Champions League 2016/2017 Analysis: Group C, Why Barcelona Failed Against Manchester City.
By Ewah Chika.
For 40 minutes Luis Enrique's Barcelona dominated proceedings away at the Etihad Stadium last night against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the Champions League even though Barcelona were a goal ahead. After humiliating City 4-0 in Camp Nou, it looked like the same scoreline will be repeated as Barcelona enjoyed as much as 75% of possession in addition to Lionel Messi's sublime opener making it his 14th goal in 16 games against English clubs.
Football, political and forensic qualitative editorial
Wednesday 2 November 2016
Champions League Analysis 2016/2017 Group A: Is Arsenal Going To Top Their Group For The First Time In Six Years?
Champions League Analysis 2016/2017 Group A: Is Arsenal Going To Top Their Group For The First Time In Six Years?
By Ewah Chika.
Three wins in four games, 12 goals scored, two conceded all in the Champions League group stage is a record any manager will be proud to be associated with and that is exactly where Arsene Wenger finds himself presently with Arsenal.
By Ewah Chika.
Three wins in four games, 12 goals scored, two conceded all in the Champions League group stage is a record any manager will be proud to be associated with and that is exactly where Arsene Wenger finds himself presently with Arsenal.
Tuesday 1 November 2016
UEFA Champions League Week Four Preview 2016/2017 Season: Group A, Ludogorets Versus Arsenal.
UEFA Champions League Week Four Preview 2016/2017 Season: Group A, Ludogorets Versus Arsenal.
By Ewah Chika.
As Arsenal travel to the Vasil Levski stadium in Bulgaria to play their week four UEFA Champions League game with Georgi Dermendzhiev's Ludogorets who they North London side hammered 6-0 at the Emirates last two weeks, one thing every Gunners fan will be expecting is the maximum three points on the night so as to top their group as they are ahead of Unai Emery's PSG on goal difference.
By Ewah Chika.
As Arsenal travel to the Vasil Levski stadium in Bulgaria to play their week four UEFA Champions League game with Georgi Dermendzhiev's Ludogorets who they North London side hammered 6-0 at the Emirates last two weeks, one thing every Gunners fan will be expecting is the maximum three points on the night so as to top their group as they are ahead of Unai Emery's PSG on goal difference.
UEFA Champions League 2016/2017 Season, Group C: Manchester City Versus Barcelona.
UEFA Champions League 2016/2017 Season, Group C: Manchester City Versus Barcelona.
By Ewah Chika.
Manchester City will go into tonight's game with a big point to prove having gone six games without a win after Barcelona's 4-0 humiliation at the Nou Camp two weeks ago, a run which has become Pep Guardiola's worst career record before the Citizens turned the corner last weekend with the 4-0 spanking of Tony Pulis' West Bromwich Albion.
By Ewah Chika.
Manchester City will go into tonight's game with a big point to prove having gone six games without a win after Barcelona's 4-0 humiliation at the Nou Camp two weeks ago, a run which has become Pep Guardiola's worst career record before the Citizens turned the corner last weekend with the 4-0 spanking of Tony Pulis' West Bromwich Albion.
Friday 14 October 2016
English Premier League Preview : Chelsea Versus Leicester City (Week 8).
English Premier League Preview: Chelsea Versus Leicester City (Week 8).
By Ewah Chika.
After the long international break English Premier League fans are more than delighted to see the return of club football this Saturday as Antonie Conte's Chelsea host champions Leicester City in the weekend's early kick-off in a game expected to be full of goals.
Chelsea are struggling of late sitting seventh conceding nine goals in seven games. Recently the Blues have gained just four points from their last four games losing to both Liverpool and Arsenal. Leicester on their part are 12th in the table with a goal difference of -3, losing to the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool. One good news though for Chelsea is that they are unbeaten in their last five home league games against a struggling Leicester City.
By Ewah Chika.
After the long international break English Premier League fans are more than delighted to see the return of club football this Saturday as Antonie Conte's Chelsea host champions Leicester City in the weekend's early kick-off in a game expected to be full of goals.
Chelsea are struggling of late sitting seventh conceding nine goals in seven games. Recently the Blues have gained just four points from their last four games losing to both Liverpool and Arsenal. Leicester on their part are 12th in the table with a goal difference of -3, losing to the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool. One good news though for Chelsea is that they are unbeaten in their last five home league games against a struggling Leicester City.
English Premier League Preview : Manchester City Versus Everton (Week 8).
English Premier League Preview: Manchester City Versus Everton (Week 8).
By Ewah Chika.
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City is one club Ronald Koeman and his troops will do anything to avoid playing at this moment considering Everton are winless in their last three games having won five on the spin before the ugly patch. Everton are also yet to beat Manchester City at the Etihad in their last five attempts which makes it slightly simple for free scoring Manchester City who have scored at least two their last six games.
By Ewah Chika.
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City is one club Ronald Koeman and his troops will do anything to avoid playing at this moment considering Everton are winless in their last three games having won five on the spin before the ugly patch. Everton are also yet to beat Manchester City at the Etihad in their last five attempts which makes it slightly simple for free scoring Manchester City who have scored at least two their last six games.
Pascal Dupraz (Toulouse): French Ligue 1's Record And Uprising Tactician .
Pascal Dupraz (Toulouse): French Ligue 1's Record And Uprising Tactician.
By Ewah Chika.
"This is a resignation decided In full consultation, there is no plan B for the time being," were the words of Oliver Sadran President of Toulouse Football Club following the resignation of Dominique Arribage as the club's head coach in February. Under Arribage, Toulouse were 19th in the table, ten points away from safety with ten games to play.
By Ewah Chika.
"This is a resignation decided In full consultation, there is no plan B for the time being," were the words of Oliver Sadran President of Toulouse Football Club following the resignation of Dominique Arribage as the club's head coach in February. Under Arribage, Toulouse were 19th in the table, ten points away from safety with ten games to play.
Unknown Outside Stamford Bridge, Bride Of The Championship. The Tammy Abraham Show.
Unknown Outside Stamford Bridge: Star Of The Championship. The Tammy Abraham Show Continues.
By Ewah Chika.
Tammy Abraham's summer season long loan to Bristol City in the Championship did not generate much views and news as the 18-year-old was an unknown player outside Stamford Bridge having made only two Premier League appearances before the move.
Fast- forward to end of September (less than a month after his move) and the youngster is the bride of the Championship lighting it up with as much as ten goals winning the EEL Player of September. This is despite the fact that the youngster had been so impressively prolific for the Chelsea Youth team scoring an astonishing 74 goals in 98 youth games winning the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League in the process.
By Ewah Chika.
Tammy Abraham's summer season long loan to Bristol City in the Championship did not generate much views and news as the 18-year-old was an unknown player outside Stamford Bridge having made only two Premier League appearances before the move.
Fast- forward to end of September (less than a month after his move) and the youngster is the bride of the Championship lighting it up with as much as ten goals winning the EEL Player of September. This is despite the fact that the youngster had been so impressively prolific for the Chelsea Youth team scoring an astonishing 74 goals in 98 youth games winning the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League in the process.
Thursday 13 October 2016
Why Oliver Giroud Is Still Important To Arsenal Despite Alexis Sanchez's Rich Early Season Form.
Why Oliver Giroud Is Still Important To Arsenal Despite Alexis Sanchez's Rich Form This Season.
By Ewah Chika.
Arsenal are once again playing impressive football with the results to match and one of the reason for that is the change in style by manager Arsene Wenger.
This season, Wenger has gone back to the tried and trusted quick and energetic free flowing football in the opponents final third. This was the system, the French man utilised during the glory days with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Freddie Ljunberg, Robert Pires, Sylvain Wiltord and Thierry Henry. This style was quickly abandoned for a slow passing style following the exit of the aforementioned players and their replacements with the likes of Oliver Giroud, Gervinho, Mesut Ozil and Danny Welbeck to mention but a few.
Wenger persisted with this new slow system for years even though it yielded only two FA Cup's in 12 years. This season, the Frenchman appears to have realised his mistakes, signing quick and energetic forward Lucas Perez from Deportivo La Caruna and restoring Alexis Sanchez to his preferred position upfront as the lone striker. Sanchez in return has scored five goals providing two assists in eight games so far in the league. This wasn't the only change as Mesut Ozil has also moved to his favourite No 10 position slightly behind the lone striker (Sanchez) which was formerly Sanchez's position as Giroud played upfront. Such has been the success of this new style that Arsenal white washed Antonie Conte's Chelsea 3-0 outplaying them and making a mockery of the Italian's defence on the day. With Alex Iwobi and Theo Walcott in the wings, Arsenal have played fast paced passing game coupled with the quick thinking required to finish off their opponents. As a result, the attacking players exhibit the fluidity required to beat even the most compact of defences as the attackers interchange positions intermittently making it difficult for defenders to mark them.
Although this system has come with improved results, just like every other football system it failed during the Gunners last league game with Burnley, a game the North London side needed an injury time hand ball from Laurent Koscielny to win . What this means is that though the quick attacking pattern can win games against attacking teams, the system becomes easier for defensive minded teams. This is because, against teams set-up to play defensively deep, Arsenal attackers are afforded little or no space to operate. As Dyche's Burnley showed, Arsenal attackers are not the type to operate in closed spaces as the likes of Walcott, Ozil and Sanchez need space to flourish.
Based on this, it becomes imperative that Oliver Giroud is not discarded entirely by the club as he thrives in such packed situations considering his impressive lay-off, hold-up play and aerial prowess. Although he isn't dazzling to watch, Giroud has that ability to draw defenders to himself thus freeing up his attacking team mates.
With more than 31 games to go before season end, both of Giroud , Perez and Sanchez must realise none is a guaranteed starter as both have their various roles depending on the opposition.
For now, Arsene Wenger must rally and rotate his squad especially the attackers in such a way that each player plays to the team's strength as anything less than that will end up an uneventful year for the club and fans alike.
By Ewah Chika.
Arsenal are once again playing impressive football with the results to match and one of the reason for that is the change in style by manager Arsene Wenger.
This season, Wenger has gone back to the tried and trusted quick and energetic free flowing football in the opponents final third. This was the system, the French man utilised during the glory days with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Freddie Ljunberg, Robert Pires, Sylvain Wiltord and Thierry Henry. This style was quickly abandoned for a slow passing style following the exit of the aforementioned players and their replacements with the likes of Oliver Giroud, Gervinho, Mesut Ozil and Danny Welbeck to mention but a few.
Wenger persisted with this new slow system for years even though it yielded only two FA Cup's in 12 years. This season, the Frenchman appears to have realised his mistakes, signing quick and energetic forward Lucas Perez from Deportivo La Caruna and restoring Alexis Sanchez to his preferred position upfront as the lone striker. Sanchez in return has scored five goals providing two assists in eight games so far in the league. This wasn't the only change as Mesut Ozil has also moved to his favourite No 10 position slightly behind the lone striker (Sanchez) which was formerly Sanchez's position as Giroud played upfront. Such has been the success of this new style that Arsenal white washed Antonie Conte's Chelsea 3-0 outplaying them and making a mockery of the Italian's defence on the day. With Alex Iwobi and Theo Walcott in the wings, Arsenal have played fast paced passing game coupled with the quick thinking required to finish off their opponents. As a result, the attacking players exhibit the fluidity required to beat even the most compact of defences as the attackers interchange positions intermittently making it difficult for defenders to mark them.
Although this system has come with improved results, just like every other football system it failed during the Gunners last league game with Burnley, a game the North London side needed an injury time hand ball from Laurent Koscielny to win . What this means is that though the quick attacking pattern can win games against attacking teams, the system becomes easier for defensive minded teams. This is because, against teams set-up to play defensively deep, Arsenal attackers are afforded little or no space to operate. As Dyche's Burnley showed, Arsenal attackers are not the type to operate in closed spaces as the likes of Walcott, Ozil and Sanchez need space to flourish.
Based on this, it becomes imperative that Oliver Giroud is not discarded entirely by the club as he thrives in such packed situations considering his impressive lay-off, hold-up play and aerial prowess. Although he isn't dazzling to watch, Giroud has that ability to draw defenders to himself thus freeing up his attacking team mates.
With more than 31 games to go before season end, both of Giroud , Perez and Sanchez must realise none is a guaranteed starter as both have their various roles depending on the opposition.
For now, Arsene Wenger must rally and rotate his squad especially the attackers in such a way that each player plays to the team's strength as anything less than that will end up an uneventful year for the club and fans alike.
Jose Mourinho, New Country And Club, Injury Or Player: Who Is To Blame For Henrikh Mkhitaryan's Poor Form?
Jose Mourinho, New Club And Country, Injury Or The Player Himself: Who Is To Blame For Henrikh Mkhitaryan's Poor Form For Manchester United?
By Ewah Chika.
Manchester United are blowing hot and cold this season despite spending an excess of £150 million in player signings in the summer. Scoring 13 league goals, keeping two clean sheets , conceding eight goals and sitting fifth in the Premier League table. Such was the excitement and euphoria following the appointment of former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in the summer that many fans quickly concluded the Premier League title was their's to lose this season.
Fast forward to October and it seems the fans were living in illusion as United have lost against rivals and league leaders Manchester City and against inconsistent Watford at the same time dropping points against Stoke City. However, even with all these incidents, the most shocking of all is the inability of star signing and Armenian international Henrikh Mkhitaryan to secure a starting berth at the club. Signed for a fee in excess of £25 million with a year to run in his contract with former club Borussia Dortmund, the attacker has failed to replicate his best form in England, as the likes of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford have been preferred in attack to him. While Rashford has impressed on the wings, the same cannot be said of Lingard who has blown hot and cold.
While struggling with injury, the former Shartkar Donetsk player flopped in his first start against Manchester City as he was substituted in the second half. This is why it might sound foolish to say that the Armenian still remains the best player in the No 10 position for United. The reason for this is due to his vision and ability to play defence splitting passes to the striker. Mkhitaryan also possesses the strength and energy to go physical with opposition defenders who rely on bullying attackers. Unlike Juan Mata who is perfect on the ball but deficient off it, Mkhitaryan has that x-factor which he utilised to great effect at Dortmund last season scoring 15 goals, creating a further 15 assists in the Bundesliga and in all competitions scoring or assisting a total of 49 goals last season, an average of a goal or an assist every 89 minutes. This season, star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic regularly has had to drop deep most times to collect the ball as a result of poor service hence this is where the Armenian comes in handy.
Last season, the former BVB player's 15 league goals was equal to that of Rooney (six), Mata (five), Martial (four) all combined together. This is coupled with the 67 chances he created which was 19 more than Mata (United's top playmaker), not discounting he had 84 successful take-ons more than Mata.
At present Mkhitaryan might seem an odd player at United considering the
contrasting styles of Thomas Tuchel (BVB coach) and Jose Mourinho. The Armenian thrives In a team that plays with so much attacking velocity and fluidity, pressing high up the field and forcing opponents to make mistakes which is the reason he was a success under Tuchel unfortunately this is not the same in United where Mourinho utilises a more cautious approach, inviting opponents to attack his team while they rely on the counter attacks . This contrast in style might be to blame for his inability to consistently turn out for the Red Devils and must be corrected before the damage is done .
For now, it seems the Armenian simply has to adapt and stick to Mourinho's style in order to have a happy time in Old Trafford as the likes of Juan Mata learnt the hard way while at Chelsea with Mourinho or seek a move away from the club just like Romelu Lukaku and Kelvin De Bruyne did years ago.
By Ewah Chika.
Manchester United are blowing hot and cold this season despite spending an excess of £150 million in player signings in the summer. Scoring 13 league goals, keeping two clean sheets , conceding eight goals and sitting fifth in the Premier League table. Such was the excitement and euphoria following the appointment of former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in the summer that many fans quickly concluded the Premier League title was their's to lose this season.
Fast forward to October and it seems the fans were living in illusion as United have lost against rivals and league leaders Manchester City and against inconsistent Watford at the same time dropping points against Stoke City. However, even with all these incidents, the most shocking of all is the inability of star signing and Armenian international Henrikh Mkhitaryan to secure a starting berth at the club. Signed for a fee in excess of £25 million with a year to run in his contract with former club Borussia Dortmund, the attacker has failed to replicate his best form in England, as the likes of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford have been preferred in attack to him. While Rashford has impressed on the wings, the same cannot be said of Lingard who has blown hot and cold.
While struggling with injury, the former Shartkar Donetsk player flopped in his first start against Manchester City as he was substituted in the second half. This is why it might sound foolish to say that the Armenian still remains the best player in the No 10 position for United. The reason for this is due to his vision and ability to play defence splitting passes to the striker. Mkhitaryan also possesses the strength and energy to go physical with opposition defenders who rely on bullying attackers. Unlike Juan Mata who is perfect on the ball but deficient off it, Mkhitaryan has that x-factor which he utilised to great effect at Dortmund last season scoring 15 goals, creating a further 15 assists in the Bundesliga and in all competitions scoring or assisting a total of 49 goals last season, an average of a goal or an assist every 89 minutes. This season, star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic regularly has had to drop deep most times to collect the ball as a result of poor service hence this is where the Armenian comes in handy.
Last season, the former BVB player's 15 league goals was equal to that of Rooney (six), Mata (five), Martial (four) all combined together. This is coupled with the 67 chances he created which was 19 more than Mata (United's top playmaker), not discounting he had 84 successful take-ons more than Mata.
At present Mkhitaryan might seem an odd player at United considering the
contrasting styles of Thomas Tuchel (BVB coach) and Jose Mourinho. The Armenian thrives In a team that plays with so much attacking velocity and fluidity, pressing high up the field and forcing opponents to make mistakes which is the reason he was a success under Tuchel unfortunately this is not the same in United where Mourinho utilises a more cautious approach, inviting opponents to attack his team while they rely on the counter attacks . This contrast in style might be to blame for his inability to consistently turn out for the Red Devils and must be corrected before the damage is done .
For now, it seems the Armenian simply has to adapt and stick to Mourinho's style in order to have a happy time in Old Trafford as the likes of Juan Mata learnt the hard way while at Chelsea with Mourinho or seek a move away from the club just like Romelu Lukaku and Kelvin De Bruyne did years ago.
Wednesday 12 October 2016
Will The Sacking Of Roberto Di Matteo Halt Aston Villa's Slide?
Will The Sacking Of Roberto Di Matteo Halt Aston Villa's Consistent Slide?
By Ewah Chika.
Having won promotion to the English Premier League with West Bromwich Albion in 2010, Roberto Di Matteo was not a shocking appointment by new Aston Villa owner Dr Tony Xia in the summer. In another way, one could argue Di Matteo's appointment was a step-down for the 46-year-old who won the FA Cup and Champions League with Chelsea in 2012 but critically looking at the present situation, the Italian has not done much to improve his rating and career since his sacking by Roman Abramovich the same year.
At Villa, Di Matteo signed nine new players with two of them captains of Premier League clubs : Mile Jerdinak (Crystal Palace) and Tommy Elphick (Bournemouth) in addition to the likes of Jonathan Adomah, Aaron Tshibola, James Chester and Ross McCormack spending an excess of £50 million in the process which is very high for a Championship side.
Fast forward to October and the Italian's sacking was made official having been in charge for barely 124 days gaining ten points from 11 games (one win in 12 league games) with Villa languishing in 19th position in the league table. One major consistent problem during the time of the Italian is Villa's inability to wrap up games they dominate, conceding late goals in the 85th, 86th, 87th, 88th and 89th minutes, dropping nine points in total against the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield, Nottingham Forrest, Brentford and Barnsley. Discounting those dropped points, Di Matteo and Villa would have been positioned 7th in the league which is one point behind rivals Birmingham City (one place behind play-off position).
At certain times, Di Matteo's decision did not help matters as he displayed naivety substituting injured striker McCormack at half-time for defender Jordan Amavi with Villa leading before the equaliser by Brentford.
Another problem is the pathetic performances of the new signings with Jerdinak playing poorly, goalkeeper Peluigi Gollini making costly mistakes and McCormack struggling with injuries.
While the sacking of Di Matteo might seem right, it should be noted that he needed more time to revamp the ailing side who have struggled since the resignation of Martin O'Neil in 2011. Since then Villa have struggled with relegation having Christian Benteke to thank for scoring vital goals that saved them. It is pathetic to know that Villa are yet to win a league game since December 7, 2014 after going a goal behind. The problem in Villa goes beyond the sacking of Di Matteo judging from their form of last season which saw them pick only 17 league points in 38 games. This year, Villa have only three times coupled with their inability to win an away game since August. The departure of more than 17 players this season did not also help matters as Di Matteo had to build from the scratch. In total six permanent and four caretaker managers have been appointed and sacked in the last six years, dropping from a regular top six club to perennial relegation strugglers.
Owner Xia, might have added to this problem due to his constant interference with technical and tactical issues at the club which reached it's zenith a few weeks before the sacking of Di Matteo.
For now if nothing drastic is done, Aston Villa might soon turn a to League One club considering their fall from grace to grass.
By Ewah Chika.
Having won promotion to the English Premier League with West Bromwich Albion in 2010, Roberto Di Matteo was not a shocking appointment by new Aston Villa owner Dr Tony Xia in the summer. In another way, one could argue Di Matteo's appointment was a step-down for the 46-year-old who won the FA Cup and Champions League with Chelsea in 2012 but critically looking at the present situation, the Italian has not done much to improve his rating and career since his sacking by Roman Abramovich the same year.
At Villa, Di Matteo signed nine new players with two of them captains of Premier League clubs : Mile Jerdinak (Crystal Palace) and Tommy Elphick (Bournemouth) in addition to the likes of Jonathan Adomah, Aaron Tshibola, James Chester and Ross McCormack spending an excess of £50 million in the process which is very high for a Championship side.
Fast forward to October and the Italian's sacking was made official having been in charge for barely 124 days gaining ten points from 11 games (one win in 12 league games) with Villa languishing in 19th position in the league table. One major consistent problem during the time of the Italian is Villa's inability to wrap up games they dominate, conceding late goals in the 85th, 86th, 87th, 88th and 89th minutes, dropping nine points in total against the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield, Nottingham Forrest, Brentford and Barnsley. Discounting those dropped points, Di Matteo and Villa would have been positioned 7th in the league which is one point behind rivals Birmingham City (one place behind play-off position).
At certain times, Di Matteo's decision did not help matters as he displayed naivety substituting injured striker McCormack at half-time for defender Jordan Amavi with Villa leading before the equaliser by Brentford.
Another problem is the pathetic performances of the new signings with Jerdinak playing poorly, goalkeeper Peluigi Gollini making costly mistakes and McCormack struggling with injuries.
While the sacking of Di Matteo might seem right, it should be noted that he needed more time to revamp the ailing side who have struggled since the resignation of Martin O'Neil in 2011. Since then Villa have struggled with relegation having Christian Benteke to thank for scoring vital goals that saved them. It is pathetic to know that Villa are yet to win a league game since December 7, 2014 after going a goal behind. The problem in Villa goes beyond the sacking of Di Matteo judging from their form of last season which saw them pick only 17 league points in 38 games. This year, Villa have only three times coupled with their inability to win an away game since August. The departure of more than 17 players this season did not also help matters as Di Matteo had to build from the scratch. In total six permanent and four caretaker managers have been appointed and sacked in the last six years, dropping from a regular top six club to perennial relegation strugglers.
Owner Xia, might have added to this problem due to his constant interference with technical and tactical issues at the club which reached it's zenith a few weeks before the sacking of Di Matteo.
For now if nothing drastic is done, Aston Villa might soon turn a to League One club considering their fall from grace to grass.
Ayoze Perez (Newcastle United Forward): Two Years Gone And Yet To Fulfil His Early Promise.
Ayoze Perez (Newcastle United Forward) ; Two Years And Yet To Show The Required Level Of Consistency.
By Ewah Chika.
Once the transfer target of Barcelona and Real Madrid, Ayoze Perez has failed to live up to the billing in Newcastle United as he has found himself more on the sidelines this season.
Under Rafa Benitez, the former Tenerife striker has seen the likes of Yoan Guaffran and Christian Atsu ranked ahead of him in the pecking order. One thing most Geordie fans can testify is the Spaniard's deft touch, vision, dribbling and ability to create something out of nothing, which is something lacking in the present Newcastle team.
By Ewah Chika.
Once the transfer target of Barcelona and Real Madrid, Ayoze Perez has failed to live up to the billing in Newcastle United as he has found himself more on the sidelines this season.
Under Rafa Benitez, the former Tenerife striker has seen the likes of Yoan Guaffran and Christian Atsu ranked ahead of him in the pecking order. One thing most Geordie fans can testify is the Spaniard's deft touch, vision, dribbling and ability to create something out of nothing, which is something lacking in the present Newcastle team.
Tuesday 11 October 2016
Ten Minutes Fame : Celtic's Latest Young Star (13)- Karamoko Dembele .
Ten Minutes Fame : Celtic's Latest Young Star Karamoko Dembele.
By Ewah Chika.
Possessing the talent of a professional footballer can be a blessing and a curse at the same time for any individual. This is because you tend to live your dream life making every single move in football look simple and seamless (dribble, shot and pass) and at the same time having to cope with the pressures and demands of living in the spotlight.
By Ewah Chika.
Possessing the talent of a professional footballer can be a blessing and a curse at the same time for any individual. This is because you tend to live your dream life making every single move in football look simple and seamless (dribble, shot and pass) and at the same time having to cope with the pressures and demands of living in the spotlight.
Is Kelvin Gameiro France's Best Striker At The Moment ?
Is Kelvin Gameiro France's Best Striker At The Moment?
By Ewah Chika.
Two goals in two starts for France is not a bad record for a striker who couldn't even make Les Blues squad for the European Tournament in the summer despite having an impressive season with Sevilla scoring in the Europa League final, winning the trophy and playing in the Copa del Rey final last season.
Kelvin Gameiro might have felt unlucky having no single call up since Didier Deschamps took over as Laurent Blanc successor in 2012 yet the striker has slowly rebuilt his dwindling career in Spain allowing his football do the talking for him. At 29, the former Lorient striker appears to be in his peak having flopped when he moved to PSG scoring only 26 goals in 77 years (two years) in Paris with the likes of Nene and Zlatan Ibrahimovic taking the spotlight from him during his time at the club.
By Ewah Chika.
Two goals in two starts for France is not a bad record for a striker who couldn't even make Les Blues squad for the European Tournament in the summer despite having an impressive season with Sevilla scoring in the Europa League final, winning the trophy and playing in the Copa del Rey final last season.
Kelvin Gameiro might have felt unlucky having no single call up since Didier Deschamps took over as Laurent Blanc successor in 2012 yet the striker has slowly rebuilt his dwindling career in Spain allowing his football do the talking for him. At 29, the former Lorient striker appears to be in his peak having flopped when he moved to PSG scoring only 26 goals in 77 years (two years) in Paris with the likes of Nene and Zlatan Ibrahimovic taking the spotlight from him during his time at the club.
Monday 10 October 2016
Christian Pulisic : Borussia Dortmund And American Best Young Prospect.
Christian Pulisic: Borussia Dortmund And American Best Young Prospect.
By Ewah Chika.
Christian Pulistic might have being an unknown player when he made the move to Borussia Dortmund from US club side PA Classics in the winter of 2014, yet it took the player only 15 games with the BVD academy to gain promotion to the first team under Jurgen Klopp. While with the BVD academy, Pulisic was so impressive scoring 10 goals and creating eight assists in four months. Since then, the American has broken eight records in all competitions (UEFA Champions League, German Bundesliga and the United States National team-USMNT).
The midfielder has been so dazzling that he has already being compared with world beaters like Eden Hazard, Marco Reus and Phillipe Countinho which is mainly due to his his similar playing style with theirs. The Pennsylvanian born player can also play in any attacking position preferably in the No. 10 position. One of Pulisic's greatest attributes are his pace, low centre of gravity (which allows him to glide and dribble past his markers easily) and his positioning.
By Ewah Chika.
Christian Pulistic might have being an unknown player when he made the move to Borussia Dortmund from US club side PA Classics in the winter of 2014, yet it took the player only 15 games with the BVD academy to gain promotion to the first team under Jurgen Klopp. While with the BVD academy, Pulisic was so impressive scoring 10 goals and creating eight assists in four months. Since then, the American has broken eight records in all competitions (UEFA Champions League, German Bundesliga and the United States National team-USMNT).
The midfielder has been so dazzling that he has already being compared with world beaters like Eden Hazard, Marco Reus and Phillipe Countinho which is mainly due to his his similar playing style with theirs. The Pennsylvanian born player can also play in any attacking position preferably in the No. 10 position. One of Pulisic's greatest attributes are his pace, low centre of gravity (which allows him to glide and dribble past his markers easily) and his positioning.
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