Futbol: Últimas noticias de Hoy

Arguably two of the best footballers of the current decade, both are, at glance, very similar players. They’re both attackers, great with a ball, and both play for a Spanish club. However there can only be one winner, so here’s the comparison: Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lionel Messi

Lionel is only 24 years old and currently plays for fc Barcelona. Born in Rosario, Messi started playing football at the age of 5, under his father’s wings, at a local club. He then rolled into the Barca youth team where he worked his way up from C-B teams to the main squad in rapid pace. His debut in the highest class of football began at the age of 16, during a friendly against FC Porto.

Now in 2011 it’s time to analyse his style of play and it becomes crystal clear that he’s a master with the ball. Thanks to his short length and fast legs, any opponent will have a hard time keeping up with him. However unlike most magicians, he’s also a terrific team player.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano is 26 years old and is a Real Madrid player. Ronaldo started his career at Sporting (2002) and in 2003 he guided his team to a win against the big Manchester United. The players of Man U knew that they would rather play with him than against him, so they contracted Ronaldo for the start of the 2003 season. After countless of successes, he became the most expensive player ever when he transferred to Real Madrid in June of 2009, the price: 94 million euro.

Ronaldo is a very fast and strong player. He took sprint lessons from the Olympics champion and is clearly a player «from the streets», pulling more tricks with a ball than any party clown could ever aim for. This quality is further emphasised by a great shooting technique that makes him an excellent asset during set pieces.

Versus

Now it’s time to compare the two players and pinpoint a winner, in my respectful opinion. First it’s clear that both players are terrific assets to any team, and both share a lot of qualities. For one they can both outplay several opponents and make a difference when the opposition is tight.

However a winner has to be chosen and in my opinion that winner is Cristiano Ronaldo. At this point Messi might have the edge on the field, but Ronaldo has great free kicks and is clearly stronger physically. The trade off being that Messi is the better team player. I remember Ronaldo when he played for Manchester United and back then he was, without a doubt, the best player in the world. His way of attacking suited the wing-play of Manchester United perfectly, and while less obvious in Madrid’s style of play, his past years are to be considered. Also in Ronaldo’s favour is his great charisma off the pitch. Messi is a pure footballer and doesn’t have that same level of personality away from the field, something past greats (Cruijff, Maradona) did have.

And that’s it for this comparison. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi share a lot of qualities; especially the ball technique of both is ground breaking. And while Messi currently has the edge, in my opinion Ronaldo is the more complete footballer in the long haul, not partly thanks to his great charisma both on and off the pitch. However they’re both very young so in the coming years this slight favour can definitely swing both ways.

Ronaldo vs Messi

Firm followers of UEFA competitions and most especially the Champions League, can attest to the reality that there have been EPL sides in the semi-final of the champions league for the previous six seasons i.e. 2003-2009.
In the past six seasons, EPL sides regular in the champions league (Liverpool FC, Manchester United FC, Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC) have all some way featured in the semi-final of the champions league in the past six seasons, which made English and even foreigners marvel at their absence this season, in the semi-final of Europe’s elite club competition.

In 2005, Liverpool (the all red) and Chelsea (the true blues) locked horns in an entertaining semi-final with both sides led by managers who have managed his team for barely two seasons, Liverpool went on to win the encounter, after a closely contested semi-final match. Liverpool eventually emerged triumphant in that year’s Champions league, after defeating Ac-Milan in an epic final which saw one of the greatest comebacks in football history, 3-0 to 3-3 and then victory.

The proceeding year, Arsenal featured in both the Semi-final and final of the Champions league, to mark a turn-around in their footballing history, but were not so lucky to win the trophy after only qualifying for their first final match in the champions league. They battled with Barcelona in that year’s final, i.e. 2006 final, but got beaten by 2 goals to 1, with Jens Lehmann sent off in that match.

In 2007, Liverpool and Chelsea once again were drawn to do battle in the semi-final of the 2006/2007 season. With the first leg drawn to be played at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea had the opportunity of progressing, and they took full advantage of the home factor by defeating Liverpool by a lone goal after a highly contested fixture. At Anfield, Liverpool played with caution while also surging forward in search for the goal that will put them on level terms with Chelsea, luckily for Liverpool the goal came. A low cross from Steven «general» Gerard found an unmarked Daniel Agger, who sliced the ball through the bodies of Chelsea players and bang into the net early in the first half. Liverpool preserved the one goal lead even after 90 minutes until the extra time was over, then it was time for the ultimate decider; penalty kicks, Pepe Reina was the hero of the day as he saved the deciding spot kick to send Liverpool into the final for the second time in three seasons and a replay of 2005 final with AC-Milan, that dispatched Manchester United in the other semi-final clash by 5 goals to 3 on aggregate.

The final was a highly anticipated one, as two of Europe’s power houses in club football go head-to-head to decide the winner of the 2007 Champions League, eventually two Pippo Inzaghi goals, which made him the highest goal scorer in the Champions league, won Ac Milan the trophy for the seventh time in their footballing history.

The following year saw the best from English teams in the Champions League. All four English representatives made it to the quarter final, with three (Liverpool, after ousting Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United) out of the four progressing onto the semi-final, Liverpool were eventually dumped by fellow English team Chelsea. The progression of Chelsea into the final in 2008 was the first time they were playing in the Champions League’s final; they battled with Manchester United for the coveted trophy, matched United strength for strength, skill for skill, technique for technique, but were just unlucky to miss out in the spot kicks, as United went on to win their third and Sir Alex Ferguson’s second UEFA Champions League trophy, which also aided Cristiano Ronaldo in winning the world player of the year award.

The year 2009, saw a different football style displayed by a team. 2009 Champions League was won by Barcelona of Spain, after showing the footballing world how the game should be played; neat defending, accurate passing, and clinical finishing: characterized the play of Barcelona en-route to winning the trophy for the third time in their history, after triumphs in 1992 and 2006.

2010 came with a lot of promise for the English sides, after bright starts from all the sides in their respective groups; Liverpool won its first game against Debrecen at Anfield, by a lone goal scored by Dirk Kuyt, which made him the club’s third highest goal scorer in Europe with 12 goal to his name. Chelsea also won its first game against FC Porto by a lone goal scored Nicolas Anelka, in a dull encounter due to the water soaked pitch.

Manchester United didn’t do badly in its first game; same was the case for Arsenal, all the English representatives representing well to the delight of English stalwarts. Things started becoming shaky as the competition progressed further to its crucial stage. Liverpool were ousted very early in the competition, as they were ousted in the group phase, even before the last group game. The victory of Fiorentina over Olympique Lyonnais in the game before the last, meant Liverpool were forced to the Europa league were they have solace recently, making an impressive run to the semi-final, having not scored lower than three goals on aggregate in the previous rounds, i.e. round of 32, round of 16 and quarter final, which has earned them a clash with Athletico Madrid away in Spain.

Chelsea were next up for elimination, after a partly successful run in the group onto the round of 16. Chelsea had great scares during a few of their group phase games, Athletico Madrid away in Spain was one those, where they had to settle for a 2 all draw after going through Didier Drogba, only to see a Sergio Diego Aguero brace give Athletico the lead, but Drogba proved to be very clinical in finishing when he slotted his second past Athletico’s goal. The most surprising of Chelsea’s group phase result came on the last day of the group. Apoel Nicosia making only its debut in the Champions League held all conquering Chelsea, with a full first team squad, to a 2 all draw at Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal had the most impressive group phase performance where they picked up 16 of the 18 available points in a group which consisted of Olympiakos, Standard Liege, and Az Alkmaar, which are low pedigree teams with frequent Champions League due to inability to make it through the preliminary.

Manchester United, I would say, had an indifferent group campaign. Had a great start, but flattered during the crucial mid games, needed the last game to confirm qualification but put threw any doubts into the thrash after a Michael Owen hat-trick cancelled out Edin Dzeko’s opening goal, for VFL Wolfsburg at Old Trafford.

With the progression of three tops teams from England into the round of 16, hopes and expectation were extremely high. The English teams, however, didn’t get the perfect draws, Chelsea were billed to face Inter-Milan, tutored by Jose Mourinho, Manchester United drawn to do battle with 7 times European champions, Ac-Milan, and Arsenal getting a re-match of the 2009 group game against Porto Fc, 2004 winners.

The first legs saw the English teams face real test of strength, skill and technique.

Manchester United were tested for all the mentioned above against Ac-Milan, first in Giuseppe Meazza, San Siro and then in Old Trafford, but then they emerged victorious on both legs, winning 7-2 on aggregate, with Wayne Rooney scoring four of the seven goals, i.e. 2 goals in each leg.

Arsenal had a similar situation, against Fc Porto, the Portuguese representatives giving them a good run for their money, most especially in Portugal, where the first leg was hosted, which Fc Porto won by 2 goals to 1, in a match which Porto’s second goal by Falcao, was a bit controversial, appearing to be an offside goal.

At Emirates stadium, Arsenal showed no mercy, firing 2 goals past Helton in goal for Porto in quick succession, and at half time, it was Arsenal 2 Porto 1. Porto started brightly in the second half of the game, attacking Arsenal from all angles of the pitch. As the game grew, Arsenal became for more confident, and began playing like the Arsenal we are use to watching in league games. Samri Nasri threw the Emirates into ecstasy, when he dribbled past three Porto defenders and slotted past helpless Helton, who tried to rush out to prevent the goal, but all to no avail. Super sub, Emmanuel Eboue, came on minutes later and sealed the victory, with a clean finish, after he outran the Porto defenders and was set up by Andre Arshavin, with only the keeper to beat, he rounded him neatly before netting Arsenal’s four to cap a fine performance from truly smoking gunners. Nicklas Bendtner, who had earlier netted 2 superb strikes, added a third to mark his first hat trick in his Arsenal career.

It wasn’t a bed of roses for Chelsea neither, as they had to suffer defeats in the hands of Inter-Milan on both legs, which put paid to their Champions League campaign. At the magnificent Giuseppe Meazza, Inter tested Chelsea for wits, work rate and technique, as both teams played out their lives to progress in the competition. Chelsea partly outplayed, but all the «ball possession» could not fetch them the win which they set out to achieve. The ball possession favoured Chelsea in the first leg match, but these were not translated into goals neither were they translated in the goal attempt, shot-on-goal, and so on. Of all the teams which started European campaign in September, Liverpool can be deduced to be the most disappointing of all, due to the fact that it was knocked out in the group phase.

Presently, there are only two English teams in European competition, Liverpool FC and Fulham FC and they both have interesting fixtures in the semi-final, having to face Athletico Madrid and Hamburg, respectively.

There is the possibility of an all English Europa league final, a feat which has not been achieved for over 6 seasons.
The absence of premier league teams In the semi-final of the champions league, in my own estimation, does not connote the fall of the premier league, rather the sole reason is the reality that we have come to face, which is the fact that teams form other countries have sat down and reviewed the methods of English teams, which they have applied, and it has worked magically and very effectively too.

English teams were neither totally outclassed, outpowered nor outplayed, but rather the element of luck was against them, and also the English teams have had a good run in the past, so let other teams enjoy same, so people won’t say the Champions league is an English competition. The English teams will rise up to take what’s rightfully theirs, which is the prestige it has earned over the years, a prestige which in my estimation, is in jeopardy considering the inability of making it to the semi-final of Europe’s elite club competition.

Upon this I settle, the absence of English teams in the semi-final of the champions league is by no means equal to the fall of the premier league, and besides which other league is so unpredictable as the premier league? A league where any team can beat any team, home or away; name the league.

Since 2-3 months ago, the market was still opening for any big team who wants to support their ability by the transaction. The negotiation was highly analyzed and followed by fans. Chelsea and Manchester United which are each other’s important rival had collected famous and skillful players from another league. Meanwhile, Arsenal which had lost Henry, the best striker of the team, left to Barcelona in Spanish league. The rest of their players are teenagers and still not ready for the game in premier league. However, I think Arsene Wenger will be able to lead Arsenal to be the top four team in this league.

Liverpool is an another big team in English Premier League which have never been champion, since Division 1 had changed to Premier League. Even though they got a lot of winning in division 1 but fans also hope to see them to be a champion on the name «Premier League» which Manchester United had done about 10 times.

The expectation is the main motive for Liverpool who has a new owner. They have supporting money now and are able to buy any famous player which Benitez thinks that he is appropriate to his team. At first, Andriy Voronin had moved to Liverpool as a free transfer player and at the same time Craig Bellamy, Luis Garcia and Boudewijn Zenden were leaved to other team. Second, the striker Ryan Babel had moved from AFC Ajax at the age of just only 19.

The most expensive and interesting player was Fernando Torres had moved together with the massive number, 20 millions including the transfer of Luis Garcia. As you know Liverpool had a big problem awaited to be solve is the scorer. That is why Benitez decided to buy Fernando Torres with a unbelievable number of money.

The question is «Is Torres worth for that money?», «Can he help Liverpool score more?». It is difficult to answer this question unless give him the time to prove himself. And the first goal which he scored Chelsea would be guaranteed his talent and stop people to wondering it.

Arsenal was established as Dial Square by workers at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich in 1886. Dial Square didn’t last long as a name, and the Arsenal bit was introduced as the club was renamed Royal Arsenal and subsequently Woolwich Arsenal in 1891 as it turned professional. Being the only southern club in the league at the time, Arsenal was geographically challenged and therefore attendances weren’t healthy. Bankruptcy beckoned but for the club’s takeover in 1910 by Henry Norris. He reasoned that he needed to move the club from its south London roots and in 1913 managed to do so as the club moved into the Highbury Stadium in north London. The club was by now a second division outfit when WWI intervened and it wasn’t until 1919 that elevation to the first division was won – allegedly by slightly questionable means AND at the expense of new neighbours Spurs. In 1925 the club secured the services of Herbert Chapman from Huddersfield Town, and the rest, as they say…

The Gunners’ very first honour came as it won the FA Cup in 1930 when they played Huddersfield Town at Wembley Stadium. The match was especially poignant as Arsenal’s manager, Herbert Champan had been the architect of Town’s great team of the 1920’s which won three league championships in a row 1923-24, 24-25 and 25-26 (Chapman left at the end of the 24-25 season). Under Chapman’s tutelage Town had also been victorious in the FA Cup in 1922 (the last one not played at Wembley until 2001) when Preston North End had been beaten at Stamford Bridge with a penalty by Billy Smith. The FA Cup is lost without its traditions, and one was born at the 1930 final. Because of Chapman’s unique relationship with both clubs, the teams took to the pitch side by side for the first time ever.

Another recently established FA Cup tradition saw both teams joining the competition in the 3rd round. Huddersfield saw off Bury after a replay and Arsenal prevailed over Chelsea with a 2-0 home win. Moving into the fourth round, Huddersfield were too good for Sheffield United winning 2-1, whilst this time Arsenal needed a replay in seeing off Birmingham City. In the 5th round, both teams progressed satisfactorily, the Gunners too strong for Middlesbro and Town defeating Bradford City. So to the sixth round, where The Gunners defeated West Ham three-nil and Huddersfield enjoyed a 2-1 success versus Aston Villa. Thus the competition had reached the semi-final stage. Arsenal were paired with Hull City and won after a replay to reach the twin towers. Huddersfield was assured of its place in the final after the 2-1 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday at Old Trafford.

In the final, played at the end of April, Arsenal were much too good for Huddersfield. The easy 2-0 win coming courtesy of goals from Alex James and Jack Lambert. Surprisingly, Arsenal’s third all time top scorer Cliff Bastin (only Ian Wright and Thierry Henry have scored more) didn’t manage to score! Bastin was signed from Exeter City at the end of season 1928-29 by Herbert Chapman after he had seen him standing head and shoulders above the rest of the players in a game between Exeter and Watford – he only played 17 times for Exeter, scoring 6. In total, he notched 178 goals in only 395 appearances for Arsenal – this from the left wing, and despite the presence of Ted Drake in the team. Bastin had won a league title, an FA Cup winners’ medal and been capped by England before he was 19 years old. In total, he registered 12 times in 21 appearances for England. As WW2 started when Bastin was only 27 years old, it is perhaps worth considering what he could have achieved had he been able. It’s interesting to note that he was excused service in the army at the outbreak of war due to his being deaf so he served as an ARP warden, actually stationed at top of the stadium at Highbury!

Jack Lambert served Arsenal between 1926 and 1933. Signed from Doncaster Rovers, his record of 98 league goals from 143 appearances stands well in comparison with many of the all time goalscoring greats. His total haul of 109 goals in 161 games for Arsenal demonstrates that on average he scored 2 goals in every 3 games that he played. He broke through into the Arsenal first team in the 1929-30 season, scoring 18 times in 20 starts including the second goal in the 1930 Cup final. In the next season, 1930-31, Lambert notched 38 times in 34 appearances as the Gunners won their first championship, by seven points from Aston Villa.

Five Champions’ League semi-finals in the past six years. As Chelsea’s newly appointed manager, Carlo Ancelotti, pointed out in his first interview, that is a wonderful achievement. However, it clearly isn’t quite good enough. The fact that those five semi-finals have only resulted in one ill-fated final appearance must be a source of incredible frustration for Chelsea’s billionaire owner, Roman Abramovich, and the club’s supporters – although a little less so for them, perhaps.

The reason the long-standing Chelsea fans might be a little more philosophical about ‘only’ reaching one final in five attempts is that many of them are probably still only just getting used to challenging for honours at all. Until 1997, when Chelsea won the F.A. Cup, the club had won nothing for 26 years – unless you include the old Second Division title. Chelsea’s fortunes in the 1980s, after they had been bought by Ken Bates for the princely sum of £1, slumped to such an extent that they almost found themselves in English football’s third tier.

But how it turned around during the last decade of the century. Even before Abramovich’s arrival in 2003, the process of recovery had started. Managers of the international pedigree of Glenn Hoddle, Ruud Gulli, Gianluca Vialli and Claudio Ranieri all helped establish the club as one of England’s leading outfits and the F.A. Cup was won in 1997 and 2000 and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1998. The Chelsea of this time were ground breakers in so many ways – with their continental managers and their overseas players particularly – becoming the first club to take the field with a team without a single British or Irish player in a fixture against Southampton in 1999.

So, when the Russian oil magnate brought in Champions’ League winner José Mourinho to take over the team in 2004, almost everyone suspected that ‘the special one’ would produce a special team.

And so it proved. The Premier League was won on two consecutive occasions, as well as the F.A. Cup again and the League Cup (twice). From March 2004, the team embarked on a record-breaking run of 86 matches in which they remained unbeaten at their Stamford Bridge ground.

With some of England’s finest players – John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley and Joe Cole – and with some outstanding foreign imports – Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Michael Ballack and Nicholas Anelka – the world sat and waited for the trophies to continue. And especially for the ‘holy grail’ that Abramovich wanted so much; that Champions’ League.

And yet for the past two seasons Chelsea have flattered to deceive – and frustrated their supporters so much. There are occasions when they are so powerful they overwhelm even the strongest opponents; almost bullying them into submission because of their physical, and mental, superiority. But there seems to have been some fatal flaw in the club’s make-up that has stopped them making that ultimate breakthrough.

Some have said that it’s because some of the overseas players have not been committed enough; but then when they showed their passion and commitment after losing controversially to Barcelona in 2009 those same players were criticised for their lack of sportsmanship.

Some have blamed successive managers for not being able to control ‘big’ players – as if that was ever a problem for someone like Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Some have even blamed Abramovich for either losing patience with Mourinho too quickly in 2007 or apparently losing some of his enthusiasm for the club for a while.

But now, having failed to persuade the admirable Guus Hiddink to remain at the club after his rejuvenation of the team in his short spell in charge, Chelsea have appointed someone who has won the Champions’ League Trophy twice as a player and twice as a manager. Surely, Stamford Bridge – a wonderfully atmospheric ground to watch your football compared to some of the other more ‘soul-less’ stadiums around – is going to be able to witness something only the most optimistic of fans would have dreamed possible twenty short years ago; a team capable of winning the Champions’ League.

If Carlo Ancelotti can’t bring the trophy in, where on earth will they turn next?