Tevez Gone

I guess I have to write about this now. Since everybody is claiming me to be a Manchester City fan. As I'm sure you know, Carlos Tevez has asked to be transferred from Eastlands. It seems at least this time that he won't play another game with City. If this has to do with family reasoning, then I can understand that completely. However it is always unclear whether it has to do with money or family.

During the last year when he made this excuse, I thought: "Well just move your family to Manchester" He has had trouble adjusting to life in the northwest city. Also I think he would like his family to be around Spanish-speaking people or if he does speak some Italian (some Argentines do) then he can make his way to Italy also. I can understand it.

We complain about fathers leaving their children for months at a time and they end up divorcing or being distant with the kids. Carlos is going the opposite route and saying that he wants to be with his children and he should be commended on that.


City wants about 50mil pounds for no. 32. That might be a steep price for many clubs and I don't think many value him that high. I can understand where City is coming from though. This player is their captain, their consistent goal-scorer, and a folk-lord in Manchester with all his tireless performances with the Blues side.

If they lose a player like that, they will need to be able to buy a player that is equally as good. Dzeko and Balotelli haven't shown their worth as lone striker as of yet. Hopefully they will find someone who is just as good as Tevez or maybe those guys will reach their potential with the club.

The problem is that I don't think clubs will want to pay for him. Not only pay for him, will they want to deal with his pay wages also? He is going to command huge weekly wages and clubs (i.e Sir Alex) don't think he is worth those wages. He'll have a hard time matching the wages that City gave to him. They treated him a little too well.

Of course it could be another power-play by super agent, Kia Joorabchian. This is the easiest cop-out that we can use, he has been running the Tevez train for a while now. He's asked City for better wages or threaten to leave. So it will be very easy to say, maybe KJ is out for more money since it seems that City is just giving it in money-bags.

I don't know what is going to happen in this saga. For all I know, I won't be the least bit surprised that he shows up to training with City after the Copa America tournament is over. Then again, I won't be surprised if he doesn't shows up. The mysterious case of Carlos Tevez always takes turns that no one least expect...

You can hate the Playa, Don't Hate the Game...

I had this argument with somebody the other day of why Lebron isn't the best player in this league. I was stunned by what he was saying. I can say that I am not a Lebron fan but I do watch a lot of basketball and I can say without a doubt that Bron Bron is the best right now. The only real argument that this person was making was that he didn't like Lebron so therefore he isn't the best.

I can't stand that argument. If you hate somebody and don't want them to win trophies that is one thing. If you hate somebody and say that they aren't better than another person that's another thing all together.

I am going to spin it to football because that is more in my wheelhouse. I think about players that I hate with a passion. Cristano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, and Carlos Tevez (I can go on for days) are players that I despise whether it is acting like a primadonna or not showing any sort of loyalty to any club that he has been on. When they step on the field, I am not going to lie I hope they don't do well. When they do, I tip my cap to them and say that was a sick move, tackle, or goal. Then I'll say, "If I see them on the street, I will beat them with a baseball bat."

Their play doesn't change my thoughts of them as people because that is why I am disliking them. The only way I will dislike a player for what they do in game action is whether they make a horrible tackle and don't feel any remorse or if they tried to cheat the game by repetitive diving among other things.

I guess I am just the type of player that see all footballers as who they are on the pitch for the most part. If they do something good, I will tweet the sickness of the move and then say I still dislike the person.


I think most fans need to start thinking along these lines before they make arguments they can't really win in. I am not going to argue whether Cristano Ronaldo is better than well..... any other player other than Messi because his statistics, trophy haul, and impact on a game doesn't lie. He is one of the best out there. I can still say I dislike the fool but I can't disregard all of what he has done in the game so far.


I'm going to get back to where I started earlier

So whenever you want to hate on Lebron James for what he does, you can hate all you want but you can't say though that he isn't the best player in the NBA right now by just claiming your dislike for his decision-making as a person.

Hate the playa all you want but the game is too hard to hate...

Another Drab Performance

Mancini, Mancini, Mancini.. Your "proven" way of defensive soccer does not work. Getting players behind the ball all the time. Having no service for David Silva and Edin Dzeko. Playing Yaya Toure out of position among other things.

I watched the Chelsea and Manchester City game, I understand that the game is being played in Stamford Bridge and you want to start defending the game first. However with the money that is being spent at Eastlands, the fans and owners want an attacking brand of football. There is no reason why this should not be happening.

I could count about three players who had adequate games in the circumstance. Unfortunately there are all defensive players (De Jong, Kompany, and Lescott). Dzeko didn't have the proper service and David Silva didn't have the correct movement of his players around him. It is frustrating to those that are in the side that they can't do more.

Bringing on attacking players once you have to chase the game isn't the correct option. Waiting until 10 minutes left in the match to bring on attacking options rarely gives you results. Meanwhile, Chelsea becomes proactive and brings on attacking players while they are still in the 0-0 stalemate. Drogba supplies the free kick for David Luiz to score on. Ancelotti out-coached Mancini on that front.

Carlos Tevez could have been a big difference to this game. Dzeko doesn't seem to me to be able to put the team on his back and carry them through a game. He needs proper service to score goals. Tevez makes most things out of absolutely nothing. I can't blame Mancini for that because Tevez couldn't play due to an injury.

I understand punishing Balotelli for getting a needless red card in their Europa League tie on Thursday. He can still turn the game on its head given the starting opportunities. Granted, they run the rest of him becoming hot-headed and getting another red-card but I think these are some of the chances that needed to be made to become a top four side.

I don't know if a top-four finish will be able to save Roberto Mancini. They peaked too early this season and I do not think that he has the respect of the players on the team. Players aren't going to believe in their manager if their manager doesn't believe in the ability of the team to win.

Then again, what manager out there will be able to maximize City's potential???

Analyzing Manchester City and Barcelona

I am currently taking this course in Soccer Scouting and Operations. One of my assignments was to discussion in detail two clubs from different countries. Compare and Contrast the teams, the leagues, and what would you do to change teams without making any transfers.


"I chose to describe the English Premier League's Manchester City and the Spanish La Liga leaders Barcelona.

Manchester City was founded in 1880. They currently play their football in the English Premier League. City is in third place behind Manchester United and Arsenal respectively. Their manager is Roberto Mancini, an Italian coach who formely managed Inter Milan. Their history is not the greatest. Their last trophy came in the League Cup in 1976.

However with the new ownership of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and their influx of money. The Citizens have been able to buy top players like Carlos Tevez, Yaya and Kolo Toure, David Silva, and Mario Balotelli among others. Their aims are to qualify for the Champions League and eventually win the English Premier League.

Their main rival is Manchester United. In recent history, United has gotten on the better end of these derby matches but City has closed the gap competitively against them.

Barcelona is currently leading the Spanish La Liga. They are currently seven points ahead of Real Madrid. They are coached by Barca legend, Pep Guardiola. Barca is lead by some of the best players in the game with Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, and David Villa. They have a high powered offense that could score in the drop of a dime.

Their recenty history has been good. Winning the La Liga several of times and also winning the Champions League twice in the last decade. They also have legendary players like Johan Cruyff, Romario, Ronaldo, Hristo Stoickhov, and Ronaldinho.

Comparing Styles of Play
Manchester City uses a combination of English football and Italian football due to their manager Roberto Mancini. They sometimes boom the ball up field to their tall striker, Edin Dzeko. When they get into big games, they crawl into a defensive shell and pin all their hopes on Carlos Tevez, he is one of the best lone-wolf strikers in the game today.

Barcelona on the other hand, plays free-flowing attacking style of football. They pass and move until they are able to unlock the opposition defence. Barca makes the matches look like practice with their constant movement. They also smother teams when the they have the ball. They pressure all over the field so they can get the ball in a better position so they can score more goals.

The Leagues.
The EPL is a rough and tough league. It is very rapid fire. Most of the better teams are able to get the ball on the ground and start passing around. The worse off teams often try to boom the ball forward and hope for the best. They often bully teams rather than play football.

The La Liga is a bit more calm and relaxed. Most if not all of the teams like playing the ball short and keep it on the ground. That is why Barca and Real Madrid are so good because they have better players that play that high quality football.

Weather.
In England, the weather is often cold in the winter and mild in the late summer and early spring months. That is why brute force is used because playing short in sometmies icy pitches aren't helpful for the leading clubs.

Spain is a much more Mediterranean climate which is much more warmer than in England. So they can play their brand of passing football and individual players can shine in that style.

What I would change:
What I would do for Manchester City is play with a 4-3-3 formation that would have two defensive midfielders and David Silva has the playmaker who is a part of that three man midfielder. I would like my chances with a Tevez, Dzeko, Balotelli three man attack, when healthy. Balotelli is experienced at playing on the wing and him and Tevez would be comfortable cutting the ball inside and getting their own shots.

What can you really change from this Barcelona lineup? They are almost perfect. The only thing I would change is shelf the 3-5-2 lineup for good. They played this lineup against Valencia on Wednesday and almost got punished for it in the first 25 minutes of that game. The three back was never comfortable, so if I could change anything on that team is that I'd never play that lineup ever again."