Saturday, September 15, 2018

Mauricio Pochettino

Coach Pochettino was exposed as a flash in a pan when they lost to Liverpool his strategy, his inability to shed new light into his strategy with back to back losses to Watford and now to Liverpool.

Coach Pochettino was so fixated on containing Mohamed Salah, he deployed a strategy of double and triple defenders on the Liverpool star, it worked on containing Mohamed Salah from scoring, however that strategy backfired it left the Hotspur open for other Liverpool players to strike.

Jurgen Klopp is head over shoulders, he taught Pochetino and Tottenham Hotspur a lesson. The prudent strategy from Pochettino would have been to attack ‘let the horses run’ instead of being bent to contain, Liverpool star Mohamed Salah. There is no shame in copying - he should have copied Jurgen Klopp strategy, attack, attack and attack.

Mauricio Pochettino may peddle excuses, such as - he did not have his number one goalie, that the referee made an error in not calling a penalty on Sadio Mane for tackling Son Heung-Min, and that Harry Kane the striker is on a slump due to World Cup 2018 in Russia (every club has a player who participated in the World Cup 2018 - it has become a useless excuse - like a child who cried wolf too many times to be believed) - that is a clear indication Pochettino has regressed, he has no strategies to convert Tottenham Hotspurs to be champions.

Jurgen Klopp learned from the defeat at Wembley on October 2017, when Liverpool lost badly to Tottenham Hotspur 4-1. However Jurgen Klopp changed his strategy - the result, it is paying off for the club. Liverpool is on the top of the table with 15 points (five wins) that is a history of Liverpool.

Mauricio Pochettino and Tottenham Hotspur have regressed badly - so one can conclude Pochettino is a one trick pony or an old dog that who can’t learn new tricks. Tottenham Hotspur would be better served with a better coach such as Zinedine Zidane, who can convert them to be contenders and potentials Premier League champions.

Friday, September 14, 2018

Marcus Rashford

It is impractical for Marcus Rashford to the attacker for Manchester United or England National team.  Manchester United has Romelu Lukaku as their main striker, followed by Alexis Sanchez. England National team has Kane. Kane, Lukaku and Alexis, all of those are under contract and they are not going anywhere.

Since we know the lifespan of a soccer professional player does not last beyond a decade (18 years old to 28 years old) - only to those who have exceptional abilities or stars who can sell T-shirts world wide are allowed to play beyond 28 years old.

What is best for Marcus Rashford is to wait for his turn, be patient. As of today or tomorrow or even next year - there are Lukaku, Alexis and Harry Kane. They are proven commodity while Marcus Rashford is in growing pains.

If we look or compare Marcus Rashford to another youngster who have excelled in England National team, such as Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Dominic Solanke and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, on club level Rashford is far ahead of others, in appearances (premier league, FA Cup, Europa League, Champions League and the European Super Cup final) playing time.

Marcus Rashford will be better served to stay put, wait for his turn at Manchester United.

Saturday, September 8, 2018

Toni Kroos

First the whole nation’s scapegoat was Mesut Ozil for German national team failures in the World Cup 2018 in Russia.

Now the Toni Kroos is criticizing Leroy Sane. We are in September the World Cup 2018 was in June so in the span of three months the Germans added a new scapegoat Leroy Sane for their failure.

Let’s rewind the tape. Leroy Sane was not a participant in the German national team - criticizing him for the German national team failure is wrong. (Mesut Ozil challenged the white Germans if they can’t abolish racism - it is obvious they cant abolish racism - it did not take long, less than ninety days - again, racism raised its head in the German national team - Mesut Ozil words proved prophetic).

Secondly Toni Kroos is a player just like Leroy Sane, Kroos does not have authority over Leroy Sane - here clearly Kroos was wrong, out of line and is a first class dunce - we are not going to analyze what motivated Kroos - who is white, while Leroy Sane is black - you can’t overlook the obvious.

It is obvious the Germans have no moral courage to take a look in the mirror and say we were not good, we were terrible, we failed and move on from their failures in the World Cup 2018 in Russia. That is common sense, but Germans are not doing that, they resort to scapegoating people of other heritages (Mesut Ozil, Ilkay Gundogan, Turkish heritage and now Leroy Sane, African heritage) - that behavior Is wrong and shameful  from the white Germans.

Toni Kroos is a first class dunce for criticizing Leroy Sane. It is clear the Germans have a problem with people who have other heritages.

Friday, September 7, 2018

Paul Pogba World Cup win & frozen contract talks

It is completely understandable that Paul Pogba wants out of Manchester United.

For the following reasons:
a) the porous defense - Manchester United front office could not acquire superb defensive talent like Vincent Kompany or Virgil van Dijk.
b) No defensive midfielder - Manchester United front office unable to acquire talent like Ngolo Kante, Nabil Fekir
c) No wingers - Manchester United front office unable to acquire the likes Riyad Mahrez, Shaqiri
d) The demand to win ‘now’ is almost impractical - due to the team is compromised with youth who demand the growing pain - Martial, Rashford they are diamonds in the rough not a polished diamond.

Whatever Paul Pogba can do, he cannot be a panacea for Manchester United inability to acquire talent. Paul Pogba was the marquee attacking midfield for France that - what won them the World Cup 2018 in Russia.

However the problems in Manchester United are numerous neither Paul Pogba nor the coach Jose Mourinho can solve or rectify them, thus that will enable the club to acquire silverware. It is clearly the front office’s inability to acquire talent is the straw that broke the camel back.

Paul Pogba will be served well in a club that has cash, which can acquire talent to win.

Thursday, September 6, 2018

UEFA failure

UEFA always harps on ‘respect’, ‘protecting the game’ in their athletic events all those words were rendered not true.

How Liverpool will face Red Star Belgrade in this year's Champions League. Xherdan Shaqiri will probably avoid traveling with Liverpool. Shaqiri is of Albanian heritage.

Tensions between Serbia and Albania remain high because of the war - according to the Serbian club's sporting director Zvezdan Terzic

"I think Shaqiri will undergo extraordinary psychological pressure," Terzic told daily Serbian publication Kurir.

"He knows where he will be going. I know very well that our club is a symbol of Serbia, unlike Partizan Belgrade, who represent Yugoslavia more.

"I do not know if he will be willing to play in Marakana [the nickname of Red Star's Rajko Mitic Stadium] under these conditions, so I doubt he'll come. If he comes, he'll be smaller than a poppy seed."


Now coming back to UEFA mission of respect & protecting the game - clearly here this club director made a mockery of those objectives, we can say he gives the middle finger to UEFA.

September international games

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5


Fixture
Competition
Time (UK)
Slovakia vs Denmark
Friendly
19:00
Fiji vs Solomon Islands
Friendly
07:30


THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 6


Fixture
Competition
Time (UK)
Germany vs France
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Czech Republic vs Ukraine
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Wales vs Republic of Ireland
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Slovenia vs Bulgaria
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Norway vs Cyprus
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Kazakhstan vs Georgia
UEFA Nations League
15:00
Armenia vs Liechtenstein
UEFA Nations League
17:00
Latvia vs Andorra
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Gibraltar vs Macedonia
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Austria vs Sweden
Friendly
19:45
Netherlands vs Peru
Friendly
19:45
Portugal vs Croatia
Friendly
19:45
Trinidad and Tobago vs UAE
Friendly
11:00
Bahrain vs Philippines
Friendly
15:00
Kyrgyzstan vs Palestine
Friendly
15:00
Uzbekistan vs Syria
Friendly
16:00
Jordan vs Lebanon
Friendly
17:00


FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7


Fixture
Competition
Time (UK)
Italy vs Poland
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Turkey vs Russia
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Albania vs Israel
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Lithuania vs Serbia
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Romania vs Montenegro
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Azerbaijan vs Kosovo
UEFA Nations League
17:00
Faroe Islands vs Malta
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Japan vs Chile
Friendly
11:00
Korea Republic vs Costa Rica
Friendly
12:00
Qatar vs China
Friendly
17:00
Scotland vs Belgium
Friendly
19:45
Chinese Taipei vs Malaysia
Friendly
12:00
Singapore vs Mauritius
Friendly
12:30


SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8


Fixture
Competition
Time (UK)
Switzerland vs Iceland
UEFA Nations League
17:00
England vs Spain
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Northern Ireland vs Bosnia-Herzegovina
UEFA Nations League
14:00
Finland vs Hungary
UEFA Nations League
17:00
Estonia vs Greece
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Belarus vs San Marino
UEFA Nations League
17:00
Luxembourg vs Moldova
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Comoros vs Cameroon
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
13:00
Seychelles vs Nigeria
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
13:30
South Africa vs Libya
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
14:00
Kenya vs Ghana
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
14:00
Uganda vs Tanzania
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
14:00
Namibia vs Zambia
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
15:00
Equatorial Guinea vs Sudan
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
16:00
Gabon vs Burundi
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
16:00
Mozambique vs Guinea-Bissau
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
16:00
Gambia vs Algeria
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
17:30
Mauritania vs Burkina Faso
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
18:00
Egypt vs Niger
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
19:00
Morocco vs Malawi
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
21:00
United States vs Brazil
Friendly
00:30
Venezuela vs Colombia
Friendly
01:00
Ecuador vs Jamaica
Friendly
01:00
Mexico vs Uruguay
Friendly
03:00
Argentina vs Guatemala
Friendly
04:00


SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9


Fixture
Competition
Time (UK)
France vs Netherlands
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Ukraine vs Slovakia
UEFA Nations League
14:00
Denmark vs Wales
UEFA Nations League
17:00
Bulgaria vs Norway
UEFA Nations League
17:00
Cyprus vs Slovenia
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Georgia vs Latvia
UEFA Nations League
17:00
Macedonia vs Armenia
UEFA Nations League
17:00
Liechtenstein vs Gibraltar
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Madagascar vs Senegal
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
12:30
South Sudan vs Mali
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
14:00
Etheopia vs Sierra Leone
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
14:00
Swaziland vs Tunisia
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
14:00
Lesotho vs Cape Verde Islands
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
14:00
Rwanda vs Ivory Coast
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
14:30
Angola vs Botswana
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
16:00
Togo vs Benin
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
17:00
Liberia vs Congo DR
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
17:00
Guinea va Central African Republic
Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying
17:30
Germany vs Peru
Friendly
19:45
Lebanon vs Oman
Friendly
17:00


MONDAY SEPTEMBER 10


Fixture
Competition
Time (UK)
Portugal vs Italy
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Sweden vs Turkey
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Scotland vs Albania
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Serbia vs Romania
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Montenegro vs Lithuania
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Andorra vs Kazakhstan
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Kosovo vs Faroe Islands
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Malta vs Azerbaijan
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Russia vs Czech Republic
Friendly
17:00
Saudi Arabia vs Bolivia
Friendly
18:15


TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 11


Fixture
Competition
Time (UK)
Iceland vs Belgium
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Spain vs Croatia
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Austria
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Hungary vs Greece
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Finland vs Estonia
UEFA Nations League
19:45
San Marino vs Luxembourg
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Moldova vs Belarus
UEFA Nations League
19:45
Japan vs Costa Rica
Friendly
11:00
Korea Republic vs Chile
Friendly
12:00
Uzbekistan vs Iran
Friendly
16:00
Poland vs Republic of Ireland
Friendly
19:45
Northern Ireland vs Israel
Friendly
19:45
England vs Switzerland
Friendly
20:00
Singapore vs Fiji
Friendly
12:30
Jordan vs Oman
Friendly
17:00


WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 12



Fixture
Competition
Time (UK)
Colombia vs Argentina
Friendly
01:00
United States vs Mexico
Friendly
01:30
Brazil vs El Salvidor
Friendly
01:30
Panama vs Venezuela
Friendly
02:00
Ecuador vs Guatemala
Friendly
02:00