Transfer Update: New players at the Bernabeu

As the transfer mills keep producing all possible transfer rumors in the football world. Real Madrid has wasted no time in taking a dig in the transfer market. So lets have a look at some of the already done deals and welcome the new players at Bernabeu under the reign of Mourinho and with the sacking of Valdano.

Nuri Sahin

This talented German born Turkish midfielder was the most wanted player at the end of this season. Why?? Basically cause at a very young age he has achieved that maturity which you look in any midfielder specially the one you see in the Spanish and Barcelona orchestrator Xavi. Secondly he was hugely responsible for taking a very young Dortmund side to Bundesliga title this season. And what proves all this, I’ll tell you what proves all this even though  players like Arjen Robben, Schweinsteiger, Muller, Gomez, Vidal, Neuer, Ribery playing in Bundesliga who have established themselves as an asset for their country and club this young 22 year midfielder was awarded the Bundesliga Player of the year.

What does he offer Madrid?

• ·         Possession based player
• ·         Midfielder with attacking instinct
• ·         If not the first team chance a good player off the bench
• ·         Would easily merge with Xabi or Khedira cause of his varied passing nature

Hamit Altintop

Another German born Turkish player to have joined Madrid this season and he is the man with huge experience in his bag playing 4 seasons each at German outfit Schalke and German giant Bayern Munich. He the much wanted multi utility player who can play in the midfield as an attacker or defender and is equally good at either of the flanks. Winner of the 2010 Puskas award for his stunning goal against Kazakhstan in Turkey’s 3-0 victory. He is said to join Bernabeu after a request from the special one Mourinho.

What does he offer Madrid?

·         Multi utility player

·         Experienced contender

·         Depth in the squad which has players like Kaka, Lass, Leon, Canales already on the bench ;)

·         Can surely give Pepe some space to breathe

Jose Callejon

This talented winger was the most fouled player last season and Bernabeu is no new place for Callejon as him coming through the Real Madrid youth ranks. So it’s the return for a player who took break from the club in 2008 and the perfect thing that this youngster needed and everyone would agree to this after his electrifying performance all throughout the season. Beating defenders with tricks and his ultra high speed is a small work with the talent he has. He also has the honor of getting Madrid’s charismatic captain sent off in the past season, I am sure Iker can’t wait to get his hand on him. And probably one of the few fine youth teamer coming from Real’s academy.

What does he offer Madrid?

• ·         Huge similarity in the style of play with  Di Maria he might be the second most fouled player so easy adjustment for Mourinho
• ·         Bag of tricks
• ·         Good at set-pieces
• ·         Proof that Real also has its own youth academy. Go Castilla J

P.S. there is another secret behind the signing of Altintop and Callejon both of them have identical twin brother so Madrid has two extra players if needed. ;) 

Applause for the new comers

End of the season 3 go down 3 come thats how things roll and thats how life in football goes on. So here I am finding some itsy bitsy stuff about who are going to be the new Blackpool, Newcastle Utd and West Bromwich Albion of the coming new season.

QUEENS PARK RANGERS

Good news for Indian fans first time in the history of Premier League there would be two clubs with some Indian connection first being rejuvenated Blackburn Rovers and other thanks goes to the club from West London club Queens Park Rangers or QPR. QPR were promoted after being the run away winners in The Championship.

Stadium: Loftus Road

Nickname: The Super Hoops or just The Hoops or The Rs

Current Manager: Neil Warnock

Rivalries: Chelsea, Fulham and Brentford

Taarabt

Player to watch: 

Adel Taarabt

Taarabt is the captain marvel for QPR he leads by example at an age of only 22. He is not only the leading goal scorer for QPR in all competition but was also Football League Player of the year 2010-11. QPR must just keep their fingers crossed that he is not taken away from the club cause this player is surely in demand by the big clubs.

NORWICH CITY

They are the old men of The Championship having played 21 seasons in top flight. They won automatic promotion as they finished runners up in the Championship. This club was formed after a meeting in a cafe nice place to start a club as it is said anything can happen over coffee.

Stadium: Carrow Road

Nickname: The Canaries

Current Manager: Paul Lambert

Rivalries: Ipswich town

Player to watch: 

Holt

Grant Holt

Holt is another of the captain in the blog who has an eye for goal and he notched up 23 goals in all competition. Awarded the Norwich city player of the year for his contribution and was second only Taarabt in player of the year nominee. A hugely experienced contender and proved to be a goal scoring machine for all the clubs he has played for.

SWANSEA CITY

This club has actually earned their place in Premier League when they won the Championship playoffs against Reading. It is the club with a huge history dating back to post World War era. Their supporters are officially called the Jacks any relation with Captain Jack Sparrow on a serious note they are called so due to sailor history.

Stadium: Liberty Stadium

Nickname: The Swans or The Jacks

Current Manager: Brendan Rodgers

Rivalries: Cardiff city

Player to watch: 

Sinclair

Scott Sinclair

The talented 22 year English winger is amazing at both feet and known for his dribbling ability. Notching up 24 goals for the club in all competition is known for his ability to unlock any defense. Former Chelsea youth teamer has been amazing this season striking goals when the team most needed it most notable scoring a hatrick agains Reading in the Championship playoffs.

P.S. this blog is written at the start of the summer break so i am sorry if the players to watch decide to leave their present club the good part is you can still keep a tab on them in some other club and all the best to the new comers :)

The Fall Of Manchester United @ UEFA Champions League Final 2010-11

The game of the year, the clash of titans, the fight to be the European king and the déjà vu of the 2009 Champions league final were few headlines that surrounded the UEFA Champions League Final between 2010-11 Barclays Premier League champ Manchester United and 2010-11 La Liga champ FC Barcelona. But the result was a one sided match with the Catalan side routing the Red Devils 3-1 no doubt right now Barcelona are the best team in the world and hence the English side had a tought task in hand but what made this match such a one sided game. Where did the master of the football world Sir Alex Ferguson go wrong? What was the major loop holes that brought Manchester united crashing down in the finale? Lets look at few of the drawbacks that I could really notice:

1.       No doubt Arsenal and Real Madrid are still not even close to being a complete team or a team of Barcelona’s calibre but one feather they both have surely achieved this season is the distinction of defeating the best team in the world. The major reason behind these two victories was the role played by Jack Wilshere and Pepe which I don’t know why Ferguson ignored. To defeat Barcelona you got to suffocate their midfield disrupt the flow that Xavi, Iniesta and Messi can achieve and if you don’t do this all they do is serve the goal to the strikers in the golden platter.

2.       When you play against a player like Messi who gets to be compared with the great Maradona and who already has scored half century of goal this season and hold the key to unlock any defense in the world and leave them in disarray. The fact remains straight forward you just don’t let him enter the region around the box, you don’t give him space to spread his magic and worst of all not stand in the goal when the ball is on his left foot. If you don’t even the master between the post like Van der Saar can stop that thunderous strike from the little magician known as Lionel Messi.

3.         If a list of defenders was prepared that any striker in the world would hate to see in front of them i am so sure Vidic and Ferdinand would surely find their place in top 10. And now as i am done appreciating them where in the world was their defensive mentality when the ball was rolling around in their box. In place of clearing the ball the ball ends up in the feet of Villa who no doubt does wonderfully well to curl the ball into the net but this is not expected from a team which is now the best club in England with 19 titles.

I repeat i don’t say all these points would have altered the result its just a possibility or who knows in place of Barcelona Manchester United would have been enjoying the double this season.