Jose Mourinho: Not the Right Fit for Manchester United

This morning, Jose Mourinho was hired as manager of Manchester United. It was a job he spoke about continually after departing Chelsea in 2007, as he hoped to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson upon his retirement. Ferguson chose David Moyes instead, and Mourinho went back to Chelsea, where he had one good year, one great year, and half of last year which ended in a complete disaster. Meanwhile, Manchester United have been far below their historical standards, finishing seventh, fourth and fifth in the past three seasons.

As a Chelsea supporter, I don’t blame Mourinho at all, or hate him, for joining Manchester United. His players revolted on him at Chelsea and Roman Abramovich had no choice but to fire him. The Premier League is one of the most emotional sporting competitions in the world, and clearly the locker room at Chelsea was not behind him. I expressed my disdain for the chief antagonists in that development in my last post and I hope they’re shipped out of London this summer. Anyway, Mourinho isn’t exactly an endearing coach. It’s his way or the highway, and when things are going well, he is the first to bask in the glory. When things aren’t going so well, it quickly falls apart for him. The United board was already hesitant to hire him so I don’t expect him to be on a long leash. He hasn’t exactly had the best relations with boards of directors at his previous clubs.

There are a number of issues in play here. I believe many United fans misunderstood the purpose of Louis Van Gaal’s tenure. Not particularly endearing himself, Van Gaal rarely displayed the type of vigor many United fans wanted to see (but his flop on the touchline was pretty epic). It was his job to transition the team from the disaster that Moyes gave him to a title challenger in three years. The team finished lower in the table this year, and some of his purchases were certainly questionable, but he helped develop many of United’s best players. Marcus Rashford made a splash when Van Gaal put him in the lineup (he scored a goal on his debut for England today), and Van Gaal helped develop Memphis Depay and Daley Blind with United and previously with the Dutch national team. Anthony Martial is arguably the best position player on the team. Van Gaal has a strong record of developing youth and did relatively well with a young team. Jesse Lingard scored the winner for him in the FA Cup final, his final game. Was winning the title ever a realistic goal with the squad he had? Absolutely not. Tactically, United were very boring, and I think that’s why he was ultimately fired. Also, missing out on the Champions League because of the loss at West Ham was a killer.

As for Mourinho… First things first, if Mourinho is allowed to spend at will, United will be a contender, regardless of his antics. Mourinho has a way of getting the best out of players with somewhat obscure personalities – his great relationship with transfer target Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a perfect example, as is the 2014-15 performance of Diego Costa. United finished fifteen points behind Cinderella-side Leicester, their closest finish to the top since Sir Alex left, so it’s not like Mourinho needs to pull some sort of miracle to take them towards the upper echelon. He also has the best goalie in the league in David De Gea. He will need to buy, especially for midfielders and a striker, and if he is allowed to do so, it’s hard to see United struggling again.

However… there are a number of ways Mourinho just doesn’t fit the club:

1. He doesn’t trust youth. Van Gaal has spent the last two years developing players, many through the academy, a United staple. Their golden generations have come through the academy and shined for years as homegrown players. Young players like Marcus Rashford, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Adnan Januzaj are not going to play under Mourinho. He simply doesn’t do it. He will buy more experienced players to replace them. They’ll get a few starts in cup games, but it’s more likely you’ll see them shipped out on loan. Also, the existing side is old. With Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger are all well past their prime, Mourinho will have to spend heavily to get a starting XI that he’s comfortable with.

2. His style is usually boring. United was not exactly an exciting team to watch last year; they finished 10th in scoring, with just one more goal than nearly-relegated Sunderland. David Moyes played a long-ball style which was terrible, and while Van Gaal emphasized possession more, his players were often unable to do much with it. Mourinho plays on the counter. He can have his players play directly and I would expect more goals, but it’s not exactly a Pep Guardiola-esque free-flowing attack. His style was one of the major reasons United hesitated to hire him to begin with. One of his strengths is his tactical genius, but his style will not always, or maybe ever, please supporters.

3. He is overbearing. United has already given Mourinho the final say on all transfers, which definitely will help relations, as they have already accepted this to begin with. It’s not just transfers with him, it’s preparations, warm-ups, even team doctors that he feels he needs to control. As a club, United just don’t have that kind of personality, and when he used this approach at Real Madrid they eventually threw him out.

Mourinho has a lot to prove at United. He has to prove that he hasn’t lost his tactical acumen and that he can manage a big club without annoying everyone within it. I thought a move to a national side would have been more logical for him (he would’ve made a great coach for Portugal), but he has always wanted the United job, so he had to take the opportunity. The squad needs major improvements, and Mourinho will be successful if he is allowed to bring in a number of superstars. He won’t trust youth, and if he is not immediately successful, he will start alienating people at the club. Club legend Ryan Giggs is already on his way out after Mourinho’s appointment. I don’t have a prediction for Manchester United’s season, mostly because summer transfers will shape their potential success. With Leicester, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all contending for the title next year, Mourinho has a very difficult job on his hands. I understand why United hired him – he is definitely the best coach available at this point in time. But at first glance, he doesn’t look like the right man for the job.

The Story Behind the Fall of Chelsea FC

As a Chelsea fan, I love Jose Mourinho. I still do. His return to the club was supposed to set up a period of stability for a club that, although successful, has experienced turbulence and a great amount of turnover in personnel.

Well.. not so much. Mourinho’s departure paves the way for yet another interim manager, Guus Hiddink, and yet another period of uncertainty for the club. This time, the interim manager has a legitimate hole to dig out of, as opposed to other managers, whom were simply the next man up when owner Roman Abramovich became impatient.

Chelsea are in 15th place. They are just three points above the relegation zone. The team probably overachieved last year when it won the Premier League, but this is a disgrace. I feel for Mourinho because he tried everything. Perhaps it was the success from last year, the issues with the team doctors, or the poor early results – but what transpired was a swooning spiral into 15th place.

I place a large amount of blame on Cesc Fabregas. It is clear that Fabregas has a problem with Mourinho, and although he was typically matter-of-fact with the press, and publically paid tribute to the manager after his departure, I don’t believe him. He’s lying.

When Mourinho was at Real Madrid, he benched Iker Casillas, the famed Spanish goalkeeper and poster boy of Real Madrid. He benched Casillas because he wasn’t the best goalkeeper on the team. It did not go well. Casillas was visibly upset, and Mourinho eventually left the club. Casillas did as well, because Mourinho was right – Casillas no longer should be starting for a club that is aspiring to win all trophies like Real Madrid. As a club legend, Casillas felt he was owed something, something that was not given to him when Mourinho put him on the bench.

Fabregas was taken off at halftime after a poor showing against West Ham, and subsequently benched against Liverpool. Chelsea lost both games. He was taken off, and benched, because he was playing pathetically and with little effort. If there is one thing Mourinho will not put up with, it's a lack of effort on the defensive side. Rumors started to surface of locker room tensions, and many were tied to Fabregas. He denied them, and although his words were direct, the tone was not. At this point, things at Chelsea started to take a real turn for the worse. More recently, rumors spread that Chelsea team information was leaked before their crucial tie against FC Porto. Guess who was sitting on the bench – Fabregas. Hmm..

It really seems like Fabregas, and the other Spanish players in the squad, decided they’d had enough of Mourinho. Spain won three international tournaments in a row – they did so by playing possession football and playing through the midfield. Mourinho’s style of play could not be more opposite – he demands you cover as a winger, and the general style is counterattacking, not possession. What you have here is a classic case of the players believing they are better than the manager.

Fabregas has been terrible all year. His typically smooth passing has been non-existent, which has rendered him a liability in midfield because he’s never been a good defender. Diego Costa came into training overweight, by his own admission, and has spent more time this season trying to instigate opposing defenders than actually getting around them. Yeah, it was funny when he got Gabriel to bite against Arsenal, but it’s not funny when you’re losing more than half of the games you play because the striker isn’t in the right position. His spoiled demeanor was evident when, although being the last member of the squad to be dropped, he threw his warmup bib at Mourinho after not being played against Tottenham. Costa has scored three goals this season – I don’t think anyone can see the crying as justified.

The two other Spanish members of the squad are different stories. Pedro came over from Barcelona over the summer and he just hasn’t been very good. I don’t question his effort, but his overall play has been poor. I thought he was a good bargain but it just hasn't worked out. It happens. Azpilicueta, on the other hand, has been horrible. The goal he gave up to Riyad Mahrez last Monday was laughable. Yeah, it was a nice move by Mahrez, but if you basically get out of the way of an in-form striker when he shoots from six yards out, what do you think will happen? I’ve always thought Azpilicueta was a hard worker, and that makes his recent lack of effort that much more noticeable. He isn’t trying, and neither are Fabregas and Costa. When three members of an eleven-man team, with one in each line of the formation, aren’t giving their full effort, what you get is a 15th placed team.

It isn’t only on the Spanish players. Eden Hazard has yet to score in the Premier League after legitimate comparisons were made between him and Cristiano Ronaldo last year. I think he just got sick of Mourinho telling him to track back, and when Fabregas started the trouble, he joined in. Hazard’s hip injury exit from Monday’s game in Leicester was dubious – you could tell by Mourinho’s tone that he didn’t really believe him. I doubt he’s really injured. When Mourinho said he was “betrayed” – look no further.

Mourinho is not without blame. Clearly, his style is to be authoritative, and he has a “my way or the highway” personality. In a lot of ways, this is a good characteristic for a football manager, because the squad must believe in the game plan or it will fail. He’s arrogant. He berates officials, managers, players, everyone he can. But who doesn’t? He’s always been in the spotlight because of his straight-shooting philosophy and his great successes. Mourinho is a top manager whether the Chelsea players see it that way or not.  

It’s hard to believe, but this Chelsea squad has too many primadonnas – more than Real Madrid – to succeed under Mourinho. The Spanish players are too arrogant from all of their international successes. Hazard does not want to defend like a winger, only attack. No matter how talented, a disjointed team cannot win a tough league like the Premier League. They can’t even beat a dreadful team like AFC Bournemouth. Although neither could Manchester United..

What should Chelsea do? It’s going to be difficult to attract a top manager before the end of the year, but Guus Hiddink isn’t a bad option for an interim coach. In January, they need to sign a striker who is a poacher – someone who is going to run into the six-yard box and finish from close. They will not get relegated, but a top-four finish is nearly impossible, so the season is lost. If they can somehow gather form by February, PSG awaits in the Champions League. It’s unlikely they will win that matchup – so it’s time to rebuild.

Step 1 – Remove Fabregas, Costa and Azpilicueta from the team. Sell Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.

Step 2 – Find a coach with an established pedigree at a top club, but also one that fits English football. While I would not be upset if Chelsea wound up with Pep Guardiola next year, I don’t think his style really fits the Premier League. Diego Simeone would be a great coach for the team. They need a motivator.

Step 3 – Give the youth players time to play. Once Chelsea are in a safer position in the table, bench all of the above players and play some of the promising youth players, such as Bertrand Traore and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Show the players that they are not bigger than the club, and allow the talented youth to shine on the big stage. 

Jose Mourinho does not have a reputation to rebuild. These players do. Clearly, they will play better after his departure because they decided they were sick of him. In football, it’s much easier to fire one coach versus eleven players. Cesc Fabregas is impossible to root for as a Chelsea fan. He needs to go immediately. The rest of the players – their pride (in Mou’s words) is on the line for the rest of the year – to prove they are the world class players they pretended to be last year. Until some change occurs, the Chelsea players are right where they belong – 15th place.

Weekly Ranks 10/19 - PSG/Real Madrid, Manchester Derby on Deck

Rankings

1. Bayern Munich
2. Barcelona
3. Real Madrid
4. Paris Saint-Germain
5. Manchester City
6. Atletico Madrid
7. Borussia Dortmund
8. Juventus
9. Chelsea
10. Arsenal
11. AS Roma
12. Manchester United
13. Zenit St. Petersburg
14. FC Porto
15. Benfica
16. Vfl Wolfsburg
17. Celta Vigo
18. Napoli
19. Fiorentina
20. CSKA Moscow

Out: Villarreal

In: Napoli

News:

Bayern Munich made it nine-for-nine in the Bundesliga to maintain a seven-point lead over Dortmund. Bayern has a ridiculous +25 goal differential.. Barcelona got back on track with a 5-2 win over Rayo. Neymar isn't quite Robert Lewandowski, but did manage four goals on Sunday. He's doing his best to replace Messi, and I don't think Barca will fall off too much without the world's best player.. Celta Vigo maintained their surge, now second in La Liga after picking up a win at previous leaders Villarreal.  They are now joint top with Real Madrid and Barcelona. I'm not a believer quite yet. Real might not be as flashy of a team this year, but defensively, Rafa has the team in top form. They've conceded just two goals over eight games in a league that averaged 2.66 per game last year, second highest in the top-five leagues.. All four English teams in the rankings recorded wins last weekend, with Manchester United most impressive in a dominating win at Everton. The other three sides played very weak opposition, and each won easily. The Premier League is shaping up to be a bit more lopsided than usual this year.. Napoli joins the rankings after defeating Serie A leaders Fiorentina 2-1, cutting the gap between the two sides to three points. That's four wins out of five in the league for Napoli, who have recorded two additional wins the Europa League over that span.. Juventus looked better against Inter but could not defeat their rivals, drawing 0-0. I'm still waiting for Juve to turn it around, and there's still plenty of time. Maybe success in Europe will get the team going.. The Portuguese league was off this week.

Games to Watch:

Tuesday: Champions League action features Arsenal hosting Bayern Munich and Dynamo Kiev welcoming Chelsea. Arsenal dropped their first two contests and now face the unenviable task of defeating the German side to try and kick-start their European campaign. Bayern haven't lost since the Super Cup against Wolfsburg in August. They've also won their last two trips to the Emirates, 2-0 and 3-1, during first-leg matches in the Champions League. It's hard to see Arsenal breathing life into their hopes of progressing. Chelsea hardly proved they were back on Saturday despite a 2-0 win over Aston Villa, and face a long trip to Ukraine to face current Group G leaders Dynamo. Dynamo were just beaten 3-0 against arch-rivals Shakhtar, who jumped them into first in the Ukrainian Premier League. It's hard to predict what Chelsea team will show up in Kiev, and a loss would be very damaging for their chances of progression. With Eden Hazard likely returning to the side, I expect a strong performance from the Blues in Ukraine. 

Wednesday: A true titanic matchup in Group A takes place, with PSG hosting Real Madrid, and Real one goal ahead of their hosts through two games. Real have been superb defensively and will be a stern test for PSG, who have been rolling through Ligue 1. This is a statement game for the French side – they are not tested in the league very often and have spent the money to be among Europe's elite. Despite the talents of Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic being on display, I expect a tight, low-scoring game in Paris, with a slight edge to the home side. CSKA Moscow take on Manchester United with all four teams in Group B recording a win and loss in their first two games. All four are even in goal difference as well. Moscow is the site of United's 2008 Champions League triumph, and they won their last visit in 2009, defeating CSKA 1-0. It should be a good contest with a lot of goals – CSKA are leading the Russian Premier League and can keep up with United's pace. A win for United would put them in pole position to progress.

Saturday: League action is highlighted by Celta Vigo – Real Madrid. After defeating Barcelona 4-1 earlier this season, Celta could make a serious statement to the rest of the league by getting a positive result against Real. Real's goal differential is a bit inflated after a two-game stretch where they recorded 11 goals, but Ronaldo is still maintaining a healthy scoring pace. Celta would deserve a place in the top fifteen with a victory, while Real could close what has been a growing gap between Bayern Munich and the rest of the continent. It's hard to trust Celta with so few games played, but I expect them to give Real some issues.

Sunday: The top two sides in the Premier League clash in Manchester - United get the first shot at City at Old Trafford.  United halted a three-game home losing streak against City with a resounding 4-2 win last season. City have won four of six overall against United and lead them by two points. The Manchester derbies have been must-watch games over the last few seasons, and with both sides near the top of the league again, it should be another classic matchup. Wilfried Bony did a good job last week replacing Sergio Aguero, and City's title challenge this season could depend on his ability to produce until he returns. City are the better team overall, but you never know in these sort of games. Complete toss-up.

Weekly Ranks 10/5 - Bayern Jumps Barcelona, English Sides Struggle

Rankings

1. Bayern Munich
2. Barcelona
3. Real Madrid
4. Paris Saint-Germain
5. Manchester City
6. Juventus
7. Atletico Madrid
8. Borussia Dortmund
9. Zenit St. Petersburg
10. Chelsea
11. Arsenal
12. AS Roma
13. Manchester United
14. FC Porto
15. Benfica
16. Fiorentina
17. Vfl Wolfsburg
18. Villarreal
19. Celta Vigo
20. CSKA Moscow

Out: Bayer Leverkusen

In: CSKA Moscow

News:

Bayern Munich tops the rankings after their 5-1 drubbing of Dortmund. Bayern were ruthless on Sunday, scoring their five goals within a forty-minute time period. It seems to come in fives for the German sides now-a-days. Both Bayern and PSG will run away with their respective leagues – the question is, will the lack of legitimate competition derail performance in the Champions League, or will it allow star players some much needed rest? Bayern were beaten easily by Barcelona in last year’s semifinal after winning a weak Bundesliga, a year after they were crushed by Real Madrid at the same stage. Bayern's transfer policy, which has substantially weakened their opponents, seems to be backfiring in Europe.. Fiorentina is sitting on top of Serie A, and has scored thirteen goals to just one against in their last four matches, all wins. They’ve built up a ten-point lead over struggling Juventus, and must be considered legitimate contenders. Juve picked up two wins this week, and will surely begin to close the gap sooner rather than later.. Manchester City were the only English side to pick up two wins this week, slipping by Borussia Monchengladbach before destroying Newcastle. City can go as far as Sergio Aguero will take them.. It was another week of disaster for Chelsea, as two listless performances against Porto and Southampton has Jose Mourinho talking about his job prospects. I don’t believe Chelsea will fire Mourinho, but something needs to change, fast. The performances are getting worse and the defense is routinely out of position, giving away easy goals. A loss to Aston Villa after the break could spell big trouble for the Blues.. Arsenal and Manchester United had mixed weeks. Arsenal suffered a devastating loss against Greek champions Olympiakos, which practically ends their Champions League hopes, but bounced back with a 3-0 win over United. The Reds picked up a solid win over Wolfsburg on Wednesday before collapsing in the aforementioned defeat. It’s simply more of the same; United have yet to establish any consistency, while Arsenal are just the same old Arsenal. These sides wouldn’t be considered contenders if Chelsea weren’t in miserable form. It’s Manchester City’s title to lose.. I want to give some love to Andre Villas-Boas and Zenit. The club has navigated around AVB’s six-game domestic suspension to go top of Group H. Their domestic form is improving, but CSKA lead the pack with nine wins and two losses in eleven matches. AVB will be leaving Zenit at the end of the season, and while his tenure in Russia has had some curious moments, he has certainly earned himself another chance at a big club.. It was a good week for the Portuguese sides, as Porto and Benfica produced three wins from three. Benfica’s win in Madrid over Atletico was most impressive, albeit Atletico were preparing for a Madrid derby on the weekend. Porto’s win over Chelsea was analyzed particularly for Chelsea’s poor form, but Porto deserves a ton of credit. They attacked Chelsea with pace and were able to win the ball back quickly in midfield. Executing that type of football could take Porto a long way this season; they seem due for a run, don’t they?

Games to Watch:

Thursday: Euro 2016 qualifying matches will be taking place and there are just two matches left for many teams. Two interesting affairs, which happen to be in the same group, are Ireland – Germany and Scotland – Poland. The current standings in Group D are Germany with 19 points, Poland with 17, Ireland with 15 and Scotland with 11. However, Scotland’s last game is against Gibraltar, so barring what would perhaps be the biggest upset in qualifying history, Scotland will gain an additional three points, giving them 14. Despite playing the current world champions, the pressure is squarely on Ireland, as a loss would make their trip to Poland on Monday a must-win, unless the Poles can help them out by defeating Scotland. These four sides are all pretty good (obviously the Germans are world class) and usually light up the scoreboard, so the magnitude of these matches make them all the more compelling.

Keep an eye on Albania – Serbia as well. The first fixture was abandoned in Serbia after a pro-Albanian flag was attached to a drone and flown above the field during the match. The flag was eventually pulled down by a Serbian player, sparking a melee. The game was awarded as a 3-0 win to Albania, and Serbia were deducted a further three points due to the incident, which was yet another chapter is a series of worrying race and discrimination issues with Serbian fans. Albania have already qualified for the playoffs, and could secure an automatic place in Euro 2016 with wins over Serbia and Armenia, while Serbia are dead last and eliminated. It’s quite sad with Serbia, as there a number of household names on the team, but their fans continue to commit various hooligan crimes, both abroad and at home. It has undoubtedly affected the performance of the team, which has failed to build on their 2010 World Cup qualification.

Friday: 2018 World Cup qualifiers? Already? Qualifying begins in CONMEBOL, the football federation of South America, and Chile – Brazil is the highlighted matchup. Chile won the Copa America on home turf, sealing their first ever title. There isn’t much new with Brazil – they have begun to wash away last summer’s disaster, but their Copa America quarterfinal loss to a mediocre Paraguay side wasn’t nearly enough. I expect Chile to keep on rolling here.

Saturday: More European qualifiers, as Czech Republic – Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina – Wales highlight the slate. The Czechs, along with Iceland, have already qualified from Group A, while Turkey leads the Netherlands by two points for third. Four points from the two remaining games will send Turkey to the playoffs, which would mark a shocking collapse for the heralded Dutch side. Both sides play Iceland and the Netherlands face off against Kazakhstan on Saturday. It’s all on the line for Bosnia, as they must defeat group leaders Wales to have any chance of qualifying. They currently trail Israel by two points for third place. After qualifying for the World Cup for the first time as an independent nation, Bosnia has struggled badly in Group B, losing matches to Israel and Cyprus. Like the Dutch, they would be noticeable absentees if they don’t qualify for the final tournament.

Sunday: Thursday’s matches will determine the ultimate significance of Poland – Ireland but it will have meaning regardless of the results. If the Poles and Irish are able to secure their places with wins on Thursday, the match will determine which side goes through automatically versus through the playoffs. If Scotland defeats Poland on Thursday, the match will be for survival. These are two good sides so it should be an entertaining affair, especially with the form that Robert Lewandowski has been displaying for Bayern.

Monday: It could be a testy affair between Russia and Montenegro for each team’s final qualifying match. The Russians are currently in second place with Montenegro fourth. Sweden is in third, one point ahead of Montenegro, but face minnows Liechtenstein and Moldova in their final two matches. Montenegro could easily be eliminated by kickoff, and even if they remain three points behind Russia, they will need to win by four goals to go through. I’m highlighting the match because like Serbia and Albania, the first match was abandoned due to crowd trouble, and Russia was awarded a 3-0 win. The pressure will be cranked up further if the Swedes or Russians trip up on Friday, but things have to break perfectly for the Montenegrins.

Weekly Ranks 9/28 - Barcelona On Top, Bayern Close Behind

Rankings

1. Barcelona
2. Bayern Munich
3. Real Madrid
4. Paris Saint-Germain
5. Manchester City
6. Juventus
7. Chelsea
8. Borussia Dortmund
9. Atletico Madrid
10. AS Roma
11. Vfl Wolfsburg
12. Arsenal
13. Zenit St. Petersburg
14. Manchester United
15. FC Porto
16. Bayer Leverkusen
17. Villarreal
18. Benfica
19. Fiorentina
20. Celta Vigo

News:

Barcelona tops the rankings, despite a shocking 4-1 loss at Celta Vigo and the loss of Lionel Messi against Las Palmas. Both should serve as more of a wake-up call than a warning sign. The Catalan side still has the most potent attack in the world, despite just eleven goals in six games. Rivals Real Madrid have conceded just once thus far this season. Expect lower-scoring Classicos this year.. Robert Lewandowski’s five-goal tally in nine minutes against Wolfsburg was incredible. Bayern must be happy they went through all of that trouble to get him. Atop the league, Guardiola’s men will face few challenges domestically this season.. Meanwhile, Dortmund have gotten off to a hot start in the Bundesliga, with new coach Thomas Tuchel off to a bright beginning after replacing Jurgen Klopp. Tuchel didn’t change much tactically or within the squad, but did add some extra pace by acquiring Adnan Januzaj on loan. Dortmund’s sixth place finish last season is still baffling.. Manchester City has cooled off after a hot start, and Chelsea can’t seem to get going this season. The Sky Blues are the favorites to win the league, but they still have many of the same issues as prior years. With Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala out, City were all over the place defensively in a 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane.. Chelsea is just playing too slowly. They have been unable to break on the counter and use the pace of their forwards. Their poor defensive record stands out, but it has been a myriad of mistakes rather than sustained poor play that has cost them goals. Expect things to improve, but not greatly until Thibaut Courtois returns.. This should be PSG’s year to shine. Off to a hot start in Ligue 1, expectations are high for the Parisians in Europe. This could finally be their year.. Manchester United are top of the Premier League, but the odds of a season-long run at the title are still long. Anthony Martial is off to a firing start, and things are certainly coming together for the Reds, but I would not consider them to be contenders until next term. Performances are still too uneven, but this team is capable of beating anyone. The consistency will come.. Villarreal and Celta Vigo are off to good starts in La Liga, with Villarreal top of the league after six matches. While neither side can be expected to sustain a run at the top three, the clubs notched victories over Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, respectively. La Liga is the best league in the world right now, and if some balance finally begins to occur in the table, it will make the league even better.. Juventus, like Chelsea, has lost three of its first six games after losing just three last year. They sit 15th in the table, ten points behind Fiorentina after the Viola notched an impressive 4-1 win over Inter in Milan. Juventus’s dominance of Serie A gives them an easier chance at a fight back than the Blues have in the Premier League, but their 1-1 home draw against newcomers Frosinone was particularly poor. Injuries have played a part but Juve need to press their foot on the gas soon.. FC Porto took the early edge in the Portuguese Liga by defeating Benfica 1-0 last weekend. Benfica has won the league each of the past two seasons, and this season figures to be another tight race between the two archrivals.

Games to Watch:

Tuesday: Eight Champions League matches take place, but keep an eye on FC Porto – Chelsea and Arsenal – Olympiacos. Jose Mourinho visits the club where he won his first Champions League title, and Porto should provide a stiff test for a Chelsea side still trying to find their form. I’m expecting a draw, as Mourinho is typically conservative in road European matches and a draw would be just fine for the Blues as Porto drew their first match. However, Diego Costa will be ready to go – his three-game ban is only for domestic matches. Arsenal and Olympiacos each lost their first match, but in contrasting circumstances. The Greeks lost a relatively tight match to Bayern 3-0, and although the score line is not favorable, two of Bayern’s goals came in the final minutes. However, Olympiacos created little going forward and will need to push the tempo in London, as Arsenal have defended well when they have eleven players on the field. In Zagreb, that was not the case, as Olivier Giroud was needlessly sent off in the first half, and Arsenal fell to an embarrassing defeat in Croatia. This is certainly a must-win for the Gunners. The home side has won each of the last six matches between the two sides, and I expect that trend to continue.

Wednesday: Eight more Champions League matches, and there are two more that stand out: Juventus – Sevilla and Manchester United – Wolfsburg. Although, I wouldn’t mind watching Atletico take on Benfica in an Iberian battle, either. Both Juve and Sevilla won their first match, but are struggling badly in their domestic leagues. It is most surprising to see Juventus struggling, as they have dominated Serie A and kept hold of their most prized asset, Paul Pogba, this summer. Sevilla finally won their first match of the season on Saturday and picked up a solid 3-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach on Matchday 1. I expect Juve to win this game, but it should be an entertaining affair for the neutrals. Manchester United are top of the league but coming off a surprising 2-1 defeat in Eindhoven against PSV. Wolfsburg, my pick to win the group, defeated CSKA in their first match. German teams usually travel well, and Wolfsburg has a number of talented players, including German internationals Andre Schurrle and Julian Draxler. United should take this game, as it is essentially a must-win, but it should be very exciting with a number of goals.

Thursday: 24 Europa League games are on the slate – most interesting are Monaco – Tottenham and Celtic – Fenerbahce. Monaco and Spurs are two of the best teams in the competition, and while we likely won’t see their best sides on the field, it should still be an entertaining affair. Celtic and Fenerbahce faceoff at what is an always electric scene, Celtic Park. Celtic’s glory days are well behind them, but there is always a spirit about the Bhoys at home, and the crowd always creates an impressive atmosphere on European nights. Fener are finally past the match-fixing scandal that has plagued the club since 2011, and after missing European football the past two seasons, the Turkish side are looking to improve after a surprising 3-1 loss to Molde. Group A is probably the best group in this year’s Europa League – the fourth team is Ajax, another team with a proud history.  

Saturday: I will be watching Chelsea take on Southampton, but the only matchup between top sides is Sevilla – Barcelona. As mentioned, Sevilla have struggled in the league but they should be up for the challenge of playing the Catalan side. Expect the fireworks to be going off in Seville, although the absence of Lionel Messi will dampen the hype.

Sunday: The slate is nothing short of incredible – if you’re not an NFL fan (or a fan of say, the Saints, or the Bears) there’s an entire day’s worth of matches. Everton – Liverpool, Arsenal – Manchester United, Atletico Madrid – Real Madrid, Bayern Munich – Borussia Dortmund, PSG – Marseille, and AC Milan – Napoli highlight a jam-packed schedule. The Merseyside derby is always a testy affair, and the pressure has been building for Brendan Rodgers’s Liverpool. An improving Everton side could be exactly what gets them going – or the final nail in the coffin for Rodgers. The Madrid derby has been very tight over the last few seasons, and Diego Simeone’s side will be looking to inflict a first defeat of the season on Real. Unsurprisingly, Real have been much more efficient at the back but far less potent going forward under Rafa Benitez. Expect physical play to persist throughout the game. Bayern sit four points ahead of Dortmund entering the match, with the former already twenty goals to the good with seven wins from seven. Bayern are far ahead of their rivals nowadays, but Dortmund always gives them a good game. The tension between the two clubs regarding transfer policy has made these matches a must-watch.  

Premier League Preview

Manchester City were last season’s champions, which was expected throughout but required some slip ups, both literally and figuratively, from Liverpool to happen. Chelsea was close but just didn't have that cutting edge. There are seven contenders for this year’s title. Here is how I rank them:

Chelsea has the best team on paper. They have an experienced tactician now saddled with the team that he wants. The only thing in the balance is to see if Jose Mourinho still has his magic touch and is able to put the pieces together into one of his championship units. They are strong in every position – they even have two of the top goalkeepers in the world. Signings Filipe Luis, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas fill the team’s voids from last season. Nemanja Matic will be eligible in the Champions League and will anchor the midfield with Fabregas and Marco Van Ginkel. The only question is their ability to mesh together – sometimes Chelsea would look very discombobulated and out-of-sync, especially against weak opposition. The Costa addition should help address the lack of goals from the forward position, and although the sale of Romelu Lukaku could wind up hurting the club in the long run, Chelsea looks well-rounded and deep. An injury to Costa or Matic would leave Chelsea the most exposed, but there are so many talented attacking players in the side to fill the void. If the squad is able to mesh, Chelsea will dominate the league.

Arsenal finally ended their trophy drought with last year’s FA Cup title, and followed it up with another victory in the Community Shield against Manchester City. They will have their issues in defense but their attacking options can cause anyone problems with both pace and finesse. Alexis Sanchez was the big signing, but Yaya Sanogo will be a key player for Arsenal. If he can emerge into a Premier League level striker, Arsenal will contend for the title. If he cannot, there will be games where Arsenal are missing that little extra firepower to take the title.

Defensively they have plenty of questions. The departure of Thomas Vermaelen means that Arsene Wenger has enough confidence in Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker to carry the squad. New captain Mikel Arteta will have to have one of his best seasons. At age 33, his best years could be behind him, but perhaps this could be the least asked of him, considering the talent surrounding him on the field. Arsenal haven’t been in a title race for years – this squad is finally close to the caliber needed to endure the long season. I expect good things from Arsenal, but they will need to play much better against the top teams in the league – an area where they were beaten heavily on multiple occasions last term.

Manchester City are the defending champions, and have retained the core of last year’s team. David Silva, one of their best players, has committed to the club long-term, signing a new five-year deal. City were fortunate to take last season’s trophy, but they have one of the top squads on the continent, and owners who certainly aren’t afraid to spend. City will look to be ambitious in Europe as well - their transition from a rising, rich club to an established superpower is finally complete. After City won their first title three years ago, there was a noticeable drop off during the following season. Their offensive weapons are plentiful and probably the best in the league, but despite signings of Bacary Sagna and Fernando to help the defense and holding midfield, I see their defense as a weak spot. Joe Hart has failed to convince during his years as City's #1 in goal, and Willy Caballero was terrible against Arsenal. City will score a ton of goals and should be right in the thick of it, but without someone stepping up in the defensive third, they will drop too many points.

Liverpool were last season’s surprise story. Brendan Rodgers has put together a very complete squad but lost his top player and goalscorer, Luis Suarez, to Barcelona. While the embattled Suarez’s departure will certainly help Liverpool off the field, his absence will be felt on it, and with no viable replacement signed this offseason, Liverpool will struggle to replicate their second-place finish. Dejan Lovren was a big signing, helping what was a beleaguered defense last season, but other signings, including two others from Southampton, will have less of an impact. I like the prospects of Adam Lallana but I don’t really see how he fits into the team. Liverpool will have a strong midfield but I still see weaknesses in defense and an attacked centered around Daniel Sturridge. He had a great season last year and has proven himself with the Reds, but overreliance on Sturridge, who was very erratic in his Chelsea days and is now without his strike partner, could be costly. Liverpool shouldn’t experience a drastic dropout, but I see a battle for a top-four place.Tottenham learned that losing your best player and replacing him with a few good ones usually doesn't work.

Manchester United are a popular bounce back candidate under new coach Louis Van Gaal. United have been impressive in the preseason, but I don’t see them reaching the top 4 this year. David Moyes mismanaged the club and was a major factor in the rapid descent of the club, but the players are not good enough and there weren’t enough big signings to overhaul the squad. The team that won the title two years ago was far too reliant on currently injured Dutchman Robin Van Persie, and there are a number of unproven players that Van Gaal will be forced to give a chance. He did a fantastic job with Holland, taking a team of youngsters to a third place finish in Brazil this summer, but the league season is a long grind, not a short sprint. Van Gaal will help develop some of the young talent and can certainly stop the bleeding from last year, but a quick jump back into the top four looks unlikely to me.

Everton’s signing of Romelu Lukaku completely changes the outlook on the season. Without Lukaku, they were without a bona fide striker and one of their top players from last season. With him, they should continue to be a dangerous side. Roberto Martinez has proven himself to be one of the best managers in the Premier League, and with Everton actually buying players after years of catching up with debt, a top four place is hardly out of the question. Everton has always been a show-me squad; I'm not going to predict them to finish in the top four until I see it. They play a very attractive style and their matches with Liverpool should be very intense, but I don't see the depth to crack the Champions League places. It should be another good campaign from Everton, and Martinez will continue building this squad for the future.

Tottenham took a huge step backwards last season. It began with Andre Villas-Boas, ended with Tim Sherwood, and was underwhelming throughout. Gareth Bale’s move to Real Madrid gave Daniel Levy a massive paycheck to spend on new players, which he did – but very few shone during the rocky season. Eric Lamela was the biggest underperformer, with his move from Roma a complete flop amid talks of him leaving the club after just one year. Mauricio Pochettino proved a success at Southampton and he could be the right man in North London. Spurs could prove to be very good this year but they don’t stack up well against the teams above them. They have more rebuilding to do and have had the least success in the transfer market. It will be interesting to see if Pochettino can end the club’s disappointing run, or if the new players will continue to struggle. Spurs and Everton are both very good sides, but the top three teams are so strong that it's going to be difficult to take a European place.

The best team defensively in any sport is often the one who wins. Chelsea had the best defensive record last season and their defense could be even better this season. I just see Arsenal and City dropping points because of their potential defensive issues. Regardless, it should be a tight race and I'm looking forward to the season starting this weekend.

Projected Top 7:

1)      Chelsea
2)      Arsenal
3)      Manchester City
4)      Liverpool
5)      Manchester United
6)      Everton
7)      Tottenham
Trivia: Who is the highest scoring active player in the English Premier League?

Last answer: Brazil and Italy. Brazil won both finals, in 1970 and 1994.

Champions League Quarterfinals Review

The results were as follows (on aggregate)

Real Madrid 3 – 2 Borussia Dortmund

Chelsea 3 – 3 Paris Saint-Germain (Chelsea advances on away goals)

Bayern Munich 4 – 2 Manchester United

Atletico Madrid 2 – 1 Barcelona

It sounds simple, but at this point, the teams that move on are the teams that take their chances – possession, style of play, etc. don’t really matter because all of the teams are good. All four quarterfinal losers had plenty of chances to create a different result than their ultimate defeats, and for PSG and Dortmund, it is especially painful to go out because they had several great chances to score more goals. It doesn’t always matter what the matchup is – putting the ball in the net, whether it’s out of one chance or twenty, is why the four semi-finalists are through. The Champions League isn’t about being the best; it’s about doing enough to win. 

I figured on Atletico – Barcelona being the toughest to call, and it’s the first one of this year’s knockout round that I gave an incorrect prediction. In truth, it wasn’t all that close – Atletico were clearly the better side. I would say Barcelona may have edged the first leg, despite trailing on away goals, but in the second leg Atletico were rampant. They allowed Barca to stay in the tie but created numerous wonderful chances and were very unlucky, hitting the bar three times in the first twenty minutes of the match. They are a hard-working side and their place atop La Liga and in the semi-finals of the Champions League can only be questioned by those who have not seen the team play. They have a disruptive style of play by pressing high up the pitch, which allows them to brush aside smaller, weaker opposition. Barcelona have proven themselves to be somewhat of a one-dimensional side, and while they are elite in their tiki-taka passing, they have been taken out in the last three years by teams that bullied them physically. With their world champion Spanish midfield nearing the end of their prime, if not already at the end already, Barcelona is facing a transitional phase. Their loss to Granada at the weekend just compounds what has been a disappointing season for the Catalans.

The tie between Chelsea and PSG was always going to be close because the teams play in a very similar way. They are both led from the back, have exciting wing players with pace, as well as being strong at home while not as dominating on the road. I actually think PSG played poorly in this tie, perhaps due to their inexperience in the competition, and losing Zlatan for the second leg really hurt them. Cavani was lost up top and could have buried Chelsea twice but failed to hit the target on either occasion. But starting from the first leg, they played passively and gave Chelsea the chance to dominate the first half. In the second half they were better, but scored the two goals because of some terrible defending, not great football. In the second leg, they started off positively, and looked comfortable until Andre Schurrle scored for Chelsea. That set off what seemed to be fear throughout the whole side, and it took almost thirty minutes, when Yohan Cabaye came on, for the side to stabilize. They were better and should have killed off the game but didn’t, and now must face more questions of their credentials. I think the French Ligue 1 doesn’t test them enough, and while that is something they have little control over, it’s going to be hard to put PSG in the elite class until they can prove themselves on the continental stage. 

I’m not taking away anything from Chelsea here. There are few sides I would give a better chance of overturning a 3-1 deficit than the Blues, if any at all, and overcoming the loss of Eden Hazard made the triumph even more impressive. Not many teams can lose their best player, who is also the center of their attacking game plan, and beat a team like PSG by two goals. Were they fortunate? I wouldn’t say so – they hit two posts and looked like the better side for a majority of the two legs. They were sloppy in France and were punished, but they put together a determined performance at the Bridge. Mourinho and Chelsea personify the attitude of getting results, and not worrying about how the result is achieved. That looping shot from Ba was just enough to see Chelsea through.

When Patrice Evra scored his thunderous volley (see it if you haven’t), Manchester United had a lead against Bayern Munich after almost 150 of the 180 minutes of the tie. That is something I never really considered as a possibility, and interestingly enough, they were playing well enough to deserve it. That lead lasted all of 70 seconds, and after that lead evaporated so quickly into the Allianz Arena air, you could tell it was over. The sad part for United is that this was their best tactical showing of the year, and it was against an opponent they knew would try to dominate them. From his days at Everton, David Moyes was used to having less talent than his opponents, but he could shape his sides to put in hardworking performances while not seeing much of the ball. Manchester United plays on the ball, and as a top club, must dominate it in most games. That is why he is not the man for this job – he doesn’t have that style in his playbook, and these players don’t either. He did a great job in this tie because it was one where he had to be defensive, and if he had a healthy Wayne Rooney, or Robin Van Persie, they just may have squeaked through. As it is, they are out and have virtually no chance at reaching the competition next year through their place in the league. If Moyes stays on to rebuild the squad to make it back to the Champions League, he’s going to have to blow up the way it’s structured now. 

As for Bayern, it was very unimpressive. They were poor in Manchester despite having over 75% of the ball and were dreadful in Munich until Evra woke them up with his screamer. The bottom line is that if they play like that in the next round, they will be out. United were the weakest team in the draw, and Bayern prepared for them like they knew that. It was positive to see the side adapt after going a goal down to quickly brush away their fans’ fears of a shock exit, but there are plenty of causes for concern. Perhaps the weakness of the Bundesliga, which Bayern had a large role in creating, is creating a lackadaisical feeling in the locker room. They were rather fortunate against Arsenal and United to make it through. Bayern can be the best team in the world, and from this stage on, they must start to play like it or they will be eliminated. 

Real Madrid must be a frustrating side to root for. They played exactly the way I thought they would in the first leg, dominating a decimated Dortmund team missing their top striker. I know Ronaldo didn’t play in the second leg but they were terrible in Dortmund. Terrible. They could have been 3-0 down at halftime and Dortmund had a number of golden chances to score in the second half. I just don’t understand it, Carlo Ancelotti is a great coach and tactician, so I don’t get how missing Ronaldo (he’s great of course) turns them into such a slow team. Everything was slow, conservative, and the defense was mistake-happy, gifting Reus a brace. Very surprising performance in that regard. I think it's one they can brush off quickly, but they added to their miserable history in Germany after putting a stop on it in the round of 16.

I thought Dortmund would be very overmatched here and what they proved is that if Jurgen Klopp stays at the club, they will be a force to be reckoned with. They have suffered through injuries, transfer rumors, and pre-contract signatures of its best players to Bayern Munich, but Dortmund had a great chance to reach the semi-finals for a second straight year. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is a wonderful player, but he has underperformed this season and missed an open goal that would have tied the aggregate at 3. The squad bounced back to crush Bayern 3-0 over the weekend, with Klopp sitting Lewandowski to start. A test for next season perhaps? Klopp is already trying to gain an edge.

The semifinals are drawn as such:

Real Madrid – Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid – Chelsea

Possibilities include a Madrid derby in Lisbon's final, as well as a rematch of the 2012 final. It should be interesting - these are four great teams but nobody is in particularly great form. Preview coming late this week.