Barcelona have to get Messi more on the ball
Against Valencia on Saturday, Tito Martino confirmed the view that the thrust of his Barcelona side is no more Lionel Messi. In seasons gone by, the Catalans revolved their play around the Argentine, which ultimately led them – Pep Guardiola, to create the ‘false 9’ position. This season, Messi has been injured but it is telling that the only league goal he has scored since September was from the penalty spot last Saturday. If they want to bring the fear factor back to their play, then Messi has to get more of the ball, run at more defenders and commit them to making rash tackles and mistakes.
Liverpool showed their lack of depth
Against West Brom, lacking in confidence, Liverpool showed that all they can aspire to this season is a top-four finish and that will take some doing with the thinness of their squad. Whilst the Anfield giants needed a game changer after the Baggies equalized – the replacements that Brendan Rodgers threw on were Joe Allen and Martin Kelly. Good squad players no doubt but definitely not game changers on a day when Liverpool needed a spark going forward.
Cristiano Ronaldo will never get Messi’s protection
Carlos Gurpegi had a tiff with Cristiano Ronaldo, which could at best have been described as ‘hand-bags’. But referee Miguel Ayzastill who surely did not see enough of the incident showed the Portuguese winger a straight red card. Video replays showed that Gurpegi instigated the incident and was indeed the one that should have been shown a red.
Gurpegi pushed Ronaldo after appealing for a handball in the area and he responded by brushing his hand into the Athletic man’s face. Gurpegi then started play-acting before Iturraspe, who clearly pushed his head into Ronaldo joined the altercation. In this type of melee, Lionel Messi will surely have been protected but the current World Football of the year will not have this privilege!
Man United and Inter have systemic challenges
United, complete with their holy trinity – Robin Van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata lost to Stoke City on Saturday and the defeat showed all that is wrong with United. Apart from lacking in some areas – they looked jaded and struggled to create chances against the Potters.
The two goals from Charlie Adam aside, Stoke just made sure that they won all 50/50 challenges and harried the United side. Mata touched the ball a lot but not in areas where he could hurt Stoke.
Same could be said of Inter, who seem to have lost their soul. Juve just had them for dinner on Sunday evening – they were not at the races. Both teams need new players and must start working ahead of the summer transfer window to get back to their exalted positions.
It is a one-team show in Germany
Bayern Munich will only get stronger and better, which is bad news for all other competing teams in the Bundesliga because reports from Germany say the Bavarians have put in a bid for the next poster boy of German football, Julian Draxler. With Robert Lewandowski already in the bag, there will be no stopping the Guardiola as their opponents get conveniently weakened from home and abroad. The Bundesliga known for its competitiveness may just lose some appeal as Bayern turn it into a one-team circus.
Juve have no equals in Italy
Juventus put three goals past a poor Inter Milan to win the Derby D’Italia on Sunday and in the process ensured that there will be no catching them in the Scudetto race. Though it has to be said that after Inter Milan had their team bus pelted with rocks and eggs as it arrived at Juventus Stadium, they could not survive the onslaught from a very concentrated Juve side. So that is that in the Serie A, teams should start preparing for another assault next season for this one is already done and dusted as Juventus moved nine points clear of Roma at the top.
Arsenal hoping for a City and Chelsea stalemate
Having gone back to the top of the English Premier League table on Sunday, the Gunners will be hoping to consolidate that position with a draw between Manchester City and Chelsea on Monday. City need to win to get back on top while a draw leaves the Gunners with some breathing space going into their next match against Liverpool. And in a league that has seen the leadership of the table change 17 times, surely anything is possible. Arsenal lead with 55 points, City are second with 53, while Chelsea are in third place with 50 points.