Friday, 15 November 2013

Manchester United 2: FourFour Two

Manchester United 2: FourFour Two

Five Eredivisie youngsters who you need to know about

Posted: 14 Nov 2013 11:55 PM PST

From Van Nistelrooy and Van Persie to Helder and Afonso Alves, the Eredivisie has long been a hotbed for the exportation of young footballers. For so long Dutch club football was at the pinnacle of the game, with Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven leading the way as former European Cup winners. In recent years, however, their inability to keep up with the financial muscle of rival European leagues has forced Eredivisie outfits into selling their most talented youngsters just before they hit their peak. This summer saw Ajax pair Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld join Tottenham and Atletico Madrid respectively, while PSV Eindhoven duo Dries Mertens and Kevin Strootman hot-footed it to Napoli and Roma in Serie A. It isn't the end, of course - the European sharks are forever circling - so without further ado, here's five Eredivisie starlets who probably won't be sticking around in Holland for much longer... Viktor Fischer Following in the footsteps of Danish compatriot Eriksen, Fischer joined Ajax from FC Midtjylland in 2012 and quickly decided that a stretch in Amsterdam to hone his talents was preferable to thrusting himself in the direction of a substitute's bench elsewhere in Europe. The Dane is an inverted left winger with a fine goalscoring record at youth level - indeed, he was the joint-top goalscorer at the 2010/11 NextGen Series with seven goals as Ajax won the competition on penalties. Liverpool fans might remember him: he bagged a hat-trick against their kids in the semi-finals. Fischer is perfectly suited to Ajax's famous 4-3-3 formation, in which he is given licence to roam and find pockets of space. This season he has proved a more effective creator after a slow start in front of goal - the young Dane has made 16 key passes, half of them after cutting inside before threading neat balls through the defence. Would suit: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United. Zakaria Bakkali Bakkali hit the headlinesagainst NEC Nijmegen earlier this season - as the youngest player ever to notch an Eredivisie hat-trick. But despite those being his only goals for the campaign, the 17-year-old has proven himself as a real talent to watch. The firecracker winger is comfortable on either flank or up front. Two-footed and pacey, the precocious teenager has already won his first cap for Belgium, has outstanding close control and loves a shot from distance. Only two of his attempts on goal this season have missed the target. However, Bakkali's standout attribute is his dribbling. He regularly induces challenges before quickly sweeping the ball away from oncoming defenders - and here's the proof: he's already won 24 of his attempted take-ons this year with a 71% success rate. Would suit: Manchester United, Manchester City. Luc Castaignos A product of the Feyenoord academy, Castaignos made his big move to Inter Milan at the age of 19, but it proved far too early for him to make his mark in Serie A. In his teenage years, Castaignos was expected to become a superstar but this move to the San Siro only stifled his development. Now at FC Twente without the weight of expectation on his shoulders, the Dutch U21 international has the freedom to express himself once again. Castaignos likes to shoot on sight, and has already attempted 49 efforts on goal in his 12 appearances this term. Standing at 6ft 2in, the striker is a dominant presence at the sharp end of Twente's attack, but he's also surprisingly quick for a big man, making opposition centre-halves extra wary. Strong with his back to goal too, the 21-year-old is also expert at bringing others into play. He's made 10 key passes this season with two of them resulting in goals. Would suit: Arsenal, Tottenham. Memphis Depay PSV manager Philip Cocu certainly isn't short of youthful wide options right now. On the opposite flank to Bakkali is Dutchman Memphis Depay, a raw talent with an eye for goal from range but equally capable of using his pace to get to the byline and provide for team-mates. The unpredictable 19-year-old is typical of a modern inverted wide man, and has quickly established himself as a nightmare for full-backs since breaking through in 2011. Depay's free-kick style has been likened to that of Cristiano Ronaldo, and it is clearly a technique he practices regularly. The winger has been integral to Cocu's side this season, creating a staggering 31 chances and attempting 46 shots on goal in just 12 appearances. Capable of the spectacular, he's certainly a star of the future - just ask Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal, who recognised the youngster's abilities at international level with a first senior Dutch cap in October. Would suit: Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund. Jordy Clasie Feyenoord's crowning jewel, Clasie was once likened to Barcelona star Xavi for his ability to control a match. The 22-year-old has been in the Feyenoord first team for just over three years now and, like fellow Dutch midfield youngster Adam Maher, has made a huge name for himself in Holland. He's already got six caps for his country, for starters. The midfield linchpin has all the experience and ability to make any move to the continent a success. In terms of playing style, Clasie is a conductor. He makes this Feyenoord side tick and rarely gives the ball away - but doesn't just pass sideways. The diminutive metronome is capable of spraying lengthy passes, keeping the game simple, or executing the killer balls that really matter. Of his 538 completed passes this season,66.4% have gone forwards and, unsurprisingly, he already has four assists to his name. His passing isn't all he has, though - Clasie is capable of getting stuck in too, winning a hugely impressive 74% of his 36 attempted tackles this campaign. Would suit: Fiorentina, Liverpool.

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Dozens of clubs back safe standing, claim FSF

Posted: 14 Nov 2013 06:00 AM PST

The organisation, who are behind the Safe Standing campaign, claim that a host of clubs from the Premier League and Football League have backed the initiative, which they hope will bear fruit within "five to 10 years". Scottish Premiership champions Celtic and the Scottish Professional Football Leagueare also keen for standing areas to be introduced, the FSF said. "We've come from a standing start two years ago when Aston Villa came on board and said, 'as a Premier League club, we would like to introduce safe standing areas'," Michael Brunskill of the FSF told Perform. "Since then we've had dozens of clubs from the Premier League and the Football League who have formally backed the campaign. "We've also had other clubs who are interested in it and press reports that Manchester City, Manchester United and West Ham are also interested. "The Scottish Premier League as an institution has backed the safe standing campaign and they are in the process of doing what they need to do behind the scenes to ensure clubs can have safe standing areas. "Celtic want a safe standing area at Celtic Park and also the Football League have voted overwhelmingly to explore the possibility. "Once you start getting clubs as businesses and fans as consumers saying, 'yes we want this', I don't think there can be any argument." With Manchester United the latest club reported to be interested in incorporating a standing section into their stadium, Brunskill hopes the involvement of the English champions will advance the FSF's objectives. Asked if United's potential support would boost the push for safe standing, Brunskill said: "Absolutely. "We want all clubs to come on board but if a club the size of Manchester United were to say they want it and tried to make it happen, then it's more likely to happen," he explained. "They're one of the biggest clubs in the world. "In the past we've had politicians saying there is no demand for it, which we think is patently untrue, that would even more so be the case if Manchester United came on board. "The reports are very encouraging and (United's) supporters certainly back safe standing when you read the polls and surveys that we've done but also when they go to away games, thousands and thousands of fans stand and the same goes for a lot of other clubs. "It's absolutely the sensible option and I think we're moving in the right direction." Many clubs in the Bundesliga have standing areas, as do stadia in the USA and Canada, but the practice has been banned in England's top two tiers after the Taylor Report into the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989. Brunskill believes standing could return to England's higher levels within five years, something that would be helped by the likes of Manchester United backing the campaign. On the subject of a time frame for the introduction of safe standing in the UK, Brunskill said: "That's the golden question. "(I'd be surprised) if in the next five or 10 years you didn't see it. I think the next five to 10 years is a sensible range. "If you did get Man United, and say that encouraged more Premier League clubs to get on board, that could speed up the process."

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Ronaldo vs Zlatan: Who does the World Cup need more?

Posted: 14 Nov 2013 03:30 AM PST

Matchwinning ability Both players have started 2013/14 in startling fashion. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a frankly ludicrous 24 goals in 17 appearances for Real Madrid so far this season, with another six in six appearances for Portugal. Calling this 'excellent form' would not only be an understatement, but would also suggest he's prone to bad patches and crises of confidence. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has also scored a goal a game for his country this season (seven in Sweden's seven matches), but is a smidgen under that masterly ratio at club level, with 15 goals in his 16 matches for French champions PSG so far this campaign. Both players have scored sublime goals this term – not least Ronaldo's nifty footwork and thunderous finish against Galatasaray, and Ibrahimovic's long-range howitzer against Anderlecht. Both players are capable of winning matches single-handedly and would feel like they belong in the setting of a World Cup in Brazil, but the Portuguese just has the edge. Just. Ronnie 10-9 Ibra Nation's chance of entertaining Neither Portugal or Sweden were particularly entertaining at Euro 2012, although Iberia's second favourite national team have a little more flair in their ranks than the generally rather functional Scandinavians. We all know which of Nani and Seb Larsson is most likely to attempt 40 step-overs, fall over, then burst into tears. That said, Sweden did manage a 4-4 draw and a 5-3 defeat against Germany in qualifying, which suggests they have the hapless-defence-barnstorming-attack balance just right, as far as thrilling the neutrals is concerned. Ronnie 5-5 Ibra Chances of breaking English hearts Cristiano was part of the Portugal side that knocked England out of both Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006 on penalties, and has vast experience from his Premier League daysof tying our defenders in knots. Zlatan, meanwhile, did this... We'll call this one a tie. Ronnie 10-10 Ibra Image The purists will dismiss such matters as irrelevant, but the more simple-minded observer will spend most of June and July tweeting about crap haircuts and laughing at awful tattoos – and to them (well, us) this stuff is crucial. Ibrahimovic certainly has more ink, Ronaldo has the haircut. While the Portuguese quite clearly spends a fair bit of time in front of the mirror, Zlatan has that Johnny Depp-style seemingly-effortless-but-actually-quite-a-bit-of-effort-involved cool about him. Thinking about it, they both look likes wallies, really... Ronnie 4-4 Ibra Likeability Cristiano is like that guy down the pub you pretend to be mates with because girls circle round him. Zlatan is like that guy down the pub you pretend to be mates with out of fear. For all the pouting and scowling, the former Manchester United star's child-like reactions during matches are genuinely endearing: you know the game really matters to him, even if it is all sometimes a trifle self-indulgent. The Swede is an altogether different beast: his antics and bravado are amusing in small doses, but you get the feeling it would all quickly start to grate if you had to spend more than a few hours in his company. Six weeks cooped up in a hotel with him would be a real test, which brings us on to... Ronnie 6-7 Ibra Volatility While there's no question the Portuguese flyer has form when it comes to moments of petulance, the Swede is almost unrivalled when it comes to letting off steam in highly inappropriate fashion. Ibrahimovic's rap sheet includes, but is not limited to: threatening to break Rafael van der Vaart's legs for accusing the Swede of intentionally injuring him; booting new AC Milan team-mate Rodney Strasser in the back for a bit of a giggle; head-butting Oguchi Onyewu for accusing him of "trash talking"; and dragging Giorgio Chiellini along by the head "like a disobedient dog" following the Italian defender'sover-zealous tackle. While FFT certainly doesn't condone violence, any World Cup worth its salt will have some inter-squad scrapping to keep things interesting during the rest days (and matches featuring Greece), and Zlatan is the man most likely to bring it. Ronnie 3-9 Ibra Other summer plans Ronaldo will have plenty to keep himself occupied, should Portugal not qualify for the summer shindig. In recent summers, the forward has been seen sunning himself alongside supermodel squeeze Irina Shayk in Singapore, Miami, St Tropez and Ibiza. If he doesn't make it, Zlatan certainly won't be watching the tournament. After his nation were elminiated from Euro 2012, a foolhardy journalists asked the burly Swede which team he thought would win the competition: "I don't give a shit who wins it now. I'm going on holiday." Ronnie 9-7 Ibra Likelihood of trying to start a fight with Christ the Redeemer That sounds like Zlatan to us. Ronnie 0-10 Ibra Likelihood of being spotted on Copacabana beach in pink hotpants Come on now… Ronnie 10-0 Ibra The verdict Cristiano may just have the edge on a technical level, but Ibra will bring more to the party. Final score: Ronaldo 57-63 Ibrahimovic.

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Versatile Jones reasserts centre-back claims

Posted: 14 Nov 2013 02:12 AM PST

The 21-year-old has been a victim of his own versatility at Old Trafford, being used regularly both as a defensive midfielder and at right-back. However, before joining United he was used primarily as a centre-back by former club Blackburn, and while Jones is happy to operate in any position for both his club and Roy Hodgson's England, his long-term ambition remains to play in the centre of defence. Ahead of England's friendly against Chile at Wembley on Friday, Jones said of his flexibility: "There are advantages and disadvantages to it. "I see it as an advantage and playing in numerous positions can only help me when hopefully I do go back to centre-back and establish myself there. "That's the target. I said when I broke into Blackburn's first team that was the target and that was where people saw me playing. "I keep saying it. As long as I am enjoying my football it is up to the England or the Manchester United manager where they pick me." For now, though, Jones is simply relishing playing time, particularly after battling with injuries in recent times. "There are so many world-class players who can play for this country so if you're in that squad each time, whether a friendly or a competitive game, there's no better feeling," he added. "It's been a little bit frustrating (with injury). I had a few niggles at the start of last season which didn't help. "I had a good run in the side with my club at the back end of last season and, hopefully, the more I keep playing with my club, the more international chances I'll get." Following their friendly fixture against Chile, England play Germany at Wembley on Tuesday.

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Hargreaves dismisses Englands World Cup hopes

Posted: 13 Nov 2013 07:59 PM PST

Whenever England qualify for the World Cup the local media goes into a frenzy about their nation's chances of overall victory but Hargreaves is not convinced that will happen in the lead-up to Brazil 2014. Although England qualified top of Group H, Hargreaves says the team is in a transition period and will not be genuine contenders next year. "The squad is going through some changes at the moment," Hargreaves said. "There are the players of the older generation, including some of my fellow players from that time, (Steven) Gerrard, (Frank) Lampard, are very strong players. "And there are those coming through the ranks now but it would be a surprise if we won the World Cup." England have only won one major trophy in their history – the 1966 World Cup on home soil. Since being knocked out of Euro 2012, Roy Hodgson's men have lost just one game in 16 but Hargreaves says a deficiency in central defence will make it difficult for England in Brazil. "Well I think Gerrard and (Wayne) Rooney are very strong, (Daniel) Sturridge is playing very well at the moment, but the question isn't if you have the right players or not, but if you have the right mixture," the 32-year-old former midfielder said. "England have a great goalkeeper in Joe Hart but the central defence isn't maybe as strong as what they had in the past. "Ashley Cole, Kyle Walker, Glen Johnson are also good in their positions, and Andros Townsend has moved up."

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