Bitesize Rants #2: Five England Players That Should Never Have Made The Plane

As an England fan, I’m well aware of the fact that we don’t generate many quality players. And even when we do, we still conspire to make stupid selection decisions instead! In this rant, I wanted to outline my top five England players that should never have been taken to a World Cup or European Championship.

1. Theo Walcott – World Cup 2006 (Germany)

In a team seen as the ‘Golden Generation’ of English football, we had a shot at World Cup glory a decade ago. However, for some reason, Sven Goran Eriksson chose to take a risk on 17 year-old Theo Walcott. After five straight games on the bench, I think it’s safe to say it didn’t really work.

2. Emile Heskey – World Cup 2010 (Brazil)

It’s Emile Heskey – need I say more? What is perhaps more worrying than the fact Fabio Capello took the English version of Shrek’s best friend is that he played him, including in the crunch last 16 match against Germany! And you wonder why we lost 4-1?

3. Ledley King – World Cup 2010 (Brazil)

It’s little surprise that England didn’t progress very far in 2010 when you look at some of the bizarre decisions made by Capello. Famed for his glass knees, it was well known that Ledley King couldn’t train more than a couple of times a week without breaking down. So it came as little surprise that after just 45 minutes of the first game, he was ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a leg injury.

4. Stuart Downing – Euro 2012 (Poland/Ukraine)

Sorry for getting patronising, but playing as an attacking midfielder, you are judged on your ability to either set up or score goals. After a big money move to Liverpool in the summer of 2011, the England made 36 league appearances, assisting and scoring a sum total of 0 goals. That’s the form that gets you a call-up to a major tournament.

5. Marcus Rashford – Euro 2016 (France)?

Much like the Theo Walcott selection, this is far too much too soon, and my instant reaction was – would he have been considered if he had the same record playing for Watford? No. He is a potential future star, but he is taking the place of someone who deserves it more at the minute – for example, what does Jermain Defoe have to do to get a call up?!

England's XI: Consistently Inconsistent?

And so, despite a frantic Premier League season, which sees congested races for both the Champions League and to avoid relegation, our attention turns to the national team. Just for that few times a year when fans can stop acting like idiots to antagonise one another (for a good example of this, please refer to Aston Villa fans' outrageous and ridiculous pitch invasion in their FA Cup quarter final against West Brom), and act like idiots together (ok, not a great step forward, but every little helps!).

However, for fans of England, there has been very little to cheer in recent years. The team has gone progressively backwards (arguably since 1990), culminating is the abysmal showing at the 2014 World Cup. For those of you that don't remember, allow me to share the statistical highlights. Two goals. One point. The worst English World Cup campaign since 1958. Feeling suitably morbid? Then we'll continue.

Since the Brazil aberration, England have done what England do best - given their fans false hope of a recovery. Six straight wins since the World Cup, albeit against the likes of San Marino and Estonia, has inevitably lifted the spirits of England fans - who have to be some of the most overly optimistic supporters on the face of the planet.

But what is the reason behind England's recent decline? As much as club sides and the lack of 'home-grown talent' often take the blame, deservedly so in many cases, I believe I may have uncovered an additional reason. If we look at the last three long-term managers of the national side, we see a clear trend. As with Louis van Gaal's much maligned Manchester United side this season, constant chopping and changing of players and systems can have a disastrous impact on form and performance. Here, England have previous. In his 37 games in charge, Roy Hodgson has used a remarkable 60 players - in just three years! This averages out at introducing 1.62 new players every match, which cannot be good for securing a consistent team.

However, I mentioned that this is not a Hodgson-specific issue. Fabio Capello, Steve McClaren and Sven-Goran Eriksson also all regularly rotated their squads, selecting a disproportionate amount of players for the number of matches played. If we discard Steve McClaren, who selected 45 players in his 18 woeful games in charge of the national side, there is an ongoing trend. Sven selected 67 in his 72 games, at an average of 1.07 new players per game, while Capello's average is 1.5 new players per game, having used 63 men in his 42 game reign. If we add in Hodgson's current average, we see that since 2001, England have been introducing more players per game. It cannot simply be coincidence that Sven's two World Cup resulted in quarter-final appearances, Fabio Capello's one saw them escape the group, while Hodgson's, well we can't forget that! But naturally, instead of looking closer to home, we blame the foreigners!

So, getting back to the crux of the article, who would I select for the current England squad that may end the problems with consistency? And who would start the upcoming games against Lithuania and Italy?

Though I've bemoaned the constant chopping and changing of the previous England administrations, I will make a couple of additions to the list. However, I would expect that this side will be around for at least the next five years, taking us back to the 'Golden Generation' mentality that we had under Sven.

My England Squad:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Jack Butland (Stoke City)

Defenders: Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Phil Jones (Manchester United), John Stones (Everton), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal)

Midfielders: Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), Ross Barkley (Everton), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)

The most telling thing about this squad? In five years, just five of the above will be over 30 years old, and those include two goalkeepers, who can continue late into their thirties (just look at Brad Friedel and Mark Schwarzer!). As a result, barring injuries, this can certainly be the bedrock squad for the next few years, and while I wouldn't expect England to trouble the winner's enclosure, this is certainly a squad capable of escaping the group stages at any competition!

As for my first XI, here's who I would start if all were fit:

Hart, Bertrand, Cahill, Chambers, Clyne, Sterling, Henderson, Lallana, Walcott, Rooney, Sturridge

For me, Hart will remain England's number one for the next five years, while the form of both Saints wing-backs give me encouragement for both of their futures. For centre-back, while Gary Cahill adds steel, it was a toss-up between Chambers and Jones, with the Arsenal man's age and potential counting in his favour.

In midfield, there are not many surprises - the Liverpool connection between Sterling, Henderson and Lallana was Spain-esque, a technique that has been proven to work in the past, while Theo Walcott just edged out his club mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Up front, common sense prevailed. There can be no doubt that Harry Kane is having a sparkling season, but he has not yet done enough to displace either of Rooney or Sturridge at present. However, with Rooney at 29 years old, have we found the successor? Only time will tell, but the signs are there that England may have found its next number 9 (or is that 10?).

Half Time Report: European Round-Up

Having mainly focused on the Premier League in my blog, it can almost seem like I don't acknowledge the existence of any other leagues! However, while the English leagues continue on through the winter, many of the main European leagues take a nice break for Christmas. This makes it easy for me to do a succinct, but hopefully useful, roundup of some of the key leagues around the continent, looking at the title battle, the challenge for the European places and the threat of relegation.

Spain

Title

After last year's shocking finale which saw Atletico Madrid usurp the Clasico pair to claim the title, the first time that neither Barcelona or Real Madrid had claimed the title since Valencia's win a decade previously, it's been an interesting opening five months to this year.

Unsurprisingly, given the money spent by both Barcelona and Real Madrid, the pair have returned to the summit so far this season, with Madrid leading the Catalans by a single point with a game in hand. However, the reigning champions have refused to give up, with Atletico just a point behind their neighbours, albeit having played two games more. They may be on the back foot this year, but they seem intent on challenging once more.

Europe

It's all the usual suspects once more, with Sevilla currently in the Champions League spot and Valencia and Villarreal occupying the Europa League places. The only shock is the sudden demise of Athletic Bilbao. Having beaten Sevilla to the final Champions League place last year, Los Leones find themselves only 12th so far this year, and are unlikely to be in the shake-up come the end of the season.

Relegation

Realistically, anywhere from 13th down could be considered to be included in the relegation scrap, with Getafe separated from bottom side Cordoba by just six points. At the minute, Elche and Grenada join Cordoba in the relegation zone, with Levante and David Moyes's Real Sociedad, after an appalling start to the season, clinging on above them. I'm sensing numerous changes in the second half of the season as teams jostle for position, and a run of two or three straight victories may see them out of danger.

Germany

Title

Arguably the most one-sided league in Europe. Following a few years of competition involving Borussia Dortmund, with even a title for Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich have made the Bundesliga title their own in recent years. With the Bavarian side currently unbeaten this year, drawing just three games and conceding only four goals, they lead second-placed Wolfsburg by an unassailable 11 points. It's now more a case of when and not if.

Europe

The real race is for second place, with Wolfsburg separated from 9th place Eintracht Frankfurt by as many points as from Bayern the other way. In reality, the Wolves look strong favourites to cement a place in the Champions League. Other than them, the race is incredibly tight, with 3rd to 8th separated by just four points. With their pedigree, you'd always fancy Bayer Leverkusen to make the top four, but any one of Schalke, Borussia Monchengladbach, Augsburg, Hoffenheim or Hannover could sneak into the final spot, with two of the remaining four being entered into the Europa League.

Relegation

Here is where the biggest shock in Europe lies. Despite having won a pair of titles less than five years ago, Borussia Dortmund find themselves in the relegation zone. With players like Mats Hummels and Marco Reus, there is no way they should remain in this predicament, however, their away form abysmal at present, there is no guarantee that they won't get sucked in. Other than that, any of the bottom half of the table could find themselves in trouble come the end of the year, with Werder Bremen, currently in the relegation playoff spot, separated from 10th placed Paderborn by just two points. This is going to be another tight battle.

France

Title

Despite all of the pre-season talk of a Paris-Saint Germain procession with the demise of Monaco, it hasn't gone entirely according to plan for Raymond Blanc's side. Trailing Marseille by three points, and Lyon by two, the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani have yet to reach the highs that we saw last year. Though I do expect them to eventually triumph, Marseille have performed exceptionally well this season, with Pierre Andre Gignac and Florian Thavin singled out for particular praise. 

Europe

With Monaco slightly off the pace of the top teams, the four top places are likely to be the three currently challenging for the title and Saint Etienne, though the order is yet to be conclusively decided. The way the form table is going, I would predict a top four of PSG, Marseille, Lyon and Saint Etienne, but there is still much to be decided.

Relegation

As with a number of Europe's top leagues, this is set to be the largest battle this season. With Caen currently being cut away slightly at the bottom, trailing 17th place Metz by four points already, the difference between Evian in 18th and Nice in 11th is just three. The biggest surprise of the bottom half is European regulars Lille. Despite qualifying for this season's Europa League, Les Dogues have struggled in the league, currently languishing in 18th place. Though I suspect they have more than enough quality to drag themselves away from trouble, it is still a worrying time for their supporters, and put themselves under considerable pressure for the remainder of the season.

Italy

Title

Not quite as sewn up as Germany, but Juventus should be considered the strong favourites. Though they may only lead by three points from Roma, they have shown that they have the experience and ability to convert a lead to championships. If Juventus don't win it, I don't see anyone other than Roma claiming the Scudetto, though.

Europe

Behind the leading pair, a gap of nine points goes back to a trio of teams, and with only a further three points back to 8th place, this is set to be the biggest battle we see this season. Lazio currently occupy the final Champions League place, but with considerable European experience behind them in Napoli, Sampdoria, Genoa, Milan and Fiorentina, I expect to see many twists and turns in this battle going forward. 

Relegation

Surprisingly, this seems to be the only league where relegation is a little more cut and dried. With Parma and Cesena on just six and nine points respectively, they look dead and buried. The only real dispute is over the final spot, currently occupied by Cagliari. With a number of teams congregated on 17 points, five clear of the drop, I'm expecting to see a couple sucked into the struggle come the end of the year.

While it's been an interesting season in the Premier League, we're seeing all of Europe's leagues have prizes being hotly contested. Though in some, the largest honour is not really being contested, there are interesting dynamics being played out across Europe. With a long time to go in the season, there is still much to be decided, particularly involving the qualification for European competition next year.

Tactics Talk: Manchester United vs Bayern Munich

Manchester United (4-3-3): De Gea, Buttner, Ferdinand, Vidic, Rafael, Giggs, Carrick, Fellaini, Welbeck, Rooney, Valencia

Bayern Munich (4-5-1): Neuer, Rafinha, Martinez, Boateng, Alaba, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Ribery, Robben, Kroos, Muller

Living in and around Manchester, I have seen first-hand the change in mood surrounding the Old Trafford club in the last six months. The fall from grace of one of the most successful clubs in the world has come as a shock to many, and as a City fan, not a moment too soon for me. But it speaks volumes that Manchester United came into this match having lost their last two games at Old Trafford by resounding 3-0 scorelines against two of their largest rivals, and were considered rank outsiders for this one. Just 12 months ago, United were leading Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid until Nani was debatably dismissed. Fast forward a year, and United fans saying 'if we don't get thumped I'm happy' epitomises the lack of belief in their aging and underperforming side.

With key men in Robin van Persie and Patrice Evra unavailable for selection, United had every right to be pessimistic. But in Wayne Rooney they have one of the form players in the Premier League, and he would need to be on the top of his game to keep United in it. By contrast, Bayern Munich had already sewn up the Bundesliga title with 7 games to go, and were looking to repeat the domestic and European quadruple that they achieved last season. Pep Guardiola's side have picked up where Jupp Heynckes left off, with many calling it 'improving on perfection'. As such, though they were without the suspended Dante, the side looked perfectly capable of breaking United down.

The opening exchanges saw, as expected, the German side retain a considerable amount of possession. In fact, by the time we reached half time, United had only managed to keep their feet on the ball for less than 30% of the time. With this inevitable, United would have to begin the game solidly in defence, whilst remaining open to the counter attack. This they did well, with Danny Welbeck a constant annoyance for Jerome Boateng. However, in Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, Bayern have two of the best wingers ever to have graced the game, and it was down the wings that the German side were getting joy. With United seemingly camped on the edge of their area, it would take a moment of magic to catch them out.

And yet it didn't come. For all of Bayern's slick (dare I say it) 'tiki taka' football that Guardiola made so famous at Barcelona, Munich just could not break down a strong and committed United defence. Marshalled by stalwarts Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, the United back line looked considerably stronger than it has in many Premier League games this year. Guardiola's aversion to long range shooting also meant that the short stuff would continue, and United maintained their defensive solidarity, much to the annoyance of the Bayern coach.

Their strength at the back enabled United to press a little higher when defending, forcing a few errors from the usually reliable Bayern midfield. Manuel Neuer seemed similarly error-prone, with the touch happy goalkeeper having to slice the ball anxiously into touch as Welbeck and Rooney chased down the German.

First half hour: United's defending means they didn't deserve to be behind but Bayern's possession has been mesmerising. It seemed only a matter of time...

The game then began to open up. My initial reaction to this was 'this could get messy for United now', but it strangely favoured the English side. With the game stretched, they were able to maximise their effect on the counter, bringing them their first real chance, and the best chance of the game so far. A quick breakaway from a corner, coupled with a timely slip from Boateng left Welbeck in one-on-one with the onrushing Manuel Neuer. However, instead of smashing the ball beyond the keeper, the United striker inexplicably elected to attempt the dink over the head of the Bayern man. Safe to say it was easily caught, and the chance was gone. As was the half, but United had shown sufficient promise that fans knew they were not about to cave.

This was reaffirmed by Moyes' half time substitution. The elderly (and supposedly injured) Ryan Giggs was withdrawn in favour of the more attacking-minded Shinji Kagawa. With United looking more of a threat going forward, the game quickly became end to end, with the Germans once again dominating possession, but United having as many chances. However, that killer pass just wouldn't come, and for United, it was from set pieces where they looked most likely to damage Bayern. And do it proved. Abysmal marking from a corner left Nemanja Vidic free to expertly glance a header into the bottom corner to a thunderous reception around Old Trafford. The departing captain handing United a enormous leaving gift, and suggesting that a huge upset on the cards.

Second half hour: With Bayern now rattled and behind, United's defending looked ever more impressive - definitely a United period.

However, despite Bayern being on the back foot, they can always punish you. Just 8 minutes after going behind, a fluid move from the European champions left Bastian Schweinsteiger free to slam an excellent finish into the roof of David de Gea's net. With their advantage nullified, United once again reverted to type, knocking long balls up to Marouane Fellaini, and allowing Bayern onto them. But as with the whole game, their defence remained firm. Their defensive task did get more difficult when Alexander Buttner, in for the suspended Patrice Evra, had to leave the field having aggravated an injury. His replacement, Ashley Young, meant a real reshuffling of the back four, bringing Antonio Valencia, who was already on a yellow card and fortunate not to have been dismissed for a lunge on Phillip Lahm, back into right back.

As the game meandered towards its conclusion, with neither side really threatening, Bayern brought Mario Gotze, the highly rated German international on for the fairly ineffective Toni Kroos. As United searched for a winner on the break, Moyes turned to his instinctive finisher and (though he would not want the title) super-sub, Javier Hernandez. Neither really had any impact. The only remaining talking point came in the shape of a second yellow card for Schweinsteiger for a late challenge on the (slightly OTT) Wayne Rooney. Whilst this came in added time, and therefore carried no significance to this game, it could very much affect next week's. With both Javi Martinez (who picked up another booking to rule him out) and Schweinsteiger unavailable, Guardiola will have a slight headache at central midfield for the second leg.

Final half hour: Neither side did enough to win the game. Whilst Bayern's possession stats are incredible for the away side at Old Trafford, they did little to demonstrate why they are the European champions and how they have blown their league away this season. Draw a fair result.

David Moyes, for all his detractors (of which last weekend's banner illustrates there are fewer of than the media would have us believe), got his tactics spot on. He is an expert in defensive management, and this was evident against Munich. Though they head to the futuristic Allianz Arena still as rank outsiders, another performance like that may just see them pull off the impossible.

Swansea City: European Adventure, League Consolidation?

2012/2013: 9th

Transfer(s) In: Wilfried Bony (Vitesse Arnhem, £12 Million), Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool, £6 Million), Jonathan De Guzman (Villareal, Loan), Jordi Amat (Espanyol, £2 Million), Jernade Meade (Free Agent, Free), Alejandro Pozuelo (Real Betis, Free), Jose Canas (Real Betis, Free), Alvaro Vasquez (Getafe, Loan)

Transfer(s) Out: Kemy Augustien (Brighton, Free), Kyle Bartley (Birmingham: Loan), Dwight Tiendalli, Luke Moore (Released)

Transfers Review:

                                                Swansea, after a silverware-winning season last campaign, have made several signings that will not look out of place on the Europa League stage. The headline making signing came in the form of Wilfried Bony, with the Ivorian costing the best part of £12 Million. However, he seems an excellent player, and with a goalscoring record that many would have envied last season, albeit in Holland, he seems appropriate qualified to succeed in the Premier League. The addition of Jonjo Shelvey is also an impressive one, as he was once tipped to be Liverpool's next talismanic central midfielder. He will only get better with age, and at 22, he has plenty of time to improve! Once again, Michael Laudrup has used his knowledge of the Spanish game to attract several La Liga signings, with the likes of Amat, Pozuelo and Canas all following the Dane from Spain. If they perform anything like Michu managed, they will all be huge successes in South Wales.

                                                If we consider my predictions in my Swansea season review post from a couple of months ago, I suggested that Swansea most needed a central midfielder and a striker in order to press on from their excellent season last time around. Looking at their signings, Wilfried Bony and Jonjo Shelvey are exactly both of those things. Whilst they may not be the exact people that I recommended, I do feel some aspect of pleasure that the positions were correct.

                                                 Another important aspect to Swansea's summer is that they have not allowed many of their key players from last season to leave. After such a successful season, managing to keep hold of 20 goal Michu would have been a struggle this time around. However, the Dane has kept both Williams and Michu, giving the Swans a strong backbone to the squad this campaign.

Pre-Season:

                                                 Due to their involvement in the qualifying rounds of the Europa League, thanks to their Capital One Cup victory last year, Swansea have been unable to take part in an extensive pre-season campaign. However, this may actually be an advantage, as they have been able to take part in competitive matches before the start of the league season. The only real test of the Swans on their early pre-season tour of the UK was against recently relegated Reading. A fantastic performance from Bony, laying on goals for Shelvey and Pablo Hernandez, after Michu had opened the scoring, meant that Swansea won the game 3-0.

                                                 And so to the qualifying round of the Europa League campaign, in which the Swans were drawn against Swedish side Malmo. The first leg of the tie was where Bony really made the £12 Million look a reasonable fee. After Michu opened the scoring ten minutes before the break, the Ivorian stole the show with two quick goals after half time. New boy Pozuelo then rounded off the night to make the scoreline a comfortable 4-0 lead going into the return leg. Having changed almost the entire squad for the trip to Sweden, the Swans were unable to build upon the lead, instead settling for 0-0 draw, taking them through 4-0 on aggregate and setting them up nicely for the visit of Manchester United on Saturday.

Key Players:

                                                   In Ashley Williams, the Swans have one of the most sought after defenders in the land. With Arsenal and Liverpool both reportedly interested in the Welsh centre-back, Swansea have done well to retain his services at the Liberty. His pace and reading of the play make him a fantastic defender, and a natural leader on and off the field. Last season represented an all time high for the young defender, and I am certain that he will consolidate his status as one of the best in the Premier League this time around.

                                                    Pablo Hernandez is another one that I could see shine this campaign. After a hit and miss second half to the season last year, the Spaniard has real potential to be an excellent winger, as his performances at Valencia show. If he can build upon his strength, he will fit into the Premier League well, and I am certain that he will become the chief outlet for goals.

Key Fixture Dates:

31/08/2013: West Brom vs Swansea
16/09/2013: Swansea vs Liverpool
03/11/2013: Cardiff vs Swansea
21/12/2013: Swansea vs Everton
08/02/2014: Swansea vs Cardiff
22/02/2014: Liverpool vs Swansea
15/03/2014: Swansea vs West Brom
22/03/2014: Everton vs Swansea

Top Goalscorer:

                                                    After his £12 Million move from Vitesse, Wilfried Bony has hit the ground running, and I expect him to continue this form into the Premier League season. However, as they already have a proven goalscorer in Michu at the club, Bony may have to wait his turn for the top goalscorer position this year. The Spaniard was impressive last year, with his creativity, anticipation and finishing attributes all at an outstanding level. I expect both to score well into the teens, but I feel that Michu will just edge it this season.

Prediction:

                                                     Many sides seem to have a problem with balancing success in Europe with success domestically, with their league form suffering. Newcastle last year would be an excellent example of this, with the Magpies struggling to stay in the league after an outstanding 5th place finish the year before. For Swansea, I think this will not be as large an issue. This season they will not be looking upwards in the league, but more to consolidate the position they got last year, a safe top table finish. This, with the squad that they have, is totally achievable. Europe may be an adventure, and one I think they will do well in, but domestic form is essential.

Swansea City 2013/2014: 8th

Tottenham Hotspur: Last Day European Heartbreak Once More

2012/2013 Season Review:

                With Harry Redknapp’s departure at the end of the previous season, Tottenham were left in a state of uncertainty, as the Englishman was widely considered to be the best man for the job. The chairman, Daniel Levy, decided to take a risk on Chelsea reject Andre Villas Boas. Considering that Chelsea paid £12 million to get AVB out of his contract at Porto, to get him on a free is a significant saving. AVB quickly got to work in the transfer market, bringing in Ajax’s Jan Vertonghen, Manchester City’s Emmanuel Adebayor and Lyon’s Hugo Lloris before the start of the campaign. However, these additions failed to get Spurs off to a good start, losing their first league game 2-1 away at Newcastle, and only drawing their opening two home league games against weaker opposition.

                With these poor early performances, AVB secured two further signings, with Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele tasked with creating and scoring more goals. Tottenham’s league form then began to improve, with three consecutive league wins in September, the last of which being their first win at Old Trafford in 23 years. Unfortunately, Tottenham’s European form failed to match their good domestic performances, drawing their opening three games and leaving the Londoners in danger of exiting the competition in the group stages. Their league form then began to dip, as defeats at home to Chelsea and, more alarmingly, Wigan, left Spurs a way behind the league leaders. During the poor run, Tottenham also exited the Capital One Cup, with a Fourth Round defeat away at Norwich. Further controversy over the destination of the goalkeeper’s jersey dominated this period, as Brad Friedel’s early season form was keeping big money summer signing Hugo Lloris out of the side. A poor defeat away at Manchester City and then a horror show at rivals Arsenal seemingly made AVB’s mind up, as Lloris became ever more preferred as the season went on.

                After the disastrous Arsenal result, Tottenham were shaken into life, and their league form gradually began to improve. Three successive league victories, including an important win over Liverpool, followed the derby aberration, and they ensured progression in the Europa League, beating Panathinaikos 3-1 in the final group stage game. During December, Spurs’ flying winger, Gareth Bale, really began to come to the fore, with excellent performances either side of Christmas, and a habit for scoring spectacular goals. By the turn of the year, Tottenham sat just below the Champions League spaces, and with a very good chance of qualifying for the competition automatically. Bales’ fantastic form continued after the New Year, where, apart from a poor performance in the FA Cup against Leeds United, Tottenham remained unbeaten for the whole of January, including a heartening performance against runaway leaders Manchester United.

                As the season ticked into February, it was becoming more and more obvious that the battle for the final two Champions League places would be between Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs, with all hitting good form as the season moved towards its climax. As a result, we saw more and more dramatic results and finishes to games, with none of the three teams able to slip up. February saw a continuation of the good form of the previous month, and ended with a stunning Bale goal away at West Ham to win the game 3-2. Having also claimed a two leg victory over Lyon in the Europa League Last 32, Spurs were drawn against old foes Inter Milan in the Round of 16. Firstly though, they had to negotiate a crunch derby game at home to Arsenal, and one that could have a significant impact on the top 4 places. A tight first half exploded into life with two Spurs goals in the space of three minutes, as firstly Bale and then Aaron Lennon put the Lily Whites in a commanding position. Per Mertesacker headed in from a corner to reduce the arrears for the Gunners, and precipitated a grandstand finish, in which Arsenal poured forward in search of an equaliser. It never came, and Spurs held on to strengthen their grip on 4^th place.

                After a brilliant 3-0 victory over Inter at home, Spurs travelled to Milan knowing that only exceptional circumstances would see them eliminated from the Europa League. Unfortunately, without the injured Gareth Bale, Spurs were poor throughout, ending up being fortunate to make it to extra time. An Emmanuel Adebayor goal gave Spurs a priceless away goal, leaving Inter unable to respond. Nevertheless, a shock for AVB and his side, reminding them that they cannot afford to take their foot off the gas. April turned into a very damaging month for the Lily Whites, going out of the Europa League at the hands of FC Basle, and dropping valuable points in the race for fourth, handing momentum back to Arsenal. Three wins out of their four remaining games was not sufficient to see Spurs into the Champions League, missing out once again on the final day to their great rivals. Reminiscent of the end of the 2006 season, where Spurs were unable to field a full side due to a mysterious intestinal illness, leaving Arsenal clear to take the final Champions League spot.

                Overall, a successful but disappointing season. AVB has clearly continued when Redknapp left off, only narrowly missing out on Champions League competition. Whilst they had a good chance to win the Europa League, their league form has been encouraging, and in Gareth Bale, they have arguably the third best footballer on the planet.

 

Player of the Season: Gareth Bale – The Welshman’s most successful season to date. His pace, dribbling and ability to score truly outstanding goals has made him an incredibly valuable asset to the Spurs side. This season in particular, he has at times carried this side, picking up points almost single-handedly. Having failed to deliver Champions League football, I fear for Tottenham attempting to keep the winger, as there are many that are looking for his signature.

 

Game of the Season: West Ham 2-3 Tottenham – An enthralling game, which swayed first one way, then the other, as Tottenham took an early lead through Bale, before a clumsy Scott Parker challenge gave Andy Carroll the chance to level the scores from the spot. A chance he took, and momentum swung wholly in the Hammers favour when Joe Cole drilled a shot past Lloris to turn the game on its head. A valiant Tottenham fighback ensued, with Gylfi Sigurdsson levelling with quarter of an hour to play. This led to an incredibly open final ten minutes, with both sides going for the victory. With time running out, Gareth Bale received the ball a full 30 yards from goal, and unleashed an unstoppable drive to beat the helpless Jussi Jaaskelainen and keep Spurs in the hunt for the Champions League.

 

Summer Transfer Targets (What I Think They Need): Inevitably, the talk this summer will be all about whether they can keep hold of Bale. If not, I fear that he will be irreplaceable. If they do manage to keep him, only minor changes will be required to push Spurs that couple of points forward next year. A top quality striker and left back may be reasonable transfer targets, with David Villa and Ignazio Abate possible signings.

 

Transfer Gossip Links:

In:

Leandro Damiao (Internacional, ST), Thomas Ince (Blackpool, RW), Roberto Soldado (Valencia, ST), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid, ST), Heung Min Son (Hamburg, ST), Abdelaziz Barrada (Getafe, LM), Sergi Roberto (Barcelona, LB), Miralem Pjanic (Roma, CM), David Villa (Barcelona, ST), Alberto Botia (Sevilla, LB), Joao Moutinho (Porto, CM)

Out:

Gareth Bale (Real Madrid, LM), Danny Rose (Sunderland, RB), Emmanuel Adebayor (AS Monaco, ST), Aaron Lennon (Inter Milan, RW)

Chelsea: ‘European’ Champions under the ‘Interim’ Manager

2012/2013 Season Review:

                After a euphoric end to the previous season, winning both the FA Cup, and the Champions League, Roman Abramovic decided to keep the popular Roberto di Matteo as manager for the start of this season. With the traditional influx of expensive foreign talent, such as Eden Hazard (Lille) and Oscar (Internacional), Chelsea started the year looking like potential title contenders. Despite losing the traditional curtain opener of the Community Shield to Manchester City, Chelsea began the season under di Matteo well, winning their opening three league games. An emphatic 1-4 defeat by a rampant Atletico Madrid side, and in particular, Radamel Falcao, in the European Super Cup, jolted Chelsea back to ground. Despite a minor loss of form, they recovered well, winning games against Arsenal and Tottenham to firmly establish themselves towards the top of the Premier League.

                Two periods of two games had a significant impact on the dismissal of di Matteo in November. Firstly, consecutive defeats at the back end of October, firstly away to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, and then at home to Manchester United in the Premier League, put the defence of their European title in jeopardy, and gave an indication of their position relative to the Manchester clubs. The final straw(s) came in consecutive defeats once again. Firstly, away at West Brom, ironically the ground on which Andre Villas Boas had lost his job the year previously, and then against Juventus in Turin, which practically ended the defence of Chelsea’s European crown. Abramovic decided that enough was enough at this point, removing di Matteo, and replacing him with ‘Interim Manager’ Rafael Benitez, in an almost universally unpopular move. Benitez’s history with Chelsea is patchy at best, with him having several high profile spats with the club during his time at Liverpool.

                The title of ‘Interim Manager’ also caused considerable controversy. It implies a kind of caretaker role, suggesting that Benitez was never likely to last more than half a season at best. Whilst we all may have assumed this, it may hurt morale to practically tell everyone through a thinly veiled euphemism. Regardless of his title, he did little to endear himself to the Chelsea fans initially, with two 0-0 stalemates, followed by a 3-1 defeat at Upton Park. This period of the season was characterised by a period of applause and chanting of di Matteo’s name in the 16^th minute of every game, representing his shirt number for the club, in an attempt to illustrate the fans dissatisfaction with his dismissal. A further defeat in the Club World Cup Final heaped more pressure onto Benitez’s shoulders, who before Christmas responded. Chelsea went on a run of four straight victories, including an 8-0 thumping of Aston Villa, with 7 different scorers.

                Nevertheless, trouble was never far from Benitez’s Chelsea. January’s home defeat to QPR, swiftly followed by a Capital One Cup Semi Final exit at the hands of Swansea, and polished off by subsequent 2-2 draws with Southampton, Reading and Brentford, put Benitez right back under pressure. Once again, he and his players responded, progressing to the Semi Finals of both the Europa League and the FA Cup, eliminating Manchester United in the latter after earning a battling draw from 2-0 down at Old Trafford. They also performed much better in the league during this period, dropping points only away at Manchester City and Southampton. A controversial FA Cup Semi Final defeat to Manchester City followed, with Chelsea believing they deserved a penalty, and that Sergio Aguero was lucky to remain on the pitch after a nasty stamp on David Luiz. Two victories in the legs of the Europa League Semi against Basle set up an intriguing encounter in Amsterdam against Benfica, where an added time Branislav Ivanovic goal clinched a 2-1 victory for the Blues. On home soil, Chelsea were still competing for a place in the top four, a target achieved when they beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park on the penultimate matchday, the highlight of which was Frank Lampard finally being offered a contract extension after he broke Bobby Tamling’s record 202 club goals.

                Overall, whilst Roberto di Matteo can consider himself highly unfortunate to have been relieved of his duties, Rafael Benitez, after a slow start, can surely be considered as a relatively successful manager. A European Cup, though not as prestigious as last year’s, and a 3^rd place finish, giving Chelsea an automatic route into the Champions League group stages next year. Whilst Chelsea fans may never wholly warm to him, the banner displayed on the last day of the season at Stamford Bridge speaks volumes: ‘Thank You Rafa, Job Done’.

 

Player of the Season: Juan Mata – A sublime talent, the diminutive Spaniard possesses incredible vision, creativity and flair. Finishing top of the creator charts, and earning a deserved place on the PFA Player of the Year shortlist, perfectly finishes Mata’s most successful season as a Chelsea player.

 

Game of the Season: Benfica 1-2 Chelsea – The drama of the Munich penalty shootout from May 2012 it was not, but a European cup final is a European cup final. Chelsea left it typically late to snatch the win, with the consistently impressive Branislav Ivanovic conjuring up the vital winner.

 

Summer Transfer Targets (Who I Think They Need): Chelsea’s squad of world superstars still appears too incohesive to be true title contenders. So therefore, what I truly believe Chelsea need most is a consistent manager. The return of ‘The Special One’ has been the worst kept secret in football for the last few months, and with him in Chelsea’s dugout once more, I wouldn’t put much past the Blues next year, especially if targets like Radamel Falcao and Xabi Alonso follow Mourinho from their opposite ends of Madrid.

 

Transfer Gossip Links:

In:

Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid, Manager), Radamel Falcao (Atletico Madrid, ST), Neymar (Santos, ST), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid, CDM), Edinson Cavani (Napoli, ST)

Out:

Rafael Benitez (???, Manager), David Luiz (Barcelona, CDM), Yossi Benayoun (???,CM)