I know its pretty early in the season to comment. But I guess all Chelsea Fans would have the same opinion as me. Chelsea have had a great start to the season. Considering the fact the there has not been any hot transfers(Unlikely of Chelsea) and a new coach many would have doubted how they would cope up with the premier league this season. Though its become a cliche to say that the first few games sets the tone for the rest of the season, the football pundits aren't simply repeating this mantra every time you put on ESPN or Star Sports. A nice start actually gives you something to look back upon and feel that you have achieved something.
Now looking at the games, the first one against Hull was rather a poor game by Chelsea's standards. An injury time winner was necessary to ensure the win(Isn't this script familiar). Next came Sunderland who were a confident bunch after their win in the first much. But as expected Chelsea dominated the game and won it handsomely and thankfully Michael Ballack got on the scoring sheet. I feel this could be his season(something which everyone has been saying since his arrival at Stamford Bridge). And finally the third game against Fulham. The score 2-0 is probably the most seen scoreline in a match involving Chelsea.
Drogba has had a good start scoring 3 goals in as many matches. The defence has also been stable expect for the first 15 minutes. And the well oiled midfield is creating chances.
All this made me forget the Community Shield victory we had against Manchester United though it probably lacked the intensity normally seen in a Chelsea - ManUtd match. Next week we have Burnley at home. Unless they make it a habit of upsetting the biggies I wouldn't take them seriously.
So that sums up the Chelsea's 2 weeks of Premier League 2009-10.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Wenger not carried away
Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger is refusing to get carried away after his team's 6-1 win at Everton.
Wenger chooses to ignore the hype just as he did when they said that the Gunners were set for a season of struggle before the campaign kicked off.
Arsenal were the biggest winners on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League season as Denilson, debutant Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas put them 3-0 up at half-time - with Cesc Fabregas' two second-half goals and a late Eduardo strike completing the rout. Louis Saha grabbed the smallest of consolations for the Toffees.
Wenger has had to listen all summer to pundits questioning whether his team are good enough to finish in the top four, let alone win the league, following the sale of key players Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure.
"People have been writing us off. But what is important is not what others say, but what we do," the Frenchman said.
"From being told we were not competitive before the game to now being told we are super-favourites is strange. But it is right to say that this is just the first game, and we aim to continue to give our best.
"We have matured, and this is a good basis to continue like that and to show what we want to do.
"Before the game we were seemingly being ruled out by everybody, and now we have won 6-1 there are two very big extremes.
"We are told we do not have the squad. Well, we want to show that we do have the squad."
Wenger chooses to ignore the hype just as he did when they said that the Gunners were set for a season of struggle before the campaign kicked off.
Arsenal were the biggest winners on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League season as Denilson, debutant Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas put them 3-0 up at half-time - with Cesc Fabregas' two second-half goals and a late Eduardo strike completing the rout. Louis Saha grabbed the smallest of consolations for the Toffees.
Wenger has had to listen all summer to pundits questioning whether his team are good enough to finish in the top four, let alone win the league, following the sale of key players Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure.
"People have been writing us off. But what is important is not what others say, but what we do," the Frenchman said.
"From being told we were not competitive before the game to now being told we are super-favourites is strange. But it is right to say that this is just the first game, and we aim to continue to give our best.
"We have matured, and this is a good basis to continue like that and to show what we want to do.
"Before the game we were seemingly being ruled out by everybody, and now we have won 6-1 there are two very big extremes.
"We are told we do not have the squad. Well, we want to show that we do have the squad."
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
It's about Half Time @ F12008
Formula One Season 2008 has seen 8 races so far and it has generated lot of excitement. The season began with a dramatic Australian GP with only 6 cars finishing and the golden boy of 2007 Lewis Hamilton winning the race. The next one at Sepang had Massa running 2nd spinning out,but Raikkonen won the race to bring Ferrari in to picture. The Mclaren drivers had a 5 place penalty on the starting grid for impeding the drivers during qualification. Then came along the Bahrain Grand Prix where we had Ferrari 1-2, the first for the season with Massa winning it. Well what was pleasing this season was coming of teams like BMW Sauber. Their drivers Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfield had a steady beginning this season. Then it was to the home ground of Fernando Alonso, who was having a pretty quiet season. But the story remained the same. Yet another Ferrari 1-2,but this time Raikkonen winning and Hamilton clinching 3rd spot. This race also marked the end of team Super Aguri due to financial troubles.Kovalainen met with an accident here but escaped with only mild concussions.
The Next stop was at Turkey after 2 weeks. But this break was not enough to break the Ferrari winning spree. Massa rounded off an impressive week with a win and for a change Hamilton came 2nd and Raikkonen 3rd. The prayers of other teams were answered at Monaco when finally Hamilton won the race, after 4 races of Ferrari domination(Massa was 3rd and ensured Ferrari's presence on the podium). As an Indian I must say it was a sad say for me(every Indian) when Adrian Sutil Force India driver was in a strong position to win points, but was unfortunate to have Raikkonen crashing in to him, thus ending his race. Canadian grandprix saw a podium devoid of Ferraris or Mclarens. Robert Kubica won his maiden race and Heidfield came second.Coulthard was back on the podium after a very long time. Relief for other teams with only Massa managing a 6th place and no other top notch driver in top 8. There was this freak accident in the pit lane which ended the race for Raikkonen and Hamilton and Hamilton was slapped with a 10 place penalty for the next race.You could say things were back to normal at France with a Ferrari 1-2, won by Massa.
So as the season has reached the around half way stage it is very nicely poised. Massa leads the drivers championship with 48 points closely followed by Kubica at 46 and Raikonen at 43 and Hamilton at 38. Ferrari have a 17 point lead in constructors over the most improved team this season BMW Sauber. The next race is at Silverstone. Will Hamilton be able to produce his best before his home crowd or will it be Ferraris again??It remains to be seen.
The Next stop was at Turkey after 2 weeks. But this break was not enough to break the Ferrari winning spree. Massa rounded off an impressive week with a win and for a change Hamilton came 2nd and Raikkonen 3rd. The prayers of other teams were answered at Monaco when finally Hamilton won the race, after 4 races of Ferrari domination(Massa was 3rd and ensured Ferrari's presence on the podium). As an Indian I must say it was a sad say for me(every Indian) when Adrian Sutil Force India driver was in a strong position to win points, but was unfortunate to have Raikkonen crashing in to him, thus ending his race. Canadian grandprix saw a podium devoid of Ferraris or Mclarens. Robert Kubica won his maiden race and Heidfield came second.Coulthard was back on the podium after a very long time. Relief for other teams with only Massa managing a 6th place and no other top notch driver in top 8. There was this freak accident in the pit lane which ended the race for Raikkonen and Hamilton and Hamilton was slapped with a 10 place penalty for the next race.You could say things were back to normal at France with a Ferrari 1-2, won by Massa.
So as the season has reached the around half way stage it is very nicely poised. Massa leads the drivers championship with 48 points closely followed by Kubica at 46 and Raikonen at 43 and Hamilton at 38. Ferrari have a 17 point lead in constructors over the most improved team this season BMW Sauber. The next race is at Silverstone. Will Hamilton be able to produce his best before his home crowd or will it be Ferraris again??It remains to be seen.
Monday, June 30, 2008
All Hail El Furia Roja
El NinoFinally Euro 2008 has come to an end. The great Spanish drought is over. The long wait of 44 years has come to an end. They have comprehensively beaten all that have come their way , be it the world champions Italy , the spirited Russia or the gritty Germans. Now Mr.Luis Aragones can smile [I too as a spanish supporter :)] as his tag of the under achievers is gone.
It was a fitting end to the tournament for the Spaniards , though only a 1-0 score line in the end. And who else but El Nino score the winner. Throughout the early stages he was under the shadow of David Villa but he had the last smile scoring the winner in the final. The Spanish formation of 4-5-1 was found too hard to contain by all the teams. Cesc Fabregas , Xavi Hernandez, David SIlva , Marcos Senna and Andres Iniesta formed a deadly combination and were off target only against Italy. Yet otherwise no one had an answer to this awesome five. Also having Sergio Ramos and Capedevila as wing backs further strengthend the attack. Credit must also be given to Carlos Puyol and Marchena who had the defence under control. And well the best of the lot Iker Casillas who not only saved the 2 penalties against Italy but made a number of spectacular saves. He conceeded just 2 goals in the tournament.
Germany, who were through out the tournament highly erratic, had an off day. They were consistently off the mark and their defence was always under pressure. Michael Ballack will return home again without the winners medal , something which has been eluding him for quite some time now. Despite the failure of some highly rated players , this Euro has had its share of surprises and shocks and also rise of new stars.
Now on the longer perspective , this Spanish team is a very young side who can be a major force by 2010. Italy , France will have to regroup quickly since they have had some retirements. And finally we will have to wait and watch if teams like Russia will remain as One Tournament Wonder or will they become a feared force. So now its time to celebrate and enjoy with Spain. Its been a truly wonderful and colourful tournament. All hail El Furia Roja!!!
Friday, June 27, 2008
NBA Draft
The NBA season is over. The Boston Celtics have been crowned the Champions. Now the time has come for the NBA Draft. NBA Draft is the process where the 30 teams select players who wish to join the league. The players are selectes from College and High School Level. The order of teams to pick the players is decided by the NBA Draft Lottery , where preference is given to the 14 teams which failed to qaulify for the playoffs[Poorest Win-Loss record]. The Lottery system used is a very interesting one where numbered ping pong balls are used to choose the order of teams. Its been designed in such a way that the team with the poorest performance has the maximum probability of getting number 1 draft pick. The logic of this is simple , the teams picking first get better players.
After the college level season is over there will be a few players who are expected to take the top positions in draft. The tag NBA first overall draft pick is a very coveted one and also one which becomes a household name for the media.The order for draft this year is
1. Chicago
2. Miami
3. Minnesota
4. Seattle
5. Memphis
6. New York
7. LA Clippers
8. Milwaukee
9. Charlotte
10. New Jersey
11. Indiana
12. Sacramento
13. Portland
14. Golden State
15. Atlanta (To Phoenix)
16. Philadelphia
17. Toronto
18. Washington
19. Cleveland
20. Denver
21. Dallas (To New Jersey)
22. Orlando
23. Utah
24. Phoenix (To Seattle)
25. Houston
26. San Antonio
27. New Orleans
28. LA Lakers (To Memphis)
29. Detroit
30. Boston
The Names indicated in the bracket are the teams which get the pick. They were given on a mutual basis.
There are 2 rounds of draft picks. The 2nd round is done in a different order.This year the Derrick Rose of Memphis is the NBA first overall draft pick,followed by Michael Beasley. So far the top drafts havent failed to live up to the expectation. Lets see what happens the coming year.
After the college level season is over there will be a few players who are expected to take the top positions in draft. The tag NBA first overall draft pick is a very coveted one and also one which becomes a household name for the media.The order for draft this year is
1. Chicago
2. Miami
3. Minnesota
4. Seattle
5. Memphis
6. New York
7. LA Clippers
8. Milwaukee
9. Charlotte
10. New Jersey
11. Indiana
12. Sacramento
13. Portland
14. Golden State
15. Atlanta (To Phoenix)
16. Philadelphia
17. Toronto
18. Washington
19. Cleveland
20. Denver
21. Dallas (To New Jersey)
22. Orlando
23. Utah
24. Phoenix (To Seattle)
25. Houston
26. San Antonio
27. New Orleans
28. LA Lakers (To Memphis)
29. Detroit
30. Boston
The Names indicated in the bracket are the teams which get the pick. They were given on a mutual basis.
There are 2 rounds of draft picks. The 2nd round is done in a different order.This year the Derrick Rose of Memphis is the NBA first overall draft pick,followed by Michael Beasley. So far the top drafts havent failed to live up to the expectation. Lets see what happens the coming year.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
"Test"ing Time for ICC
When Asia Cup was staged in the year 2004 , it was seen as the introduction of associate teams to the real cricket world. It was thought UAE and HongKong would be given more opportunities to improve.But still they remain the same team 4 years back , only difference being new faces.
Cricket has been a game played by very few countries. Since the last decade or so it has been spreading to other countries as well. ICC has been doing commendable work in this regard. They have formed the associate group of nations and have their tournaments and tours. But time has come to move a step further.
Holding a tournament like Asia Cup once in a while will do no good for these teams. It would merely help the players of the Regular cricket playing nations boost their stats , as we have seen in this tournament so far. They may have dominated sessions of play, but they are still very far from even batting 50 overs. In this regard , even Bangladesh though a test playing nation has not show cased consistent performance. Probably , they are still a "one-day wonder".
Playing more cricket is the only way to make it big at International stage. At present its more of a part time affair for these players.Here comes the importance of a good first class system and this is what these countries lack. Playing more cricket is what makes a talented player a good player. There is no dearth of talent in these countries , the problem is in the system. What ICC could do in this regard would be to include these teams in tournaments like Duleep Trophy or some part of County Cricket. This would give them the much needed exposure to what is played at International Level. Also including them in T20s would be more meaningful.Here they will have a better chance of winning a game since its only a matter of getting the momentum for 40 overs.
Zimbabwe,Kenya and Bangladesh are 3 teams which have been around for a while yet they still arent a team to be reckoned. The reasons are the same , except in Zimbabwe where the political system is in such shambles that there is no time to look at cricket. Kenya and Bangladesh, though they have a first class cricke system , its not competitive enough nor does it provide a decent income.
Its tough days ahead for ICC with the take over by T20s and decline of some cricketing nations.It would be interesing to see how ICC is going to tackle these problems.
Cricket has been a game played by very few countries. Since the last decade or so it has been spreading to other countries as well. ICC has been doing commendable work in this regard. They have formed the associate group of nations and have their tournaments and tours. But time has come to move a step further.
Holding a tournament like Asia Cup once in a while will do no good for these teams. It would merely help the players of the Regular cricket playing nations boost their stats , as we have seen in this tournament so far. They may have dominated sessions of play, but they are still very far from even batting 50 overs. In this regard , even Bangladesh though a test playing nation has not show cased consistent performance. Probably , they are still a "one-day wonder".
Playing more cricket is the only way to make it big at International stage. At present its more of a part time affair for these players.Here comes the importance of a good first class system and this is what these countries lack. Playing more cricket is what makes a talented player a good player. There is no dearth of talent in these countries , the problem is in the system. What ICC could do in this regard would be to include these teams in tournaments like Duleep Trophy or some part of County Cricket. This would give them the much needed exposure to what is played at International Level. Also including them in T20s would be more meaningful.Here they will have a better chance of winning a game since its only a matter of getting the momentum for 40 overs.
Zimbabwe,Kenya and Bangladesh are 3 teams which have been around for a while yet they still arent a team to be reckoned. The reasons are the same , except in Zimbabwe where the political system is in such shambles that there is no time to look at cricket. Kenya and Bangladesh, though they have a first class cricke system , its not competitive enough nor does it provide a decent income.
Its tough days ahead for ICC with the take over by T20s and decline of some cricketing nations.It would be interesing to see how ICC is going to tackle these problems.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Euro Top Ten
The Indomitable Russian
Euro 2008 has been a thrilling one so far. The quarter finals have all concluded. Germany,Spain,Turkey and Russia have made the cut. Lets look at the 10 players who have made an impact in this tournament so far.
1)David Villa:-Started of brilliantly with a hattrick against Russians and scored the winner against Sweden. Has been the striker of the tournament so far.
2)Andrey Arshavin:-He started the tournament late due to suspension but since then he has been unstoppable. Winning the Man of the Match awards in both his games, he has done everything,scoring goals,setting up his team mates. Probably the best player in the tournament till now.
3)Bastian Schweinsteiger:-He brought about the spring in the steps of German players. Having been a substitute in group games,he responded well and was rewarded with a place in starting XI against Portugal. Easily the best player in the match scoring one and setting up another.
4)Iker Casillas:-The backbone of Spanish team. Has showcased strong performances and was the hero in the match against Italy. The best goalkeeper of the tournament.
5)Roman Pavlyuchenko:- The lone striker of Russian team.Got his chance due to injury to first choice striker. Has repaid the faith shown by his coach , by scoring 3 goals in 4 games.
6)Nihat Kahveci:-Showed why he is regarded as a dangerous striker by scoring 2 goals in 15 minutes against Czech to take his team to quarter final. Played his part in quarter final also.But will miss out the semi final clash due to injury.
7)Wesley Sneijder:-Scored 2 brilliant goals in the group stage against Italy and France. Was the controller for Netherlands in midfield. But failed in the match against Russia.
8)Cesc Fabregas:-This cheeky mid fielder has been wonderful coming in as substitute and supporting his striker.Scored one against Russia and the winning penalty against Italy. He is proved his value when some felt he would not be able to play in this team having many world class mid fielders.
9)Gianluigi Buffon:-The best Italian player of the tournament. Saved a crucial penalty by Mutu and made many saves,which kept their tournament alive.But could not produce the same against Spain.
10)Lucas Podolski:-He has been the goal scorer for Germany,scoring 3 in 4 games. But he has been under injury concern before the quarter finals. He is now back strong and the Turkish players will have to be wary of him.
The defense of most of the teams have rather been team effort. So my list does not feature any defender.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
