popular players in the world, making him that much more valuable. As I said, Joe and I have talked extensively about how he is the best all-around(key word) player in the world. He brings the tenacity of a bulldog, the endurance and tendencies of a box-to-box midfielder, the power of a target man, and the silky smooth touch of lotion in front of goal. When you have a player of his nature, you’re guaranteed a bottomless gas tank, a forward who can score 25-35 goals a year, and a player who will tirelessly attack and defend. If Manchester United surrender his services to another club, it will not be worth it. Not to mention, he’s just as valuable off the pitch as he is on – he sells shirts.
What would it mean for the EPL? – Two Easier Games Per Team Per Season
We don’t really need to get too in-depth with this explanation. It’s really that simple. He is feared by all defenders in the Premier League, and if they say they’re not, they’re either liars or they play for Manchester United. He can do it all, as I said above, and without him on the pitch, EPL teams can revel in what must seem like drastically easier, and different games against the Red Devils. Sure Chicarito, Berbatov and Welbeck can score, but none of the three cause the havoc that Rooney does.
What would it mean for the world? – A New World Footballer of the Year
It’s no secret that Ligue 1 isn’t as powerful as the English Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, or La Liga, and is probably on par with the Portuguese League – Competitive, but a couple standout teams. As we’ve seen with La Liga over the past few years, the “best players in the world” reside there, and put up massive statistics, but it’s likely because of the lack of competition involved in their division. Look at Ronaldo, Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Ozil, and more in the two el Clasico squads. There is no way that in the English League, Bundesliga, or even Serie A, that these guys could score more than 40 goals in the league, or set up as many goals as they do while in La Liga.
If Rooney were to sign for PSG, I would all but guarantee 50 goals in a season, and because of that he’d likely be crowned the best player in World Football, a crown that he somewhat already deserves. His exploits in the EPL are indicative of his ability to succeed at any level, and of his ability to dominate a league like Ligue 1.
If there is any player at the moment in the world that warrants a massive transfer fee, it’s probably Rooney. I wouldn’t bank on it happening in any way, but do not be surprised if the Qatari owners do everything in their power and pull out all the stops(out of their wallets) to land the Liverpool born superstar.
Video: God Help Whoever Misses Out on Hazard
Not a whole lot more to say that the title doesn’t say already. Hazard is keen on a move to the EPL and the sharks are already circling.
Prediction: If Chelsea qualify for Champion’s League, they’ll get him. Otherwise, he is a Red Devil by summer.
David Silva – Best in the Prem
Think back a little over a year ago when Roberto Mancini shelled out the cash to Valencia to secure the services of one David Silva. Oh, can you still hear the critics? “He’s too small for the premier league,” “He’s not physical enough,” “That Spanish style doesn’t work in England.” Well, abre los ojos, or open your eyes, if you will, because David Silva has taken the Prem by storm.
He may be, among other things, the most underappreciated player in England. With the likes of Aguero, Dzeko, Rooney, and Nani occupying the headlines in Manchester alone, Silva has flown somewhat under the radar, though more so last year than this year.
He’s fast, agile, has a great touch, has incredible awareness, and opens up space that didn’t seem to exist prior to his run. Watch Manchester City play this year and you will see that almost every goal, or opportunity flows through Silva, whether he’s providing the first or final pass, or opening the space up by pulling defenders around. At this point he is the closest thing that England has to Lionel Messi, but that’s not necessarily a fair comparison due to their positions on the field.(Silva is an attacking midfielder and Messi mainly plays forward)
Aguero and Dzeko may score the bulk of Manchester City’s goals, and receive the bulk of plaudits, but Silva will be instrumental in the majority of those goals, and Manchester City’s dominance. There isn’t a player in the Premier League who is more entertaining to watch, week in, week out, than Silva.
Look Alive
As a guy, whenever you watch an action move no matter how cheesy or awesome the movie is you always leave the theater a little giddy. It’s a sort of giddy that you can’t show other people because they’ll know you’re a loser, but I promise you every guy feels it. We get some sort of high off of watching the most awesome scenes in a movie and we always think “I could do that.” The best part of it is when the girl/friends/city/civilians are held in peril because the hero was late/off training/recovering/fighting his own demons — so he comes in late. And as you watch the villain tear the city apart and the hero pops up, in all his glory, all you can think is… “yeah…”
This is exactly like that, except you couldn’t do it. Because no one is paying you $150,000 A WEEK to kick a ball. And if you are getting paid that much, I’m really excited that you read our blog. The English Premier League is the big one that starts this weekend. As I stated here, this season should be pretty entertaining. Nevertheless, starting off on the right foot is where everyone wants to be. No one wants to worry about chemistry, injuries, or rowdy fans to start the season, but the clubs and cities in England are experiencing all of those with a couple of major stars sitting as want-a-ways that could potentially wreck some seasons or be just the thing some clubs are looking for to clear the air. A breath of fresh air is needed for some clubs, and other clubs are shoving their best jewelry deep within their closets.
Manchester United will win the EPL this season. Manchester City is the only real contender to that in my book.
Luis Suarez will win player of the year. Barring major injury to himself, with the way he flourished last season with almost a week to week change at forward and most of the midfield, he was still nearly unstoppable.
The worst summer transfer (so far — 20 days left) is not giving Alberto Aquilani even the mindset that he could play for Liverpool. He has been the hottest player this summer and he and Suarez opposite each other on the pitch would give Liverpool more confidence and flair than their 34 center midfielders.
The EPL is going to start off with flying colors and with enough games to bounce back from a few heartaches it’ll be great to see how excited I am when Arsenal blows it. But for now, I’m giddy as ever because I have hope.
A Game of Chess
The transfer window is one of the most entertaining times of the year for a lot of people. But for me, I enjoy seeing the movement, but as with anything, the application what’s important. As an Arsenal fan, Gervinho has got me on fire for this season. But Cesc-gate and the Nasri fiasco has got me more than unhappy. Arsenal can either have one more year with Nasri before he’s gone, and if Cesc performs as he did last year, I’d rather have the money to allocate to someone else. When on the field, he seemed distracted, but he was hurt more than half the season. Bring in someone who is at least healthy 3/4s of the season.
Meanwhile, United has proved to spend wisely, adding youth to it’s aging roster. While Liverpool is spending to spend. They’ve acquired enough midfielders to be set for a decade, while skipping on the obvious lapses, the defense. Manchester City started off making great moves until, after reporting they were not going to be big spenders, gave Sergio Aguero a potential 85 million Euro contract. Chelsea have been quite this summer, for the most part, after their owner said that everyone was on the chopping block. Sunderland and Stoke City are the other two honorable mentions in this years transfer window (though there is still some time) because they’ve lost a few and added a few to make up the difference. These clubs probably won’t be top 5 competitors but they will be screaming banshees through the upcoming season. Continue reading →
Players to Watch: James McCarthy – Wigan Athletic(for now)
The newest addition to the players to watch is another soccer player, this time from Wigan Athletic, by way of Glasgow, Scotland – James McCarthy. He’s a 20-year-old Scottish soccer player, who also represents the Republic of Ireland. Say what? Well he has family ties to Ireland and chose to play for them despite being from Glasgow.
If you’ve been watching the transfer market news, you’ll see that today, his contract talks with Wigan broke down and teams are ready to pounce. The top clubs in England were already ready to offer the kid a golden road to the top, but his price was steep, with Wigan asking for £20m for the 20-year-old midfielder. Liverpool and Arsenal are reportedly waiting in the wings to snap up the youngster. So what’s so great about this kid?
He was one of the few bright spots for a terrible Wigan side in 2010, which requires quite a bit to do! He is a strong, creative, controlling midfielder who scores the occasional wonder goal.(see below) He is the future of the Republic of Ireland team, and potentially the future of a big club in Europe. With Arsenal and Liverpool reported to be the main ones interested, it’s head scratching to see that Manchester United haven’t surfaced in the papers due to their need for a long-term replacement for Paul Scholes and their history with Ireland legend Roy Keane.
McCarthy, only 20, is already an established Premier League midfielder, with 44 appearances with Wigan Athletic. Wherever he lands, even if he stays at Wigan, he will be a valuable asset for the present, and the next ten years. He is just moments away from becoming a star.
Black and Blue Sports 