Villarreal: the rise of the Yellow Submarine

Villarreal are on the up since returning to La Liga.

At the start of the 2011-12 season Villarreal were placed in a Champions League group alongside the likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Napoli. By the next season, they would be playing in Segunda (Spain's second division) with the likes of Xerez, Huesca and Guadalajara.

Having finished fourth the previous year, the Yellow Submarine's fall to Segunda was one of the most dramatic stories in Spanish football that season. Villarreal started the final day of the season in 16th place and one point off the relegation zone, with most convinced that they were too big a club to go down. Despite never having won La Liga, this was, after all, the team that Manuel Pellegrini had taken to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2006, only to be undone by a Jens Lehmann penalty save for Arsenal in the 90th minute, and the team that had finished runners-up in La Liga in 2008.

But no club is too big to go down, as Villarreal discovered in the dying minutes of their clash with Atletico Madrid, as results conspired against them. First Atletico scored in the 88th minute and then Rayo Vallecano netted against Granada to seal Villarreal's unlikely fate. 

It was a combination of factors that had seen them go down. Many pointed to the sale of star player Santi Cazorla to Malaga, the various managerial changes, Guiseppe Rossi's injury and the reliance on key players such as Diego Lopez, Borja Valero and Bruno Soriano. But Lopez's analysis was spot-on. 'We have gone down because we haven't done well.' 

Diego Lopez is now first-choice 'keeper at Real Madrid, whilst Rossi is scoring freely for Fiorentina, with Borja Valero playing in the same outfit. Bruno, however, remains at Villarreal, and is now club captain. On Friday he scored a goal against Malaga in La Liga. The game ended 1-1, but whilst this may have been acceptable in that fateful season when they went down (Malaga finished fourth that season), Villarreal are now aspiring to better things, and this was a disappointing result, demonstrating just how far they have come since the heartbreak of that final-day drama two years ago. 

Manager Marcelino is one of the reasons that Villarreal are doing so well this season.

They have rebuilt under exciting manager Marcelino, who some doubted when he first took the job. There were fears over whether the former Racing manager could manage the pressure from fans who desperately wanted promotion, but these were quickly dispelled as Villarreal finished second in Segunda and gained automatic promotion to La Liga. They now find themselves in fourth place, having made the best ever start for a newly-promoted team, and Marcelino has earned himself a two-and-a-half year contract extension. 

Indeed, Marcelino is seen as a manager who works best when he is not under pressure, and can implement his style effectively. Under his dynamic style, which involves 'quick and collective' football with 'every player actively looking to win the ball back', as he recently stated in an interview with UEFA.com, players such as Bruno have flourished, and along with the likes of Giovani Dos Santos (who himself suffered relegation last year with Mallorca), Cani and Uche (who only last weekend scored a fantastic overhead kick) they look to be one of the few sides that can really stay in touch with the top three in La Liga. 

Bruno is club captain and an important player in Villarreal's starting XI.

Bruno has been the player who has benefitted the most from Marcelino's presence at the club. The midfielder is a key piece of Villarreal's attack and defence, and Marcelino recently said that there were only two midfielders in the whole of Spain that were better than him, Xavi and Iniesta. Whilst this may be going a bit too far, it is clear that Bruno has become Villarreal's most influential player, and can expect a call-up from Del Bosque very soon if he carries on his imperious form. 

The high-pressure football that Villarreal play has been facilitated by the work of the club's nutritionist in reducing the weight of the players, and the club has an excellent youth system, with promising first-choice players such as Musacchio and Jonathan Pereira having graduated from Villarreal B, which, along with the likes of Barcelona B and Real Madrid Castilla, has been one of the most successful B teams in Spain in recent years. 

Relegation was a chance for the entire club to pick themselves up and start afresh. If they can keep up the same intensity throughout the rest of the season then they will surely find themselves in fourth place, behind only the likes of Atletico and the big two. Whether they can go beyond is debatable this season, but, if the youth system carries on producing players with enough quality and Marcelino keeps on motivating his squad, there is no doubt that they will be up there in years to come. The Yellow Submarine is back, and better than ever. 

By Tomás

Arsenal: just how far can they go?

Patience is most definitely a virtue, as Arsenal fans are deservedly discovering. 

Writing this in the wake of Arsenal's entertaining 2-0 victory over Liverpool, everything seems to be distinctly rosy concerning the Gunners at the moment. If you were reading this on approximately the 18th August, you would doubtless be reading a very different assessment indeed. In my opinion this is a stark message to not produce anything too reactionary, however, since that fatal day against Aston Villa where chants of "Speed, Spend, Spend!" and "Wenger Out" could be heard echoing around the Emirates, or perhaps more intensely on Twitter (I'm looking at you, Piers), Arsenal have beaten Fenerbache twice, Fulham, Spurs, Sunderland, Marseille, Stoke, Swansea, Napoli, Norwich and Palace - the only blip in the league being a draw at The Hawthorns, which is hardly a disgraceful result - (not to mention the stunning run of form Arsenal experienced in the 2nd half of last season). This, in my opinion, strongly suggests that Arsenal are a serious force to be reckoned with, rather than an average team in a brief vein of form. But just what can this Arsenal team achieve? And if they are genuine title contenders, why?

At the time of writing, Arsenal are in 1st place, 5 points ahead of second. This brings me nicely onto my first (obvious) point - if Arsenal don't win the league, who will? Last season's Champions, Manchester United, have found a real gem of a player in Adnan Januzaj, and Wayne Rooney appears to be entering better form, but obvious defensive cracks appeared in the loss to West Brom, draw at home to Southampton and even the 3-2 win at home to Stoke. I'm not for a minute attempting to suggest United were a particularly amazing defensive side under Sir Alex Ferguson, but there is a sense (supported by ex-pros) that teams are not as intimidated by the forlorn figure of David Moyes on the Old Trafford bench, as they were by the deity Sir Alex. It could also be argued that the fact Januzaj appears to be so influential after just a handful of Premier League starts suggests a lack of quality senior players at United. I believed Arsenal would finish above United before the season began, and I personally maintain that view. City and Chelsea arguably have more eye-catching and 'world-class' players than Arsenal, but I believe this is only truly the case in certain areas. Chelsea obviously have a superb attacking midfield, but appear to lack firepower up front, and defensive midfield and indeed defence itself sometimes seem shaky to me - this has been evident in away losses to Everton and Newcastle on Saturday. Likewise Manchester City have a brilliant midfield and sometimes attack, with the likes of Yaya Toure, David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo to name just a few. But their 'first-choice' 'keeper seems to be faltering, and Vincent Kompany bears such a commanding influence that is so vital to City that this is surely a worry for fans, when he is fairly frequently injured. Liverpool, in my blue-tinted mind, are not really title contenders, but even so have shown their susceptibility to better teams with a defeat at Anfield to Southampton, and indeed the loss yesterday. Their midfield was, I believe, utterly dominated and outclassed by Arsenal's, and it is only a matter of time before Luis Suarez incurs a 10-match-ban for some despicable act. I like to think Everton have a good shot at the Champions League, but realistically the Premier League is a pipe-dream, as we are a loan-striker away from Arouna Koné being our first choice, with misfiring Nikica Jelavic in reserve. Spurs probably have a better chance, but things don't seem to have fully clicked yet (this could be interpreted positively), as some of Tottenham's new signings haven't fully adapted yet, and a lack of goals from open play is never really a good sign.

Gareth who? 

Arsenal definitely don't have the squad depth of some of their more free-spending peers, (a bench of Fabianski, Jenkinson, Monreal, Hayden, Akpom and Bendtner was indicative of this), but this was largely down to an injury crisis. Arsenal's midfield is as strong as any, with Mathieu Flamini performing an admirable job anchoring the midfield, allowing the likes of Özil, the amazing Ramsey, Cazorla and Wilshere to flourish, with Mikel Arteta also playing a disciplined integral role. There's plenty of spice to bring on from the bench as well, with Tomas Rosicky, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the young but impressive Gnabry, plus Walcott and Podolski to return from injury. Goalkeeper has been brought up frequently as a weak point of Arsenal over recent seasons, and despite perhaps having a season to forget last term, Wojciech Szczesny has strung together a series of vastly improved performances of late. Central defence appears finally to be a source of consistency and competency now, with the erratic-but-adept Laurent Koscielny partnered by experienced oversee-er Per Mertesacker. Kieran Gibbs can claim to be one of the Premier League's most improved defenders too, and Monreal is a more-than-acceptable backup, whilst Bacary Sagna has returned to his form from a few seasons ago (admittedly Arsenal are extremely weak in centre-back depth). Olivier Giroud was overly-criticised last season, and is reaping the rewards of his persistence. His finishing is good, and I have also noticed how skilful he can be in link-up-play. Arsenal can comfortably say they can field a starting XI that is as good as any in the Premier League on their day, and could also play a decent second XI too. 

Arsene Wenger. One man can have a massive influence on a club, and how it is run, from the very top onto the field of play. Wenger possesses a supreme tactical knowledge and philosophy that could be perceived to have bordered on stubborn at times, but is now (not for the first time by any means) basking in its abundant success. The patience shown in players, primely Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud, is also paying huge dividends. This could be Arsene Wenger's last year of managing Arsenal, or any management whatsoever, and I'm sure he'd like to go out in glory. Arsenal fans have endured some tough times in recent years, but the faith shown by both the board (who rightly come under fire a lot), and the majority of reasonable fans has been well-placed, without a shadow of doubt. 

A slightly minor point, but it has been well documented how Arsenal have had a tendency to shift their beset players in recent years - be it Robin van Persie, Samir Nasri or Cesc Fabregas. Of course, that trio, and others, have been good players, but the prudent approach is finally reaping its rewards, and this summer Arsenal merely got rid of deadwood, and brought in some okay player whose name I forget.

The epitome of fickleness. 

I would love to see Arsenal claim silverware this season. In my opinion, the Champions League is beyond them, but the only sticking point domestically would be if an even worse injury crisis were to hit, or a team like City or Chelsea went on an unmatchable run. The Gunners would do well to buy cover in both the centre of defence and centre forward region in January. There would certainly be a sense of circularity and 'The Last Laugh', if we witness, er, Thomas Vermaelen lifting the Premier League trophy come May.

By Alex 

PFTB Podcast- Episode Two

PFTB Episode 2 by Play From The Back on Mixcloud

PFTB Podcast- Episode One

PFTB Episode 1 by Play From The Back on Mixcloud

Real Sociedad: the team to watch in Europe?

These are great times for Real Sociedad, but they're no newcomers to the Champions League. 

Six years is a long time. In 2007, the first ever iPhone had just been announced, Liverpool were in the Champions League final and Real Sociedad were relegated from La Liga. How times can change. Nowadays the iPhone is on its 5th generation (the 5S was revealed on Tuesday), memories of the Champions League are distant for Liverpool fans and Real Sociedad are in the Champions League.

However, it's not as if Real Sociedad are newcomers to Europe's top club competition. In the 2002-03 season the Txuri-Urdin almost won the league title, only to be pipped at the post by Real Madrid. The second-placed finish was a huge achievement for a Real Sociedad side that had finished in 13th place for the last three seasons, and granted them a place in the Champions League. This was thanks in no small part to the brilliant performances of a youthful Xabi Alonso, a deadly striking combination in Nihat and Kovacevic, as well as a famous 4-2 win against Los Blancos at the Anoeta stadium. 

Whether 'second season syndrome' exists is debatable, but what is certain is that Real Sociedad struggled with the demands of an extra competition the next season. Dropping out at the round of 16, having lost 2-0 on aggregate to a Lyon side which included the likes of Essien, Malouda and Sydney Govou, the team from San Sebastián sunk to 15th place in La Liga. In the two seasons that followed they came 14th and 16th, until they were finally relegated in 2007. 

But this year the roles were reversed. After a brilliant season in which Real Sociedad were La Liga's surprise package, finishing in fourth place (see my La Liga season review), they came up against none other than Lyon in the qualifiers.

   Although this was hardly a grudge match for Real Sociedad (the only player who had been in the squad for the tie in 2004 and remained was Xabi Prieto), they made their superiority felt. Two exquisite goals in the first leg from Griezmann and star signing Seferović, as well as a brace from Carlos Vela in the home tie meant that the Txuri-Urdin were back in Europe, and fans were ecstatic.

Rewind a few weeks however, and the feeling among the Anoeta faithful was not so positive. Having lost influential coach Phillipe Montanier to Rennes, many were unsure what to expect under assistant manager-turned head coach Jagoba Arrasate. Fortunately for fans of both football and Real Sociedad, the attractive football that made followers of La Liga sit up and take notice last year continues to be implemented under the homegrown Arrasate. Esteban Granero, formerly of Real Madrid, was signed on loan from QPR to cover for the absence of Illarramendi, whilst promising Swiss hotshot Haris Seferovic was captured from Fiorentina. 

Seferovic could be the last piece of the jigsaw for La Real. 

The striker was another of whom many were unsure what to expect. Seferović was the star of the U19 World Cup in 2009, eclipsing the likes of Neymar and Isco in the process, but since then has found his career at a crossroads, similar to Carlos Vela when he joined the Basque team. Nonetheless, Seferović is only 21 years old, and has started his career at Real Sociedad brightly, scoring 4 goals in a friendly, that goal against Lyon and an audacious chip on the first day of La Liga. Not bad for someone whose career needed 'salvaging' according to some. 

  Seferović is perhaps the last piece of the jigsaw for this brilliant side. For all of Agirretxe's qualities, the Swiss offers a more mobile threat, and will cause defences in Europe all sorts of problems. 

Real Sociedad have the ability to make waves in Europe this season as the 'hipsters' team. Although it will be a very tough ask to progress, it is not impossible. Manchester United haven't been impressive so far this season, whilst Moyes is inexperienced when it comes to the Champions League. Leverkusen and Shakhtar are obviously both good sides, but neither is invincible. Don't be surprised if Real Sociedad scrape through to the knockout rounds in 2nd place.

After a summer in which many of La Liga's top sides lost their best players, La Real also have the ability to finish in a European spot. Malaga are an almost completely different side following the exodus from La Rosaleda this summer, Valencia have lost Soldado and Sevilla have lost their two best players in Navas and Negredo. Helder Postiga has had a fine start at Valencia, but question marks remain in other positions. The interesting project that Sevilla embarked on, meanwhile, has so far yielded zero wins after three games, despite a spirited performance against Barcelona last night. Real Sociedad meanwhile, have a settled squad with bags of ability. It is time to take advantage. 

By Tomás

Everton Evolution?

A manager famed for his forward-thinking and tactical freedom- but will Everton really play much differently to last season?  

After the 11 year reign of David Moyes, the appointment of any manager would undoubtedly bring about changes at Everton. The capture of former Wigan manager Roberto Martinez, however, immediately signalled alterations of a fairly drastic kind. On a coaching level, the 39-year-old Spaniard had to fill the gap left by United-bound assistant Steve Round, and coaches Jimmy Lumsden and Chris Woods. Martinez sought familiar faces - the likes of Graeme Jones, Inaki Bergara and Kevin Reeves - whom he had worked with not only at Wigan, but also at Swansea,where he was credited with starting the revolution in playing style which evolved under Brendan Rodgers and Michael Laudrup, and ultimately led to Premier League football, a platform far away from the position Swansea City found themselves in when Martinez was appointed manager. But it was not merely the coaching staff that Martinez found himself visiting his old club for. Although tags such as 'Everton Athletic' are not only infuriating but also inaccurate (Martinez has only bought one player from Wigan - Arouna Kone), it is true that Martinez has worked with 3 of  his 4 signings (at the time of writing) before Everton. So even before a ball had been kicked it seemed evident that Martinez was not shirking from imposing his own stamp and philosophy on the club.

Gerard Deulofeu, an exciting addition, and a loan swung by Martinez's presence. 

Following Premier League games against Norwich and West Brom, many pundits could be found proclaiming the sizeable change in playing style in the brief interlude between the Moyes departure and the full time whistle in the first two games of the season. It is true, Everton could be found perching proudly at the summit of passing statistics (be it quantity or quality), but had the team actually evolved?

Of the four players signed none of them made the starting XI in either match (Arouna Kone featured as a substitute twice - for a combined total of about 30 minutes). In both games a 4-2-3-1 formation was preferred - the only difference in selection to last season was the starting of wonderkid Ross Barkley and the role of Marouane Fellaini (a deeper role, which the Belgian himself has gone on the record saying he prefers). I was at Goodison Park for the West Brom match, and it was clear that Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin had been instructed to *pun* Play From the Back. This was obviously causing the reliable duo some difficulty, and after the first 10 minutes or so were spent with Everton's back four in possession of the ball, an ever-so-slightly more direct approach was preferred. In formation, then, there was no visible change. But in playing style there was an alteration, albeit fairly slight. 

Ross Barkley, set to flourish under Martinez. 

Many people will claim David Moyes' Everton teams were hard-working, gritty teams who fought to win games. This perception was true up to a point. Midfields containing players such as Lee Carsley, Simon Davies and Zinedine Kilbane were always going to be slightly more industrial than mesmerising. However, the introduction of the more stylish Mikel Arteta, Steven Pienaar, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (yes, really), and more recently Kevin Mirallas, has provided Everton with a flair they perhaps previously lacked. It would certainly be harsh to say Everton did not play fantastic football at times last season. The 3-0 win at Swansea, the Fulham away tie and the 2-0 win against West Ham (Moyes' last home game as manager) spring to mind as examples where Everton passed the ball fluidly and precisely. However, it is true that at times Phil Jagielka had a tendency to lump the ball forward to a battling Marouane Fellaini in an advanced role, and as Nikica Jelavic's goals dried up, the 'physical' Victor Anichebe was often preferred as a striking option. 

My point is, for all the (probably justified) furore concerning Roberto Martinez and his style of play (its ultra-attacking nature and three man defence), perhaps, judging on the first two league games, the changes won't be so pronounced. I stress judging on the first two league games, but I don't believe that Everton's attacking play so far has been any more impressive or fluid than it was at times last season. Perhaps the difference between Martinez and Moyes is that Moyes was happy to play pretty football against lesser opponents, but often reverted to a more rigid style against better teams, whereas Martinez will persist with his ideology at all times against all teams. What will be more effective remains to be seen - both have pros and cons, and both have experienced varying results. For example, Everton beat Manchester United 1-0 in a game where Fellaini's strength was used to its full, and United's makeshift defence was targeted time after time. However, Moyes' seemingly negative style resulted in a staggering 0 wins at Old Trafford, Anfield, The Emirates and Stamford Bridge in the entirety of his reign. On the other hand, Martinez succeeded in some great triumphs with lowly Wigan - winning at the Emirates, routing Everton themselves at Goodison Park, and outplaying Manchester City to seal a magnificent FA Cup win. However, there were the crushing defeats - the 9-1 Spurs loss, the 5-0 at Old Trafford in 2011, or the 4-0 defeat at home to Arsenal - there are many to draw upon. 

Amid interest from United, will Kenwright remain vigilant, or succumb to the charms of his best-mate Moyes? 

It would be fair to expect that Everton players would be quicker to adapt to a new system than Wigan players, but after 11 years minimal changes can be magnified. Whether Martinez will have the boldness or even resources to change the style and formation more significantly remains to be seen, but if the first two games are anything to go by, it won't be too much too soon. And don't forget, Everton weren't half bad under Moyes at times last season too.

Whatever Martinez eventually decides upon in terms of formation and style, he must be given time and patience by Everton fans who have rightly come to expect much, but must also realise they are punching above their weight - not in stature (Everton is the 4th most successful team and has been in the top-flight the longest out of any club), but in finance - and although David James' prediction of 16th is ludicrous, it might be realistic to suggest a couple of years of mid-table are in the offing, at least while Martinez is not allowed to spend accordingly. 

La Liga 2012-13 season review

Barcelona equalled Real Madrid's record points total in a single season.

It was another crazy season in La Liga, which on the one hand provided us with non-stop entertainment, but on the other did little to address the duopoly in Spanish football, whilst the Spanish sides' humiliating exits at the semi-final stage of the Champions League prompted many to prematurely label this as the end of an era for Spanish football. It was a season filled with excitement, from Atletico finally ending their 14-year hoodoo by beating an exasperated Real Madrid side in the Copa Del Rey final, to last-minute equalisers, a grouchy Portuguese coach imitating Neville Chamberlain, and plenty of inventive scorelines. All in all, this was a season to remember for Spanish football.

At the top, Barcelona stormed to the league title by reaching 100 points despite losing their manager Tito Vilanova halfway through the season because of cancer treatment. Some statistics suggest that Vilanova's Barca are better than Guardiola's, but, as is often the case, these can be misleading, and the season was marred by an underwhelming semi-final exit against Bayern and a collapse in the second half of the season which had a lot to do with the loss of the player that Barça have relied on for so long: Leo Messi.

  Whilst Barcelona have taken a significant step away from Messidependencia by signing the much-coveted Neymar, there was very little done by Vilanova this season to ease the pressure on the world's best player, who often had to play with a knock; for instance, to come off the bench against PSG, and grab the goal which settled the tie, or against Athletic Bilbao. Barça have other problems too. Neymar is undoubtedly an exciting signing, but many feel that signing a world-class defender such as Thiago Silva is more important if Barca are to shake off the allegations of a 'changing of the guard' in the Champions League. Puyol is injury-prone and the squad is thin, so signing a Mats Hummels or a Thiago Silva is a major priority. Although some would point to promising youngsters such as Marc Bartra and Martín Montoya, it is clear that they still require time to settle into the first team, however much talent they possess. 

Jose Mourinho's tenure at Real Madrid came to a bitter end as city rivals Atletico finally managed to beat Real in a historic Copa Del Rey final. Mourinho clearly didn't enjoy his time in the Spanish capital, failing to gain the backing of older players and encountering some huge egos in the squad. The high point came last season when he managed to topple Barcelona with a record points total, but this season was a very different story. Key players such as Iker Casillas were alienated as others just failed to perform. Mou's abrasive style with the media did him no favours, but some of his points were valid. It is true that some players and indeed the press have far too much influence at the Bernabéu. It is also true that Iker Casillas was on a downward spiral due to a lack of competition, and that players should be picked for their efforts, not their status. During the brief spell in which Mourinho was forced to play the Spanish captain, he looked far more focussed from the kick up the backside that the Portuguese coach had given him by playing Adán as first-choice. Of course, that was the moment when Casillas was sidelined for three months, and Diego López was brought in to cover during his absence. López has been outstanding, especially considering the pressure that he has had to endure in replacing San Iker, a Madrid darling, perhaps vindicating Mourinho's decision to replace Casillas in the first place. Ultimately Real Madrid got lucky in snatching a second-place finish despite an awful away record. However, the problems in the dressing room could not be masked in the Champions League, as Madrid bowed out in the semi-finals having been humbled by Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the clash.

   

The Copa Del Rey win and the banishing of an old ghost capped an impressive season for Atlético Madrid. However, it must be dispiriting for Atlético to finish nine points behind their closest rivals having looked as if they would finish above Real Madrid in second place for most of the season, and with Los Blancos having produced such a mediocre campaign compared to their neighbours. Losing Radamel Falcao to Monaco will be a blow for Los Colchoneros, but losing world-class 'keeper Thibaut Courtois or Atleti legend Diego Simeone would have bigger implications, and the general consensus among fans is that Falcao moving to a 'bigger' club (or in this case an incredibly wealthy one run by a Russian oligarch with the promise of big money and a tax haven) was inevitable. The former, on loan from Chelsea, was instrumental last season and had an incredible game in the cup final. He looks set to displace Petr Cech at Chelsea in the long term, but recently agreed to stay another year at the Vicente Calderon, where he will be guaranteed more playing time and further development under charismatic coach Diego Simeone. The manager's record speaks for itself. The Argentine has now won three trophies for Atlético (1 Copa Del Rey, 1 Europa League and 1 UEFA Supercup) in his one-and-a-half-year spell at the club, equal to Mourinho's haul during three years at Real Madrid. 

Real Sociedad have been magnificent this season. 

Last year it was Levante, and this year it was Real Sociedad, the team from San Sebastián, who were La Liga's success story. In fact, La Real have surpassed Levante's efforts, implementing a much more attractive style of football whilst also achieving a 4th placed finish and Champions League football in the process.

   Under the tutelage of dynamic young manager Phillipe Montanier, the squad has been transformed. Defenders Carlos and Iñigo Martínez (completely unrelated) have blossomed. Carlos Martínez was one of the most underrated players and was also the best right-back in La Liga last season while centre-back Iñigo Martínez continues to attract the interest of Spain's top two clubs and many others with his excellent reading of the game and aerial ability (as well as a fierce long shot) despite his lack of pace. In defensive midfield, Asier Illarramendi has been superb, and, whilst it is sometimes short-sighted to refer to a player as the 'next' so-and-so, he genuinely looks as if he will take up the mantle from Xabi Alonso on an international level. Up front, the attacking trio of Antoine Griezmann, Carlos Vela and the talismanic Xabi Prieto have flourished. That is without even mentioning Imanol Agirretxe, the towering striker who has arguably been the unsung hero of this team. At first glance the burly Basque does not look as if he would fit into such a stylish outfit, but his delightful, ice-cool chip against Valencia and much-improved goal tally (14 goals this season in La Liga as opposed to 10 last season) suggest otherwise. 

   It is fair to say that no Real Sociedad game has been boring this season, the highlight being the 5-4 win over Barcelona, one of only two losses in La Liga for the eventual league champions. The 4-star UEFA rated Anoeta stadium, whilst sometimes lacking in atmosphere due to the athletics track which surrounds the pitch,  will be welcome in the Champions League group stages next season if the team from San Sebastian can make it past the qualifying rounds. Remember gooners, if you're drawn against the Txuri-Urdin, we did warn you.  

Real Sociedad's 4th placed finish came at the cost of Valencia, for whom the drop to the Europa League could have disastrous financial implications. Los Che already have a huge debt, and Champions League football was a necessity if this deficit was to be kept at bay. Now, with the summer transfer window already well underway, it seems as if Valencia will have to sell some key players. The name being mentioned in every gossip column is that of Roberto Soldado, who narrowly missed out on the Zarra trophy this season for the top Spanish goalscorer and is a target for Spurs. The club are keen to hold onto him, but a £25 million bid from Tottenham could test their resolve, and, at 28, Soldado is unlikely to have many more opportunities to play in the Premier League. Hopefully this campaign will serve as a reality check for Valencia, whose philosophy as a 'selling club' means they have not threatened in the Champions League despite qualifying most years. 
  The same can be said for Sevilla, who have built up a similar reputation in recent years. The crucial difference, being, of course, that despite having a squad which really should be challenging for those places, Sevilla have failed to qualify for Europe's premier competition for the last three years. However, with the absurd management of both clubs at boardroom level, expect next season to be depressingly similar. 
  Málaga had an impressive season given their financial problems, and were rallied around by the now-Man City manager Manuel Pellegrini, who inspired his team to a 6th placed finish despite a gutting Champions League exit at the hands of Dortmund. Paco Jémez had a similarly galvanising effect on Rayo Vallecano, combining youngsters and journeymen seamlessly on a very tight budget. Rayo are arguably the only other team that could challenge Sociedad for surprise package of the season. Unfortunately both Málaga and Rayo Vallecano failed to make it into Europe despite finishing in what would ordinarily be European places. Malaga were banned from European football for two years after failing to pay player's wages and tax bills on time, and Rayo Vallecano were denied a UEFA license. 

The relegation places were decided on a frantic last day, as Mallorca, Deportivo and Zaragoza all went down. It was a shock to see the Giovianni Dos Santos-inspired Mallorca go down, especially after such a strong start to the season. For Deportivo, a late resurgence due to the appointment of Fernando Vazquez (the manager brilliantly dubbed as 'Harry Potter' by the Spanish media- you might see why, although it seems as if the Spanish media have never seen somebody wearing glasses before) wasn't enough to save the plucky team from La Segunda, while Zaragoza suffered a torrid run in the second half of the season which condemned them to relegation.

No, not really. 

It was an exciting La Liga season, and next year we can expect more of the same, despite high-profile exits such as those of Jose Mourinho, Radamel Falcao and Jesus Navas. Admittedly, La Liga may not be the best league in the world, and it is currently dominated by Barcelona and Real Madrid, but the philosophies implemented by many teams near the top and bottom are what make it such a fun and vibrant league to watch. Whilst it may not live up to its slogan of 'la liga que mueve al mundo' (the league that makes the world go round) it is still captivating, and Spain U21's triumph in the European Championships proved that this isn't the 'end of an era'. Who knows? Maybe, just maybe, next season will be the year when the duopoly is broken. 

Serie A 2012-13 season review

Juventus had a stellar season. 

The 84th Serie A season signified the progression of a footballing dynasty, as Juventus clinched their second successive title under Antonio Conte. After leaving Siena, Conte guided Juve from 7th to 1st in his first season, and la vecchia signora strengthened almost immediately last summer to ensure this domestic success was maintained. The promising Frenchman Paul Pogba was 'stolen' from Manchester United, highly rated midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah was signed from Udinese (Asamoah was surprisingly, but effectively deployed at Left Wing Back this season), alongside his teammate Mauricio Isla (although this move proved to be unsuccessful),  and, er, Nicklas Bendtner (or Simon le Bon as some Tifosi nicknamed him) was loaned from Arsenal. Despite these signings though, it appeared Juve had missed out on their desired frontman (rumoured to be van Persie or Jovetic), and the signing of Bendtner (plus the fact that Conte was suspended from the touchline for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal) did send some fans into mumblings of discontent. However, Juve started the season in imperious form and continued for the rest of the season in that manner - bar the occasional blip (most notably a 3-1 home defeat to Inter which ended their 49 game unbeaten streak) - winning the title 9 points ahead of second placed Napoli. The league was another triumph for Juve, although the same couldn't be said for the Champions League, where they were roundly beaten by eventual Champions Bayern. Europe is the next frontier that must be conquered.

Napoli had another enjoyable year under Walter Mazzarri, in what proved to be his final season. Rafael Benitez is taking over the reins at Stadio San Paolo, and he will inherit a team which comfortably qualified for the Champions League and on occasion looked as if it might challenge Juve for the title. Although seemingly on his way out, Edinson Cavani has secured legendary status in Naples, as he again wowed crowds with his skill and goal-scoring prowess- netting 29 league goals and indeed the Capocannoniere award, whilst Lorenzo Insigne filled the void left by PSG-bound Ezequiel Lavezzi. After winning the Coppa Italia last season, Champions League qualification was the realistic demand and this was achieved with ease. Gli Partenopei have much to build on this summer, as hopefully they mount a serious assault next season.

Yes, we've noticed that guy in the background as well...

AC Milan's season seemed to be spiralling out of control early in the season, as all hopes rested on 20-year-old Stephan El Shaarawy. After losing star names (Silva, Ibrahimovic etc.) and the old guard (Seedorf, Gattuso etc.) in the summer, and with the club in shocking debt, things were looking very gloomy for i Rossoneri early on, but, as Massimiliano Allegri impressed again, Milan's fortunes experienced a thankful upturn - alongside the signing of Mario Balotelli. Milan surged up the table in the second half of the season - embarrassing rivals Inter in the process - snatching a 3rd Champions League spot from the clutches of Fiorentina. The future of Milan is far from gloomy now. With Balotelli for a whole season, and youngsters such as de Sciglio and Niang progressing well, I expect Milan to mount a serious title challenge next term.

Agonisingly missing out on the Champions League was the ultimate fate for Fiorentina this season - but they gained many fans and plaudits along the way. Playing an extremely attractive brand of football, Fiorentina shone across the pitch. Borja Valero proved to be a superb signing, as he linked up with the much improved Alberto Aquilani and David Pizarro in an exciting midfield three. Juan Cuadrado enjoyed somewhat of a breakthrough season at Wing-Back joining from relegated Lecce, as Adem Ljajic began 'living up to his hype' and Stevan Jovetic finally managed to stay clear of injury.

Udinese continue to punch above their weight on a minimal budget (Toto di Natale still managed to score 23 league goals at the age of 35) and finished an excellent 5th, whilst the Roman sides battled it out for 6th and 7th (and indeed the Coppa Italia trophy). Lazio won in the final, whilst Roma finished a solitary point ahead in the league. The Zeman experiment failed, Andreazzoli saw out the rest of the season, and Rudi Garcia will take charge next season. Lamela, Marquinhos and Totti stood out on the pitch - the 36-year-old grabbed 12 goals and 12 assists in Serie A this year. Serie A truly is the league for the 30+ forward! - as Lazio themsleves well know - Miroslav Klose scored 15 in 29 games!

Catania, Parma, Cagliari and Chievo all overachieved in mid-table, though the same can't be said for Inter, who finished a torrid season in 9th place. After some baffling recruitment, and a drastic decline in form, poor Stramaccioni has been replaced by Mazzarri. Perhaps some stability and improvement is in the offing. 

Bologna, Atalanta, Torino, Sampdoria and Genoa all stayed up, but Zamparini's Palermo performed well below expectations and the Sicilians will be plying their trade in Serie B next season. The same goes for Siena, and Pescara - I Delfini finished on a painful 22 points. 

Heartbreak for Palermo. 

Although we can look back on a season where the title race was overly-one sided, this was a very interesting Serie A season with fond memories for some (ie. Fiorentina and of course Juve). The same can't be said for the likes of Inter or Palermo- I hope Livorno, Hellas and Sassuolo fare better. The Verona derby is one to watch out for next season - and who knows, donkeys might fly! 

Champions League perfectly poised

The winners of this year's Champions League will be no fluke. 

Just when Europe's top clubs had breathed a sigh of relief after Milan looked to be in cruise control against Barcelona, the inevitable happened. Milan were beaten 4-0 at the Nou Camp and eliminated 4-2 on aggregate, with Barca now favourites to lift the trophy.

But the destiny of the much coveted Champions League title remains very much in the balance. Barcelona's frailties were demonstrated in their 2-0 loss to Milan in the first leg, and in successive defeats against Real Madrid, which left the team looking in a very sorry position. Even they are not invincible.

It is fair to say that the best team in Europe based on form are Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga leaders had been characteristically efficient in dispatching top teams, and, bar the shock defeat to BATE Borisov in the group stages, looked very comfortable in Europe's top competition. They tore apart Arsenal in the first leg of their tie at the Emirates, but not everybody was satisfied, and Bayern's defending of the set-piece from which Arsenal scored was an omen for the second leg. On Wednesday their weaknesses were highlighted again, as they lost 2-0 and looked very much overawed by a second-string Arsenal side including the likes of Fabianski, and without their usual saviour Jack Wilshere. Jupp Heynckes admitted that it had been a poor performance, and this above all demonstrated that the Bundesliga outfit are far from impregnable. On his day goalkeeper Manuel Neuer does indeed, as one German newspaper said, resemble a 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle' in his fluorescent green gloves, but when the side defend as they did yesterday, he is reduced to a mere human. This should be a wake-up call to Bayern.

For Real Madrid, this Champions League campaign represents everything. After winning La Liga in stunning fashion last season, this year has been an entirely different story, except in the Champions League, where business has largely been as usual. Getting through a tricky group consisting of the champions of England, Germany and the Netherlands was quite an achievement in itself, but this was to be expected of a team of Madrid's calibre. Despite only squeezing past the mighty Manchester United with the help of a dubious Nani red card, Real Madrid were briefly bookmaker's favourites. There is also the sense that this is a mission for the collector Mourinho, who is looking to add another Champions League to his CV, and break another record. It is true that the atmosphere in the Bernabeu dressing-room was toxic at one point, but the coveted 'Decima' might just materialise this year after successive wins against Barcelona and the win at Old Trafford restored confidence in the team.

Dortmund and Juventus seem to have points to prove. Whilst last years German champions Borussia Dortmund have trailed to Bayern domestically, they unnervingly clinched top spot in the 'group of death' containing Madrid, Ajax and Manchester City, to set pundits purring at their superb style of play. After their 2-2 draw against Shakthar in the first leg of their tie, Dortmund stayed focussed and took apart the Ukrainians at home 3-0, no easy task and a testament to their efficient style of play which is also easy on the eye.The Germans seem intent on proving themselves in Europe after a poor showing in last year's competition. Juventus, on the other hand, are back after a brief hiatus, and have nothing to lose. Having dominated Serie A bar a few hiccups, the Italian champions have an impressive team and could go all the way. They will be looking forward to fully testing their mettle against a strong Bayern side after strolling past Celtic in the last 16.

At the moment the two weakest teams look like Galatasaray and Malaga. Having said that, Galatasaray have acquired two European heavyweights in Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder. And, whilst their best years may be behind them, no team will relish having to come up against the veteran duo. Let's not forget the immense fire-power of Turkish front-man Burak Yilmaz, who has largely been overlooked after the signing of Drogba, but who is very much in his prime and was the main reason why the Turkish side progressed during the group stages. Before the knockout stage, Yilmaz was responsible for 6 out of Galatasaray's 7 goals, and the Turkish side's chances of going further in this competition will hinge on the striker.

Malaga are this year's dark horses. Enjoying Champions League football for the first time in their history, the team from the Costa del Sol have had no end to problems off the pitch, including debts and a future one-year ban from the competition, but Manuel Pellegrini has kept his eye on the ball, and has stirred his team to achieve great things on the field. Malaga owe their success to the Chilean manager and the positive atmosphere he has instilled at the club, as well as star man Isco, who has looked increasingly mature as Malaga's most exciting player. This season seems like 'all-or-nothing' for Malaga in Europe, and who knows how far they could go?

So far this year's edition of Europe's top competition has proved that even the likes of Bayern and Barcelona are not invincible. The supposedly weaker teams, Galatasaray and Malaga, should take heart from this, as anybody is capable of causing an upset. The draw for the quarter-finals has been made, and all the ties look tantalising. The closing stages of the Champions League promise to be mouth-watering.

By Tomas

Has the North London tide finally turned?

Has the tide finally turned? 

At the time of writing, Tottenham are currently 7 points ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League (although Arsenal have a game in hand). Although Arsenal are technically still participating in the Champions League, their trip to Allianz Arena looks to be the end of their European season, after a 3-1 defeat at the Emirates. It appears that 2012/13 will be yet another frustrating trophy-less season under Arsene Wenger, after two excruciating cup exits for the Gunners (to Blackburn and Bradford). Meanwhile, at White Hart Lane, there is a positive aura emanating from Arsenal's local rivals. Despite a set-back at Anfield at the weekend, Tottenham are sitting pretty in 3rd place in the league, following a 3-0 triumph over Inter Milan in the Europa League, and a sweet revenge over Arsenal, 2-1. Whilst Tottenham seem a revitalised team on the up under a youthful manager, some may perceive Arsenal to be the opposite. Is this perception really accurate?

Arrivals

TOTTENHAM:

In the past two seasons Tottenham have acquired (amongst others):

Moussa Dembele - £16.75million

Hugo Lloris - £11million

Jan Vertonghen £11million

Gylfi Sigurdsson £8.8 million

Clint Dempsey £6.5 million

Emmanuel Adebayor £5million

Lewis Holtby £1.5million

Scott Parker £5.5 million 

Total: £66.05million

Significant Departures:

Peter Crouch £9million

Wilson Palacios £7million

Roman Pavlyuchenko £7million

Alan Hutton £4million

Robbie Keane £3.3million

Jamie O'Hara £3million

Luka Modric £26million

Rafael van der Vaart £11.4million

Niko Krancjar £6million

Vedran Corluka £6million

Steven Pienaar £5million

Total: £87.7million

Conclusion: Although Tottenham have sold more than they have spent recently, most of the signed players have been impressive, and very astute signings. The stand-out signings are Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen, Moussa Dembele and Lewis Holtby (their fees combined are only a couple of million more than the funds raised by the sales of Modric and van der Vaart). Although Modric and van der Vaart could have left a void in the Tottenham starting XI, Tottenham moved quickly to plug any potential gaps. 

ARSENAL:

(In the past two seasons) Ins (amongst others):

Santi Cazorla £16.7million

Lukas Podolski £10.5 million

Olivier Giroud £10.5million

Nacho Monreal £8million

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain £12million

Gervinho £10.5million

Mikel Arteta £10.5million

Per Mertesacker £9.9million

Andre Santos £6million

Park Chu-Young £5.7 million

Total: £100.3million

Significant Departures:

Robin van Persie £27million

Alex Song £16.7million

Carlos Vela £3.3million

Cesc Fabregas £29.9million

Samir Nasri £24million

Gael Clichy £6.8million

Emmanuel Eboue £3million

Total: £110.7million

For every Santi Cazorla, there's a Gervinho. For every Mikel Arteta, there's an Andre Santos. A slightly hit-and-miss record in recent times for Arsenal, as some genuinely world-class players have been sold, only to be replaced by cheaper players who are not quite on the same level in many cases. Like Tottenham, they have sold more than they have spent, which is extremely frustrating given Arsenal's substantial resources and financial health. There remains noticeable gaps in the Arsenal starting XI, which need to be addressed by signings this summer.

The Managers:

Arsene Wenger:

I believe it would be unfair to suggest the majority of Arsenal fans want "#WengerOut", but more and more Gooners seem to be becoming disenchanted with their club, their board, their excessively priced season tickets, and in some cases, Arsene Wenger. It sometimes appears that Wenger is content with moulding young players into fantastic players, then selling them on - this is worrying for Arsenal fans. Although Wenger has undoubtedly done a lot of good for Arsenal as a club, I don't think his position is beyond questioning. Far from it, in fact. However, I don't believe he should be sacked. It is very possible that the lack of spending is the board's fault and not the manager's, and Arsenal (especially if they are not in the Champions League next season), have no idea who they might attract/appoint as their next manager. Not finishing in the top 4 would be a massive blow, however, and perhaps a change might help the team. 8 years without a trophy is a long time, after all.

Andre Villas-Boas:

Roman Abramovich must be kicking himself. After the enigmatic Portuguese had been paid a mouth-watering compensation fee, 'AVB' found the perfect match in the North of London. Before the season, some wondered if Redknapp's departure would have a negative effect, but Villas-Boas moved swiftly and effectively in the transfer market to quell such rumours. Although some Spurs fans had their doubts early on (perhaps justifiably so, after some baffling substitutions), the vast majority of supporters have now given AVB their full-backing, and it seems that Daniel Levy has finally found a young manager he can share a long-term relationship with.

So has the tide turned? In the short term, yes, but only marginally. It is fairly likely that Tottenham will finish above Arsenal this season, but Tottenham themselves have not won a trophy, and the season is far from over yet. This summer hold the key as to whether or not Tottenham will remain superior in the long term. If Villas-Boas can keep hold of his key players, and sign a quality striker, the future looks bright. Arsenal need to spend some money under Wenger (not excessive amounts) on improving a few areas of the first team, to cement their future in the top 4, and hopefully win them some trophies. This, however, remains to be seen. And who knows, maybe both North London clubs will win trophies next year!

By Alex