Posts Tagged ‘Sergio Ramos’

ASP

Having scraped through the group stage by the skin of their teeth, the Spanish decided to take on Russia without Andrés Iniesta in the starting line-up or, to be more accurate, Fernando Hierro made the decision to leave him on the bench.

It was a tactical manoeuvre designed to counter the counter of Russia and, in the main, it worked, giving the Spain team a little more pace to chase back.

Everything certainly started off going to plan as the visitors took the lead after 12 minutes. The goal was rather scrappy and was actually an own goal scored by Sergei Ignashevich who was busy trying to wrestle Sergio Ramos to the ground when the ball hit his heel and left Akinfeev stranded. (more…)

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fred

(Fred, having spotted the cameras, sticks out his tongue and starts doing those keepy-uppy thingummyjigs)

What did we tell you in yesterday’s tittle-tattle? Those of you who actually read it will remember that we pointed out that it was approaching the time when players were going to have to start making the headlines for moving from one club to another instead of managers.

With only Chelsea to decide upon who should occupy their hot seat next season, the news on coaches was always going to become rather thin on the ground eventually and the attention must now, inevitably, turn to the real entertainers.

So here’s what we know so far. (more…)

hk

(Harry Kane stifles a yawn brought on by the intense tiredness suffered having spent the equivalent of 78 hours, (3.25 days), playing competitive football this season)

Any regular reader of ours will be well aware of our opinions of managers who claim that their players are tired.

You know the ones, they have to play two games in a week and, when they lose one, it’s nearly always down to tiredness. Most of the top Premier League managers will use it as an excuse at least two or three times per season.

They will go whining on about a winter break as though that will suddenly turn their players into world beaters. (more…)

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Not only is it a one-way street but, for the most part, it is cordoned off at one end and emblazoned with “No Entry” signs!

In recent years there have been a few players leave Manchester United for Real Madrid yet, in return, only one has ventured the wrong way up that one-way street.

Is this just coincidence or is there more to it than that?

Manchester United, during the Sir Alex Ferguson era, sold four players to Madrid. They were; Ruud van Nistelrooy, David Beckham, Gabriel Heinze and Cristiano Ronaldo. (more…)

 

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Looking at the genuine first team choices available to the two managers it is Manchester United who need the likes of Raphael Varane, John Stones or Leonardo Bonucci, more than Manchester City.

Pep can boast the services of Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala, Nicolas Otamendi and Jason Denayer, all of whom are current picks for their national squads. These, if no further signings are made, would probably be the four centre backs in the squad for next season.

Unfortunately, for City and Kompany, he is very injury prone and unless he can overcome this problem then a new signing will have to be made.

Mangala has never really found the form that convinced City to buy him and has been inconsistent to say the least. He did, however, seem to be coming into a bit of form towards the end of last season. (more…)

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How many transfer targets have Manchester United actually missed out on?

To start with they haven’t missed out on Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger, Darmian, Romero or Depay, as they signed all of them, and remarkably quickly based on Ed Woodward’s previous perfomances.

There are three players United are reported to have missed out on, but have they really? That’s not to say they never wanted them, just that their interest ceased before anything transpired. Let’s take a look at the individuals. (more…)