Posts Tagged ‘Real Madrid’

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In his latest chinwag with the nation’s finest press and broadcasting representatives, José Mourinho managed to express an opinion which hasn’t been met with gasps of surprise or “what’s he going on about now?” type questions.

He claimed, quite categorically, that Manchester United may be a big club but it is not a big team.

Pause for breath while the assorted menagerie which passes itself off as intelligent authors of the truth digest this profound statement.

What can he possibly mean? Well, dear readers, it is the truth and has been for a long while. (more…)

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The ‘Special One’ is no longer special. Very good, maybe, but special? No longer.

Whilst winning all of his titles and trophies with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Chelsea again and now, Manchester United, he created a history deserving of his title.

In 17 seasons of club management, Mourinho led his club to win its domestic league eight times, the UEFA Champions League twice and the UEFA Cup/Europa League twice. Between 2003 and 2012, Mourinho did not go a single calendar year without winning at least one trophy.

So he was, without doubt, special. He now needs to prove that he still is, or still can be. (more…)

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Another good night was had in Europe on Tuesday by the majority of the English clubs. Manchester City clawed their way to a 1-0 victory over Feyenoord which confirms their winning of the group, Tottenham continued to display their new found maturity, particularly in European competition, by winning in Dortmund and Liverpool, well, they continue to be just Liverpool!

The plucky little scousers managed to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory having suffered a second-half collapse similar to that of AC Milan in the Ataturk Stadium back in 2005.

So Tottenham have won their group if they can take a point from their final game and Liverpool will guarantee qualification with a point from their final game. (more…)

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On the back of his undoubted success at Porto, José Mourinho was appointed by Chelsea owner Román Abramóvich to take the team to the next level which, in their case at that time, was to win the Premier League.

This is where the Mourinho success story really begins. In his first season with Chelsea he won the Premier League and League Cup spending £81.2 million in the process. The following year he retained the Premier League and won the FA and the League Cups whilst spending a paltry £58.4 million. He then had a barren year but still managed to spend £63 million and this was followed by a further £17.2 million the season he left. (more…)

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It is now five years since Chelsea, after very fortuitous wins in the semi-final and final, won the Champion’s League. Had they not had that good fortune back in 2012, then it would have been nine years since an English club last won the trophy, that being Manchester United, on penalties, against Chelsea.

Since that Chelsea victory England has had at least four representatives every season with only Manchester City, who reached the semi-final in 2016 under Manuel Pellegrini, getting anywhere near the final. (more…)

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We have always said that the “London” thing is overrated and used as an excuse far too often, usually by the press when they haven’t got the true answer as to why a player, such as Eden Hazard for example, chooses Chelsea over United or City.

The fact is that he didn’t.

At the time Hazard moved to Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were competing on all levels and were in the process of rebuilding having just won the Champions League. Manchester City had been favourites to sign him but grew frustrated at the protracted negotiations and ended up walking away. (more…)

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Following a decent start, at home, against an average team, Manchester United players will have gained confidence as well as the three points from their performance. They will have gained little else as the victory over West Ham United was a relative stroll, particularly after the first goal had demolished any “ambition” they may have had of defending for ninety minutes.

Manchester City also experienced an easy day out in Brighton where, despite initially struggling to break down the HOME!!? team, they won quite comfortably in the end. Both clubs, without really being tested, looked quite convincing but were helped by the opposition! (more…)

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Cristiano Ronaldo went to Real Madrid from Manchester United for a world record transfer fee. He was followed, not too long afterwards, by Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur also for a world record transfer fee.

What did the two clubs do with all this money? Well, one wasted it and the other doesn’t know where it is! As yet, nobody has spent it wisely.

Who, for example, is in the current Manchester United team and was bought with the Ronaldo money? Who is in the current Tottenham team and was bought with the Bale money? (more…)

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We here at WSA accept that highly paid football managers such as Arséne Wenger and José Mourinho, and highly paid ex-playing pundits such as Paul Scholes, Steve McManaman and Steven Gerrard, will be deemed to know more about the beautiful game than we do.

After sitting and watching Manchester United lose to Real Madrid, a game in which Madrid, as well as scoring two goals also hit the woodwork twice it was interesting, to say the least, to hear both pundits and manager praising the United performance. (more…)

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The European Super Cup

So the European Community Shield Super Cup was played tonight between Manchester United and Real Madrid and everyone had a jolly day, (and night), in Skopje, Macedonia. Or, as it is more romantically known, FYROM.

Other than the obvious enjoyment of even more travelling and another meaningless game coming just three days before the start of the new season, what is the point of this fixture? Even United and Real Madrid fans will be struggling to remember it a year or two from now. (more…)