Posts Tagged ‘Manuel Pellegrini’

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When Arsene Wenger fielded a weakened team in the Capital One Cup against Sheffield Wednesday, he got exactly what he deserved. The 3-0 scoreline did not flatter the Owls and they could have won by more.

My question to Wenger, Pellegrini, van Gaal, Mourinho and Ferguson in the past is, do you actually realise how the disrespect is apportioned in this competition?

The first object of disdain is your own fans. They blindly follow where you go, spending hard earned money on tickets, travel and occasionally hotels in order to see their heroes try to win a game of football. The Arsenal fans who travelled up the M1 to Sheffield were cheering the team on and pledging their undying love even when they were 3-0 down. (more…)

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There seems to be more international football matches nowadays than ever before. To me it is an irritant rather than something to look forward to. Here is what I thought about it a just over a year ago.

The football season just starts and we need a break for internationals. We get a month or so further down the line and we need another break for internationals. Some of them are qualifiers, meaningless or otherwise, some of them are just friendlies, meaningless friendlies. (more…)

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As Christmas approaches there will be the inevitable cries from some of the Premier League managers, (for it is only them, the lower league managers just get on with it), for a Winter break from the gruelling schedule that can see a top player sometimes having to don his playing boots twice in three days.

You have to feel for the poor souls. Having to survive on a mere pittance of a salary, play on pitches resembling the finest Persian carpets, stay in five star hotels the night before a game, (which now seems to be the norm even for a home game) and then , to add insult to injury, go and kick a ball around for 180 minutes over a period of three days.

As you will no doubt be aware, this scenario is only available at Christmas and the New Year. Thankfully, the poor, vulnerable little waifs and strays will only be asked to run around in circles twice per week at other times of the year, so they don’t feel quite as shattered. (more…)

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Even at this early stage, it looks as though Manchester City are the best bet for the Premier League title.

Having bought Kevin De Bruyne, an excellent player they don’t really need, along with Sterling and Otamendi, they will have, in my opinion, the best team and squad in the top division.

Who will be the fall guy for De Bruyne? Well, they won’t drop Silva or Toure and, at present, Sterling is their record signing, so he looks safe. It looks like it’s going to be bench warming time for Jesus Navas.

In fairness I haven’t seen Navas contributing a lot up to now. In fact, when he has come on, Samir Nasri has looked a lot better than Navas. Navas also seems to unbalance the team slightly because he only wants to play on the right wing and rarely strays from that position, whereas Sterling, Silva, Nasri and De Bruyne can all interchange and play anywhere across the three. (more…)

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Why is it called a “transfer window?”

It does seem a very strange name for a period of time during which football players may be transferred from one club to another.

A window may be open, closed or broken. The transfer window appears to go through all three states at some time or another.

Usually it is closed. This means that professional football players who are contracted to play for a particular club cannot leave that club for another during this period.

On two occasions per year it is open. This means that professional football players who are contracted to play for a particular club can leave that club for another during this period. (more…)