Vol 1 Issue 4
FREE | May 5, 2014
MAN CITY IN DRIVERS SEAT
5
THINGS
WE
LEARNT FROM THIS
WEEK
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REVIEW
5
THINGS
WE
LEARNT FROM THIS
WEEK
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
FERNANDO TORRES IS NO LONGER WORLD CLASS 2
GERMANS NEED TO FIND THEIR ROOTS
O H N I R U O M S A T O N S I S A L A I C E P S S K N I H T E H TIKI-TAKA DECODED: PEP NEEDS TO EVOLVE
RONALDO PROVES HE’S STILL THE BEST 3
CHELSEA 1 - 3 ATLETICO The most impressive thing about Atlético, though, was their bravery in the second half.
MOU
OUTWITTED
J
osé Mourinho put out his most defensive lineup yet but, despite Azpilicueta's efforts, the Belgian's lapses allowed Atlé co in
A er a clean sheet in Madrid and a resilient defensive performance in the 2-0 victory at Liverpool, José Mourinho was hardly likely to be
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more adventurous. Even so, his decision to select six natural defenders in his star ng XI, with César Azpilicueta and David Luiz in midfield roles, ensured this was his most defensive team selec on of the season. With David Luiz switching play, Mourinho's side
full-backs and looked to play cut-backs into the box, only to find Fernando Torres was not making a purposeful run towards the near post. Chelsea's opener was the only me the former Atlé co striker found a pocket of space for one of these deliveries, and it was notable that Azpilicueta provided the assist, proving he is capable of a acking contribu ons when used in this advanced role. As it happens, Chelsea could have done with an Azpilicueta equivalent on the opposite flank too, considering the nature of their concession for Atlé co's equaliser. Their right-back, Juanfran, motored past Hazard into an unmarked posi on to receive a lo ed pass from Tiago, crea ng the equaliser for Adrián. That would not have happened on the opposite flank, with Azpilicueta tracking Filipe Luís closely. Needing to get back into the game in the second half, Mourinho quickly changed to a system featuring two up front, with Samuel Eto'o on for Ashley Cole, and Azpilicueta returning to le -back. But defensive problems con nued to hamper Chelsea Atlé co's third goal, meanwhile, came from an iden cal route to the first – although eventually scored by Arda Turan, the key was Tiago unmarked and playing another excellent diagonal ball to Juanfran, who had again darted past Hazard with a late run. The Belgian is not famed for his defensive work, certainly, but these two lapses cost Chelsea and he was unable to compensate with his usual a acking magic. always a acked down the flanks, through both Eden Hazard on the le and Azpilicueta on the right. A couple of mes Chelsea a acked past Atlé co's
The most impressive thing about Atlé co, though, was their bravery in the second half. Even at 1-1 they were in line to qualify through away goals, but rather than si ng back and playing on the countera ack, they dominated possession inside the opposi on half and created a decent stream of chances.
5
BAYERN MUNICH 0 - 4 REAL MADRID
R
eal Madrid produced a remarkable performance at the home of the European Champions to progress to the final. This game was over before half- me, with Real's gameplan working brilliantly. The German side played pure possession football, and the Spanish side showcasing reac ve play. The style was similar to the first leg, albeit more extreme. Bayern started this match by moving the ball forward quicker, and the use of Muller (rather than a third midfielder in that role) meant they had more players high up the pitch, in goal scoring posi ons. With Bale in the Real side, Real had an extra counter-a acking weapon – and never before has their counter-a acking play been so devasta ng against a top side. Bayern's lack of penetra on remained, but the greater problem was that Bayern were very poor at defensive transi ons. At Barcelona, Guardiola's players were excellent at pressing as soon as they lost possession, partly because they covered space so evenly, and therefore prevented the opposi on from burs ng into an obvious gap on the break. Rather than excessively cri cise Bayern's bluntness, though, it's worth outlining what an extraordinary defensive effort
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REAL MADRID
CHASE LA DECIMA
LA DECIMA CHANCE AT THE ALLIANZ IN SIGHT this has been from Real Madrid – keeping two clean sheets against a Bayern side packed with genuine a acking superstars. Real's main weakness in recent seasons,
especially against ball players, has been the tendency of Sergio Ramos and Pepe to be drawn out of the backline, leaving gaps in the defence and diving into rash tackles. Ramos made one rather risky challenge near the corner flag considering he was a booking away from missing the final, but neither player was ever tempted up the pitch to close down Muller or Mandzukic between the lines.
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MAN CITY IN
DRIVERS SEAT
AS LIVERPOOL NEED A DELUGE OF GOALS AND A SLICE OF LUCK
M
anchester couldn’t have asked for a be er end to the season. With two games to go they have their fate firmly in their hands and it will take a disaster of monumental propor ons to deny this tle. The game against Everton could be described as the last fron er and their 3-2 win, completes their first league
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double over the Merseysiders since the 1980-81 campaign and brings to an end their five-year wait for a win at Goodison Park. With a second tle in three years well within reach, one thing they cannot afford is complacency because another slip up would be punished ruthlessly. All they have to do now is to match whatever result Liverpool turns out. Liverpool, on the other hand needs a deluge of goals and a huge slice of luck to clinch their first league tle in 24 years. The 9
RESULTS West Ham United Aston Villa Manchester United Newcastle United Stoke City Swansea City Everton Arsenal Chelsea Crystal Palace
2-0 3-1 0-1 3-0 4-1 0-1 2-3 1-0 0-0 vs
Tottenham Hotspur Hull City Sunderland Cardiff City Fulham Southampton Manchester City West Bromwich Albion Norwich City Liverpool
TABLE
goals difference that separates them and Man City leaves them with a huge mountain to climb. Their fate no longer lies in their hands and the most realis c chance of winning the tle lies in Man City slipping. Though improbable, it is s ll possible. Meanwhile, Fulham and Cardiff City have been relegated with Norwich City in with a slim chance of surviving. The ba le for the final relega on spot lies between West Brom and Sunderland.
Man City Liverpool Chelsea Arsenal Everton Tottenham Man United Southampton Newcastle Stoke City Crystal Palace West Ham Swansea City Aston Villa Hull City West Brom Sunderland Norwich City Fulham Cardiff City
P 36 36 37 37 37 37 36 37 37 37 36 37 37 36 36 36 36 37 37 37
W 25 25 24 23 20 20 18 15 15 12 13 11 10 10 10 7 9 8 9 7
D 5 5 7 7 9 6 6 10 4 11 4 7 9 8 7 15 8 9 4 9
L 6 6 6 7 8 11 12 12 18 14 19 19 18 18 19 14 19 20 24 21
F 96 96 69 66 59 52 60 53 42 43 28 40 51 39 37 42 38 28 38 31
A 37 46 26 41 39 51 41 45 57 51 43 49 53 54 48 55 57 60 83 72
GD 59 50 43 25 20 1 19 8 -15 -8 -15 -9 -2 -15 -11 -13 -19 -32 -45 -41
Pts 80 80 79 76 69 66 60 55 49 47 43 40 39 38 37 36 35 33 31 30
TOP SCORERS Name Luis Suárez Daniel Sturridge Yaya Toure Wayne Rooney Wilfried Bony Sergio Agüero Olivier Giroud Jay Rodriguez Eden Hazard
Team Liverpool Liverpool Man City Man Utd Swansea City Man City Arsenal Southampton Chelsea
Goals 30 20 19 17 16 16 16 15 14
Pen. 0 0 6 3 4 0 1 0 4
Home 17 11 11 7 10 10 8 6 10
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Away 13 9 8 10 6 6 6 9 4
ATLETICO STILL HAS FATE IN IT’S HANDS
I
t was an astonishing weekend in La Liga. A weekend were all top three teams failed to take advantage of the gi s thrown at them. A weekend were all top three teams failed to win. First Barcelona failed to pile the pressure on Atle co as they drew with Getafe 2 - 2, then Atle co refused to take advantage of that as they fell to Levante 2 - 0. The biggest beneficiary should have been Real Madrid, but they also failed to get a win at home to Valencia managing just a point in a 2 - 2 draw. This is where it gets interes ng. Let’s start with Real Madrid. All along their fate lay else where and as it
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stands they will need to win all three remaining games. This will take their tally to 92 points, but they will s ll hope that they get favours from Barcelona to win the tle. For Atle co, their fate s ll lies in their hands they will have to beat Malaga and Barcelona to be declared champions. A victory over Levante and Malaga would have made the e against Barcelona a dead rubber. four points from the remaining 2 games will however give them the tle. Anything
RESULTS Elche Rayo Vallecano Barcelona Malaga Osasuna Valladolid Almeria Levante Sevilla Real Madrid Real Sociedad
1–1 0-3 2-2 0-1 0-2 1-0 3-2 2-0 0-0 2-2 vs
Levante Athletic Bilbao Getafe Elche Celta Vigo Espanyol Real Betis Atletico Madrid Villarreal Valencia Granada
TABLE
less than that will see them kiss the tle goodbye. Barcelona on the other hand will have to beat Elche and Atle co Madrid and hope that Real Madrid falters again to emerge as champions. As it is the final run in is expected to be ght and will go to the wire. My money however, is s ll on Atle co to emerge champions.
Atletico Madrid Barcelona Real Madrid Athletic Bilbao Sevilla Real Sociedad Villarreal Valencia Celta Vigo Levante Rayo Vallecano Espanyol Malaga Elche Granada Almeria Getafe Osasuna Valladolid Real Betis
P 36 36 35 36 36 35 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 35 36 36 36 35 36
W 28 27 26 20 17 16 15 12 13 11 13 11 11 9 11 10 9 9 7 5
D 4 4 5 8 9 9 8 10 7 12 4 8 8 12 4 6 9 8 14 7
L 4 5 4 8 10 10 13 14 16 13 19 17 17 15 20 20 18 19 14 24
F 75 99 98 65 66 59 54 47 46 33 45 39 37 29 30 41 32 29 34 31
A 24 32 32 38 50 51 43 48 52 42 74 47 45 47 53 71 53 60 54 73
GD 51 67 66 27 16 8 11 -1 -6 -9 -29 -8 -8 -18 -23 -30 -21 -31 -20 -42
Pts 88 85 83 68 60 57 53 46 46 45 43 41 41 39 37 36 36 35 35 22
PICHICHI Name Cristiano Ronaldo Diego Costa Lionel Messi Karim Benzema Alexis Sánchez Aritz Aduriz Antoine Griezmann Kevin Gameiro Pedro Rodriguez Bacca
Team Goals Real Madrid 31 Atletico Madrid 28 Barcelona 28 Real Madrid 17 Barcelona 18 Athletic Bilbao 16 Real Sociedad 16 Sevilla 15 Barcelona 15 Sevilla 14
Pen. 6 5 6 0 0 2 0 2 0 1
Home 19 18 16 11 16 9 9 9 8 6
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Away 12 10 12 6 2 7 7 6 7 8