With Arsenal currently off the pace in pursuit of another Champion's League spot this season, Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger plans to have another foray into the La Liga transfer market this January in a bid to turn his side's fortunes around. Whilst Colombian star-striker Ramadel Falcao is hot property in European football at the moment, the Frenchman has his Atletico Madrid team-mate Adrian Lopez at the top of his wanted list Talksport can report. Following the shrewd acquisition of pint-sized midfielder Santi Cazorla in the summer who has already become a hit over at the Emirates this season, … [Read more...]
Archives for November 2012
Atletico Madrid – a club destined for success
Many say that there are only 2 teams in a very one-sided La Liga division; Barcelona and Real Madrid. But I implore you to take a good long look at the rest of the teams that occupy Spain's top division. Valencia for example, who won their last league title in 2003/04. Málaga, who are showing what a good club they are and finally Atlético Madrid, the team I will be analysing today. … [Read more...]
Leo ensures Rayo aren’t missing Michu
Having scored 17 goals in 2011/12 to save Rayo Vallecano's troubled Spanish La Liga status in their debut season, Michu was always set to leave the minnows of Vallecas. Fans bode no grudges towards their former saviour but felt almost consigned to imminent relegation after staving off the drop by only a matter of seconds just months before. Michu had been the surprise of the season, having joined for free from Celta Vigo the summer before, and stunned La Liga with a stream of goals that ensured Rayo were allowed to tread water for ample time, but the 2012/13 season would be near impossible to … [Read more...]
What has happened to Athletic Bilbao?
Since losing in two major cup finals last season, Athletic Bilbao have disappeared from the the footballing radar of late. The Basque side are well off of the pace in Spanish La Liga and tumbled out of the Europa League on Thursday despite not travelling to a war troubled Israel for their game. This is the exact team who humbled Manchester United in the competition last season, so why have the club faltered so much lately? Bilbao suffered defeat in both the Europa League and Copa del Rey finals and a summer exodus of their impeccably talented roster … [Read more...]
Jose would be welcomed back at the Bridge
He oozes charisma, he's full of confidence and if the young 'hipsters' have a say, he also has 'swag'. Jose Mourinho is Roman Abramovich's ideal manager. Still to this day he probably regrets giving him the boot and it's fair to say Chelsea have never looked like the same force despite the trophies since the 'Special one' left. Pep Guardiola's is the supposed successor to the 'hardest job in football' after Rafa's done the dirty work but he would have been implemented straight away if he wasn't committed to staying on his break in New York. Despite this, it's hard to imagine if Mourinho comes … [Read more...]
My Top 5 Ballon d’Or Nominees
As we get closer to finding out who the winner of this year's Ballon d'Or will be, I have narrowed my list down to 5 people, from the 23 man shortlist. … [Read more...]
Messi closes in on Muller’s record
A brace against Zaragoza took Lionel Messi to within just 7 goals of Gerd Muller's world record of 85 strikes in a calendar year. Messi scored the opener with a lovely left footed finish after a 1-2 with Jordi Alba and then curled in a lovely shot to make the scoreline 3-1. He also had a hand in the other goal, Alex Song's winner, as Messi laid the ball back for the Cameroonian midfielder to score. Now on 78 goals in 2012, Messi has roughly 7 or 8 games left to break Muller's record and stake another claim to being perhaps the greatest striker ever to have graced the game. … [Read more...]
James Rodriguez a.k.a ‘The New Cristiano Ronaldo’ unlikely to move to Manchester United or Barca
Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo first came into prominence when he arrived in Manchester as a fresh-faced teenager in 2003 and subsequently set the Premier League alight for his club, helping them achieve domestic and European silverware galore scoring a whopping 84 goals in the process. Since his high-profile move to Real Madrid in 2009 however, United have never quite been the same which is why it has recently come to light that Sir Alex Ferguson's side are on the hunt for a new winger by the name of James Rodriquez, a Colombian starlet who has been dubbed as the 'South American' … [Read more...]
Deportivo on the verge of administration
Deportivo La Coruna could be the latest Spanish club to enter administration if reports from last week are to be believed. According to local paper La Voz de Galicia, the Spanish Treasury are sequestering the incomes of the club after Deportivo failed to pay a sum of the €32m debt the club owes. This comes as a result of the crippling financial crisis encompassing Spain as the Treasury begins to take further measures with clubs. Local media reports suggest that negotiations … [Read more...]
How are Spain’s forgotten cities faring in La Liga this season?
Forget Barcelona or Madrid, Valencia and Seville are cities that have a right to be eagerly watched in this exciting La Liga season. Levante and Valencia CF from Valencia and Betis and Sevilla from Seville have had good starts to the 2012 campaign and are all sitting within the top ten of La Primera Division. With Champion's League spots up for grabs and much more, the battle between these two great cities could be very intriguing . … [Read more...]