Friday, February 25, 2005
The recent polls on the richest clubs in the world has a larger than proportionate number of english clubs in the top 20. In the long term it will definitely play a part in english club's success in Europe, as vindicated by the strong showing of having 4 teams in the last 16 of the Champion's League. However there is still some way to go for English teams before they can proclaim themselves to be masters of the European game, right now they are still pretenders to the throne.
MAN UTD
Richest club in the world, undisputed kings of England for the past decade ruled under the iron-fist of fergie. Only English club to lift the coveted champions/European Cup in recent times. Suffered a first home defeat in an European tie for over 30 games the past midweek. Other than the treble winning year, unless my memory fails me, United have not progressed to the semi-finals on any other occasion. While the mere mention of United strikes fear in England, we've often seen them come far short in Europe, often stumbling at the first worthwhile opponents thrown their way. Their opponents in group stages have more often than not the minions of the European game. Even in this campaign, they managed to finish 2nd in the a relatively weak group to Lyon, hardly a team that I consider the who's who of European aristocrats. Despite being in a rich vein of form, United once again came up short in midweek against a Milan team that have been stuttering of late with defeats to Livorno and without Sheva. While I do not put it past United to get past Milan, I see it will come from the grit and determination of the team rather than tactical brilliance or technical superiority. Italian teams do have the uncanny habit of selfdestructing at the weirdest time bar none(Think milan in last season's tie away to depor). Ferguson for all his reputation knighthood and all, is still some way off when it comes to tactical acumen and brilliance compared to some of the more illustrious names in the industry. He's a good man manager, motivator and argubly the one with the keenest eye for young talents. But have we ever saw him turn a game around with tactical shift and substitutions that changes the shape the team play? For a top coach he has surprisingly very few systems that he's comfortable with, victories have came almost entirely by the sheer strength of his squad or some inspired performance of true grit by his players on the pitch. His substitutions have often been straight forward swap of players in the same formation, and so often we have seen United caught out when opponents choose to take the game to United, instead and lying back and wait for the barage. Perhaps it was Man U's ill fortune to have drawn a team so strong for the round of 16 but when you have aspirations to be champions, you've gotta take on all comers and that sadly is what United is sorely lacking. I feel that they've come as far as they possibly could under Ferguson and a new manager could perhaps take United to greater heights.
ARSENAL
Champions of England(though they're going to be unceremoniously by Chelsea soon). United's only nemesis in England the past decade. Wannabes in Europe. Much have been said of Arsenal's failings in Europe, they were never crowned champions of Europe and I think their only European trophy had been the now defunct cup winners cup in 1994, where they were played off the pitch by Parma and won by a solitary if I remember correctly Ian Wright's goal. Arsenal today is perhaps the most exciting team in England, playing breathtaking sublime football. While most premiership teams are often torn asunders by Arsenal, they find that European opponents are made of sterner stuff, where Arsenal often fall prey to the lesser teams. There have been some inspired performance think Thierry Henry's show in Rome where they won 3-0 and insipid ones like the mauling by Inter at highbury and the defeat by Bayern in midweek. They have in Thierry the one player who can single handedly win any games for them but alas it all seem to depend very much on his mood and Arsenal just cannot hope that he do it every match. Arsene Wenger is perhaps Fergie's only adversary in England but his qualities differ largely from the knighted one. Wenger is a tactician, a professor who delves on pressing home the tactical advantage. He is however not in the same class as fergie when it comes to motivating his men. United often comes out from the half time dressing down like men possessed still playing in the same formation. This is not something Arsenal is noted for, their game have most often been decided from the game plan and if the plan don't work, its up to the professor to tweak the Arsenal war machine. Motivation is always Arsenal's problem where they simply do not show up for the big one. In their outstanding sequence of undefeated games the players were self-motivated to keep the run going and when it finally ended you can see that the players won't putting in the same effort anymore.
LIVERPOOL
Most successful English club both domestically and in Europe. Still considered one of the powerhouse in the game as evident by their top ten placing in the list of richest clubs. BUt one will be hard-pressed to put them on the same pedestal as Real, Milan, Juve, Barca, although with their 4 European Cups they should be amongst the elite. Currently languishing in fifth place behind neighbours Everton who have a tiny fraction of their budget and Boro breathing down their neck. They however turned in a virtuso performance in midweek against Leverkusen. Compared to the other 3 English team this was perhaps the easiest tie in terms of European pedigree. It would seem that Liverpool have a better chance of qualifying for next season's champion's league if they can inspire themselves in one off games like European ties by winning the Cup than via the league placings where their inconsistency continue to confound Benitez. In Benitez Pool have a wonderful coach much in the same mould as his predecessors, soft-spoken nice guy, but nice guys dun win. He is tactically shrewd and it would seem that he's most hampered by the purse strings and Liverpool's ability to draw top talents, while the jury's still out on his first season in charge, he has won many fans over as he has always been let down by his players.
CHELSEA
Money do make the world go round as proven by the Chelsea revolution this season. Without any pedigree either at home or Europe with the epic semi-final confrontation against Barca a few years back the only games of note, its ironic that their first test in Europe this season is against the other form team in Europe Barca. With a very talented squad and endless supply of money, Chelsea can now rival any of the tradition European giants for any signature. The final jigsaw seems to be the appointment of Jose, while Ranieri well liked as he was, has always been the nearly man, more suited to drag teams out of relegation, building a team for the future than actually being there winning titles. In Jose Mourinho, argubly the best young coach in Europe now, Chelsea looks like being a dominant force. While they have lost to Barca in midweek, the tie is not all lost and Chelsea represents England's best chance to lift the Champion's Cup this season, with their continental style of play being more suited for Europe that United's huff and puff and the showy Arsenal. The success of chelsea this season was largely due to the coach's ability to switch play from wing play to destroy premiership opposition and the continental cut and thrust when in Europe. This has been Arsenal and United's failings, they play the same in EUrope or in EPL.
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MAN UTD
Richest club in the world, undisputed kings of England for the past decade ruled under the iron-fist of fergie. Only English club to lift the coveted champions/European Cup in recent times. Suffered a first home defeat in an European tie for over 30 games the past midweek. Other than the treble winning year, unless my memory fails me, United have not progressed to the semi-finals on any other occasion. While the mere mention of United strikes fear in England, we've often seen them come far short in Europe, often stumbling at the first worthwhile opponents thrown their way. Their opponents in group stages have more often than not the minions of the European game. Even in this campaign, they managed to finish 2nd in the a relatively weak group to Lyon, hardly a team that I consider the who's who of European aristocrats. Despite being in a rich vein of form, United once again came up short in midweek against a Milan team that have been stuttering of late with defeats to Livorno and without Sheva. While I do not put it past United to get past Milan, I see it will come from the grit and determination of the team rather than tactical brilliance or technical superiority. Italian teams do have the uncanny habit of selfdestructing at the weirdest time bar none(Think milan in last season's tie away to depor). Ferguson for all his reputation knighthood and all, is still some way off when it comes to tactical acumen and brilliance compared to some of the more illustrious names in the industry. He's a good man manager, motivator and argubly the one with the keenest eye for young talents. But have we ever saw him turn a game around with tactical shift and substitutions that changes the shape the team play? For a top coach he has surprisingly very few systems that he's comfortable with, victories have came almost entirely by the sheer strength of his squad or some inspired performance of true grit by his players on the pitch. His substitutions have often been straight forward swap of players in the same formation, and so often we have seen United caught out when opponents choose to take the game to United, instead and lying back and wait for the barage. Perhaps it was Man U's ill fortune to have drawn a team so strong for the round of 16 but when you have aspirations to be champions, you've gotta take on all comers and that sadly is what United is sorely lacking. I feel that they've come as far as they possibly could under Ferguson and a new manager could perhaps take United to greater heights.
ARSENAL
Champions of England(though they're going to be unceremoniously by Chelsea soon). United's only nemesis in England the past decade. Wannabes in Europe. Much have been said of Arsenal's failings in Europe, they were never crowned champions of Europe and I think their only European trophy had been the now defunct cup winners cup in 1994, where they were played off the pitch by Parma and won by a solitary if I remember correctly Ian Wright's goal. Arsenal today is perhaps the most exciting team in England, playing breathtaking sublime football. While most premiership teams are often torn asunders by Arsenal, they find that European opponents are made of sterner stuff, where Arsenal often fall prey to the lesser teams. There have been some inspired performance think Thierry Henry's show in Rome where they won 3-0 and insipid ones like the mauling by Inter at highbury and the defeat by Bayern in midweek. They have in Thierry the one player who can single handedly win any games for them but alas it all seem to depend very much on his mood and Arsenal just cannot hope that he do it every match. Arsene Wenger is perhaps Fergie's only adversary in England but his qualities differ largely from the knighted one. Wenger is a tactician, a professor who delves on pressing home the tactical advantage. He is however not in the same class as fergie when it comes to motivating his men. United often comes out from the half time dressing down like men possessed still playing in the same formation. This is not something Arsenal is noted for, their game have most often been decided from the game plan and if the plan don't work, its up to the professor to tweak the Arsenal war machine. Motivation is always Arsenal's problem where they simply do not show up for the big one. In their outstanding sequence of undefeated games the players were self-motivated to keep the run going and when it finally ended you can see that the players won't putting in the same effort anymore.
LIVERPOOL
Most successful English club both domestically and in Europe. Still considered one of the powerhouse in the game as evident by their top ten placing in the list of richest clubs. BUt one will be hard-pressed to put them on the same pedestal as Real, Milan, Juve, Barca, although with their 4 European Cups they should be amongst the elite. Currently languishing in fifth place behind neighbours Everton who have a tiny fraction of their budget and Boro breathing down their neck. They however turned in a virtuso performance in midweek against Leverkusen. Compared to the other 3 English team this was perhaps the easiest tie in terms of European pedigree. It would seem that Liverpool have a better chance of qualifying for next season's champion's league if they can inspire themselves in one off games like European ties by winning the Cup than via the league placings where their inconsistency continue to confound Benitez. In Benitez Pool have a wonderful coach much in the same mould as his predecessors, soft-spoken nice guy, but nice guys dun win. He is tactically shrewd and it would seem that he's most hampered by the purse strings and Liverpool's ability to draw top talents, while the jury's still out on his first season in charge, he has won many fans over as he has always been let down by his players.
CHELSEA
Money do make the world go round as proven by the Chelsea revolution this season. Without any pedigree either at home or Europe with the epic semi-final confrontation against Barca a few years back the only games of note, its ironic that their first test in Europe this season is against the other form team in Europe Barca. With a very talented squad and endless supply of money, Chelsea can now rival any of the tradition European giants for any signature. The final jigsaw seems to be the appointment of Jose, while Ranieri well liked as he was, has always been the nearly man, more suited to drag teams out of relegation, building a team for the future than actually being there winning titles. In Jose Mourinho, argubly the best young coach in Europe now, Chelsea looks like being a dominant force. While they have lost to Barca in midweek, the tie is not all lost and Chelsea represents England's best chance to lift the Champion's Cup this season, with their continental style of play being more suited for Europe that United's huff and puff and the showy Arsenal. The success of chelsea this season was largely due to the coach's ability to switch play from wing play to destroy premiership opposition and the continental cut and thrust when in Europe. This has been Arsenal and United's failings, they play the same in EUrope or in EPL.
Friday, February 18, 2005
I've became a karaoke junkie.
Gradually but surely I'm embarking on my slide to becoming one of them uncles who hang out at karaoke pubs every night, belting out their very un-sinatra like rendition of My Way. Every night that's not a sailing or duty day, I'll be at one of 'em pubs downing my Martell, appluading the next singer waiting for the night to pass. Perhaps its the signs of the times where unlike the states where middle-aged balding paunch laden men hang around the bowling alley to drink their buds, middle-aged balding paunch laden singapore men like myself goes to karaoke pubs to get away from life, work, wife etc. As one is encroaching the menopause stage of their life(Yes it happens to men too!), it seems that clubbing is too demanding a physical task where standing around for 5 hours is such an arduous ordeal. Being every dance chereographer's nightmare, is my oft touted excuse for not expressing my version of the great singapore workout on the dancefloor. Let the truth be known that such physical exertions would have left me gasping for breath, pleading to the lord/buddha/allah/sungod/moongoddess etc that I'm too young(contradicting ain't I?) to die. 12 years is an awfully long time to be clubbing and perhaps the time has come for me to close this chapter of my life. Damnit, when will pubs start doing the $3 a shot offer like dbl o.
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Gradually but surely I'm embarking on my slide to becoming one of them uncles who hang out at karaoke pubs every night, belting out their very un-sinatra like rendition of My Way. Every night that's not a sailing or duty day, I'll be at one of 'em pubs downing my Martell, appluading the next singer waiting for the night to pass. Perhaps its the signs of the times where unlike the states where middle-aged balding paunch laden men hang around the bowling alley to drink their buds, middle-aged balding paunch laden singapore men like myself goes to karaoke pubs to get away from life, work, wife etc. As one is encroaching the menopause stage of their life(Yes it happens to men too!), it seems that clubbing is too demanding a physical task where standing around for 5 hours is such an arduous ordeal. Being every dance chereographer's nightmare, is my oft touted excuse for not expressing my version of the great singapore workout on the dancefloor. Let the truth be known that such physical exertions would have left me gasping for breath, pleading to the lord/buddha/allah/sungod/moongoddess etc that I'm too young(contradicting ain't I?) to die. 12 years is an awfully long time to be clubbing and perhaps the time has come for me to close this chapter of my life. Damnit, when will pubs start doing the $3 a shot offer like dbl o.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
This Vday has gotta be the best one I/ve ever had. No consternation about where to bring the lady, no wallowing in self pity in my spending the day alone, and best of all no deliberaing 'bout whether to send a mind blowing sms to Kelly. Just and 2 of my chums trooping to one of the pubs I frequent, get filled up with a healthy amount of alcohol, shrieking unabashedly with my unearthly vocals to some Jay Chou tunes to thoroughly enjoy myself.
It was also the first chance I had due to my insane work schedule to evaluate how my rehabilitation from her is coming along. I thought it had went pretty well, I'm actually considering various prospects that had emerged in my field of vision. That is until I asked one of me buddies who's about to get hitched to one of the ex-waitress from the pub what is it that he likes 'bout the girl. Then in retrospect, I discovered there's nothing I like passionately about any of these prospects and how they pales in comparision to Kelly, how everyone doesn't hold a spark much less a candle to Kelly. I hated the way how I used Kelly as the yardstick whenever someone new and interesting comes along. I hated myself for despite all the claims that I'm ready to embrace someone new, yet deep down inside I know I'm just patronizing her. I hated myself for all the lies that I'll tell to my future spouse that she's the one I love the most. But I accept cause this is what have to be.
My life goes on from her. No more will the mention of Kelly be sprouted from my lips. No more will there be acknowledgement of this emotional baggage that I held. No more will there be any reference to her in this blog. No more will her name resides in my phone. No more Kelly.
Kelly, I wish you the best and happiest life. Tata Bleah! :P
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It was also the first chance I had due to my insane work schedule to evaluate how my rehabilitation from her is coming along. I thought it had went pretty well, I'm actually considering various prospects that had emerged in my field of vision. That is until I asked one of me buddies who's about to get hitched to one of the ex-waitress from the pub what is it that he likes 'bout the girl. Then in retrospect, I discovered there's nothing I like passionately about any of these prospects and how they pales in comparision to Kelly, how everyone doesn't hold a spark much less a candle to Kelly. I hated the way how I used Kelly as the yardstick whenever someone new and interesting comes along. I hated myself for despite all the claims that I'm ready to embrace someone new, yet deep down inside I know I'm just patronizing her. I hated myself for all the lies that I'll tell to my future spouse that she's the one I love the most. But I accept cause this is what have to be.
My life goes on from her. No more will the mention of Kelly be sprouted from my lips. No more will there be acknowledgement of this emotional baggage that I held. No more will there be any reference to her in this blog. No more will her name resides in my phone. No more Kelly.
Kelly, I wish you the best and happiest life. Tata Bleah! :P
