Thoughts on First Round of Euro 2012

As the final whistle blew after Ukraine's two - one win over Sweden and millions of Ukrainians celebrated into the night, the first round of Euro 2012 group stages matches had been completed. Every single team had now played at the tournament, and finally, instead of speculating and predicting line-ups, it is possible to analyse the tactics and styles every team used and also to overview any trends that are emerging at this early stage.

Europe's Problem Position:

The standard of play at the left-back position so far in this tournament has at times been heart-attack inducing. Many left backs have started the tournament poorly: Michal Kadlec, Jose Holebas and Sebastian Boenisch (all coincidentally in the same group). Furthermore there have been no standouts at this position, with perhaps the exception of the classy Yuri Zhirkov, so purposeful on Russian counter-attacks and rarely losing the ball. 

The main issue with the performance of the aforementioned left-backs has been positioning. Whereas Holebas was always found playing too far forward (which is a worry since Blaszczykowski and Piszczek occupy that flank), Kadlec kept getting drawn infield by the Russians, thus leaving the right side susceptible to the barnstorming Dzagoev. Kadlec could be moved to centre back by Michal Bilek, as he seems to be more comfortable there and could form a more potent partnership with Hubnik or Sivok, who struggled to form a solid back line. As is said - two birds, one stone. 

Two Hosts, One Aim:

Both Poland and Ukraine have one aim: to reach the knockout stages. There is a certain pressure on them, as co-hosts, to succeed and perform well. One, however, thrived under the pressure and the other capitulated.

Poland were in a comfortable position as one can find; one - nil up at halftime at home against a team which had been reduced to ten men (thanks to some ludicrous refereeing by Carlos Velasco, who in 19 La Liga games has sent off 16 players). Poland, instead of sensing their advantage and going for the jugular, sat back and were punished by conceding a goal to Greece early in the second half and were almost condemned when the often infallible Karagounis missed a penalty. Poland, in stark contrast to the first half, performed without confidence and crumbled under the demand for success. An easy group draw also doesn't help, as if they do not reach the knockout stages they will be humiliated by millions of expectant fans. 

Ukraine, on the other hand, were at the opposite end of the spectrum. With about forty minutes left of their match with Sweden, Ukraine found themselves one-nil down in silent yet once buzzing national stadium. Lose this game, and Ukraine would almost certainly be looking at a group stage exit. Ukraine, unlike Sweden, didn't capitulate and instead dug themselves out of a hole thanks to two goals from the heroic figure of natural treasure Andriy Shevchenko. Maybe one reason why Ukraine flourished under the pressure unlike their Baltic neighbours was the presence of such key veterans as Shevchenko, Voronin and Tymoshchuk, who all had marvellous games. Poland had to rely on the youthful exuberance of Lewandowski, Blaszczykowski and Szczesny, the latter having been sent off and been at fault for Greece's goal.

Two Dutch Sides:

No, this isn't a rant lambasting the schism between the Dutch defence and attack. It's rather an observation on how the Russians are playing Dutch football better than the Dutch. Led by the Hague native Dick Advocaat, following Gus Hiddink's departure, this Russia side base their play on rapid passing and exhilarating counter attacks. The movement of this Russian side is rapid and thoughtful, as all the players are comfortable playing with each other (which is no surprise as so many play for Zenit or CSKA). 

Johan Cruijff has attacked Bert van Marwijk's tactics, critiscising his use of to similar players, Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel, as both don't pass the ball quickly enough to Sneijder or more creative players. Russia, however, with Denisov as a lone holding midfielder, circulate the ball more rapidly which always helps on counter attacks. While it is easy to criticise van Marwijk's tactics as the Netherlands lost to Denmark, the Dutch team created many chances, only to be spurned by van Persie or later Huntelaar.

The Influence of the Playmaker:

So far the most influential players of the tournament have been playmakers: Arshavin, Sneijder, Iniesta, Silva, Pirlo, Modric and Nasri all played exceptionally in their first games. One main reason why playmakers have flourished so much so far in this tournament is the widespread use of 4-2-3-1, which creates lots of opportunities and triangles for the attacking midfielder to pass through. All of these players see plenty of the ball and it is their responsibility to fashion attacks for their teams. For example, Wesley Sneijder was almost involved in every Dutch attack and created many chances, including one splendid through ball from the outside of his foot. Unfortunately for him, it was the wastefulness of the other Dutch players, especially van Persie and Robben, which resulted in a Danish victory.

A Great Tactical Battle:

Reading the team sheet for Spain - Italy was a shock. 4-6-0? Six central midfielders? 3-5-2? De Rossi at centre back? Giaccherini starting? When learning of this news, I was excited - no team had taken this sort of risk so far in the tournament. I started pacing up and down like a madman in anticipation of this match. It didn't dissapoint.

The reasons behind Italy playing 3-5-2 were simple. Spain, for all their attacking prowess, always play through the middle. They lack width. What's the point of playing full-backs? Furthermore, De Rossi has enough defensive ability to play centre-back in a back three. The main issue with playing De Rossi at the back is his positional sense and ability to keep an offside line. Italy, however, defended deep against Spain and gave De Rossi the role of a sweeper, so positioning was not as important. As a result, he played really well. 

In addition, Italy could stretch Spain with a midfield five. Giaccherini and Maggio played on the byline and prevented Jordi Alba or Arbeloa from coming too far forward. Spain, narrow enough with six central midfielders, now couldn't rely on forward runs from their full backs. Giaccherini and Maggio also gave quick options for counter attacks, orchestrated by the majestic Pirlo.

With six central midfielders, as you would imagine, Spain dominated possession and kept the ball. Vincent Del Bosque gave plenty of freedom to this six and let them play to their natural abilities as all are clever players and know where to be. This resulted in lots of movement and switches between the players, e.g. as Iniesta moved to the centre, Fabregas moved left. Spain, however, couldn't penetrate into the penalty area as Italy were defending deep and Spain had difficulty creating chances, relying on their pure abilities, not tactics in order to score. When Del Bosque put Torres and Jesus Navas on the pitch, however, the game was stretched a lot more and if not for Torres' poor decision making up front, they would have won the game. While Torres didn't take the chances given to him, he terrorised the Italy defence who now had genuine pace to worry about, meaning their positioning, which they had earlier neglected slightly, was of vital importance.

It will be interesting to see whether these two teams carry on with these formations as they only featured in this match. Italy's 3-5-2 seemed reactive to Spain's style of play so it is probable that it won't feature in the rest of the tournament. Del Bosque, however, seemed content with his formation and it could be their starting formation for the rest of the tournament. This is despite the fact that Spain looked more dangerous with a genuine striker and winger.

The Lone British Isles:

Is it a coincidence that the only two sides that use a traditional 4-4-2 are the two countries separated by the Irish Sea? Both teams can't afford to play expansive, possession based football as their managers realise their technical limitations. Both teams lack a playmaker and instead have to play a rigid, organised formation that suits their strengths. One of the greatest peculiarities in modern football is that England have failed to produce an international-level playmaker since Paul Gascoigne. There is hope yet for the English, if the potential of playmakers Jack Wilshere and Josh McEachran are realised. Until then, midfielders such as Jordan Henderson need to play for the national team.

One thing that surprised me in Ireland's game against Croatia (apart from the lapses of concentration by the Irish) was the substitution of Cox for McGeady in the 54th minute. At three-one down, players such as McGeady, who is the greatest creative talent in this generation of Irish footballers, are needed in order to score goals and create chances. Furthermore, McGeady had a decent game, setting up Ireland's lone goal, which made his sacrifice for a less talented Cox even more bemusing.

Very Premature Team of Euro 2012:

                                          Andersen (DEN)

Debuchy (FRA)       De Rossi (ITA)               Hummels (DEU)      Zhirkov (RUS)

                         Schweinsteiger (DEU)       Pirlo (ITA)

Iniesta (ESP)                          Sneijder (NED)                       Arshavin (RUS)

                                            Shevchenko (UKR)

Talent Scout: The Best of Borussia Mönchengladbach

Something is amiss in Germany. Borussia Mönchengladbach, Germany's team of the '70s, are in second place. Borussia Mönchengladbach, the team that thwarted perhaps the greatest Bayern Munich side from winning consecutive titles with Beckenbauer, are ahead of the Bavarians. Borussia Mönchengladbach, the team that hasn't won the Bundesliga since 1977 and were relegated in 2007, have a realistic chance of winning the Bundesliga. But why are doing so well? Perhaps these two young players can help answer that question.


Marco Reus:

Name: Marco Reus

D.O.B.: 31/09/1989

Age: 22

P.O.B.: Dortmund, Germany

Position: Striker, Right Midfielder

Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach (Will join Borussia Dortmund in the summer)

National Team: Germany

Previous Clubs: Rot Weiss Ahlen, Borussia Dortmund (youth)


It is somewhat fitting that Marco Reus, a Dortmund native, will return back to the club that rejected him as a 17 year old. Rejected by Borussia Dortmund for being too small, Reus left his boyhood club for Rott-Weiss Ahlen, whom he led to the 2. Bundesliga. 


A successful season in Germany's second tier for Ahlen left Borussia Mönchengladbach intrigued, a club who's best player, Marko Marin, was on the verge of signing for Werder Bremen. Reus was a similar player to Marin, both wingers, both sporting blonde hair and they shared the same first name. Hence, it was natural to see Reus as the replacement for Marin.


Reus, however, exceeded expectations and became a better player than Marko Marin, who had stalled somewhat in Bremen. Reus then exploded this year and is now arguably the best player in the Bundesliga. Starting off as a right midfielder in a 4-4-2, Reus has transformed into a creative striker playing behind his frontline partner Mike Hanke. While Hanke is the goalscorer, Reus has thrived as a creator, not only setting up goals for others, but scoring also. 


As with every young German who has emerged in the Bundesliga, Reus' name was etched into Bayern Munich's transfer list and many believed he was on the verge of joining Borussia's rivals. Thus, it came as a shock when Reus denounced Bayern Munich and elected to join Borussia Dortmund, his former club, for €17.5 million. 


While Reus has played as a 'false nine' for Mönchengladbach, he may have to find his way out wide in a very talented Dortmund side. With Götze, Kagawa and Lewandowski already established at the club, Reus may have to find his place up front in a 4-2-3-1. Whether Dortmund choose to change their formation to suit Reus' talents or whether they will try to find a place for Reus in their already established side, Reus is likely to form a formidable partnership with Mario Götze and will look to re-astablish Borussia Dortmund as the best team in Germany for many years to come.

Strengths:

• An intelligent footballer, Reus makes the right pass at the right time
• Is a great through ball passer and can anticipate the runs of his teammates, thus creating plenty of scoring chances
• Reus is very patient with the ball and won't force the ball forward, rather waiting for the best opportunity to spark an attack
• Can be a creative spark when in need of a goal
• When playing out wide, Reus is dangerous cutting inside and often looks to shoot into the near bottom corner
• Has a soft first touch and can control the ball in tight spaces
• Can change pace quickly and has a nice burst of acceleration
• While finishing, Reus tends to place the ball into the corner
• Is an adept set piece taker - can take corners

Weaknesses:

• Can overdribble the ball, hangs onto it for too long
• Isn't that skilled as a dribbler, relies more on his acceleration
• Can improve his long passing; this will create more chances for his teammates

The Statistics:

• Reus averages a stellar 3.1 dribbles per game
• Reus also averages 2.5 key passes per game, a great number for a striker
• His 1.9 tackles per game are also fantastic for a striker and exemplify his terrific work rate
• Since his move to the striker position, Reus has scored 11 goals and assisted 5 times in 13 games
• This compares favourably to 2 goals and no assists in 8 games as a right midfielder

Marc-André ter Stegen:

Name: Marc-André ter Stegen

D.O.B.: 30/04/1992

Age: 19

P.O.B.: Mönchengladbach, Germany

Position: Goalkeeper

Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach

National Team: Germany U19

Previous Clubs: N/A


While Marco Reus is returning back home, Marc-André ter Stegen is already at his childhood club. From Mönchengladbach, Ter Stegen played for Borussia since the age of four and has progressed up the youth system.


Earmarked as a great goalkeeping prospect from an early age, Ter Stegen broke into the Borussia first team in April last year and hasn't yet relinquished his role. At only 19, Ter Stegen has plenty of time to improve as a goalkeeper and will provide stiff competition to Manuel Neuer as Germany's number 1.  


Strengths:

• A great shot stopper, Ter Stegen uses his frame well
• Ter Stegen has great goal-kicks, which combine distance with accuracy
• He is adept at playing a sweeper role, which encourages any team that he plays for to play a high line
• Has a strong hand, can palm shots away from danger
• Ter Stegen is a vocal goalkeeper and can organise and inspire his defence

Weaknesses:

• His handling could be improved to stop any rebounding goals
• Needs to refine his positioning

The Statistics:

• Ter Stegen averages a mammoth 13.4 long balls per game, which is the highest amount of any player in the top five leagues. Furthermore, he is completing them at a 58% completion rate 

The Re-Birth of the Back Three

Football formations go through eras and periods of time where they are extensively used; since the mid-noughties, the 4-5-1 and its variants (including the 4-2-3-1) rule the roost, monopolizing football at the highest levels. Eventually, however, it will be confined to history, much like many other tactics. The 2-3-5 had its day, however long ago, and has been banished as a relic of the sport's early days. Herbert Chapman's revered WM formation, the cornerstone of war time football, is know only found in history books. And indeed the 3-5-2, the dominant tactic of the late '80s and early '90s, seemed to be dying out with many people questioning its suitability in modern football.


Developed by Carlos Bilardo, manager of Argentina's 1986 World Cup winning squad, the 3-5-2 not only suited an Diego Maradona-led attack, but also proved to be defensively stable. The back three were organised so two of the centre backs man marked the opposition forwards, leaving one centre back, the libero or sweeper, to be free to sweep up any opposition balls and dribble forward. The new formation spread like wildfire across Europe and beyond until it was extinguished by Arrigo Sacchi, a bald shoe-salesman. After becoming the Milan coach in 1986, he enlightened the world to the merits of pressing and zonal marking with a back four, which is still in use today.


The 3-5-2 then teetered on the precipice of tactics history and became used less due to the emergence of the 4-5-1. A working back three relied on the opponent fielding two forwards, as then they would have one spare man at the back. With only one forward needing to be marked, however, the other two centrebacks had no role to do and this led to a shortfall of players further up the pitch. The 3-5-2 became out of date, just as the Sony Walkman and '70s football shorts.


Somehow, the back three has recently lifted itself up off the precipice and has fled to the safety of Italy, the birthplace of catennacio, the homeland of conservative football and the desolate land bereft of wingers. Udinese, Parma, Siena, Napoli, Lecce and more recently Fiorentina have been employing it, whilst Juventus have been flirting with it, looking for nothing more than a one-night stand. Bielsa and his disciple Sampaoli have also been using it and the 3-5-2 has emerged as the staple diet of Chilean football. But why has it emerged, and what are the consequences of its revival?


Let's start in Italy. Delio Rossi replaced Siniša Mihajlović (who's every mention conjures up these highlights) in November and has since managed a strong Fiorentina defence; they are currently second last in the number of goals conceded, despite being eleventh in the table. Delio Rossi has also changed Fiorentina formation to the 3-5-2 and it has suited them well. While Valon Behrami has been transformed into a defensive midfielder and leads Serie A in tackles per game, Fiorentina's back three has also shone. In Gamberini, Natali and Nastasić, Fiorentina have three centre backs who are all comfortable on the ball and they have starred this season.


With the re-emergence of the back three, one centre back has remained free while playing against two forwards. In comparison to the 3-5-2's glory days, this spare man is more of a passer than a dribbler and mirrors the game's switch to passing football inspired by the successes of Spain and Barcelona. In addition, it is Barcelona who have also experimented with the position, and have used the spare man to full effect. Usually one of Busquets or Mascherano have dropped back to the back three for the Catalan side. With the employment of a defensive midfielder in the back three, Barcelona can retain the possession of the ball more easily. Against Villarreal in their La Liga opener, Guardiola even fielded both Mascherano and Busquets in defence. A back three suits teams with ball playing defenders such as Hummels and Alderweireld.

Another team who have had success with a back three is Universidad de Chile, who have swept all before them in South America. Unlike other teams that play with a back three, Universidad employ aggressive pressing, prioritising winning the ball high up the pitch. Another Bielsa-inspired feature of their play is the use of wingers high up the pitch. The wide-forwards of Vargas and Castro stretch out the opposition back line, thus creating space for them to exploit with their pace. Eduardo Vargas in particular has impressed, becoming the single competition top scorer in Copa Sudamerica history and securing a move to Napoli after rejecting Chelsea's advances. While full-backs nowadays have a greater attacking responsibility, as it is hard to mark their advances from deep, wingers occupy the defence and thus manipulate the space around them. Barcelona have used this to great effect, playing Sanchez (a player used to Bielsa's tactics) and Pedro high up wide, thus creating space for Messi to create chances in his false nine role. 


In utilising a back three, teams can employ a variety of tactics. Some, like Fiorentina have created a great defensive team by using the extra centre back to their advantage. Some, like Universidad de Chile use it so that they can press the ball high up the pitch and start counter-attacks. Others, like Barcelona and Juventus, have used it in certain situations against certain opponents, to ensure they have the upper hand. No matter how it is employed, the 3-5-2 certainly isn't dead. Instead, it is alive and kicking.

Match Report: Napoli 1 - 1 Bayern Munich

Two teams, two formations. In this Champions League Group A fixture, the contrast between the 3-4-3 of Napoli and the 4-2-3-1 of Bayern Munich determined the outcome of the result. Bayern were the better side in the game and controlled the possession of the ball, yet they seemed content to draw away to Napoli and sit atop the hardest group in the Champions League. Despite the contrast in formations, both clubs had difficulty tracking the runs from deep of opposing players, namely Christian Maggio and Toni Kroos, and also focused their play down the wings.


Line Ups:

The Game:


Bayern dominated from the first whistle and scored quickly, in the 2nd minute, from a well taken Kroos goal. Bayern passed the ball shortly and quickly, building up pace as they passed it forward, then distributed it out wide to Jerome Boateng who's low cross fell into the path of the running Kroos, who then accelerated past the Napoli defence and side footed it home.


Napoli then tried to get back in the game, using the runs of Maggio and Zúñiga out wide to fathom chances. Cavani didn't feature in the game and didn't look sharp; arguably the service towards him wasn't great but Lavezzi tried to create chances through his precise dribbling. Maggio, who earlier looked slightly wasteful, finally had a run that came into fruition after receiving a through ball from Gökhan Inler and he put the ball across the six yard box, where it was turned in by the hapless Holger Badstuber.


Bayern dominated early on in the second half, receiving a dubious penalty in the 49th minute from a Cannavaro handball. Mario Gómez missed the penalty with a poor effort and from then the game dwindled down, both teams content with a draw.





Passing:


Bayern comfortably controlled possession, especially in the early first half, mainly due to their one-man advantage in the middle of the field. Bayern's three central midfielders outnumbered Napoli's two and they played short passes through the middle. Eventually, however they forced it out wide to Franck Ribery or Thomas Müller. Despite this, Bayern were more patient in their passing and waited for opportunities to arrive.


Napoli, on the other hand, were far more riskier with their passing and played more directly, looking to get the ball on the wings quicker. This was helped by the passing prowess that all three of their centre backs had in sending long balls out wide. Furthermore, Napoli had only one good passer of the ball in the middle, Inler, and they looked to get the ball forward to the wings or to their front three.


Runs from Deep:


Both goals in the game came from the difficulty the teams had in tracking runs from deep. For Bayern, the main threat came from Kroos while for Napoli it was Maggio.


Kroos ran from deep in the middle of the pitch and early on, Napoli had trouble defending against this. Soon however, Campagnaro started to get forward to stop Kroos. This reduced the effectiveness of Kroos but it wasn't ideal for Campagnaro to track him as he struggled. This in theory would work, as Napoli had two spare centre backs against Bayern's lone striker and they could afford to lose one, yet it made their two-man defence very narrow and susceptible to Ribery down the flanks. Perhaps Gargano could have tracked Kroos from deep, preserving the back three of Napoli, but his marking would have been put under question.


Bayern found it difficult to prevent Maggio's runs from deep, which may in part be because most teams nowadays employ wingers further forward, cutting inside onto their stronger foot. Maggio, however, liked to send crosses without cutting in and ran from a deep position. Schweinsteiger should have prevented his runs further down the pitch but he isn't a player renowned for his defensive abilities.


Napoli Defending the Wings:


Napoli played with a three man defence and weren't protected from Bayern's wingers, especially Ribery, as they didn't have any full backs. Ribery is a modern type of winger who likes to cut inside and play further up the pitch and Napoli had problems with him. Instead of preventing him from finding any space down the flanks, they focused on stopping them from his position. The first line of defence was Maggio, who additionally to running forward, tracked back to stop Ribery. Then, the next layer of defence was the closest centre back to Ribery, in this case Campagnaro, who closed him down by playing as a full-back, leaving the other centre backs to reposition themselves more centrally. If Bayern worked harder and Ribery played to his full potential, this area would have been more decisive in the game; instead for large parts Ribery was ineffectual.


Conclusion:


An interesting game between two very different formations which fizzled out in the second half as the two teams started to play for a draw.

Talent Scout: Eredivisie

As a country of only 16 million inhabitants, the Netherlands has had to continuously churn out prospects to punch above its weight. Clubs like Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV are renowned across the world for their youth systems and these clubs and others are the reason why the Dutch team is so successful.


Furthermore, the Eredivisie is seen as a stepping stone onto the bigger European leagues for foreign players, and greats such as Ronaldo, Romario and Zlatan Ibrahimović (footballing 'great' may be a bit too flattering to Zlatan) have played in the Netherlands. 


The best young footballer plying his trade in the Eredivisie today is Christian Eriksen of Ajax, a playmaker possessing a delicate touch of the ball which coupled with spontaneous creativity could make him Denmark's best ever player, possibly better even than Michael Laudrup. Surely to progress his career he would need to leave Ajax in a couple of years time to one of the top four leagues like many before him have done. 


This blog, however, will explore the slightly lesser-known burgeoning talents of the Eredivisie, featuring Zakaria Labyad, Adam Maher, Lorenzo Ebecilio and Nicolai Boilesen.


Zakaria Labyad: PSV Eindhoven

Name: Zakaria Labyad

D.O.B.: 09/04/1993

Age: 18

P.O.B.: Utrecht, Netherlands

Position: Right Winger, Attacking Midfielder

Club: PSV Eindhoven

Nationality: Morocco (eligible for the Netherlands)

Previous Clubs: None


Zakaria Labyad names Ibrahim Afellay as one of his role models, and it's not difficult to see why. Both of them were born in Utrecht to Moroccan parents, started their careers at PSV and play at the right wing position. Labyad is not, however, a clone made by PSV to resurrect their club as his style of play differs from Affelay's. The Barcelona star is more explosive than Labyad, who is less direct and more crafty. 


The young winger has a long future at the Boeren and Rutten is using him more and more. His international future is less certain, as he has represented the Netherlands at the 2009 U-17 World Cup but this year played for Morocco U-23 in a friendly versus Mozambique. Whichever national team he plays for will be pleased as Labyad can both score and create chances for his team.


Stengths:

• He exhibits good vision and passing abilities to suggest that he may have a future in the centre of midfield.
• He has precise, close, dribbling skills, similar to Juan Manuel Iturbe, as it is difficult to tackle him without fouling.
• Labyad has decent pace and can beat the defender using it.
• His finishing ability is better than average for a winger, which would be better employed on the left wing with him cutting in onto his right.

Weaknesses:

• His crossing ability needs to be refined to diversify his game.
• He needs to get a bit stronger to evade challenges from defenders.

Verdict: Ability - 6/10; Potential - 8.5/10

Adam Maher: AZ Alkmaar

Name: Adam Maher

D.O.B.: 20/07/1993

Age: 18

P.O.B.: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Position: Attacking Midfielder, Central Midfielder

Club: AZ Alkmaar

Nationality: Netherlands (elegible for Morocco)

Previous Clubs: None


Another talented Dutch Moroccan, Adam Maher has emerged as a first team member of AZ's squad, scoring 3 goals and providing 4 assists in 12 appearances for the team this season. The midfielder is a rough diamond, as his passing skills and technique are indicators of his great talent, but there are still facets of his game he needs to improve. Despite his inexperience, Maher shows tremendous composure on the ball, as exhibited in his assist for Jozy Altidore against PSV earlier this season.


Maher has found life relatively comfortable so far in the Eredivisie, but he has to work hard to keep his place in AZ and he must learn from his older teammates at the club. Similar to Labyad, Maher is eligible for both Morocco and the Netherlands, who he also played for in the 2009 U-17 World Cup.


Strengths:

• Maher has great vision and dictates the attack well.
• His passing ability is exquisite for his age and he retains possession well, while also creating chances.
• His skillful first touch gives him time to pick out a pass.

Weaknesses:

• Maher isn't as fast as other players and will need to develop his dribbling skills to get past defenders.
• His positioning is questionable although this is something that will probably come with experience.

Verdict: Ability - 5.5/10; Potential - 8.5/10

Lorenzo Ebecilio: Ajax Amsterdam

Name: Lorenzo Ebecilio

D.O.B.: 24/09/1991

Age: 20

P.O.B.: Hoorn, Netherlands

Position: Left Winger

Club: Ajax Amsterdam

Nationality: Netherlands

Previous Clubs: HVV Hollandia (Youth), AZ Alkmaar (Youth)


Brother of Arsenal's Kyle Ebecilio, Lorenzo is a fast paced winger who helped Ajax to their league title last year. Playing in 16 Eredivisie matches last season, Ebecilio has not been used as much this season following the arrival of singing Derk Boerrigter. Despite this, Ebecilio still remains an exciting prospect due to his agility and trickery down the left flank.

When he was 14, Ebecilio suffered a heart-attack and as a result had to leave AZ Alkmaar. After a successful surgery which implanted a heart defibrillator, Ebecillio was cleared to play again and signed for Ajax's youth team.

Strengths:

• Ebecilio is very agile and will test defender's balance as he darts from side to side on the wing.
• His acceleration will be valuable for clubs that use the counter attack as his position on the wing will result in him having lots of space to run in.
• Ebecilio also has a bag of tricks to unload on opponents, aiding him when he has to get out of tight situations.
• His movement off the ball will create space for himself and for others.

Weaknesses:

• He needs to work on his finishing although if he continues to play on the left he would need to improve on his crossing.
• His decision making is questionable and he needs to be more productive in the build up play.

Verdict: Ability - 6/10; Potential - 8/10

Nicolai Boilesen: Ajax Amsterdam

Name: Nicolai Boilesen

D.O.B.: 16/02/1992

Age: 19

P.O.B.: Ballerup, Denmark

Position: Left Back

Club: Ajax Amsterdam

Nationality: Denmark

Previous Clubs: Brondby (Youth)


While Christian Eriksen may be the more famous Dane in Amsterdam, Boilesen is another player that will set the hearts racing of the Danish FA. If there was one word to describe Boilesen, it would be 'efficient'. He is efficient in his passing, tackling and runs, rarely making a mistake. His attacking play does not, however, set the hearts racing of casual football fans and he does need to improve his technique. That said, he still remains an intriguing footballer.


Strengths:

• Boilesen is a fast player, meaning he can catch up to attackers on the wing and join up with counter attacks.
• Boilesen takes long strides while running, and these long legs help him tackle cleanly and gain possession of the ball.
• Boilesen is a very effective passer for a full back and can retain possession for his team.

Weaknesses:

• When his team loses possession, Boilesen needs to maintain his focus and position himself correctly to stop any counter attacks.
• Boilesen's crossing ability needs to improve as a world-class full back can send in dangerous crosses from deep.

Verdict: Ability - 6/10; Potential - 8.5/10

Article on In Bed With Maradona

I have had an article published on www.inbedwithmaradona.com on Novi Pazar's promotion to the Serbian SuperLiga. It can be found here

It has now been republished on worldsoccer.com, the online website of the popular magazine

5 Young Players to Watch in Bundesliga

The German Bundesliga in recent years has produced a plethora of young talent with other European countries (apart from Spain) looking enviously at the Central European country's options for the future. The Bundesliga has also seen talented young players from other countries plying their trade with the nation's best players. This year is no different, with several youngsters hoping to establish themselves as stars as other players such as Mesut Özil and Thomas Müller have done before them. But who are in the next generation? Here are my picks for players who will establish themselves in Germany's premier competition.


Nils Petersen (Bayern München)

Name: Nils Petersen

D.O.B.: 06/12/1988

Age: 22

P.O.B.: Wernigerode, Germany

Position: Striker

Club: Bayern München

Nationality: Germany

Previous Clubs: Carl Zeiss Jena, Energie Cottbus

After the Kroos brothers, Nils Petersen is another young East German who, to further his career, is moving to West Germany. Petersen attracted the big West German clubs last season with his fantastic performances for Energie Cottbus in the 2. Bundesliga, where he finished top scorer with 25 goals. This great scoring record persuaded Bayern to buy him for approximately €3 million. Petersen is a tall targetman who can shrug off defenders and is comfortable in the air; his main attraction, however, is his finishing ability with two feet. His awareness and off-the-ball skills also mean that Petersen exercises his finishing ability regularly, which must please Bayern's officials.

İlkay Gündoğan (Borussia Dortmund)

Name: İlkay Gündoğan

D.O.B.: 24/10/1990

Age: 20

P.O.B.: Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Position: Central Midfielder

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Nationality: Germany

Previous Clubs: FC Nürnberg

The Gelsenkirchen native is moving back to the Ruhr district but in the kit of Borussia Dortmund, not Schalke, the club he played as a boy for. Gündoğan was bought for €4 million and is tasked with replacing the great Nuri Sahin at the Signal Iduna Park. While Gündoğan lacks the technical adroitness of Sahin, especially in the passing department, he has great positional sense and reads the game well. Gündoğan played in a more advanced role for Nürnberg, but is expected to play further back for Borussia and in his latest appearances he has adapted well. Could form a potentially devastating partnership with Mario Götze in the middle of the pitch; his work rate complementing Götze's creativity.

Son Heung-Min (Hamburg) 

Name: Son Heung-Min

D.O.B.: 08/07/1992

Age: 19

P.O.B.: Chuncheon, South Korea

Position: Striker, Winger

Club: Hamburg

Nationality: South Korea

Previous Clubs: None

The generation of South Korean children who watched their homeland finish as semi-finalists during the 2002 world cup are becoming very good footballers as they start to establish themselves. South Korea has a number of young talented players in their ranks, but none are more talented than Son Heung-Min. Quick with close ball control, Son also has a powerful shot which he is more than happy to unleash on unsuspecting goalkeepers. Son is at his best when running at players or on the turn where his pace and trickery assists him. One problem with Son, however, is his inflated belief in his own ability. Many times Son will look to score rather than pass when it is needed and looks to promote himself rather than help the team. When he starts putting his head up and working harder, then Son Heung-Min will be considered a great prospect and only then will he succeed.

Roberto Firmino (Hoffenheim)

Name: Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira

D.O.B.: 02/10/1991

Age: 19

P.O.B.: Maceio, Brazil

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Club: Hoffenheim

Nationality: Brazil

Previous Clubs: Figuierense

Even though Germans have cracked the code to making dazzling playmakers (Özil and Götze), sometimes they need to import them. And which country is better to import from than Brazil, the land of Ronaldinhos, Zicos and Kakas. There is no guarantee that Firmino would end up almost as good as this trio, but he is a very promising player and Hoffenheim should be given credit for following him in the Brazilian Serie B (although he was linked with Marseille and Manchester United before). Firmino is similar in stature to Kaka, athletic and quick, but he possesses great technique and demonstrated this against Borussia Dortmund where on the turn he smacked the cross bar of Wiedenfeller's net. One facet of his game which could be improved is his playmaking ability. Although the vision is there, Firmino he needs to improve on his passing range and accuracy. If he resolves this slight issue, he should shine in Hoffenheim's multicultural team. 

Anthony Ujah (Mainz)

Name: Anthony Ujah

D.O.B.: 20/11/1990

Age: 20

P.O.B.: Ugbokolo, Nigeria

Position: Striker

Club: Mainz

Nationality: Nigerian

Previous Clubs: Warri Wolves, Lillestrøm


Who needs Schürrle when you have Ujah? OK, Ujah hasn't yet reached cult status for Mainz, but at his previous club Lillestrøm, Ujah reached just that, becoming the bane of other Norwegian clubs. Ther reason why: 13 goals in 12 games so far in the Norwegian Tippeligaen and 27 goals in 36 games for the club. Ujah combines great pace with strength and an adeptness in the air, giving him a great physical profile for playing as a targetman or as a quick, lithe forward. Ujah can also finish well and hold up the ball, but he doesn't bring much else up, especially as his passing isn't up to scratch. Mainz though, probably won't use him as anything but a striker who brings goals, similar to Papiss Demba Cissé's role at Freiburg, but diminished in responsibility.