Tag Archives: world cup 2014

Champions League: Higuain Answers the Call

Posted on by
Reply

Much has been written about Gonzalo Higuain’s inability to deliver the goals on the big stage. Higuain cannot score in important games is a statement all too familiar for football followers, particularly for Argentina fans. For a rather deadly striker, his reputation had become tarnished by a failure to show up in big matches- with the World Cup 2014 and Copa America finals both cited as glaring examples of his ineptitude when it matters most.

Fast forward to Monaco on May 3rd, 2017, and the football world finally witnessed Higuain seize the opportunity not only to silence his critics but also to score what is likely the most important brace in his career. As has become expected from naysayers, some still made it a point to mention Higuain looked out of shape.

higu

 

Higuain looks overweight is another statement Juventus fans have heard often this season. Not that it has stopped Higuain from delivering the goals. In 34 Serie A games, of which he started 29 of them, Higuain managed to score an impressive 23 goals while dishing out two assists. He only trails Roma’s Edin Dzeko & Torino’s Andrea Belotti, both of whom have 25 goals, followed by Inter’s Mauro Icardi at 24. However, Juve did not splash €90 million to sign Higuain to score goals just in Serie A and against domestic rivals in Coppa Italia. The Argentina striker is not a luxury but rather an integral part in Juve’s plan to finally win the Champions League after a 21-year wait.

Many pundits noted earlier in the season that Higuain’s proper assessment and whether he will be considered as a successful signing will depend heavily on his output on European nights, in particular in the knockout stages. The outlook seemed bleak as Higuain managed just three goals in Europe prior to his double against Monaco. Of those three goals, one was a penalty-kick against Lyon while the other two successful strikes came in the 4-0 and 2-0 wins against light-weight opposition in the form of Dinamo Zagreb. Hence, there was nothing to rave about and coupled with Higuain’s failure to find the back of the net against both Porto and Barcelona, the critics began to sharpen their pencils.

Even his start against Monaco was not very promising, he slipped once and failed to connect with a Dani Alves fierce cross-shot earlier in the game. It looked as if this would be another frustrating night for Higuain in Europe. However, the Argentina striker responded with great composure and timing not only to score the first goal but also seal the 2-0 win for the Bianconeri. Both goals required a single touch by El Pipita, highlighting his goal-scoring prowess and uncanny ability to find the back of the net when provided with the slightest of chances.

The first goal was one of the best one can hope for in terms of team play and the buildup leading to the goal, starting with goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and with both Higuain and flying Brazilian full-back Alves playing a crucial role in its creation. The game highlights, particularly the two goals, underline how good Higuain’s finish and first-touch can be. You can check the link here for the game’s highlights and goals: Monaco 0-2 Juventus Highlights. Courtesy www.goalsarena.org

The question now is, will Higuain striker again in Turin? And will he be decisive if Juve reach the final in Cardiff? Expect the critics to keep questioning Higuain because that is the nature of the game. However, Higuain has at least one more opportunity, in Turin, to end the debate about his disappearing acts in big games!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Euro 2016 signals the end of an era for Spain

Posted on by
Reply

vicente-del-bosque-75

One of the biggest differences between International football and club football is that with the money being around today the big football clubs rarely stop winning. But for Internationals it doesn’t and can’t work that way, it’s who you are that determines where you end up playing. And in short that’s why clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Chelsea may go a season or two without winning a trophy but it won’t be as everlasting as a great international teams demise.

That team in question are Spain undoubtedly the best footballing nation of the last decade. In four glorious years between 2008 and 2012 they won two European Championships, back to back and in between their first World Cup. What made the wins extra special was that we could never doubt their legitimacy- they were quite simply the best side at each of their tournaments. They recorded wins over nations that try as they might always used to beat them, Germany and Italy being two prime examples. In the 2012 European Championship final they didn’t just beat Italy but they humiliated one of the great nations that pride themselves on defence with a deserved 4-0 hammering. Some wondered just how long their dominance could last- could they for example add another World Cup and become just the third team in history to win it back to back?

Well the answer was emphatically no- at the Brazilian World Cup in 2014 they lost their grip on a major tournament for the first time since 2006 when they crashed out of the group stages. That of course was a shock in itself- but it was the way they lost, 5-1 against Holland and then 2-0 against Chile, they had conceded 7 goals in two games and headed one of the most fearsome lists that no one wants as one of the worst defending champions.

After the World Cup 2014 Del Bosque handed his resignation in but it was ignored by the Spanish federation and he continued on to Euro 2016. Here in the knock out round of 16 Spain were humbled by the old guard Italy 2-0. Old guard because Italy had haunted the Spanish for so long, and now after Spain seemingly over coming their mental block to one of the European greats it was back again- everything was.

For the first time on Monday evening the feeling was there for anyone to witness – we could have been watching any Spanish performance from the 1980s or 90s, a side packed with talented players but play that lingered on frustration. They were in short easily found out.

Something within the side has stalled and it’s not just the fact that star players such as Andreas Iniesta are getting and looking old. The old thought process seems to have returned and for the first time in a long time possession was not held, in the end it was almost 50-50. Del Bosque was quick to point out that the cycle was not over- but why then was he even mentioning it after the game? All could see that sadly Spain’s dismantling at the Euro’s was 90 minutes of underlined evidence that their era had ended.

 

World Cup 2014 – The Race for the Golden Boot

Posted on by

With the World Cup now moving into it’s secondary stages and the last 16 phase having already started, we are well on the way to determining the new world champions following reigning champs Spain’s early exit. Fantasy managers will have used the recent transfer window to move eliminated players out and bring in the stars that remain, and with that in mind we will now be taking a look at one of the biggest races of the summer – the race for the Golden Boot.

This one is always a bit of a tasty one to look at, because there are several considerations to take into account – not only which strikers are lethal in front of the net, but which ones feature for a nation that one could reasonably expect to go the farthest – in other words, ideally, the final. These two considerations do not always go alongside one another, as a hattrick in the early stages can easily push a player ahead of one who appears in the final – but, generally, a lethal striker playing for one of the favourites should serve our fantasy managers well.

At the time of writing, Argentinian Lionel Messi and Germany star Thomas Müller are doing well in the ranks with four goals from three games each, but one of the stars of the tournament thus far, Neymar – who turns out for host nation Brazil – has four of his own, and the trend here is that the top three play for sides that you could see winning the cup – and indeed teams who have triumphed before.

Colombian midfielder James Rodríguez put in a star turn in the showing against Uruguay, and the South Americans have surpassed all expectations by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in their history at the expense of their continental rivals, who won their first two personal World Cups in 1930 (the first ever) and 1950.

Rodriguez himself showed the world just why Monaco forked out €45.00m with a brace, taking his tally to five from four games – top of the pops so far. While one may fancy Rodriguez to score in any game in which he features at the moment – his first against Uruguay was a sure contender for goal of the tournament, quite an achievement in itself given the number of top notch screamers we’ve seen in Brazil so far – it seems to be a question of how long Costa Rica can defy the odds. They face host nation Brazil on 4th July, and that is as tough a task as they are likely to face – Brazil on their own soil. Rodriguez might grab a goal or even two, but if the likes of Argentina and Germany can keep their own runs up surely Messi or Müller will still prove the better bets in the long term.

Brazil’s appearance in the final seems to be written in the stars at this stage, however, so of all prospects perhaps opt for Neymar if you haven’t done so already – the Barcelona star is top quality, and has surely earned the right to be mentioned in discussions alongside the likes of club team-mate Messi when it comes to the world’s elite.

If our fantasy managers are feeling particularly cheeky and are able to find a way to raise the funds, perhaps a two-man strikeforce including two of these three top scorers (Messi, Müller, Neymar) could be the difference between winning our fantasy tournament or ending with a runners-up medal at best.

Which Italy players should be feared based on season Fantasy Football points?

Posted on by

Next up in our look forward to the World Cup to help fantasy managers select their squads for our fast approaching new game, we will take a look at England’s opponents in their first game in Manaus on 14th June, the four-time world champions Italy. Coach Cesare Prandelli has thus far named a provisional 30-man squad, and so there will be some second guessing as to which players will actually make the arduous journey across the pond to feature in this year’s edition of football’s biggest spectacle, and it is easy to suspect that one or two of these players will feature in many a manager’s fantasy team when the new game launches on 3rd June. Continue reading →