Weekend Wars: Rafa to Real, Perez’s Candidacy, Baines for England, Tim Cahill or Mikel Arteta, Manchester United’s Indiscipline and Adel Taarabt watch
1. On Rafa putting pen to paper and the Real Madrid rumours?
Rafa the ranter has signed an extension with Liverpool theoretically securing his future at Liverpool for another five years. This puts the rumours linking him with a move away at least dormant for another a season (well maybe six months). In any case I want to take a look at some of the issues surrounding the Rafa to Real rumours.
For some the reasons linking him to Real Madrid are obvious; He’s Spanish a Madrista no less and of course a champion’s league winner. For others though the internal bickering over club control at Liverpool makes the association with Real Madrid (whose structure puts even less power in the manager’s hand) seem implausible. Though that point can be appeased by reiterating that Real Madrid remain an institution revered throughout the footballing world; few managers and players can resist when Real Madrid come calling, the galatico era case in point. I think it’s also important to discuss Real Madrid’s personal affinity to one Mr. Benitez. (Borrowing from Sid Lowe) Rafael Benitez Maudes was born in Madrid, grew up in Madrid and was schooled in Madrid. He also played for and coached Castilla, the Real Madrid reserve team. All good and not so good things come to end, so how did Benitez’s 15 year association with Real Madrid end? Well, over a disagreement with then senior team manager Jorge Valdano. The club sided with their Argentine manager and Benitez spoted the exit and left through it. The internal board politics would become a familiar theme throughout Benitez’s managerial career.
Certainly from Real Madrid’s point of view there are reservations as it comes to Benitez’s credentials. It sounds rather bizarre considering he has champion’s league winner’s medal dangling somewhere at home and Real well the less said about their recent European campaigns the better. The answer relates to the identity of Real Madrid (or Spanish football in general). Winning is important but the emphasis lies in the style of winning. This is the club that sacked Fabio Capello for his team’s uninspiring performances, failing to remember that Capello had ended a five season drought by winning the La Liga title.
In Spain the criticism of the style adopted by Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool has been habitual; Jorge Valdano (yes the same one who was involved in Benitez’s exit) famously said
‘football is made up of subjective feeling, of suggestion – and, in that, Anfield is unbeatable. Put a stick with shit hanging from it in the middle of this passionate, crazy stadium and there are people who will tell you it’s a work of art. It’s not: it’s shit hanging from a stick [...] if football is going the way Chelsea and Liverpool are taking it, we had better be ready to wave goodbye to any expression of the cleverness and talent we have enjoyed for a century.’
Style of football is a reason why Ancelotti remains the favourite to take over Real Madrid. Of late though Benitez’s Liverpool have been exceptional against Real Madrid (perhaps not coincidently), Manchester United and Aston Villa. If the manner of Liverpool’s victories continues rest assure the rumours of Rafa’s return to Madrid will resurface… and perhaps the rumours may well become a reality.
2. Perez’s Candidacy
According to Guillem Balague, Florentino Perez will announce his presidency in coming weeks. The only players according to Balague that will definitely stay under his leadership include Pepe, Iker, Raul, Guti, Ramos and Diarra. That is none of the Dutch contingent including Robben are assured of staying. Unlike Ramon Calderon, Perez usually delivers his promises. Sales will help finance the list of signings that include David Villa, David Silva, Kaka, Xabi Alonso and you guess it Cristiano Ronaldo. Perez has already financed a loan of 70m Euros and is believed to have an additional 120m Euros in his coffers. Galatico era part II is well on its way.
3. Baines for England
I want to congratulate Leighton Baines who has been magnificent form this season for Everton. He has one goal and six assists that is more than Evra, Sagna, Clichy and ASHLEY COLE. I know on form who is my England left back.
4. Tim Cahill or Mikel Arteta?
It looked quite ominous for Everton on the weekend without Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta. In the last four seasons (2005-06 to current season 2008-09) Tim Cahill has contributed with 31 goals 17 assists, Mikel Arteta has been produce 23 goals 30 assists (noting that Tim Cahill has played 40 less game in all competitions). I also calculated that with Cahill Everton earned on average 1.72 points a game, without him they earned an average of 1.23 a game. Mikel Arteta’s stats on the other hand were slightly lower at 1.62 with and 1.27 without. Of course those statistically incline will tell you that the differences between Arteta and Cahill may not be significant. I plugged the data into SPSS and completed an ANOVA test and found the difference to be insignificant.
5. Manchester United’s indiscipline
Let’s not talk about Wayne Rooney but about Cristiano Ronaldo who this season has been more irritating than usual. There have been several instances where he has kicked out at opponents; David Dunn, Andy Wilkinson, Michael Dawson and Scott Brown all come to mind. But what smells of double standards is the fact that Shawn Wright Phillips was banned for three games for reacting to a violent Delap challenge.
Two of the best: Lionel Messi and Steven Gerrard
Two outstanding players with outstanding records this season:
Steven Gerrard 26 games 13 goals 6 assists
Lionel Messi 25 games 19 goals 10 assists
6. Adel Taarabt watch
Perhaps a regular segment. Adel Taarabt has the QPR fans waxing lyrical like Redknapp was when he called the 19 year old a ‘genius’. He has a goal and an assist in three games for the Rangers, not too shabby. There are some excited Spurs fans on the board but as i pointed out to them earlier i’m not sure how tactically you fit the youngster in. Note that at the moment he is playing out wide on the left and similar to Modric drifts inside and to the right to create play.
This is what posted in response to fitting Modric and Taarabt in the same team (it’s been edited)
Basically most of the top clubs are reverting to a formation with the one strikers’ 4-5-1 variations. I think Spurs have the basis to really challenge the top clubs in England. Modric and Taarabt can play together but it’s going to be a difficult balance to achieve. Though Modric (2 goals 7 assists in the PL) is lining up on the left side of midfield he is drifting into centre (look at the guardian chalkboards and compare him to lennon). As I have said before Taarabt best runs have come straight down the centre, I believe his debut off the bench he won a free kick dribbling in that area in which Berbatov scored.
I like to analyse Spurs in relation to Milan. Taarabt is not a playmaker per se (though capable of the role) his kind of like Kaka, they both have a trademark of these direct lung busting runs that split defences. Modric in a way is Pirlo, he is the playmaker. The difference though is that Pirlo plays deep, we saw Modric struggle early on playing deep (in 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-2-1) but then again his partner was Zokora and not Palacios and he was still adjusting to the PL. If they were to implement 4-2-3-1 we might see Modric drop deeper into the two in the 4-2-3-1 or he could just play as one of the three next to Taarabt behind the CF. AND then it may be possible to fit Huddlestone as the deep playmaker next to Palacios in the two.
The main problem though is that they have stockpiled in second strikers which means i dont think this is Redknapp’s plan.
Tags: Adel Taarabt, England NT, Florentino Perez, Leighton Baines, Manchester United, Mikel Arteta, Rafael Benitez, real madrid, Tim Cahill