How to beat Spain BY Luiz Felipe Scolari (Parody)

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Dedication:

I would like to dedicate this “book” to all football managers and team coaches. I would like to specially dedicate is those managers and coaches that have endured continual thrashing in the hands of Barcelona and Spain. The tiki taka style of football has for years now denied coaches sleep and has made players unnecessarily anxious and scared

Acknolwdgement:

I would like to thank all the members of the Bayern Munich team and my Brazilian team without whom the writing of this book would have been impossible. I still feel the need to mention a few players whose contributions in one way or another have made the writing of this book and other subsequent ones (I believe that people will write) achievable.

First, I would like to thank the Bayern Munich team, who first demonstrated to the world that the very entertaining and attractive tiki taka football style is not an end-all and be-all. I would like to at this stage state that I don’t believe that the tiki taka style of football has lost its potency. The men from Tahiti will attest to its effectiveness. My point is this, if you press with aggression, move as a team, take shots whenever possible, hold your position and most importantly believe then tiki taka style of football can be beaten and judging by the score from all three matches (Barcelona v Bayern Munich (both legs) and Brazil v Spain) beaten very well.

Next, I would like to say a very special thank you to my main muscle men in the midfield- Paulinho and Luiz Gustavo who made sure that even when they missed the ball (which was very rare) they didn’t miss getting both the leg and the ball.

Big shout out to Oscar, who spent most of the first half of the game following Sergio Busquets around in the very deep areas of the midfield. He made sure that whenever Busquets received the ball he found it difficult to make a good pass or dribble often starting attacks very close to the goal. Well as much as I would like to take credit for this fantastic tactic I must confess that I copied it from my dear friend and fellow coach Jupp Heynckes (by the way thanks a lot mate ) who, put Mario Gomez and later Thomas Mueller on ‘PI’ duties on Busquets thereby removing him as an option to pass to. By sealing the source from which Iniesta, Mata and co are fed thereby starving the playmakers of the much needed ball.

Another big shout out to David Luiz for being able to switch from centre back to left back position, freeing Marcelo to occupy the wide midfield position. It worked like a charm Pedro was now stuck between attacking Luiz or Marcelo. In one of his (Pedro) confused states Luiz could now hit the pass to Hulk that created the first goal.

This acknowledgement would not be complete without mentioning the man I really owe some of this victory to. Stand up ALVARO ARBELOA. Thanks to your inability to keep possession and love for playing out of position we found great joy in strolling in and out of that very porous right back.

In conclusion, I would like to offer some questions to the Spanish national team and Barcelona.

-       What about going into a game with more than just a plan a? (I mean there are still 25 other letters of the alphabet after ‘a’ to pick from)

-       Can you rely on Xavi and Iniesta come the world cup next year?

-       What about fresh legs like Isco and Thiago Alcantara? Can they spice things up?

Till we see again in Brazil next year please reflect on the lessons of this book.

Extracts from “HOW TO BEAT SPAIN by Luiz Felipe Scolari (Parody)”

Till next time always stay TRUE 2 the beautiful game. Later…

STOP-WATCH FOR ARSÉNE

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First of all I would like to offer my sincere apologies for the break in communication. It was all done to improve the quality and structure of our articles for your reading delight.

A few days back I was surfing the net and came across this site name www.sincearsenallastwonatrophy.co.uk. First I thought it was some fake site trying to attract visitors only to open it and see a giant stop watch counting 8 years, 1 month 9 Days, 21 hours, 49 minutes and 3 seconds. Even down to the second?

Arsenals transfer activity so far this summer has left little room for excitement for fans. July is around the corner, meaning Arsene Wenger and company will have two months to complete the necessary deals to strengthen the squad. With Higuain almost all but confirmed an arsenal player.   

Arsenal's need for a true defensive midfielder is obvious, especially with the oft-injured Abou Diaby struggling again in 2012/13, Mikel Arteta aging, and question marks over Francis Coquelin and Emmanuel Frimpong. In truth, Wenger should take the ruthless route and rid himself of Diaby, as he needs to do with others.

There are good options for Arsenal in the defensive midfield department, with Real Sociedad’s Asier Illarramendi likely to join the emirate boys next season.

In the dead-weight department, Sebastian Squillaci, Denilson and Andrei Arshavin have already parted ways with the club, but a handful remain. Those include Marouane Chamakh, Park Chu Young and Andre Santos

Along with those players, the futures of Gervinho and  Lukas Podolski  seemingly up in the air. All those players have been linked with moves away from the club. Johan Djourou already on loan to Hamburg it still remains to be seen how the club will deal with the others.

The likes of Chamakh and Santos won't be missed, but Wenger will be scrambling for replacements should Gervinho or Podolski go searching for greener pastures.

If the Higuain rumours are true, then Arsenal can be forgiven for seemingly playing the waiting game. It does render them subject to a more disastrous transfer folly, though, which is failing to pull the trigger.

Should that deal continue for another week, or longer, Arsenal will have less time to complete other incoming transfers. Then there's also the dead weight and possible departures to consider.

That may result in a similar situation to the Gunners transfer situation at the beginning of the 2011/12 season. The Gunners may have more money in hand this time around, but that won't necessarily play in their favour.

The Gunners may get a big signing by the end of next week, but that's still not enough to get excited about.

There will still be plenty for Arsenal to sort out before the transfer period ends in order to really change the status quo.

Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United are all welcoming new managers next season and its only normal for new management to invest in new players. This will only make arsenal's hunt for players a bit more difficult given Arséne Wengers record of penny-pinching spending. 

Goodbye My Rooney...Goodbye My friend?

The common joke made about northerners in England is that they don't speak English  The different accents in the north may leave you thinking you are not in England but I in particular love it. One of the most famous is the scouse accent. In some interviews you may have heard Steven Gerrard or Jamie Carragher speak in that wonderful accent that tends to confuse journalists more than anything. Steven Gerrard once admitted that when he and other liverpool lads speak in the England dressing room,some of their team-mates don't get it. Imagine that. The scouser in question now is Wayne Rooney,wonderfully gifted footballer,plays for Manchester united and arguably one of the best talents in the country. But as the  common joke runs about the northerners,if Wayne Rooney can't speak English his own language,how is he going to cope with french? Rumors of him leaving for a French side have gained momentum, french side Paris Saint-German-PSG

The biggest reality show on TV related to football comes during the transfer window and before the next one opens in the summer,stories have began to come out to add fuel to the drama that usually goes with that period. PSG have reportedly shown interest in Wayne Rooney and there are rumors in the united camp indicating that Rooney hasn't been exactly happy. The player hasn't said anything himself but we all know everyone has a price and Manchester United firmly believes,no man is bigger than the club. The last time Wayne  was said to leave Manchester  United ,he actually came out to say it before changing his mind and admitting it was a mistake on his part. Presently, nothing has been said but there usually is no smoke without fire.

If Rooney does leave United,he should leave with his head held high,he would have had 7 years with the red devils,winning 2 carling cups,4 premier league titles,1 champions league,1 super cup,1 club cup and of course personal trophies. He is still considered a very important player to the team and continues to show passion for the game even if he has been used in different positions over the years. The  fans love him and even after he said he wanted to leave, United penned Rooney to a new contract reportedly worth £200 000 a week. Rooney was blessed at a young age to be able to play among the best in the world and establish himself as one of the best.

If Rooney does stay at united,it will be good news to the fans as he would dedicate the peak of his career to the red devils,joining the likes of Rio Ferdinand,Giggs,Scholes in staying way over a decade in the red side of Manchester. He will need to understand though that he is a player valued as a game changer,a player that should stand above all when the chips are down and should understand that he has set a standard that he shouldn't fall below.He has 141 goals in 273 games for united.

As it stands now,Rooney has two years left on his contract, come the end of the season United will be looking to get him to extend his contract. If he wants to leave,he should boldly say it,so life-after-Rooney can begin and united isn't dragged into the drama of the transfer window. Regrettably coming to a television near you,this summer.....what will Wayne Rooney do?..tune in...

In more words to come..Sabi Boi

A Different Conversation....

I have had countless conversations, arguments and unashamedly very close to getting into a fist fight with men on different topics on football. The fight part was me doing my usual wind up(tease) of a particular guy about his opinion on certain football matters, luckily there were people to separate us...he was a big fellow, I probably wouldn't have been writing this now...

It is often said that what a man can do, a woman can do better, so I decided to ask a lady a couple of football questions, just to get into a conversation to see if it differed from a man's point of view...the problem is which woman would I ask...eventually I settled on a friend here (can't say her name) to help me out...so a conversation about football from the other side..

Hi...does this feel strange, seeing as am interviewing you about football instead of trying to buy u a drink?

Me: What are you drinking though?

Her: Something not too strong and not to weak..something just right....so water will do.

Me: There's the general misconception that women like the sport because they want to admire men’s abs and biceps and other parts..what drew you to football?

Her: well, my Dad is a big fan of football and his love for the game is contagious. I couldn't help but appreciate it too.

Me: How long did it take you to understand the offside rule?

Her: Well just when I think I understand it the rule seemingly gets an 'upgrade'. At first a player is considered to be in an offside position when he is nearer the opponents’ goal, ahead of both the ball and the opponent. A player can't be offside in his own half. There is a tricky bit though, I'm sure you have heard he wasn't interfering with play? A player can be offside but once he hasn't touched the ball his team mate can run and kick the ball into the net and the goal stands. The trickier bit is say when Player A originally offside is overtaken by Player B, his own team mate, who has run ahead of him, the ball and the opponent. Player B now validates player A's position, rendering him onside even though player A is still ahead of his opponent. Makes sense kind sir?

At this point I ordered a drink and it wasn't water..

Me: What team do u support and why?

Her: Manchester United and seriously there is no need to explain.(Says that with a big smile)

Me: What teams do you hate and why? 

Her: Hate is such a friendly word in this instance. Let’s replace it with 'loathe' and it will be Arsenal. They make it too easy now though. Chelsea takes the cake too.

Me: Who is your worst player ever?

Her: Asamoah Gyan!!!!!!!!(She is clearly Ghanaian or from Sunderland)

Me: Champions league or World Cup?

Her: Odd question...why not World Club Cup and World cup or Champs League and African nations cup?? But ok ok..I love the World Cup simply because not all players get to play in Europe. Some players can push for a national team call up and make it to the World Cup. It's a multicultural event. Evokes passions every 4 years. I loooveee it!

Me: Messi or Ronaldo?

Her: RONALDO...two-footed player...who does well for both country and club!!

Me: Best moment in football? 

Her: Gosh so many... But overall Manchester United v Bayern Munich 1999 champs league final and I loved AC Milan v Liverpool too,2005. Arsenal v Liverpool 2008/2009. Ghana beating the Czechs to win their first World Cup game.

Worst moment? uhmmm....Barca beating United champs league final. Ghana missing that Penalty in the quarter final of the World Cup.

At this point she was fired up and started giving me. The look of is this all you got? so I thought to myself, I need one question to at least make her confused or try to make her confused....

Me: Ferguson has been with Man united for 27 years and he has won only 2 champions league titles,Mourinho has been in management for less than 15 years and won 2 champions league titles as well.....who would you say is a better manager? and why?
Her: On champions league alone, Mourinho will be better than Fergie because he did it with two different teams. That's impressive. Takes a whole lot more than just champs league to determine success of a manager. Let Mourinho be in charge for 27 years and then we can make a fair comparison.

You should see the smug look on her face...and the water she ordered, she still hadn't had a sip and I was ordering my second glass .so was about to hit her with another question, then her phone rang and as she picked up I heard hello darling...with a smile as wide as it was on her face, I assumed it was her husband, whom happens to be a Chelsea fan...

To be continued...

In more words to come....Sabi Boi.

This Years Excuse...One Man Team..

There are 11 men that stand in line to represent whatever team you support. These 11 men among others,train everyday to develop their skill in order to fight for the ultimate 3 points to put them in a good position that either wins them the league,qualify for Europe and for others to acquire more points to keep them from being relegated. These 11 men differ sometimes as there is a pool of 25 men to pick from. Sometimes even with 11 men,there is one that stands out,the one that his touch and skill is superior than the other 10 that make up the team. The one that when absent there is a significant difference to the entire team. There are a couple of teams that have such players but are not necessarily a one man team...unfortunately...Tottenham isn't one of them. This season in particular for Tottenham one man that has stood tall has been Gareth Bale,he has stood out that even in games that he didn't play his best,his presence on the pitch has contributed to Tottenham's pursuit for a european spot come the end of season. Make no mistake,there are top players in tottenham that can make a major difference, the likes of Moussa Dembele and Adebayo but Gareth Bale's form this season has shown that Tottenham is a one man team.
 
The fight for fourth this season has drawn more attention than before as there are a possible 4 teams battling for the positions. The four teams are Arsenal,Tottenham,Chelsea and Everton. Over the years,the European positions have been business as usual as the likes of Tottenham and Everton were not in the running but things have changed and from what I have seen or what Tottenham have shown,if you want to be a one man team,make sure or hope he doesn't get injured.

 
On Thursday when Gareth Bale went down in the europa league match against Basle,there were heavy hearts in the white side of north london as yet again,a possible reason for why spurs wouldn't finish 4th had evolved,the one man that has been making things happen for spurs had gotten injured. You could say it was harsh to say that Tottenham would struggle without him but there were games even with Bale in the team,spurs did struggle. Tottenham v Everton,a match clearly defining the battle for an European spot. Spurs took the lead early but with Everton coming back to lead 2-1,there was no magic. No one to create that extra touch to give Tottenham a fighting chance ,they did manage to get a draw. The score ended 2-2 but the answer to the question of why tottenham couldn't win is simply because there was no Gareth bale.
 
Every team hopes to have that one man that can make the difference but it will be safe to say that without that man,you would like to know that your team can raise themselves and win if that one man isn't in the team. The excuses or hard luck that Tottenham has used has gone from lasagna to Chelsea being lucky and I wonder if Bale getting injured will be the talk this year...

 

There are 6 games to go and we shall see if spurs qualify for the champions league spot but from what I saw against Everton,if the struggle goes on...it would be without a doubt to say Tottenham is a one man team and they most certainly better have a plan B.

Till then i would like to thank everybody that has been with true2soccer up until now,this is our one hundredth post and wouldn't have been possible without your eyes,reading what we have to say,Thank you and have a good week.

In More words to come..Sabi Boi

Worth the HYPE?

I had a heated argument with some friends recently about the a certain Brazilian prodigy. This argument went on for hours. The argument was about Neymar and all the hype surrounding his career. At some point in the argument I just had to leave because I found it shocking that one could be named the next Pele because of a few Youtube clips. Now let me  state that I think Neymar is a good player capable of the spectacular but I just think that the hype he is receiving would eventually affect him negatively because he would try to live up to the hype and its not easy at all just ask Robinho.

 Robinho started with such hype and today he is hardly been talked about. Robinho still remains a very gifted player in my opinion but I don’t think he lived up to the hype.

The pressures of being regarded as the next Pele at such a young age has its effects on players. Is it better to just shun the lime light, pass under the radar and go on to shine in the world stage. There are a few players who were not heralded as superstars at the onset but later proved to be truly world class.

Pirlo

Inter Milan have been kicking themselves for years.

After signing Andrea Pirlo as a 19-year-old from Brescia in 1998, Inter didn’t see sufficient quality in him to make him a firm part of their first-team plans and loaned him out first to Reggina and then back to Brescia.

AC Milan then took a punt on Pirlo in 2001 and were subsequently rewarded with 10 years of excellence before a move to Juventus in 2011.   

Thierry Henry

In January 1999, and fresh from being a squad player in France’s World Cup success on home soil, a 21-year-old winger called Thierry Henry got his big move when he left Monaco and joined Juventus.

He lasted just 16 matches in Italy, and soon moved to England with Arsenal, where no one could have expected the impact he was going to make.

In eight years in North London, Henry smashed the club’s all-time goalscoring record as he ended on 228 strikes in helping the Gunners to two league titles and three FA Cups. He moved to Barcelona in 2007 and helped the club to the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League.

Not bad for just a France ’98 squad player.

Drogba

Staggeringly, Didier Drogba didn’t sign his first professional contract until he was 21, and it wasn’t until his £3.3 million move to Olympique Marseille in 2003―when he was 25―that he was really seen on the world stage.

His one season there yielded 32 goals as OM reached the UEFA Cup final, and it proved enough to catch the eye of Chelsea, who made a £24 million move for him that summer.

His 157 goals for the club now see him sit fourth in their all-time goalscorers’ chart.

Bale

It is easy to forget now given his frequently electrifying displays for Tottenham, but for two years Gareth Bale was Spurs’ unlucky charm.

The Welshman―then just a promising left-back―went a Premier League record 24 games without being on the winning side following his transfer from Southampton as a 17-year-old in 2007.

The £7 million fee showed that plenty were aware of Bale’s potential, but no one saw this level of quality coming, and he has firmly established himself as one of the most exciting players around today.

Falcao

Astonishingly, Radamel Falcao was just 13 years old when he made his professional debut for Lanceros in Colombia’s second tier.

He scored his only goal for the club as a 14-year-old before a move to Argentina and River Plate in 2005, and despite injury problems he still managed 45 strikes in 105 appearances over four years.

A move to Europe beckoned, and he joined Porto in 2009, where he would go on to score an amazing 72 times in 85 games, including a record-breaking 18 as the Portuguese side won the Europa League in 2011.

Now Atletico Madrid’s record signing, perhaps another move awaits the 27-year-old in the summer?

Scholes

Paul Scholes was too young to play in the famed Manchester United youth team of 1992 which featured David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville, but he turned professional a year later and made his United debut in September 1994, shortly before he turned 20.

Two goals against Port Vale on that debut signalled out the local product as one to watch, and Scholes went on to gradually establish himself in Sir Alex Ferguson’s team―initially as a forward player before moving further back.

His glittering club career has only ever been played at United, and the softly spoken Scholes was already firmly established as an Old Trafford legend before he announced his retirement in May 2011, only to reverse the decision the following January.  

Iniesta

Midfielder Andres Iniesta made his Barcelona debut aged 18, but it wasn’t until two years later that he began to play a more regular role in the Barca side, and even then that was often in a bit-part capacity.

As Barca evolved towards the all-conquering behemoth they are today, Iniesta evolved with them, and today he is rightly regarded as one of the finest midfielders in the world and has struck up a remarkable relationship with one of his teammates…

Xavi

After being in and out of the side initially, it took an injury to Pep Guardiola for Xavi to firmly establish himself in the Barcelona team in the 1999/2000 season, during which he turned 20.

Years of sustained quality followed, and we have now reached the point where the 33-year-old is one of the most revered and most decorated players in world football.

Who saw that coming at the back end of the last century?

Well I hope Neymar lives up to the hype of being the next Pele but Am not optimistic 

Till next time stay true 2 soccer

Who is the best in England???

One of the few things that all sports and life generally have in common is the need to separate the good from the bad, the better from the good and the best from the better. This separation is the back bone on most arguments at bars, in homes etc. Its always about who is better, richer, more beautiful, stronger than the other. In the beautiful, the story is the same if anything it’s of a higher degree because of the added passion of the game.

Its that time again when the men are separated from the boys talking about the English Premier leagues PFA player of the year awards, with Robin Van Persie probably on course to win it for a second straight year. The PFA is voted for in early spring with results announced in April. The top three contenders in my book are Robin Van Persie, Luis Suarez, and Gareth Bale.

Bale and Suarez have been making a late run for the award by scoring 14 goals in 14 matches, but has their surge come too late to head off the challenge of Van Persie?

It doesn't help that the Dutchman has hit a goal drought of late. He was the early front-runner in January, with Suarez a close contender. The voting forms went out in February, however.

At that time, Van Persie was the favourite to win, as he was top scorer in the Premier League and saved United on countless occasions.

With voting closing, however, Suarez is the top scorer with Bale catching up fast. The Tottenham man won the award in 2011, but Suarez has never won it.

We must remember that it is fellow players and retired players who are voting. Is Suarez less popular among his opponents? They are the ones who get to see him at close quarters.

No doubt all his team-mates at Liverpool will support him, but will his previous notoriety, especially for diving, count against him at the death?

If that is the case, it could still come down to a fight between Bale and Van Persie, the last two winners.

Why Robin Van Persie should win

OK, so he has fallen back in the goal-scoring stakes, but that isn't the only likely criterion. Players' voting will surely look at the all-round person, otherwise defenders would never win the award.

In fact, only one defender, John Terry, has won it in the last 18 years; and only two wingers and two midfield players.

So we're back to Van Persie or Suarez probably.

As things stand right now, Suarez has 29 goals (including 22 in the EPL) and 10 assists in the 39 games he has played this season.

Van Persie has 23 goals (including 19 in the EPL) in 33 matches. His combined statistics in the Premier League are 27 goals and assists, which happens to be exactly the same number as Suarez.

So the reasoning behind Van Persie will come down to his all-round play.

If we can conclude that the final choice would come down between the two players, then Van Persie beats Suarez on most counts.

For starters, Van Persie is far better at defending. He wins 48 per cent of ground and 45 per cent of aerial duels, compared to Suarez's 38 and 27, respectively. Their tackle completion rates are matched at around 77/78 per cent.

(For these and all the following statistics, we are using the EPL Index for season 2012/13).

Taking possession, Suarez loses it twice as often as Van Persie.

Looking at passing and creativity, Van Persie's open play completion rate is the better at 80 over 77 per cent. He may have far less dribbles than Suarez, but he is twice as effective at 73 per cent. He also creates a clear-cut chance every 185 minutes as opposed to 227 minutes.

Of course, when we come to goal-scoring, Suarez has been much more effective recently, especially with the arrival of first Sturridge and then Coutinho in support.

Nevertheless, Van Persie's shooting accuracy and chance conversion rate are 54 and 23 per cent, respectively, compared to the Liverpool man's 47 and 19 per cent.

And this is where we begin to get an insight into why Van Persie might just edge the vote.

Statistics are all very well and can be selected or manipulated to produce the picture you want. But what we have here are two very different players in different contexts.

Luis Suarez has been, for most of the season, to all intents and purposes, Liverpool's only striker. So he must have got more chances and therefore more goals. Indeed, last season he was more recognisable for his woeful conversion rate.

Not only is Van Persie invariably one of two strikers on the pitch, and even though he is Sir Alex's No. 1 choice, there are four in total at United.

And apart from the number of times Van Persie has rescued his team, he has had to adapt to a completely new team and playing colleagues.

Remember, he also takes half the corners and many of the free kicks. The clue is in the number of crosses. He has 135 compared to 47 for Suarez. This does, of course, also reduce his opportunities to score because he cannot be on both ends of a corner.

In fact, it could be contended that Van Persie is more of a team player. He certainly drifts out to the wing far more than Suarez, who is mainly direct and through the middle.

It is to the latter's credit that he has stood up to the demands placed on him by virtue of being the player whom the team most relies on for creativity and goal-scoring.

Nevertheless, when it comes down to the nitty-gritty of voting, Suarez's past may come back to bite him. 

While the Evra incident and its aftermath were very much an issue between the two clubs, they created a great deal of adverse publicity. Added to Suarez's previous proclivity for diving, he may still have some reputation recovery to achieve before he is a hot candidate.

He deserves every credit for how he has carried the Liverpool team through the difficult last two seasons and has undoubtedly improved since last year.

But surely Van Persie's goal touch will return. He is highly rated by his fellow professionals and may just pip 2011 winner Gareth Bale to the title, making him one of the very few to win it two years running.

At the end of February, Van Persie was the likely winner in what now looks like being the closest contest in years. If most of the votes were cast by then, he should just nick it.

With Bale now injured, Van Persie yet to find his shooting boots, and Suarez ... well being Suarez, the race could go either way but these three have been the best players this season in the premier league without any doubt but who is the best???? Well PFA would decide...

Till next time Stay true 2 soccer...