GERMANY...a case study

As Germany enters a record 7th semi final in the European Championships,the whole world is standing up and taking notice and this time,it is accompanied by love and excitement,not loath and despise.The German National Team or Die Deutsche Nationalmannschaft,formerly divided as East and West Germany,has been,throughout history,known for their ruthless efficiency and well disciplined and organised approach.They were not famous for aesthetic football and neither did they catch the eye of the neutrals with their rigid but effective football.Plus the glut of success that followed them and eluded the wondrous Hungary and Holland teams of yesteryears made them the scorn of the football world.But times are changing and so is the football landscape.German football has evolved over the past few years and with it cliched stereotypes associated with German football have been put to bed.

Ever since the revolution of 2000,when,after the debacle of EURO 2000,the DFB decided to re-structure and re-organise the entire landscape of German football and created a multi-cultural,multi-ethnic and highly competitive atmosphere,German football has come leaps and bounds.New dimensions to their footballing style,coupled with the emergence of young,dynamic coaches who willed to give youth a chance,have propelled Germany to the upper echelons of the footballing ladder and as of now,they find themselves being hailed as one of the highly proactive and attractive football teams of the present day.


EURO 2012                                           

 
Germany have advanced to the semi finals of the competition without much fuss,seeing off all their opponents with relative ease.The coach,Jogi Loew,has shown that he isn't afraid to tinker with the winning formula and make big calls,evident when he dropped top scorer Mario Gomez in favour of the older statesman Miro Klose.

Germany are brimming with confidence heading into the final stages of the competition.Here,I point out a few things which may well be the reason for "die Deutsche Herrlichkeit"

Loew:knows the task at hand

• THE MANAGER : KNOWS THE TEAM,KNOWS THE TARGETS
  National team managers often tend to be a bit cut off from their players due to the relatively less time they spend with the players as compared to club managers.But Loew has excellent rapport with his players and was,more often than not,spotted at several Bundesliga grounds last seaon.His proactiveness may hold key to German success as his antics and gestures on the touchline showing that he expects big things from his team.

Oezil:slowly but surely finding his feet

• MESUT OEZIL : HITTING HIS STRIDE AT THE RIGHT MOMENT
  A fearful prospect for opposition teams,Oezil found his missing feet against a defensive Greece side after being heavily marked and shadowed in the group stage matches.The way he sliced open the Greek rearguard several times,including creating two of the goals,shows that he is about to hit top form.Oezil currently tops the assists charts with 3 assists and has also won 2 Carlsberg Man of the Match prizes for his impressive displays.

Reus:an inspired selection

• BENCH STRENGTH
  Against Greece,Germany tested their bench and it reaped rich dividends.Marco Reus was a revelation and he could well be one of the mainstays of the national team for years to come.Miro Klose rolled back the years and Andre Schurlle was impressive too.In the previous match against Denmark,Lars Bender vindicated his selection by netting the winner.And we haven't even mentioned the precocious,outrageously talented Mario Goetze.Strength on the bench means Loew will be able to call upon any of his fringe players in case of a change in gameplan.

Germany's history is littered with silverware

• NO WEIGHT OF HISTORY
  History has a good hand on Germany,as has been the case most often.Simply by virtue of what their predecessors achieved,the present German team are free from any psychological barriers(curses,jinx,etc.) which the Spain players went through at the 2010 World Cup.But the fact that they have come unstuck in the latter stages of competition football in recent times raises questions about their mental strength.But still the positives far outweigh the negatives.
  
  
  
  
  As Hans Christian Andersen says "Es gibt keinen anderen Teufel als den, den wir in unserem eigenen Herzen haben."
  which means that,there is no other hell than the one we have in our own hearts.
  Germany just have to believe in themselves and their ability to succeed,and a trophy may well be in their hands this summer after 16 long years.

Liverpool FC.....2012-13 season preview(PART 2)

Off I go with the second part of my preview.This post will cover the busiest months of the season,viz.,November,December and January.15 matches are lined up in this festive period and the schedule,as always,gets super tight around the end of the year.

NOVEMBER

3rd:Newcastle United(H)

Newcastle surprised all and sundry last season with a well deserved 5th placed finish after hovering around the Champions League places all season.A repeat looks unlikely even though it is not impossible.Newcastle have been traditionally weak at Anfield,evident from the fact that their last win at Anfield came about 18 years ago.Nevertheless,Alan Pardew will be determined to get one past LFC this time.
Last season :: Yohann Cabaye put the Magpies in the lead only to see a Stevie G inspired comeback from the Reds who ran away 3-1 winners.

10th:Chelsea(A) BIG GAME

FA Cup holders Chelsea are next as Liverpool travel to SW6 in only their 5th away match of the season.A tough game by the looks of it,but Liverpool will be quietly confident having done the double over Chelsea in the previous two seasons.A kind of homecoming for the gaffer,who will look to put one past his former employers.

17th:Wigan Athletic(H)

Wigan had a fantastic finish last season to escape relegation and this year its their 8th straight season in the top flight.The Latics have been well and truly the bogey team for the Reds in recent years.Liverpool fans deem this fixture as one of the sure win fixtures only for their players to frustrate them.Last season Wigan recorded their first ever win at Anfield,Gary Caldwell being the unlikely match winner.

24th:Swansea(A)

It will be an emotional homecoming for Brendan Rodgers as he takes on his former side Swansea.Rodgers won over many fans with the Barca-esque football at Swansea that indirectly led to his appointment at Liverpool.Swansea are a difficult team to beat in their own backyard but Rodgers will be motivated to get a win there.
Last season :: Rodgers' men came out 1-0 winners in the last game of the season.

27th:Tottenham Hotspur(A) BIG GAME

Big November ends with a trip to North London.Tottenham have got the better of Liverpool in the past few seasons but with the departure of Harry Redknapp,it will be a testing season for Spurs,the key being their ability to hold on to their stars.Liverpool were thrashed 4-0 last season and a repeat looks highly unlikely.

DECEMBER

1st:Southampton(H)

The Saints are back in the Premiership after their relegation in 2004-05 season.Nigel Adkins' team achieved back to back promotions in the last two seasons and will be trying to emulate Swansea and Norwich to finish safely clear of the relegation zone.An easy tie on paper but as said before,Liverpool tend to switch off in these matches and drop points.

8th:West Ham United(A)

The Hammers are back in the top flight after a year's hiatus and under Big Sam,they are a group raring to go.A tough trip,considering the partisan Hammer's fans,but a match that may well be a battle of 'force vs finesse'.Another promoted team and need I say any more?

15th:Aston Villa(H)

Rejuvenated Aston Villa are the visitors as the festive period kicks in.Paul Lambert is the new man in the Villa hotseat and after guiding Norwich City to mid-table safety last season,will look to lead Villa along the same lines.Villa have faded badly over the past few seasons after the acrimonious departure of Martin O'Neill and performances reached the nadir last season in a disastrous campaign under Big Eck.A win likely on the cards for the Reds.
Last season :: Luis Suarez saved Liverpool's blushes with a late equaliser to deny Villa a victory in a less than inspiring match.

22nd:Fulham(H)

The Cottager's sprung a major surprise last season when they denied a less than impressive Liverpool,Martin Skrtel's own goal the decider.Liverpool will dare to repeat last season's abject performance at their own peril.A not so glamorous tie on paper but expect fireworks on the pitch.

26th:Stoke City(A)

Its Boxing Day and a trip to the Potteries.Stoke City at home are a tough nut to crack and Liverpool will try to get over last season's unfortunate defeat where they absolutely slaughtered Stoke but couldn't find a goal.Stoke benefited from refereeing mistakes but Liverpool will take heart from their performance that day.A tough game but the referee could again be the difference maker this time around.

29th:Queens Park Rangers(A)

Liverpool sign off 2012 with a trip to the smallest ground in the Premier League,Loftus Road.QPR survived relegation last season with a huge helping hand from Stoke City on the final day of the season.Mark Hughes vowed after the match that under him,QPR won't see such days again.QPR have spent well this pre season,already adding Ryan Nelsen and Andy Johnson to their ranks.The jury is still out on how far Hughes will keep his promise.Hoping for a winning end to the year.
Last season :: Calamitous Liverpool surrendered a 2 goal lead late in the game to hand the hosts a much needed boost in their relegation fight.

JANUARY

1st:Sunderland(H)

Its New Year's Day and and what better way to start off things in the new year than the visit of the Black Cats to Anfield.The corresponding fixture last season took place on the opening day which ended in a stalemate.Liverpool will look to improve their not so impressive record against Sunderland but Martin O'Neill's men will be up for the challenge.

12th:Manchester United(A) BIG GAME

After the FA Cup break,Liverpool return to Premier League action with a daunting trip to Old Trafford.Liverpool haven't won away at United since that 4-1 win in the 08-09 season.Luis Suarez got the stick from the United faithful last season for his racism incident involving Patrice Evra and will be determined to disappoint the home fans.
Last season :: A Rooney double early in the second half ensured a United victory despite Suarez pulling one back late.

19th:Norwich City(H)
Liverpool fans endured a frustrating evening last season when they laboured to a 1-1 draw against the supposed 'minnows'.An inspired John Ruddy kept the Reds at bay all evening as Grant Holt popped up in the latter stages to clinch a draw.A winnable game to say the least but the Reds' must do much more than just play to get a win.

29th:Arsenal(A) BIG GAME
The Emirates Stadium is the destination for the last game of the month.Last season,Liverpool overcame the Emirates hoodoo as they ran out 2-0 winners over an out of sorts Arsenal side early in the season.Arsenal are much stronger this term,having already signed Lukas Podolski and are close to signing Olivier Giroud,and Liverpool will have their task cut out against the 'Wenger Boys'.


P.S. Games during the January transfer window are highlighted with yellow.

Liverpool FC....A look into next season's fixtures(PART 1)

The new Premier League kicks off this August and as soon as the fixture list came out I got my fingers working.It's definitely a fresh beginning for Liverpool FC with new boss Brendan Rodgers at the helm.Like many other Liverpool fans,I too am optimistic about the new season and eagerly awaiting the new philosophies Rodgers will bring to the football club.

Here I make an effort to rundown and pre-analyse all of next season's games,highlighting the big ones,the easy rides and the potential banana skins.Have a good read.

Games during the transfer window are highlighted with yellow.

AUGUST

18th:West Bromwich Albion(A)
Away to start with,again.After last two season's home opening(vs Arsenal and Sunderland respectively),which were incidentally the first time in the Premier League era that we have started the season at home,it's a trip to the West Midlands to face WBA.It's an early face-off between new Baggies manager Steve Clarke and his former employers.It promises to be a fantastic start to the season.
Last season :: an unfortunate 0-1 loss to Roy Hodgson's men.


25th:Manchester City(H) BIG GAME
The first big one of the season and what better way to kick things off at Anfield than the visit of champions Manchester City.Brendan Rodgers will have his task cut out for this early season encounter but expect sparks to fly in this high octane clash.City were lucky to escape with a draw here last season with a fantastic Joe Hart performance.A good positive start at home will be vital though.

SEPTEMBER

1st:Arsenal(H) BIG GAME
Another big one and this time its Arsenal.An important match in the context of the season considering there is not much of a gulf in class between the two sides.Must be a treat for football purists with both managers known for their attractive brand of football.A hard one to call though all depends on how much Brendan Rodgers implements his ethos.
Last season :: a RvP brace broke LFC hearts as Arsenal ran out 2-1 winners having been on the backfoot for the entire match.

15th:Sunderland(A)
Off to the Stadium of Light to face Martin O'Neill and his charges.A tricky one as the Mackems have been some kind of a bogey team for LFC in recent years.A win won't suffice if last season's wretched performance is repeated.

22nd:Manchester United(H) BIG GAME
Biggest game of the season yet.United will be up against it and will be looking for a first win at Anfield since 2007.Last season United barely managed to hold on for a draw after surviving a flurry of Liverpool attacks.Anyway its difficult to forsee a United victory.
Last season :: Steven Gerrard scored a brilliant free kick but his comeback from injury was ruined by Chicharito's late equaliser.

29th:Norwich City(A)
September ends with a trip to East Anglia.Chris Hughton is the new man at Carrow Road and he will be desperate to get one over a supposed 'big club'.City will definitely be spurred on by a passionate crowd.Last season's hat-trick hero Luis Suarez will be hoping to deliver once again.

OCTOBER

6th:Stoke City(H)
And we kick off October with Stoke City.The Potters are in their 6th straight season in the Premiership and Tony Pulis' charges have gone from strength to strength with each passing season.Haven't won over too many fans with their direct,route one style of football,but Pulis' team have become increasingly difficult to beat as last season's scoreless draw suggests.Still,away wins are not their forte so expect Liverpool to get a win.

20th:Reading(H)
Back to back home games and this time its promoted Reading.Promoted teams have often created problems for LFC in the past as last season's only two wins from six games show.A totally winnable game on paper but LFC often tend to be complacent in these kind of games against lesser lights.A potential banana skin.

27th:Everton(A) BIG GAME
Liverpool sign off in October with a short trip across Stanley Park in the 219th Merseyside Derby.In recent years ,Liverpool have got the better of Everton even if they haven't been playing well(read FA Cup Semi Final),a trend which doesn't look like bucking in the future.
Last season :: Carroll and Suarez settled a cagey encounter with clinical finishes.

The essence of FIFA

FIFA,Fédération Internationale de Football Association,is the world football's governing body.Well that's not what I am upto.It's the FIFA we are all familiar with,the EA Sports FIFA.

FIFA is a series of association football video games,developed and released annually by EA Sports.It is arguably 'the most popular' video game in the world.Year in,year out,EA Sports sells record number of copies of it's marquee offering.And why not? Football is the most popular sport on the planet and fans,old and young alike,like to have a taste of it everywhere.

Speaking of my love story with FIFA,it all started way back in the mid-noughties.It was the FIFA 2005 season and I first got a taste of it at my cousin's place.There was no looking back for me since then and neither has my FIFA fever come down one little bit in all these years.As an avid football fan,embracing the game wasn't a very hard thing to do.And the game seldom disappoints.Every year the FIFA franchise release new versions of FIFA coinciding with the start of the football season.With each passing year comes slight tweaks here and there in an effort to fuse the virtual with reality.One thing about FIFA is that it is very close to the real life and as a football fanatic,it is the closest you can come to the real razzle dazzle of football sitting at home.And unlike other game franchises like GTA,NFS,etc,there is nothing surreal about the game,everything is perfectly in conjunction with reality except some occasional glitches which are nothing but programming errors.You don't see anything like a blitz at unreal speed or pedestrians getting crushed on the streets.FIFA for me is a game that may fail to catch the fancy of a layman at the first glance but for purists and footy fans,it is the epitome of unmissability.All the real life players,the tactics,the transfers,the manager mode and everything are all that come to one's mind when they think FIFA.Plus the licenses,authentication and player likenesses gives us an all round ultimate experience.

FIFA is 'the best' video game that I've ever played.Everytime I play FIFA,I feel there is still something in there unexplored.It is this beauty of FIFA that attracts me time and time again.Without FIFA,football would'nt have been what it is today.