Had an absolute blast chatting with the lads on A Bergkamp Wonderland. We got stuck into the good, the bad and the ugly. Should Wenger stay or go? Is Stan Kroenke the right owner for Arsenal? Why do the Gunners collapse mentally when they concede a goal? What is the best midfield option? What’s happened to Mesut Ozil? And should the club keep Mesut Ozil? Tune in and have a listen. You’ll need some type of beverage and snack. It’s a magical 2 hours of pure football heaven. You can follow the boys here @jasondavies71 @PR_WhoRu GeoffArsenal The_GFP!
Tag: Fabregas
The End of Act One…
![co_1743[1]](http://britishsoccerdiva.com/prod/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/co_17431.jpg)
Act One of the new season in Spain is over and Sophie and Ben return to dissect the action so far, as Barcelona begin with a perfect record under ‘Tata’ Martino.
Atlético are hot on their heels with eight wins of their own and Real Madrid follow five points behind – albeit with some teething problems in their post-Mourinho project.
We take a look at how Barça have coped without Messi, how Madrid can improve in the lead-up to the Clásico, the difficult start to life in La Liga for Gareth Bale, plus Atlético and how the third team in Spain are looking to challenge under Diego Simeone.
Join us for all that and much more in La Liga Lounge!
The One Where Ronaldo is Sad…
La Liga Lounge is an exciting new project I’m working on with Ben Hayward from Goal.com. We take a laid-back look at the game in Spain. Join us in the La Liga Lounge for happy hour each week! Drinks are on us.
In this episode, we tackle Ronaldo and his sadness. What could possibly be bringing one of the world’s best footballers down? He has a hot job, a hot car, a hot girlfriend! What is there to be sad about CR7?
It doesn’t seem Ronaldo is alone in the sad department either. Cesc Fabregas is having a rough ole’ ride at Barcelona and the La Liga Lounge bar staff delve into why! There’s even a little room to talk Falcao, Javi Martinez, Pep Guardiola and Catalan independence.
Don’t miss Ben and Sophie’s predictions for some of the top fixtures in La Liga this weekend. Join in the banter and fun. Follow us on Twitter @LaLigaLounge and you can also join our Facebook community too.
A Conversation With…Phil Schoen
Phil Schoen and Ray Hudson have thrilled U.S. audiences with their La Liga commentary for many years. As a team, they have been prolific in their art and undoubtedly have become the voices of La Liga Stateside. Whether you are being dazzled by the brilliance of Barcelona or wooed by the tenacity and strength of Real Madrid, Phil and Ray paint a picture so beautiful, you wished every single game lasted longer than 90 minutes plus injury time!
In A Conversation With Phil Schoen, we talk about the current financial state of La Liga and also discuss the emergence of Jordi Alba, the talent of the Spanish national team, Ronaldo, Messi, Tito Vilanova and we even manage to squeeze in a little Guti and Ibracadabra. Phil also comes with some exciting news about where his voice will be heard next season! Grab a sangria and enjoy the conversation.
A Conversation With…Arseblog
Since joining Arsenal, Robin van Persie hasn’t put prolific back-to-back seasons together for the North London club. Is it fair to say he will not have the same success next season and that now is the time for Arsenal to cash in on the Dutchman? How would Arsenal shape up tactically without him? And what is the scoop with Theo Walcott and his unrest? Could Arsenal afford to lose either or both of these players? What has become of the Gunners? What is the identity of this team? Why does everyone always want to leave?
Andrew Mangan joins us in A Conversation With sharing his insights like no other Arsenal blogger out there. Fans trust his opinion and thousands follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He is undoubtedly one of the most influential voices in the Arsenal community today. He doesn’t hold back as we dissect the team on and off the pitch. Put your slippers on and enjoy the conversation.
Red Card…
This could be the second red card I’ve given to Mr.Wenger in the space of a couple of seasons and I feel it is absolutely deserved. Unless he does something major in this summer’s transfer window, he’ll be getting a lot more than a red card from the Gooner nation. You have been warned Arsene.
It’s an absolute certainty Arsenal will lose Cesc Fabregas this summer. And there are now rumblings his fellow midfield maestro Samir Nasri could be out of the door too. To be without Fabregas is a tough pill to swallow. But to lose Nasri as well might be one pill too many to take.
What could the roll on effect be at the Emirates if these two players were to go? Would Robin Van Persie stay? Could they still attract respectable names to the club despite losing a name like Fabregas or will Arsenal just continue to lose quality players about to hit their prime?
Arsene Wenger is under the most intense pressure since taking the reigns at Arsenal. His philosophy has always been fit to please Gooner fans. However, since the end of last season, he has come under tremendous fire for not being able to adapt outside of his beliefs. Why is he being so stubborn? Why can’t he see what everyone else sees? Arsenal need a goalkeeper, a center back, a left back and a striker. And who will replace Fabregas and Nasri if they both go? Does he have that much faith in Ramsey and Wilshere?
Sir Alex Ferguson always gets so much credit for believing in “his kids.” Wenger gets ripped for having the same beliefs. The problem however Mr.Wenger is that Sir Alex actually wins trophies with his kids. You don’t. You can’t and you never will unless you add a little adult into the mix. The kids need a bit of hand holding at Arsenal. These kids have no leadership skills and yet they also have no leader to follow. Fabregas was a laughable captain. He didn’t lead by example. He just wanted to be led out the front door straight to the Camp Nou. Can we blame Wenger for this?
Actually I think we can. It’s a bit like the LeBron James story in Cleveland. Sure the owner of the Cavs tried to build several teams around LeBron but he did a lousy job and bought the wrong players in over and over again. Eventually LeBron got tired of being in a losing team and having to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Wenger didn’t necessarily buy terrible players, but he didn’t give Fabregas some guts and leaders to help him carry the burden. He kept handing him more kids to babysit. After a while, losing gets old and winning becomes a distant dream.
This could be a painful summer for Arsenal fans. Let’s hope we have to retract this red card for Mr.Wenger and he makes us eat our words…
Spain: The Golden Age…
For so long we’ve been told the likes of Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Terry and Cole are the “Golden Age” of British football and the best we’ve seen since the World Cup winning squad of 1966. But yet again England exited a tournament as losers and their fans dream of world success has turned into another nightmare. And in a European country just around the corner, a team of patriotic men were lauded similarly to this generation of English players. From the media to fans, everyone agreed Spain was something special. And like England, so much pressure was put on the Spanish. Even prior to Euro 2008, the expectations were high. But they didn’t cave. They won it. And the expectations for England and Spain were vast again in World Cup 2010. England were as miserable as their winter weather and Espana went on to win the whole damn thing.
In the case of Spain, their team of individual superstars actually have world-class talent and this time around they didn’t cave to pressure. Their team of individual superstars came together and played for each other. They proved that despite the hype and expectations, they could win. They deserved to win the World Cup. The right team won the World Cup. And with the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, Casillas, Ramos, Villa, Torres and Fabregas, they could go on to win for many years to come.
In the past, Spain too have been guilty of failing themselves and their country. Whether it was the European Championships or the World Cup, they would always choke. Even in the days of the great Raul, the Spanish could never deliver the big prize. But somewhere along the way they bought some belief, a little swagger and a side of balls. They became a team of destiny. They became World Champions.
England should examine how Spain have achieved their success over the last four years. They should look to their European counterparts as an example of how you can go from being a total loser to a total winner. And perhaps they should consider having an Englishman manage their way back to the glory days. You can’t help but think the spirit of the Spanish side and the influence of their coach Vicente del Bosque just instilled more patriotic pride to their cause.
There’s nothing much else to say about the World Cup other than I feel the same way about it as I did a few weeks ago. We saw some great goals here and there with Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s of Holland being the best for me. There were a few nail-biting moments and in my opinion the most exciting of all was the late goal by the USA against Slovenia . The biggest stars in the world including Messi, Ronaldo, Kaka and Rooney didn’t shine at all, which was a huge disappointment. Unfortunately the tournament was dampened by awful refereeing decisions and the final didn’t live up to its billing. Plus it felt way too cold for a World Cup. Overall the sizzle was certainly missing!
A few things are for sure after this tournament…here we go…Spain are truly the best footballing team in the universe. They will be considered one of the best-ever having won Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010. Everyone around the world will now know who Xavi and Iniesta are and who will deny these two sublime players their place as the world’s best midfield duo? Not me. David Villa has absolutely nailed the label of world’s best striker and how happy are Barcelona they bought him before the tournament? Manchester United must be feeling sick having let Pique go back to Barcelona. Referees from Mali suck. Rooney is a baby. Forlan has still got it. Muller is the next big thing. Sneijder is magic. Goal-line technology is a must. And coach Bosque will forever be worshipped for delivering the goods to his fellow countrymen.
This certainly is the “Golden Age” of Spanish football and you truly deserve the label Spain. Hope you are taking notes England…
Player of the year…
The ultimate climax is upon us. The season is reaching its crescendo. We are all about to burst. This is one of the most exciting finishes to a season in recent years. Who will win the Premier League? Who will win the Champions League? Heck who will win the World Cup?
We are all waiting. And in the midst of our anticipation comes another question. Which player has made his team tick the most in the Premier League? Which player has been the sensation of the season? Who deserves to win Player of the Year?
Can anyone eclipse the season Wayne Rooney has had? If Manchester United don’t win the league, is Rooney’s season a failure? Do his 30 odd goals count for nothing? Can we call him the best if United don’t win it all?
With all his injuries, is it fair that Cesc Fabregas is in the frame for Player of the Year? Has he really made a difference to Arsenal’s season? Has he truly been the best player?
Carlos Tevez has scored a bundle of goals for Manchester City. Has the Argentine hit man done enough to be considered the best in 2010? If Manchester City don’t qualify for the Champions League, can we really put Tevez on the best player pedastal?
Didier Drogba has been superb for Chelsea over the years. But has he really lit it up this season? The Blues could easily walk away with the title, but has Drogba done enough to win the big player prize?
Which players do you think have been totally ignored for Player of the Year? Did Gareth Bale deserve a shot? Should Vermaelen have been considered? Why is Lampard ignored year-after-year?
Have your say…
Who will cross the finish line first..?
Our crystal ball spoke to us clearly and concisely when the excitement and anticipation of the 2009/10 season kicked-off. We made our predictions. We chose the chosen ones and it was off to the races.
As the best of the best galloped into the eyes of victory and defeat, we raved, we ranted, we posted and we polled about the beautiful game. And as the race to be crowned champion nears its end, we can’t help but wonder, who will cross the finish line first?
For so long Chelsea have been the favourites to scoop the Premier League title. If I remember correctly, we warned the Stamford Bridge outfit not to celebrate too soon. At Christmas, the Chelsea players and faithful believed they had it in the bag. There was an evident cockiness to them which has become synonymous with Chelsea. But a loss to Everton and a whipping by Manchester City in their own park soon made the Blues players and fans realize the fight to the finish will not be so easy. Did they under estimate their opponents? Did the John Terry scandal hurt them? What would they do without Drogba? Will the iron Chelski curtain find its strength again as they head towards the finish?
With Wayne Rooney turning on the style and making a case to be European Footballer of the Year, Manchester United are once again finding their strength and form at the right time. Determined to create history and make it four Premier League titles in a row, the Red Devils are as hungry as ever for silver ware. They’ve already bagged the Carling Cup, they have one eye on a Champions League quarter final spot and they are two points clear at the Premier League summit. Granted they haven’t been as exciting to watch as a team this term, but Rooney has given us every reason to be up for watching Manchester United play. Do you think they’d be flying if Ferdinand and Vidic were fit all season? Do you think Rooney deserves to be Player of the Year? Has Valencia been a success? Will Berbatov be the man United fans want him to be?
And what of Arsenal? After losses to Manchester United and Chelsea, everyone had written off their title chances for good. How could the Gunners win the league if they couldn’t beat the two best teams in the country? Somehow, some way, Arsenal have hung in there. Even though they lost to the big two, they picked up some good results in games we’ve easily seen them lose over the last few seasons. Beating the likes of Stoke and Hull has helped. Losing Ramsey to such a horrific injury has not. But unlike the Eduardo injury experience which saw Arsenal implode that season, it appears this time around the team are galvanized to win it for Ramsey. They seem to have a purpose we may not have seen in recent times. Can Arsenal finish strong without Fabregas? Would they be clear of United and Chelsea on points at this stage if Van Persie hadn’t been injured? Was Vermaelen the best buy of the season? How good could Arsenal actually be if they bought three more world class players?
The rest of the league are fighting for a fourth Champions League spot, a Europa League place or just plain old fashioned survival. How do your predictions match up to what you thought at the beginning of the season? Who do you see wining it all? Chelsea? Manchester United? Or Arsenal? Can Tottenham really steal a Champions League birth? Will Manchester City or Aston Villa ruin their coming out party? Will we see another famous old club like West Ham go down? Has Hull City’s luck finally run out? When Portsmouth go down, how much further will they sink over the next few years? Remember Leeds?
There is still much to play for. It’s sad that the season is almost ending but fear not fellow footie fans! The silver lining is that we are in a World Cup year so the wait for some quality football won’t feel like eternity. Could this be the year Wayne Rooney shines on the world stage? Is it his time to be crowned a world football superstar? The race to the finish line is almost over. The only question is, who will win?
The evolution of Robin van Persie…
We have all witnessed the growth and progression of Cesc Fabregas as a world class footballer. There’s no question the Spaniard has solidified his place as one of the best midfielders in the universe. His goal against Tottenham on Saturday was magical and proves that if he wants to turn his talent on like that, he has the ability to do so at any given time. The Arsenal fans are completely aware of his brilliance and the effect he can have on a game. But what of his teammate Robin Van Persie?
This season, Robin Van Persie is proving to Arsene Wenger and the entire Arsenal fan nation that he has matured as a player and is ready and prepared to take on much more responsibility. There is definitely something very different about the Dutchman this term. Van Persie has taken the team on his shoulders and is repaying the faith Wenger and the fans have shown in him. There’s always been an edge to Van Persie’s game, but so far this season it has been controlled and he has been more than affective for the Gunners.
We’ve all seen glimpses of how amazing Van Persie can be. There’s no doubt he has scored some incredible goals and has contributed to much of Arsenal’s beautiful play over the last few years. But there was always a part of his game that let him down. Rash challenges and emotional reactions raised question marks about the maturity of Van Persie. But he seems to have put that behind him this season and he has been able to contain his emotions far better. If he can continue to evolve like this as a player, surely there is a legend in the making at Arsenal?
Not only has Van Persie’s attitude improved, his finishing has been clinical and his overall team play has been unselfish and inspiring. With the departure of Adebayor, it’s as though he has been freed to play his game and in return, he has delivered his best performances in an Arsenal shirt. With Fabregas and Van Persie hitting form at the same time, this could definitely give Arsenal fans hope that they can really make a run for the title this year. Add the world class talent that is Arshavin to the mix, and anything is possible.
Van Persie is ready to take his place among the elite footballers on the planet and in a World Cup year, he could really solidify his status as one of the best. Who knows, perhaps the evolution can become a revolution for Arsenal and the national Dutch team…