Month: June 2019

  • Copa America 2019

    Copa America 2019

    Copa America’s group stage has now concluded and the 12 teams are down to eight. The three groups of four tournament has featured two invitees in Japan and Qatar. Both invitees got eliminated in the group stage. The so called controversial decision to have 2 invited teams, to make the tournament an imperfect 12 teams, is bound to be questioned again.

    Qatar have the stable coaching of Felix Sanchez but failed to improve on their surprise Asian Cup winning form of early 2019. The former Barcelona youth coach may be retained as the build up to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar ramps up.

    Japan are in transition and with a new post 2018 World Cup coach in Hajime Moriyasu brought a team with only three players above 25!

    Bolivia’s decline continues and with few players on the horizon it may not be improving in the short or medium term. They all lost three games and scored only twice against Brazil, Venezuela and Peru.

    Ecuador are not in much better shape and the somewhat older team coached for the second time by Hernan Dario Gomez will likely continue its decline for a while.

    The first quarter final features Brazil, the hosts, vs Paraguay. The latter finished third in group after unimpressive ties vs Qatar and a poor Argentina. They lost their other game 1-0 to Colombia. Brazilians didn’t impress at all in their first two games and the likes of David Neres and Richarlison lost their starting spots for the third game which the hosts won 5-0 (vs Peru)

    Venezuela’s slow climb continues. The South American none football country has managed two quarter finals and a fourth place in the last four copas. Prior to 2007 the Rafael Dudamel coached team never managed to get out of a group stage. They now meet Argentina in the quarter finals. The Argentinians have mostly struggled in the Messi era and coaches have failed to get the best out of the talent of the Barcelona star and others like Kun Aguero and many others, not to mention even failing to find a proper, workable and stable formation to fit all the big names. Lionel Scaloni’s men lost the opener to Colombia and tied Paraguay 1-1, they needed to beat Qatar in their last match to progress.

    Colombia have so far impressed the most, being the only team with nine points in the group stage. Carlos Queiroz is their somewhat surprising new coach and three wins without conceding has the set them up as favorites vs the aging Chileans. Chile finished second behind Uruguay in group C. Alexis Sanchez’s team features only one outfield player under 25.

    Uruguay have a mix of aging but still capable stars with the likes of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani. A younger group all over the pitch bodes well for the future of Oscar Tabarez’s team. Maxi Gomez up front, Lucas Torreira, Rodrigo Bentancur and Matias Vecino in the middle form a good core with Jose Gimenez at the back.

    Brazil play Paraguay on June 27th. Argentina play Venezuela on the 28th. The winners meet in the semi finals on July 2nd.

    On the other side of the bracket Colombia meet Chile on the 28th and Uruguay play against Peru on the 29th with the semis being on July 3rd.

    The final is set for Rio’s Maracana on July 7th.



  • Top 10 Most Expensive Transfers, Rated

    Top 10 Most Expensive Transfers, Rated

    Joao Felix is on the verge of making a €120 million transfer from Benfica to Atletico Madrid. The Madrid team triggered the 19 year old second striker’s recently signed release clause. Antoine Griezmann could also enter the record books this summer. The Frenchman’s move from Atletico to Barcelona provides the cash to Diego Simeone and Atletico to spend on the aforementioned Portuguese. It is a good time to take a look at the current top 10 most expensive transfers.

    Neymar tops the list as the then 25 year old moved from Barcelona to PSG for €222 million. The forward has had a somewhat injury riddled two seasons but has scored 51 goals in 58 games, in all competitions. The French team haven’t gotten much closer to their aim of winning the Champions League. The transfer is probably a B- at best.

    Kylian Mbappe had everybody reaching for the Financial Fair Play rule book when he made a €180 million move to PSG, in 2017 and initially on loan. Once again PSG haven’t won more with the French international but he has provided the goals and plenty of them. His transfer is a B+.

    Philippe Coutinho made a move to Barcelona from Liverpool for around €118 million. The perception of the transfer and it usefulness to the Catalans has been questionable at best. He could be on the move again this summer having been expected to provide more. Few would be willing to give this transfer anything above C.

    Ousmane Dembele falls into the same category as Coutinho. His €105 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona was initially injury interrupted. He has scored 18 times in 65 games since 2017. Another C for this transfer.

    Manchester United spent a lot to get Paul Pogba back from Juventus, years after he left to Italy for free. The €105 million was a record in 2016. United have won little since and have not adjusted to the post Alex Ferguson era. The player himself has not had a constant place in any given formation the team has played since his arrival. The expense and the return make this a poor transfer. A D is not too harsh.

    Eden Hazard spent seven years at Chelsea helping the team win two Premier League titles and two Europa league titles. Often the star with a few dips in form he nevertheless was the creator and the star of the London team. His €105 million move to Real Madrid this summer is a success for both the player and his now former team. This gets an A for now because Real are getting an under 30 player with more years in him.

    Cristiano Ronaldo moved from Real Madrid to Juventus for €100 million in 2018, nine years after he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid for €94. The earlier transfer has of course been a big success and put the player fully on the map. Two La Liga titles are less than the impression one has of the recent Real Madrid. Four Champions League titles however are Ronaldo and Real Madrid’s to brag about. He moved to Juventus in 2018 hoping to replicate the Champions League success in Turin. The failure to do so can still be rectified. The transfers both get an A grade.

    Gareth Bale moved from Tottenham to Real Madrid for €100 million. In his six years there he has sometimes fallen out of favour with coaches but has scored 102 goals in a total of 231 appearances. The player was not a major influence in the 2016-2017 La Liga winning season as he spent months out with an ankle injury. The Welshman provided decent returns in the four Champions League titles while at Real but he won’t be remembered as much due to Ronaldo’s contributions in the same competition and period. This transfer gets a C.

    Gonzalo Higuain spent two full seasons at Juventus after moving from Napoli for €94 million. The season before moving, 2015-2016, he had been Serie A’s top scorer (aka capocannoniere) with 36 goals. He scored 24 and 16 goals in the two subsequent seasons where Juventus won the title. The transfer gets another C.

  • 2019 Gold Cup

    2019 Gold Cup

    The Gold Cup is the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football national team championship. The 2019 edition is the 15th edition and takes place in United States, Costa Rica and Jamaica. The latter two will host two games to open their respective groups, B and C. The Gold Cup features 16 teams for the first time and runs from June 15 to July 7. The Gold Cup has shifted between odd and even years and is held every two years.

    The 16 qualifiers (out of 41 total members) are those who finished in the top 6 of 2018 World Cup qualification, the so called hexagonal plus the top 10 in the newly created CONCACAF Nations League. It is the first time that the Gold Cup is contested with 16 teams. It began as an eight team tournament in 1991.

    A big total of 17 venues will be used with the smallest being Kansas City’s Children’s Mercy Park with a capacity of just under 19,000, the home of MLS’ Sporting Kansas City. The largest will be Pasadena’s Rose bowl with a 90,888 capacity.

    Four groups of four were drawn and they are as follows

    Mexico
    Canada
    Martinique
    Cuba
    Costa Rica
    Haiti
    Nicaragua
    Bermuda
    Honduras
    Jamaica
    El Salvador
    Curacao
    USA
    Panama
    Trinidad and Tobago
    Guyana

    Mexico have won the Gold Cup seven times, USA six times and the only other winners were Canada in 2000. USA are the defending champions.

  • Nations League Final

    Nations League Final

    Portugal won the first UEFA Nations League by beating Holland 1-0 at home, at Porto’s Estadio do Dragao.

    The Dutch had failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia and were in decline until a new batch of Ajax bred youngsters and other rising or in form players were blended together by new national coach Ronald Koeman. Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt and Daley Blind formed the core of Ajax’s surprise Champions League semi final team. They are joined by in form players like Memphis Depay (Lyon), Georginio Wijnaldum and Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool).

    Portugal came off a disappointing World Cup that followed their Euro 2016 win in France. With Ronaldo still pulling the strings and rescuing the team but joined by new and risings in Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes.

    The game start well for the Dutch but soon became one mostly controlled by the Portuguese. The hosts managed to gain control of the midfield with Danilo adding extra midfield spine and mostly handcuffing the likes of de Jong. The Dutch were forced to use the wings but were unable to penetrate for much of the game.
    Quincy Promes for Ryan Babel at half time didn’t help or threaten much more on the left wing side and soon after the second half started Portugal gained more control of the game.

    In the 60th minute a Bernardo Silva pass had Goncalo Guedes cutting inside. The winger took a long range shot and just beat Jasper Cillessen who got a hand on it but was unable to divert the ball to safety. Rui Patricio and Ruben Dias did well when the Dutch tried to threaten via crosses. Portugal claimed the inaugural trophy.

    Earlier in the day England finished third by beating the Swiss. The third place match finished 0-0 and 6-5 after penalties, one of which was converted by Jordan Pickford, England’s goalkeeper.


  • 2018-2019 Team of the Season

    2018-2019 Team of the Season

    Alisson is the Brazilian national team starter and ex-Roma goalkeeper. He had a big hand in Liverpool finishing second in the EPL and winning the Champions League.

    Ferland Mendy is a soon to be 23 year old left back. Another Lyon prospect but not from Lyon’s own academy. Mendy grew up at Le Havre’s famous production line which has included the likes of Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet in the past. He is rumoured to be the subject of €50+ million bids by Real Madrid and Manchester City.

    Milan Skriniar is the consistent central defender at Inter Milan. He has been there since 2017. The Slovakian international is one of the reasons Inter finished with a Serie A second best 33 goals allowed.

    Virgil van Dijk was another reason for Liverpool’s success and his pace and solidity have impressed since a very expensive
    € 85 million transfer from Southampton. The central defender has boasted excellent stats with attackers finding it near impossible to dribble past him.

    Joshua Kimmich struggled, like most of his team mates, at the 2018 World Cup but is nevertheless solid and very important on the right hand side for Bayern Munich and his country. Still only 24.

    Dusan Tadic had a rebirth of sorts at Ajax after being mostly underused in the English Premier League. Multiple impressive performances in the Champions League where Ajax reached the semis and in the Eredivisie where Ajax overtook PSV and won the title.

    Frenkie de Jong (22), much like his Ajax team mate, impressed and earned an expensive transfer to Barcelona. The midfielder controlled games from the middle of the pitch and provided the focal point for much of Ajax’s excellent 2018-2019.

    Eden Hazard spent his last season at Chelsea helping the team win the Europa League and be a vital component in unlocking league opposition. He will now do it again elsewhere, Real Madrid will likely be the destination with a massive €100+ million transfer fee going the other way.

    Lionel Messi is Lionel Messi and with him at the helm Barcelona won another La Liga title. Despite the Champions League disappointment where Liverpool produced a historic come from behind win the Argentinian scored another 51 goals (in all competitions).

    Kylian Mbappe led PSG to another Ligue 1 title. Still only 20 he scored 33 league goals, 11 more than Lille’s Nicolas Pepe in second place. His goal tally was over 30% of his team’s goals.

    Raheem Sterling scored important goals for Manchester City, both in the Champions League and the premiership. He grew as a team leader and his play earned him spots on many end of season awards.