The World Stops For El Clasico

by Mohamed Haniff

Traditionally anyone who decides to write on matters such as football are taught to cast aside any biases they may have; in favour of a more objective and scientific approach to the game.  However the goal of this article is not to provide you with a tactical breakdown of how I think both managers will line up or highlight the key players in this battle; there are several  articles online that can give you all of that information, should you decide you absolutely need it.  What makes a game like Real Madrid vs Barcelona so special are the emotions which come flooding out during these moments; these games have given me so much joy and pain – though lately it has mostly been pain- that I'd like to  share some of these with you.

From the first moment I decided to support Real Madrid I knew I had to hate Barcelona noone ever told me why and to this day I don't know why, but the hate is still there; even if now it is accompanied by grudging respect and a tinge of jealousy.  Though as I've said I've hated them for a very long time, the first time I ever saw really saw this hatred between clubs manifested, was the Figo incident at the Camp Nou.  I was maybe 12 years old at the time and I had never seen anything like it, my 12 year old self was enraged and fed off of the tension in the stadium that night; in my head the supporters in the crowd that night were animals.  As I grew older I understood why the cules hated Figo so much, and the chants of “Figo pesetero” made sense to me; in a way I learned to forgive them.  This was however the first time I felt that hatred that I feel for about 4 hours a season; unless there is a special coincidence much like last season's unfortunate clasico marathon. 

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The Multicultural Pitch

by Mohamed Haniff

Sunday, the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, home stadium of the football club Sevilla, witnessed two historic events.  Firstly Athletic Bilbao under the tutelage of Marcelo Bielsa, who is being vindicated on a weekly basis, won their first game in this stadium for 18 years; and secondly the spectators got to see the first black player to ever suit up for Bilbao, in the form of youngster Jonas Ramalho.  This may seem like a strange fact for those who are not aware of the fact that Athletic Bilbao only select players who are born or raised in the Basque region of Spain or France to play for their team.

Ramalho holds a Spanish passport having been born in Baracaldo, Vizcaya to an Angolan father and a Basque mother, and his case helps to shine a light on the increasingly multicultural look of the football pitch.  A country like Spain who's history is not littered with tales of immigration is now most recently starting to see the byproducts of the immigration wave that countries like France and England have had for quite some time now.  This could prove to be  a turning point in a Spanish game which is often accused of being one of the most culturally backwards in the European leagues.  Incidents of racism in the past have tarnished the name of the Spanish game and the increasing rise of these multicultural players could be a step in the right direction in terms of shedding this image.  The Spanish federation however like many of the footballing organizing bodies in my opinion need to reassess the way in which they punish these vile acts if we are to see true change; but that is a story for another day.

A player like Jonas emerging at Bilbao is also important because as Sid Lowe mentions in his piece this week for Sports Illustrated it helps to dispel the myth that Athletic Bilbao is one of these hardcore racist clubs in Spain attempting to preserve some kind of fervently racist culture.  As the world grows smaller and smaller we are beginning to see nations that we do not historically associate with multicultural values emerge as proponents for the multicultural game.  A fine example of this is the German national team who have been playing some scintillating stuff at the moment, with a team that some ignorant people in the past may have accused of not being innately German.

Players such as Khedira, Ozil and Boateng all consider themselves to be truly German and rightly so, but they certainly represent a new image for the team, reminiscent of the French team of 1998.  The rise of multicultural Spaniards such as Jonas and Thiago will certainly do wonders for the profile of the team which has often been hampered by accusations leveled at a fan base which is perceived to be inherently racist.

I still have vivid memories of the night in the Bernabeu when England visited Spain only to have their black players ambushed by a group of hooligans in the

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England vs. Spain - How it was won and lost

By Joshua Rogers

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       DON'T MISS

• Progression or Regression - by Mohamed Hanif

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La Furia Roja has been elegantly unleashing their anger on any footballing foe almost foolish enough to think of disrespecting them for the better part of 3 years now.  First they conquered Europe in ’08 and as the world watched on, flamboyantly passed the world to death in 2010 with a brand of football so mesmerising, the great Brazil teams of the past would have substituted Samba for Salsa.  

England, in contrast, have endured a humiliating 3 years in failing to even secure a place at Euro ’08 and, more recently, spanked by the swashbuckling Germans at the World Cup.  The English national side has managed to disgrace a very proud footballing nation and managed to replace the grittiness, determination and spirit that once personified the personality of English football with laziness, carelessness and despondency.  Their dismal record has even lead to the ridiculous questioning of Fabio Capello’s capabilities as a manager. 

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Progression or Regression?

By Mohamed Haniff

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       DON'T MISS

• England vs. Spain - How it was won and lost

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In the wake of Spain's latest slip ups on the international friendly front there have been various sectors of the media lamenting the fact that since the all conquering Euro 2008 win; Spain have slowly been regressing.  It must be said that I have witnessed many a changing of the guard in the Spanish national team having grown up supporting La Furia Roja, but the current state the World Champions find themselves in is a tricky one; do they grow and truly master their art?  Or do they slip into the ever familiar sea of mediocrity. 

Representing the two sides of the coin are two vastly different personalities who setup their Spanish sides in two vastly different ways; the fiery Luis Aragones who often set out his stalwarts in a 4-1-4-1 formation with Senna as the lone holding player and the reserved Vicente Del Bosque who plays with both Alonso and Busquets in the centre of midfield.  Since the “dour” displays many cried out against at the World Cup, there has been in my mind a misguided feeling of nostalgia towards Luis Aragones and his side.  In my opinion the detractors of Don Del Bosque are being quite short sighted and are not analyzing the entire picture on view. 

When we take a look at Aragones' reign at the helm of the Spanish national team there are two distinct differences betweeen the man from Hortaleza and his successor Del Bosque.  Firstly, prior to Euro 2008 Spain were seen as nothing more than darkhorses, a side which France had comfortably dispatched in the round of 16 two years prior and who failed to get out of their group four years prior at Euro 2004.  They had also not won any major honours since Euro 1964, held on home soil and as such there were certainly no expectations for the side heading into the tournament.  This meant that teams were far more open against Aragones' side, more willing to take risks; as a result Spain were able to exploit more space on the field. 

           

Under Del Bosque's reign however teams are far more pragmatic in their approach when facing La Furia.  Even sides with rich footballing history like England set up their teams with two banks of four protecting the goalkeeper, and hope for the breaks on the counterattack. In this way Spain are not only a victim of their own success, but a victim of the success of Barcelona.  In many ways Barcelona's dominance on the continent reflects on the way many teams at the international level view Spain, since the Spanish national team's core consists of a very Barcelona-esque philosophy.  Thus Del Bosque is faced with a completely different challenge, it is up to him figure out a way to break down the organized barriers he will come up against.  This is where much of the criticism towards Del Bosque comes in, he is often cited as being clueless on a tactical level and more gifted at managing egos; this is a criticism he has faced for his entire coaching career.  In my opinion, it is true that Del Bosque is a magician when it comes to managing players and making everyone feel important but is it possible to win a World Cup without any tactical nous?

           

Beyond the surprise factor which Aragones harnessed at the 2008 European Championships, he also had Senna, a midfielder who was maybe not as gifted as Busquets or Alonso, but was more complete.  Senna could not only cover a remarkable amount of ground on the field, but he could also play short or long, and possessed a ferocious shot.  Del Bosque doesn't really have a player like this, and in order to compensate he has chosen to field two such players.  Busquets has that ability to cover a lot of space on the field, while the innate attribute of being able to play short, intricate passes without dwelling on the ball for too long.  Alonso however, brings to the team an unrivaled view of the field, with the ability to play breathtaking long passes, coupled with a hell of a shot as well; and a world class ability to read the game defensively - though he may not be the most mobile or robust. 

           

Spain national coach, Vicente del Bosque

Fielding these two players together has been one of the most critiqued elements of Del Bosque's reign, as many believe this hampers the side attacking ability by forcing them to bench players such as Mata and Fabregas.  What then does Del Bosque do about this?  I will not pretend to be some form of tactical expert and offer up a solution, as it all depends on the subtle stylistic differences Del Bosque may employ.  If he favours to go for a more direct and fast paced team in the final third, then maybe Busquets should be sacrificed, if it’s more patience and possession he is banking on Busquets may be better suited for this game.  The other criticism of fielding both of these players is that it forces Xavi, a player who is most suited when observing the game from deeper positions, to play in an almost “false ten” role ahead of them; thus limiting his impact.  It is an issue which Del Bosque will certainly have noticed against the English , as Xavi is not really a vertical player suited for a “false ten” role; the highly talented footballer that he is, he will always perform well for the most part, but one gets the feeling that it is not utilizing his full strengths nor the full potential in the Spanish team. 

Some have even been calling for Fabregas to replace Xavi as he is a far more vertical and direct player who can open up the play better for the Spanish; but dropping Xavi at this time is an act that is frowned upon more than first degree murder.  This is a tough situation that Del Bosque finds himself in, as there is no easy fix, and it will be interesting to see which direction he goes by the time the Euros kick off; though having known Del Bosque the coach for over a decade I don't see radical change being employed.

Another pressing difference between the two reigns is the form of Fernando Torres; the hero in Vienna on the 29^th of June 2008, a man who will always be one of my heroes because of this goal, is woefully off the pace at the moment.  This means that Spain automatically loses one of their most potent attacking weapons, and it has made their play slightly less direct, as there is very rarely anyone looking to move off the shoulder of the last centreback, with David Villa often shunted out on the left.  What does Del Bosque do in this situation, does he give one of the other strikers a chance or go a different route?  So far he has chosen the latter utilizing David Silva as a false nine in the same way Messi is utilized for Barcelona, as fantastic of a player as Silva is, unfortunately he is not Messi.  In that way Spain often lose a goal scoring reference against the bigger teams, and the biggest challenge for Del Bosque will be finding a way to manufacture the most goal scoring opportunities possible out of a team that is built for possession. 

Having grown up seeing the Spanish fail at almost every hurdle, the last three years have been like a dream for me, something that I must admit I never thought I would ever witness as a supporter of Spanish football.  I had become comfortable with quarterfinal runs, but these memories will never be forgotten, strange as it may seem, as I am in no way of Spanish descent; but this is the reality for a person who grows up in a culture whereby football is not the number one sport; a topic which could surely warrant an entire article of its own.  For now I will just say that in my eyes there hasn't been a regression in the quality of the Spanish team, but I believe that Del Bosque will have to figure out a way in which to bring out the more expansive qualities of Spain. Stretching the field must be the number one priority in order for there to be proper exploitation of space which the Spanish thrive on. 

The fortunate thing for Del Bosque is that he has time and a wealth of options to choose from, now all that is left is to figure out a combination which may not necessarily field the best players in the squad but that will bring the most out of the squad.  I will leave the decision making and headaches to Don Del Bosque and simply sit back and hopefully enjoy what the boys bring, even if they go home empty handed, the supporters can never be robbed of the memories we have been given.

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How do you rank the Bavarian Giants?

by Reem

In recent years Bayern Munich has endured a couple of indifferent seasons to say the least. In a league where the overall quality and standards of the game were once questioned, the power of Bayern Munich reigned, and continuously cruised to glory as they displayed some incredible football and absolute dominance in the previous times, swooping the Budesliga in 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08.

Therefore it was bewildering to notice the poor form the Bavarians experienced in the domestic competition, as they even struggled to even qualify for the Champions League at one point. The fact is that this is testament to a growing league with quality sides that can compete against any German powerhouse.  Finally Bayern Munich have a league to fight for.

Slapped back into reality by the relentless pressure thrown on them by other competing teams, Bayern Munich has established usual proceedings in the Bundesliga this season as they continue to thrash their opponents - whether playing at home or away.  It is obviously a bonus to have the assistance of the German goal scoring junkie, Mario Gomez - who has been in immense form for the past two seasons, finishing last term on a respected 28 goals and is currently seated at the top of the goal scoring charts thus far this season, with 13 goals from 12 games, making goal scoring look the most simple of tasks at times.

Bastian Schweinsteiger sheilding Samir Nasri.

Being flanked by two renown wingers in the modern game, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, Mr. Gomez will be in no short supply of chances as these speed-frenzied wing demons annihilate almost any defenses they face and they are absolutely  crucial to Bayern’s attacking exploits. Continuing the trend of world-class talent Bayern have an outstanding enforcer on their books in the name of Bastian Schweinsteiger, who plays the classic box-to-box midfield role.  He is a 90-minute player that contributes comfortably to both sides of the game and is debatably Bayern’s most important player. Bayern Munich should hold their heads high as it is their home grown talent that continues to dictate their games in very casual and levelheaded flow, picking the right pass and making superb footballing decisions.

With these four world-class players Bayern are filled in with decent to great players in all positions with an excellent wing back in Philip Lahm and an upcoming, highly talked about goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, who hopes to repeat the heroics of Bayern’s goalkeeping great Oliver Kahn.

Bayern also has an extremely young football team that still obtains the vital bags of experience since these players have been playing together for several years now. The Bavarian lads are in a great position in terms of their peak form career wise (Robben, Ribery, Lahm, Bastian, Gomez), and the management and directors at Bayern need to fully exploit their form, before the cycle is restarted. The blend of experience and youth is superb and it allows the team to be full of energy to blow teams away yet provide the know-how on taking down difficult opposition when faced with challenging fixtures.

Arjen Robben revels in his glory

Based on their start to the season, Bayern Munich should be considered one of the favourites for the Champions League as they have almost dismantled the so-called "group of death" by schooling each opponent with relative ease. Let it be known the money hungry Manchester City and the great Italian team in Napoli has felt the wrath of the Bavarians attack, especially in front of their incredible home fans at the Allianz Arena.

They play with the flair necessary to be considered favourites, score goals a plenty for the neutral to enjoy and have a certain swagger about their play as of  recently.  Despite the glitz and glamour, they do need to refocus their attention to defensive duties.  This has been the cause of many frailties of late and has always been a downfall for the team in the past 5 years. With a top defensive signing in the January transfer window, Bayern’s chances of a final appearance in this year’s Champions League final can only be enhanced, as they are definitely contenders for this season.

Despite the one or two blips that all football teams eventually encounter, this Bayern side has steam rolled their fixtures and currently have all the ingredients for success. Don’t be surprised if they knock any of the other European giants out of Europe's most prestigious club competition, as this team is here to make a definitive statement, both for Munich as a club, and Germany as a whole. Bayern play defending league champions Borussia Dortmund this weekend and they are expected to put them to the sword.  It has been a recent trend so far this season.

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Paul Scholes: 18 Quotes That Define A Legend

Bringing a close to his glittering twenty year Manchester United playing career at the end of the 2010/2011 season; whilst accumulating a total of twenty four club honours, Paul Scholes is now a name nestled within the club's all time greatest players.  His uncanny ability to disperse the most perfectly weighted and inch perfect 60 yard pass to one of his flying wingers, or to simply dismantle an entire defense by his cinch short passes; coupled with his intelligent off the ball movement, supreme touch and lethal shots, it is quite easy to understand why many regarded him as the best midfielder of his generation - including myself.

On September 21, 1994, Paul Scholes made his senior debut for Manchester United in the League Cup against Port Vale, scoring both goals in a 2-1 victory.  He would be handed further opportunity that season by the omnipresent and all wise Sir Alex Ferguson, as he saw the quality that brewed within the ginger hermit.  Rightfully so, Scholes continued to play for another 17 years at the highest level in the United shirt, amassing a total of 676 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils, splitting defenses, dictating the pace of nearly every game he was present in and scoring some vital goals along the way.  No wonder he is a footballing legend.

It is not often in this modern generation of football that one player stays true to one club, but Scholes was a Manc, and always will be a Manc.  He will stay in the hearts of many football fans across the globe, not only those situated at the club, and this is because of his simple style of play.  I have never seen a player that made the game look so easy in even the most difficult of conditions.  Scholes would take no more than three touches on the ball, but always seemed to have the ball at his feet.  It was simple logic for him, pass, move and receive - and this rhythm was repeated throughout the game, while creating some enticing attacking plays and distributing the ball like no one else on the field.

He was probably one of the most under-rated players in the history of the game, due to his austere lifestyle and timid personality;  Scholes was never one to seek attention.  He simply did his job to perfection and was content with just that, shunning interviews and praise from pundits.  This is probably why many would over look his name when it comes to listing the all time midfield greats.  But he was the best!

Hailed from across the globe, many footballers within his generation, including Zinedine Zidane and Edgar Davids; before his generation, Sir Bobby Charlton and Arsene Wenger; and after his generation, Xavi and Fabregas all agree.

Trying to write an article on Scholes was exciting, but then I realised how much there was to say, and how little I would be able to.  What better way than to allow the stars of football do the talking?

Here are 18 quotes that summarise and defines his legacy better than any article really could:


1. Alonso

“Fans in Spain rate him very highly and I admire him a huge amount. To me Paul is a role model. He is the best midfielder I’ve seen in the last 15 or 20 years.”

2. Berbatov            

“Nobody else in the world can play the way Scholes does. The passes he produces all over the field and the way he changes the game is brilliant. Every manager would like him. But luckily he is here and playing with us. Paul practices that all the time. When he has finished training he always goes out and shoots.”

3. Best                      

“The boy can play”

 
4. Davids                 

“Every one of us is just trying to become as good as him. Everyone can learn from Paul Scholes”

5. Henry
     
“Every time we used to play against Manchester United, we always used to be scared of Paul   Scholes.  His vision, the way he sees the game, his goal ratio... he has indestructible mental strength and he is a genuine competitor.”


 6. Fabregas             

“He is the one whose level I aspire to. He is the best player in the Premier League.”

7. Ferguson            

“He’s one of the great players to come through the ranks here.”

8. Figo                      

“I’m star-struck when I see Paul Scholes because you never see him. On the pitch you can’t catch him. Off the pitch he disappears.”

9. Guardiola           

“He is the best midfielder of his generation. I would have loved to have played alongside him.”

10. Lippi                     

“Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team.”

11. Maradonna       

“His technique is unique.”

12. Messi                   

“At La Masia, his name was mentioned a lot. He’s a teacher.”

13. Mourinho          

“Why isn’t he playing for England? It is crazy. Only in England. Scholes is a great, great player. So experienced and still, for me, one of the best in the world in midfield. Manchester United are lucky to have him.”

14. Pele                      

“If he was playing with me, I would score so many more.”

15. Pique                   

“One of the best players I’ve ever seen in my life! Spectacular on training!! Playing with him was a joy!”

16. Viera                    

“The player in the Premiership I admire most? Easy – Scholes”

17. Xavi                      

“In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen — the most complete — is Scholes. I have spoken with Xabi Alonso about this many times. Scholes is a spectacular player who has everything. He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets knocked off the ball and he doesn’t give possession away. If he had been Spanish then maybe he would have been valued more.”

18. Zidane                 

“My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder. You rarely come across the complete footballer, but Scholes is as close to it as you can get."

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The Enigma of Nuri Sahin

The Enigma by Mohamed Haniff

               

On Sunday the Bernabeu hosted for the first time in its history a match at noon; it was strange to see the Fondo Sur bathed in sunlight, but it was decidedly less intriguing to see Cristiano Ronaldo bag his fourth hat-trick of the campaign; moving his Liga tally for Madrid to an astonishing 79 goals in 75 games.  However, as much as they enjoyed the goals, the Bernabeu faithful were possibly most interested to see the debut of former Bundesliga star Nuri Sahin.  Since the young Turk joined from Borussia Dortmund he has spent an astonishing amount of time in the medical room, making many doubt his existence in the first place. On Sunday November 6^th  Nuri was greeted with a warm ovation from the often skeptical and tough to please Bernabeu crowd; the very same one who had dubbed Gonzalo Higuain as 'shite' nine minutes into his own debut.  What makes Sahin special?

 Sahin does not exactly bring the goals or glamour of a Cristiano Ronaldo but in Madrid many view him as the secret weapon they can use to finally topple the mighty Barcelona.  A quiet bargain at only 10 million euros, since his injury, Sahin has been elevated to a status that may prove to be a bit unreasonable by the time the first Clasico arrives.  He has been wrapped in cotton by the whole staff of Real Madrid, who had him play in a secret match in order to test his fitness; reports emanated from that match which sent the impatient Bernabeu aficionados into a frenzy.  The report leaked by an unknown member of the Madrid coaching staff stated that Sahin had been played in the 'Xabi' role and had completed the game with aplomb; linking up tremendously well with Bernabeu favourite and Nuri's own best friend, Mesut Ozil.

           

The handling of Nuri can only be likened to the treatment of the crème de la crème that celebrities receive, this only serves to enhance the myth.  Throughout the summer there was a feeling amongst the Madrid faithful that it was okay for Barcelona to get Cesc, “we already have Nuri.” What is it though that they expect that he will bring to the team?

Sahin is a tremendously gifted midfielder blessed with all of the traits that many perceived to have been lacking in the Real Madrid midfield last season.  Essentially, Nuri Sahin provides Real Madrid with an alternative exit strategy, something that is becoming increasingly important in modern day football.  What exactly do I mean by exit strategy?

Well, it's something that Barcelona have an abundance of and something Brazil lacked in the last world cup - also something England have been lacking for quite a long time.  Basically it describes the distribution of the ball from the backline through the midfield and up to the forwards.  Barcelona is a squad riddled with ball players and as such, they have more than one person who can spot a pass which will ultimately open up the field for the other players.  In Madrid for a long time Xabi has been the only man capable of doing so, with Ozil stranded further up the field; many times teams have exerted ludicrous amounts of pressure on Xabi, subsequently killing Madrid's exit strategy and as a result stifling their play.  What Sahin brings to the table is another option for Madrid to play the ball to once they have it in the backline.  The shift of Sergio Ramos to centreback also plays very well into this theory, as he is quite capable of spotting a pass.  Adding Sahin to the ranks makes Madrid's play a bit more fluid and a bit more patient, which has often  been the downfall of this squad in the tougher games.  Sure, they have the power to batter teams in a matter of seconds, but do they have the ability to slow things down and look for the right pass when a team is parking the bus? Or to even regain control and dictate the game when a team like Barcelona is overrunning them?

Nuri Sahin is gifted with a rare kind of ability to set the pace of a game; it has often been mooted that Alonso is gifted at setting the direction of the game but not necessarily the pace, which is an entirely different skill-set in itself.  Nuri also has an eye for a killer pass plus the ability to seemingly make the right pass at the right moment in every situation he finds himself in.  He also has the engine to move between both boxes for 90 minutes and is a decent dribbler with the ball at his feet, making him a highly mobile player; something which is not one of Xabi's strengths and has been missing from the Madrid midfield for quite some time.  In the Turk, the Los Blancos faithful see a player who can be the perfect foil for Xabi or an ideal replacement when Alonso is given some much needed rest. 

However, Nuri still faces many challenges on his road to Bernabeu glory though he has been lofted to this position of saviour. His early injury was surely unjust as this not only robbed him of the opportunity to properly settle into the squad and the playing style but has given him the unnerving tag of Bernabeu hero.  The one who is going to come in and fix all of the problems in the current squad, more importantly the one that is going to come in and be the final piece of the once scattered puzzle to finally dethrone Barcelona.  Stronger men have come before him and failed in this quest, leaving as a broken shell of their former selves; until recently many would have placed Kaka in this category.  Things may not go as peachy for Sahin as everyone would hope, and a question to ask is whether he would be able to recover if the fickle Bernabeu crowd brand him a waste of money should things unravel poorly, We will see.  His positive and determined attitude during his spell on the sidelines indicates that he is a man of strong character; but the Bernabeu crowd has reduced a grown Drenthe to tears.  For the moment he has the full support of all of his teammates who were congratulating him enthusiastically after the game, also the presence of best friend Ozil and former Bundesliga comrade Khedira, may make the difficult moments easier for young Sahin. 

Another issue which he will have to face is simply breaking into the first team squad, Jose Mourinho generally likes to reward those who perform in his starting eleven and is also noted for erring on the side of caution.  Thus with the team in blistering form, it is unclear whether or not Jose would be willing to change things around now.  When Sahin was initially bought it was believed that the team would be shifting to a 4-3-3 but they have stuck by the 4-2-3-1 formation, even in the SuperCopa when playing the almighty Barcelona; and they have reaped positive results.  So where does Sahin fit in the 4-2-3-1?  He can be a replacement for Xabi, but many want to see the duo paired together; however there is the real possibility that Mourinho may see this as too defensively brittle.

The Portugese tactician has refused to play Granero with Xabi for this very reason, and he is often vindicated with the stability which Sami Khedira brings to the Real Madrid midfield intercepting countless balls.  Will Sahin be able to fulfill these kinds of duties when asked to do so?  In my personal opinion I believe that it is within Sahin to play where Khedira plays but in a different manner. He may not go bundling into players, but his anticipation and reading of the game could serve him well in this role.  However against the tougher sides will this midfield be too weak?

Evidently, they are many questions surrounding the enigma of the grand Turk, but one should think that by the time the first Clasico rolls around in December, we may have a better idea on where Nuri Sahin stands in Jose Mourinho's plans.  It may be that he is saved for a second half push and thus used sparingly until the new year, or he may be thrown into the fray right after the international break in a bid to get him into some kind of form for the first Super Clasico.  At the moment Nuri Sahin remains a mystery within the realm of Spanish football, he has been touted as the saviour, the “crack” Madrid need in the midfield to overcome the Barcelona hurdle.  Will the pressure be too much? Or will he fulfill the promising role that has made the fans fueled with angst and impatience? It really is only a matter of time before we all find out.

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Ballon d'Or Madness

We can speak about who the best footballer in the world is, and I am quite positive that most opinions will be strongly based on the undoubted ability of a certain attacking player.  But have we forgotten that this sport is a game with eleven different positions on the pitch? We're all aware of the astonishing offensive statistics both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo possess; subsequently granting them to be the underlying impetus; the ultimate force, throughout world football.  The pair have highly influenced this modern generation of football, taking it to a whole new level of unbelievable feats, goals, and twists and turns.  But does that automatically single them out to be the best players?

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BARCELONA vs. MALLORCA HIGHLIGHTS (FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS)

This conversation is missing your voice, leave your opinions and comments below.

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Are The Tables Finally Turning? The Resurgent Old Lady of Italian Football vs. The Collapse of a Controversial Dynasty

by Christopher Date

Juventus F.C. vs. F.C Internazionale Milano, The Bianconeri vs. The Nerazzurri, La Vecchia Signora vs. La Beneamata, no matter which of the numerous nicknames you prefer to use, one thing is always for certain, the Derby d’Italia is guaranteed to be one of, if not the most, passionate and enthralling matches in the Italian Serie A.

As history will attest, it is not exactly a rarity to witness Juventus defeat Inter Milan in this momentous derby. However, it is not simply the result which stands out after today’s encounter between the two Italian giants, but rather the fashion in which the Bianconeri defeated the Nerazzurri in their own back yard, Il Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, their beloved San Siro.

Pirlo down to usual business, dictating the play for Juve

Remove the obviously biased San Siro crowd from the equation, and I highly doubt the casual fan would have believed Inter Milan was the home side. Not only did the players from the Turin based club have the lion’s share of possession for long periods, but their determination, attacking drive and overall spirits far surpassed their Milanese rivals by quite some margin. Testament to this was one period in the game around the 75th minute in which the visitors held the ball for what seemed to be at least forty passes while the Inter Milan players were seemingly content to sit back and let their opponents waste up precious time, not a usual tactic for a home side trailing 2-1 to their biggest rival in the entire league.


Admittedly, as a die-hard Juventus fan, there was nothing better than seeing the disheartened Inter players trod around the pitch looking completely defeated with twenty minutes still on the clock, and the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Claudio “Il Principino” Marchisio and Arturo Vidal dictating play in the middle of the park against some of the world’s best central midfielders in Wesley Sneijder and Esteban Cambiasso. A tad sadistic on my part some might say, but how would you feel if a bunch of undeserving people stole something from you that they in no shape or form deserved?...*cough* our Scudetto *cough* ;).


However, cheap shots and bias aside, the real issue at hand is why exactly do Juventus look so much more efficient this season and lead the league currently, while Inter continue to struggle profusely, with a mere eight points from nine games? In my opinion it is a combination of many various factors as outlined below:

Del Piero celebrates victory with Conte

Tactically speaking, in seasons past, Juventus’ main problem (apart from getting caught off guard by ridiculously simple long balls, the same kind of long balls we seemingly attempted to use and failed to convert against the “weaker” teams in the league), was the obvious missing link between the midfield and attack. Without Del Piero on the field to add some kind of creative spark to our play, our forwards were often too isolated and static due to the fact that our midfield was pretty poor at distributing sharp attacking passes into dangerous areas. We were more than happy to constantly ship the ball out wide to Milos Krasic, who by now has been figured out by every defender in the league it seems, and will just push the ball down the flank, run at full pace and attempt a cut back cross.

While I had no problem with the players occasionally trying to cross the ball into the penalty area due to a decent physical presence at the time due to players such as Matri, Quagliarelli and Toni getting quite a few minutes of playing time, when it becomes overly-predictable, even the poorest of defensive teams know how to mark these forwards and clear away the crosses all day. It's like defending set pieces for a whole game, something that even the weakest teams are good at, as it is easy to implement in training.


For instance, when I watched AC Milan destroy the exact same teams in the league that we often drew to, it was usually because of their fast paced passes into danger areas, such as inside the box, fairly direct efforts, and playing the ball through or to-feet in more central areas. I am not saying we should have never crossed the ball obviously, because Toni and Matri again are very good in the air, but the consistency with which we did the exact same thing every single play, (attack slowly and then retreat out wide and try to cross) was appalling.

Claudio Marchisio is a player in fine form this season

This season though, with the implementation of Antonio Conte as our manager, not only have we transformed our team in terms of personnel, but our tactical approach is based much more on possession, sharp passes, movement and keeping a solid structure. The adapted version of a 4-3-3 formation we have recently been using has been beyond successful. With Andrea Pirlo pulling the strings surrounded by two key players in Marchisio and Vidal, that can both tackle adeptly and contribute greatly to attack, our team has many options both going forward and when defending the counter. This freedom, flexibility and creative licence has done wonders for Marchisio especially, who is slowly turning into quite the world-beater after a few fairly decent seasons at Juventus in years prior.
It would be terrible for me not to mention the ridiculous work rate of Simone Pepe as well, a player who personifies the team’s spirit, heart and determination. These players performances, coupled with Alessandro Matri’s lethal finishing and Mirko Vucinic’s clever dinks, chips and flicks, have given rise to a team that on a whole has improved to a great extent technically, mentally and physically. Moreover, there is the new desire and determination to win the ball each and every time there is a 50-50 situation, something I can only attribute to Conte’s motivational skills, as in his prime he was a fantastic hustler, true leader and a tireless fighter.

As for Inter, there are an abundance of factors which may have contributed to their downfall this year:

We'd hide our faces too Wesley

Their coaching changes, their involvement in Champions League football as well as the domestic Italian Serie A, and their loss of Samuel Eto’o and general lack of a striker of the calibre of him or Zlatan Ibrahimovic (as much as it pains me to somewhat praise Ibrahimovic). Not to mention, the lack of motivation that may accompany winning the league many times in a row may have negatively affected some players hunger to win, as well as the Champions League hangover after their win in 2009. One thing is for sure, with continually average performances from players like Alvarez, Obi, Nagatomo, Castaignos as well as veterans like Chivu, the future doesn’t seem too wonderful unless Inter can turn it around quickly.

Many would argue however, that the season has just started, and I would definitely have to agree. There is plenty time for any team to lose or gain form, slip or climb the league table, and for this reason I am trying to stay as realistic as possible with my expectations for Juventus this year. However, I can assure you readers that I am not being naive in saying there has been drastic improvement evident already at this stage of the season regardless of the fact that Juventus have played many of the “weaker” sides in the league. As for Inter, it is quite clear that if they don’t drastically change their performances and results, we may finally be witnessing the end of their era of dominance, an era that in all honesty came about due to some truly fortunate circumstances.


theRYGOchannel would like to give a big thanks to Chris for writing us this quality article, be sure to leave a comment!

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The Top 10 Midfielders in World Football

Here is a list of the Top 10 Midfielders in World Football:

10. Yaya Toure – The Ivorian in my eyes is nothing short of world class. He is built like an Ox and moves like a freight train and this narrows down exactly how powerful he is. Being a product of the Barcelona system gives you the idea behind his good touch and fair passing range for a defensive midfielder. At one point in time, his coach, Roberto Mancini used him as the attacking midfielder for the team as his qualities shone bright in that position. He is truly versatile and he provides Man City’s back line extensive protection along with his partners De Jong/ Barry. Toure is in his prime and Manchester City will reap the rewards of having one of the best midfielders in the world in their starting line-up.

9. Kaká  - A player that was once known as the best footballer in the world continues to give all he has at the highest level for Real Madrid. Kaká is comfortable with both feet and he is lethal in front of the goal if given the space. Known for his pass-first mentality, Kaká enjoys setting up his teammates in the play rather than scoring, a true mark of an attacking midfielder. His vision is of the highest quality, maybe only second to 2 or 3 players on this list. However, his biggest problem is fitness and he continues to struggle to keep fit, as his persistent knee problems have slowed the blossoming of his career.

8. Wesley Sneijder – The Dutch play-maker has had a wonderful few years of football and has found himself quite unlucky to not be a winner of a World Cup, Ballon D’or or FIFA World Player of the Year award. He had a stellar world cup and football season with his respective teams, scoring goal after goal in the most important games. For Wesley, if he wasn’t banging in the goals he was orchestrating them. He is easily one of the best players in the world right now and with his passing, awareness and lethal shot, these qualities place him on this list as he continues to ply his trade with Inter Milan and aim to conquer more glory.

7.  Mesut Özil – The German genius has earned his spot in this "Top 10 List" by simply being the best play-maker of 2010-2011. He sets up more goals than any other player. This statistic alone speaks volume and tells the public the strides Özil has made since becoming a house hold name in football. Known to me as the “Crab”, based on his horizontal movement which is very similar to an actual crab, Özil skillfully moves around the pitch avoiding other players and gets those killer through balls to his teammates like a walk in the park. He has age on his side and will find himself near the top of the list in the years to come. He is truly an excellent footballer.

6. Luka Modric – The tiny Croatian is simply a magician on the ball. Small in physique but do not be fooled, he is one of the most difficult players to get off the ball. What makes Modric stand-out as one of the best midfielders in the BPL is his football intelligence. He is always two steps ahead of his opponent and doesn’t need to be strong, fast or have any other physical aspect to be good. He depends totally on his talent, which is reading and knowing the game to a level higher than anyone else on the field. His vision is extraordinary and although Modric may not score the goal or lay off the final assisting pass he is usually the most instrumental person in the play.

5.  Cesc Fabregas – The Catalan born midfielder continues to grow and become even more of a phenomenal player with each progressing game. From his green days in the Barcelona academy when labelled as a prodigy, he matured and developed into an established player under the stewardship of Arsene Wenger, during this time years of public flirting with the Catalan side ensued, primarily because of his rapid progression and meteoric rise in world football and he finally returned to his beloved Barcelona as the world class player he is now. Cesc is blessed with amazing vision and touch, cut from the classy cloth of most Catalan players. A high football IQ keeps him ahead of his opponents, given his lack of physical strength and speed which was never needed. He is young and can be one of the names you call for in years to come when speaking of the best in football.

4.  Xabi Alonso – Speaking of technique? Not many stand above him. He enjoys passing like how strikers enjoys scoring goals. He is instrumental to everything Real Madrid does. You can find Xabi Alonso starting the play just after winning the ball back from the opposition either by his timely tackling or ability to read the play and intercept a pass.  These are also skills that must be honed for a player who is position very deep midfield. He finds himself box to box, dictating play and controlling the tempo of the game. Along with his neat short passes, Alonso also has immaculate long range distribution, which makes him a potential danger from all areas of the pitch. Goalkeepers have learned that even from the half line he can cause trouble.

3. David Silva – This player is one of the most under rated footballers for the past three years. Placed high on this list simply because he undoubtedly and deservedly belongs here. David Silva is poetry in motion, easily one of the smallest players on the field,  yet obtains one of the biggest collection of slithering, silky moves to shake off any opposition. He displays class as he glides around the pitch playing final balls to the highest degree, leaving his strikers with the simplest of tasks at times. His vision is also of the highest order, and Silva just seems to know what is going on around him at all times. At the young age of 25, he will have plenty of time to eventually find himself at the top of this list sometime in the near future.

2. Xavi -  Simply put, football legend, Xavi is the perfect example to any central midfielder in what exemplifies a player in this position to be world class. What would Barcelona be without him? He will go down as one of the greatest players in the world. Xavi’s vision, ball control, passing range and awareness never seems to let him down as he rarely if ever has a bad game these days. He always dominates his opposition’s midfield and makes them look like amateurs by the most simple of passes in an unstoppable manner.

1. 1.  Andres Iniesta –   Many may see this as a controversial decision by placing Iniesta ahead of his Catalan team mate Xavi.  But Iniesta has a few things going in his favour. 

Firstly, Iniesta is four years Xavi’s junior,  giving him more than enough time to achieve more than his teammate and simply put, Iniesta just offers that extra edge and zest. If needed, Iniesta can play Xavi’s role to maximum potential and ping the ball around for fun.  But when Barcelona needs that player (bar messi) to create that inch of space or beat their opponent to create an opening, look no further than Andres Iniesta.  He glides around the park like most Spanish players, with his opponents left to either watch him in his waltz or foul as they never get close enough for the right tackle.

He is such a class player and it can be seen in all of his magical moments, namely the Champion’s League clash with Chelsea in the  semi-finals, where he was the player who made that bit of difference to win it for his team, and last but not least, the one moment he will forever hold above his Barcelona compatriot, the winning goal of the 2010 FIFA world cup.

Notable Mentions

 

Steven Gerrard – The Liverpool captain has been a sensational player for years and has been instrumental in everything that Liverpool have won within his time. He has all the attributes to consider him the COMPLETE midfielder. His stand out attribute continues to be his shooting and finishing, where in England he is still second to none from outside the 18 if given the space. He is in the latter years of his career but still continues to be an outstanding asset and Liverpool missed his presence last season while he was injured.

Javi Martinez – The Bilbao player is growing towards hero status in his hometown as he continues to perform when he puts on his club's shirt. Javi Martinez would be a guaranteed start in the Spain set-up, were it not for the Barcelona biased, let me add a well deserved Barcelona biased, team selection. He is a player in "the Sergio Busquets role" but has a bit more to offer. He reads the game like some of the best players in his position would. For a more defensive minded player he helps dictate play in the midfield and is a positional player, one of the key aspects of a central midfielder. For Javi, it is only a matter of time before he is picked up by one of Europe’s best clubs.

Other Players worth notable mention: 

Michael Essien, Rafael Van Der Vaart, Javier Pastore, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Kwadwo Asamoah, Nuri Sahin.


     
    

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Levante Are The Uninvited Guests

Uninvited Guests  

by Mohamed Haniff

As I settled in to watch Racing Santander take on Espanyol, an old friend of mine debated the strength of competition in La Liga, stating that there are certain teams he couldn't bare watching.  The example thrown at me was Sporting Gijon vs. Levante; my friend conceded that Levante were flying high but that he still couldn't take them seriously.  Alas this is the feeling most of us have had about Levante as we groggily scanned the league tables, expressing initially our shock at where the little Valencians find themselves; and then usually a scoff followed by a snide remark about how soon they will plummet. I myself have fallen into this trap, simply waiting for the underdogs to disappear and leave the big two to duke it out in peace.  However should we be doing this? Shouldn't we be celebrating the achievements of this side so far?

In many of these instances when we see a  side like Levante leading the way we assume it is a combination of two things; large batches of luck and an easy fixture list.  However when one takes a look at Levante's unbeaten start to the season, they have disposed of Villarreal, Malaga and Real Madrid by a combined score of 7-0.  Their latest 3-0 walloping of Villarreal occurred in the Yellow Submarine's home stadium, El Madrigal.  In many ways Levante's scintillating start to the season is the polar opposite of Villarreal's blunt displays so far.  Some could blame it on the Champions League hangover but the fact remains that they have looked unimpressive for weeks, where as their neighbours Levante have kept defying the odds.

At the moment there are three major Primera teams in the Valencia region; Valencia, Villarreal and Levante.  As one might expect Levante has traditionally been excluded from the conversation, games against Levante have often been seen as formalities for the other two sides from this area.  Last season however with the help of the talented manager Luis Garcia Plaza, the Blaugrana were able to comfortably steer clear of relegation.  However Garcia Plaza jumped ship to Getafe leading many to believe that this would be the beginning of the end for the side; however they seem to be growing in confidence as the weeks go by.

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One must not forget that it was not too long ago that Levante were one of the many sides in Spain's top flight who were guilty of being unable to pay their players' wages.  Under the leadership of Quico Catalan, the chairman of the board, they have hauled themselves back from the brink of financial demise, and though they are not completely out of the woods, they're a bit more at ease; and its showing in their football.


The evergreen Sergio Ballesteros, one of la liga's most ridiculed centrebacks is a major player in this Levante story, throwing many of his doubters to the wayside with a string of dominating performances at the beginning of this season.  Levante have the look of a side flung together, not carefully selected, when one peruses the 25 man roster for the club.  Players like Valdo, Asier Del Horno and Javier Farinos, have been around the block a few times, never really setting the world on fire; the early going of this season however has made more than a few people sit up and take notice.  Against Villarreal it was the winger Juanlu who stole the show for the Blaugrana, getting himself on the score sheet twice. Juanlu, himself a journeyman, having been at nine clubs in his eleven year career has had a blistering start to the season; popping up on the left hand side on Sunday to score a well taken volley.

Levante's game is not one built on fluidity or creative flair, but their organization and concentration are the cornerstones of their success so far.  In the game against Real Madrid, we saw Los Merengues stymied at every turn, unable to get a look in, as Levante defended valiantly and held onto their shape, before firing in the only goal of the match.  After the game Jose Mourinho was quoted as saying,

Jose smells a hater

“I don’t want to detract merit from Levante, who always do very well when they are allowed to play their game at their stadium. I congratulate them for being clever. They know how to waste time and how to not give the ball back. They know this because it’s also part of football. Our players don’t feel comfortable in this sort of habitat and Levante know it.”

Mourinho implying here that Levante were forced to resort to underhanded tactics in order to gain the victory over his side.  While I would not expect Mourinho to scream from the top of the Santiago Bernabeu how great Levante played, surely they deserve a bit more credit than that after blunting one of the sharpest attacks in world football.

  
This is the type of attitude that has become symptomatic when speaking about a side like Levante.  They are painted as the uninvited guests who dare spoil the party that the big clubs have taken months and months to plan.  This is the kind of attitude that we should be discouraging; while it may be too much to expect Mr. Mourinho to ever change his tune, instead of us waiting for the underdogs to fall why don't we just be glad that we have an interesting talking point in what was meant to be a predictable season in Spanish football.

While I certainly don't expect them to stay at the summit of La Liga we should all just enjoy it while it lasts.  Savour this simple time of the season before Barcelona and Real Madrid renew their rivalry, complete with goals, eye gouging and insults. These are the teams that make football the people's game, so let's keep the goodwill flowing.

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How City beat United

What a shocker. What an absolute shocker.  By no means am I suggesting that City didn't have it in them to beat United, but scoring six goals at Old Trafford? - Phenomenal. It's a grey day for all who are involved with the Red Devils, who are probably looking a little more blue now then ever before, and Sir Alex Ferguson has to use the next week to rally his squad together for a tough trip to Goodison Park.

Manchester City look the real deal for title contenders after their exhilarating performance, and they now aim to build on their hard earned three points.  But where did United lose the game? Or rather, where did City outsmart United to claim such a historical win?

Three factors largely influenced the clash between the reds and the blues:

The sizzling Balotelli 

Balotelli showing his humor

Building on his fine individual performance against Villa in City's last Premier League outing, Balotelli played a pivotal role in his team's victory against their rivals.  Balotelli's movement was a bit much for the United defence to subdue and keep under control.

His first goal was a sublime finish, elegantly placed in the bottom right corner, but it was his positional awareness that allowed him to check his run and place himself at the top of the box, as opposed to scrambling into the clustered penalty area - both Ferdinand and Evans lost their bearings, caught ball watching and not communicating with each other, as he stood in acres of space to calmly punish the absentminded United defence.

This is where we see Balotelli's limitless potential and football wisdom, when he is able to get himself into these dangerous positions and use his undoubted physical talent to score goals of that pedigree. At the inception of the second half, 63 seconds to be precise, City was able to work the ball with quick passing and fluent movement to rattle the lacklustre United defence for a second time.

Again, Balotelli's movement allowed him to latch onto a perfectly weighted through ball, only to be wrestled to the ground by Johnny "Stone Cold" Evans.  It was a horrible challenge that indicated his lack of concentration and ability to read the game, it was also a challenge that highlighted Evan's lack of pace and strength as Balotelli was able to use his knowledge to run across the bumbling defender, to then be brought down.  Smart playing by Mario, as it was nearly a penalty and obviously a red card offence.

After City were soaring with their two goals, they were still relentless.  The Spanish international, David Silva, who has been on top form for the sky blues so far this season, twisted and turned, waited and distributed the perfect pass to slice the home defence wide agape, as Milner latched onto the end of it, only to find who else but the sizzling Balotelli.  He has now scored 6 in his last 5 games.

The Red Card

United are reduced to ten men as Evans is shown red

As it would in any game of such magnitude, being detracted to ten men is a hard blow.  Johnny Evans was the culprit, but perhaps his selection in the United defence was a variable that brought an inevitability of apprehension with it.  I remember reading the starting XI for the home team and thinking that perhaps Jones would have suited better in such a game, after all, he has the physicality to match City's tough players, but also brings a sense of surety to his team mates.

Subsequent to the sending off, City took advantage of the ball possession and at one point nearly had 70% of it in the first twenty minutes of the second half.  This is where Mancini's tactical prowess shows in his team.  They decided to control the game and be cautious, ultimately shutting out the lingering hopes of the United team and supporters.

With an extra man on the pitch, City then invited the waves of attack from United, with the intention of hitting them on the break - and my God did it worked.  They doubled up on the right flank to give Evra a torrid time and used the same tactics to score the goals of Balotelli (his second) and the flying Argentine, Kun Aguerro.  We are well aware of the detrimental effects a red card can bear on a team, but credit to City, as they took full advantage of the deficit.

Ferguson's Poor Choices

Fergie rues his team's poor display

Who am I to question the great Sir Alex Ferguson in all of his years at the summit of English football?  Yes, I'm not aware of who is doing well in training from who isn't, or who was more up for the game in the changing room, but what I am fully aware of is that you cannot play a City team of this calibre, and not list a central midfielder in the substitutes.

The failure to sign the World Cup finalist Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan and allowing City to lure Samir Nasri to the Etihad Stadium may be a move Ferguson regrets, as the lack of quality in midfield may only now begin to show it's frailties.

The world is growing to learn more about Manchester City's incredible team; the physical, technical attacking team that Mancini has at his disposal.  Therefore it was quite a surprise when I learned that there would be no Michael Carrick on the bench, especially when Cleverley was still not near full recovery.  This instantly limited United's options in the centre of the park.

Perhaps the starting line-up was a decent choice, but why not play Phil Jones as opposed to Johnny Evans?  We know what Jones is capable of and we are well aware of what Evans is not, that is, consistency.  After the team dropped to ten men, Ferguson's delayed reactions could have caused a third goal, as Rooney then dropped into defence to fill the void of his Irish team mate, leaving Welbeck to drown in depths of City's robust defence.  They were numerous instances where I thought Carrick would have suited the game.

Fergie decided to go with the energetic duo of Fletcher and Anderson, who are both good midfielder's in their own respects, however Carrick may have been a better choice to compliment either one of these midfielders, as he does have a good reading of the game, and provides cover at the back.  His ability to break up play in the midfield would have suited this fragile United squad, as a lot of the play would be broken down or at least slowed the blistering pace of City's attacks.

With five men in Manchester City's engine room, they provided a solid shield for their defence, making it all the more difficult for United to create any chances.  United tried to get down to business as they attempted to use width and their usual wing play, but this just did not work against City.  City always had all four defenders perfectly organised in the box, with Barry and Yaya Touré providing zonal marking in front of them to sweep up any loose or misplaced clearances.  The crosses were never going to work. Never.  With Rooney and Welbeck leading United's attack, both of the players were rather undynamic and insatiable in their roles.  United needed the penetrating and energetic, zipping runs of Chicharito, without him, the Red Devils were always going to need an incredible goal in order to score.

Richards was on top form against the Red Devils

All in all, it was a horrible, dark day for United players and fans alike, on the contrasting spectrum; a fantastic one for City, who are now bedazzled and inviting the hurdles of the future. The key ingredient for their success today was the raw urge to win.  They wanted the win; they played like they wanted to win - and so they got their wish. Each player was on top form in the City ranks, notably Vincent Kompany, who organised his team like a real veteran and lead by example, as well as Micah Richards, who was solid at the back and produced some fine attacking play. The rest of the team were red hot and cooled the angst of the sputtering United side.

City grabbed this opportunity to full capacity and mauled the reigning champions.  However, there shouldn't be much panic for the United fans nor any over excitement for the City faithful, as there is a long gruelling season ahead.  Couple this with the fact that when Fergie's team were previously whipped in such an embarrassing manner in the past, the majority of the time his boys managed to bounce back to win the league.

But with City's depth and overall quality, it may just be the beginning of a major power shift in Greater Manchester.


Fergie's worst outings:

• Newcastle United 5 - 0 Manchester United (October 20, 1996)
  title winners: Man Utd
  
• Southampton 6 - 3 Manchester United (October 26, 1996)
  title winners: Man Utd
  
• Chelsea 5 - 0 Manchester United (October 3, 1999)
  title winners: Man Utd
  
• Manchester United 1 - 4 Liverpool (March 14, 2009)
  title winners: Man Utd
  
• Manchester United 1 - 4 QPR (January 1, 1992)
  title winners: Leeds Utd
  
• Manchester City 5 - 1 Manchester United (September 23, 1989)
  title winners: Liverpool

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