Posts Tagged ‘Chelsea’

Written on June 11th, 2013 by Football Comments

Can the Manchester dominance be broken?

Can the Manchester dominance be broken?

Can the Manchester dominance be broken?

By Mikael McKenzie: With the top three clubs in Britain starting the 2013/14 campaign with new managers, it is the biggest opportunity for the Manchester dominance of recent years to be broken. Sir Alex Ferguson retired at the end of this season’s campaign, former Everton manager David Moyes was installed in hot seat at Old Trafford. While Moyes has all the ingredients to succeed, will he be able to continue the dominance we have seen from United in recent seasons.

David Moyes arrival at Manchester has seen a shake-up with the backroom staff, Goalkeeping coach Eric Steele and assistant Mike Phelan have both left the club. Moyes will be looking to replace the backroom staff with his own personel.

Sir Alex Ferguson has warned David Moyes the biggest challenge will be the “enormity” of Manchester United when taking over as manager and said his successor will decide if Wayne Rooney should stay at the club, Ferguson does not know if Moyes could persuade Rooney to stay. “I have not spoken to David about that. I’m sure he will address it, ” Fergie said.

Whether David Moyes can lead the club like Sir Alex has done for the past 15 years remains to be seen, but you can certainly count on the former Everton manager to give it a go.

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Written on May 18th, 2013 by Football Comments

The Magic Of El Niño

The Magic Of El Niño

The Magic Of El Niño

By Ines Barbosa: For the last two years, Fernando Torres’s life has been all but easy. A polemic transfer, hatred from those who once saw him as an idol, hatred from those who should be supporting him in his new path and to top all that off, poor performances every single time he played and a severe lack of goals. To think that he used to be one of the most feared strikers in the world and suddenly all he was, was a joke to everyone.

Nothing seemed to come easy to him anymore, and he seemed to lack all that passion and fire that once he had. And then Chelsea was relegated to the Europa League 2012/2013… and as odd as that may sound, the thing that no one believed anymore, happened. This Europa League served as Fernando’s lucky charm.

Nine goals, many of which were absolutely decisive for Chelsea to go through in the various stages of the competition. Nine goals, a score that seemed to boost his confidence like nothing had in the two previous years.

It was like he knew, he just knew, that it was meant to be – on every Europa League game, he stepped on the field like he did so many times before, but there was something in his steps that was oh so different from all the other games. It was like he knew the team depended on him and him only to take them to that so desired trophy. And he did. Victory after victory, he did.

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Written on April 21st, 2013 by Football Comments

English Premier League: The race for Champions League Football

English Premier League: The race for Champions League Football

English Premier League: The race for Champions League Football

Elson Kakaire: It was only one week ago that Tottenham Hotspurs’ pursuit of a top four finish looked as if it was going to end as they laboured to another disappointing result at home against Everton. With no Bale and no Defoe it seemed as if there was no hope for Spurs.

Especially with Arsenal winning away at Craven Cottage meaning that by the time Spurs entertained Manchester City they could have been seven points adrift from their most fierce of rivals.

The midweek results went in Spurs’ favour however with Everton holding Arsenal to a goalless draw at the Emirates. Despite Chelsea winning in midweek, that draw at the Emirates gave Spurs some hope to keep the race for 4th alive if they could beat City.

Arsenal did their job against ten man Fulham and after 70 minutes at White Hart Lane with City holding a 1-0 advantage, it looked as if Spurs were to falter yet again. This was until Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe returned for Tottenham after both being out injured and gave Spurs the lift that they needed. Bale assisted one and scored another while Defoe scored a trademark goal to keep the Spurs marching on.

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Written on March 20th, 2013 by Football Comments

Fernando Torres: From Hero… To Zero?

Fernando Torres has struggled with form since joining Chelsea

Fernando Torres has struggled with form since joining Chelsea

By Inês Barbosa: On a day like today, exactly twenty-nine years ago, a blonde boy was born in Fuenlabrada, a little city near Madrid. Nobody knew it at the time, but that boy – Fernando José Torres Sanz, they called him – would become one of the best footballers the world ever saw.

Those who knew him all his life state that he has always been the quietest person, but his love for playing football started very early, at the age of four, and even by then he changed totally, when he had a ball at his feet: all his quietness vanished and a different kind of fire, a passion, took its place.

Fernando was only eleven when he joined Atlético de Madrid’s academy, and even though he dreamt about becoming a professional footballer, he could not even dream about how high he would end up getting. At the age of 17, he made it to the first team and managed to win the Euro in the Under 16’s category.

Only two years later, he was made captain of the team and led them throughout the best and the worst, always giving all of himself to the club who had first stolen his heart.

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