Thumbs up for the Best Team on the planet : FC Barcelona

As this team continues to dominate games, dominate possession, thrash teams, reach and win finals, score plenty of goals, the debate on how good this team will continue. I am of the opinion that it isn't a debate anymore and when you turn your tv on to watch FC Barcelona you are watching the greatest football team in the world, not necessarily club. This team plays flawless football for majority of the season and deserve the rights to be called the best team. There are world class players almost every where for this team.

The grit of Puyol alongside the poise and ball control of Gerard Pique at the heart of the back keeping a solid central defence. Flanked by them you have the world's best attacking wing back in Dani Alves who continue to be crucial to this team since he has arrived, and Eric Abidal the true champion of this team and has been class ever since his Lyon days. in Victor Valdes they have an accident prone goalkeeper but is hardly tested, and I will state why.

At the top they have three 5 foot players that cause havoc anywhere in the world in Leo Messi, David Villa and the tireless Pedro. In Messi they arguably have the best player in the world based on technical ability and finishing for sure. David Villa has been sensational in Spain for years and showed his class with his finish in the Champions League final. Pedro in my opinion their weakest attacker in the starting 11 continues to impress and perform at the highest level scoring in crucial games like the Classico and the Champions League final.

For me however, it is the midfield that allows this team to be the best in the world and for me to go even further and say the best ever. In Xavi Hernandez and Iniesta, you witness two players in their prime that do no know their limits.For me the two best Spanish midfielders of all time and arguably two of the best of all time. They would warrant a place in any team within the past 20 years ATLEAST. Although Lionel Messi continues to score more goals and drop jaws, he would be a shadow of a player without these two, lets take for example his Argentine performances.However, these two players have dominated world football for the past 3-4 seasons and have hardly faced opposition that can actually make them sweat. The beauty of these two midfielders is that they let the ball do the work. One of the biggest principles of the game. They know when and where and have a Football IQ of 1000000. They are two mid fielders that know about dictating tempo of a game to allow their team to get into a groove of smooth flowing football that's like Eye-Candy for a football lover. With their ability to hold the ball so well it is a defence within an offense as an opposing team can not score if they do not have the ball. It is a philosophy that these two live by and with Iniesta and Xavi being partnered with Sergio Busquets they have a highly tactical player that knows his role and allows them their freedom but sitting deep and breaking up play and intercepting then quickly feeding them to allow these two maetros to rack up ridiculous passing statistics.

I have broken down this unit to show its class in every department but notice the word used..."Unit". This is exactly what FC Barcelona is. It is a unit, a team, full of friendships that desire to play with each other and are highly motivated to become the best and continue winning. They convincingly play the most attractive football with amazing combinations and intricate play that is second to none in this sport. As beautiful as they are on the attack, they are just as amazing on the defense. Every player is a work horse and when they lose the ball they fight to win it back and its a fantastic tactic employed by their extremely successful coach. As the players say, "they play football the right way and deserve to win". It is true.

The most scared question to ask now is, " How long will this Barcelona Team Dominate" and to be honest it is hard to see anyone knocking them off their perch anytime soon. They dismantled the next two strongest teams in the world ( Real Madrid, Manchester United) like they were playing a team from sunday league. What I will say is this team has weaknesses like all teams and it comes in their bench. Not many people would know their bench because they hardly ever need it. That will not be the case as all of their players will be older and teams will start getting used to their style of play and they will need options. They have gone in the right direction with Ibrahim Afellay but besides that its a very basic bench for a starting 11 so bolstered. If they ever land the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Guiseppe Rossi as linked, the world will fear the worst. This team will dominate for years. Congratulations FC Barcelona, the Greatest Football Team ...Ever.

Champions League Recap

Is there truth in saying that no team really played to the potential they can? I guess this can be argued.

Shockingly Chelsea looked good, away from home, (albeit their opposition) but going into this game, they must have been the worst out of form team and they really put in a good shift. Definitely already into the next round. Torres hasn't impressed yet but he is getting there. Few more games.

The Valencia- Shalke tie is well poised at 1-1 and with Shalke having the away goal and heading home should be favourites. However there is quality in this Valencia team and they have decent ball away from home and I fancy them in Germany somehow. Raul continued his amazing European goal scoring record. Tied with Pippo now.

Inter really disappointed and this summed up the Italian teams in Europe this season. All remaining three in the competition may well be out. Milan had a terrible game at home to a pretty decent spurs but a spurs line up without their best line up. Will probably be put to the sword at White Hart Lane. Roma continued to embarrass themselves against Shakhtar, in my opinion very unexpected and surely won't be able to turn it around after letting their opposition to ship in three away goals. Inter have it all to do in Germany and I don't see them turning it around or stopping this Bayern Team from scoring. Time will tell.

Madrid came from Lyon without a win but surely everyone must have won a bet with this one. Expected right? Lyon usually give Madrid hell but I just have a funny feeling they can progress and pretty comfortable at home in the return leg. Either way Madrid weren't that good and Lyon was solid for majority of the game and Madrid only threated from set pieces really.

Barcelona almost gave their fans a heart attack when they shipped in those 2 late goals by Arsenal. They weren't nearly as clinical as they can be. If they were, Arsenal wouldn't need to travel to Spain cause it would be over.
On the other hand Arsenal played pretty decent ball and got a win that not many thought was possible. Gave themselves hope of reaching the final 8 and maybe the finals in London Town! (Wembley)

Being a Man United fan I can be honest and admit that we were nothing short of terrible against Marseille. In the attack I should say. We were pretty comfortable at the back but thats a norm with Vidic in the back, at least 70% of the time. Midfield was clueless and seemed to lost ability or gather the little available. Carrick is on the down surely and Gibson is straight up garbage. Summer reinforcements needed desperately in midfield especially if Scholes doesn't sign on. Overall the game was a bore and Marseille really threatened and United should  take care of business in second leg.

Well that's my take on how this round of CL fixtures went, I also gave my thoughts about who should be going through from here....but i must admit I can't call the Barcelona Arsenal game...it is well poised though.

Barcelona best "TEAM" of all time? Where do they rank?

Well there is no doubt in the class of the current Barcelona team. I can honestly admit that i personally believe they are the best team currently in the world based primarily on form and simply the way they have done their business. After the Super Classico they were calls about this team being the best of all time, maybe...maybe not....but ill give my view on this well built team.
As a unit this team is incredible, they pass the ball well, score plenty goals, hardly concede and dominate majority of their games if not all but there have been great teams in the past that were well built and just as amazing..not so?

• How about Arsenal's Invincibles? The only thing missing was a Champions League for Wenger's outfit that season. That team attacked with as much grace as this current Barcelona team. That team had world class attacking players such as Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Dennis Bergkamp and ljungberg. The steel in the midfield with Gilberto Silva and Captain Patrick Veira and their best ever defence with the likes of Toure and Campbell and Keown and at the time the ever improving Ashey Cole who could arguably be one of the best left backs in the game. This team was as dominant as the current Barcelona team but may lose out  on ranking in site of the lack of achievements.

• What about Mourinho's Chelsea which he almost assembled all on his own with his arrival. An extremely solid, powerful, fast, strong squad of players that dominated the Premier League for two years and made a few champions league runs. Their first title they only lost one league game and amassed the most points ever in a Premier League season with 95 points. Mourinho had at that time a world class goal keeper in Petr Cech. A line of quality defenders with John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, William Gallas, Paulo Fereira. The improving Frank Lampard, Damien Duff in his prime, Joe Cole...crowd favourite Arjen Robben, Thiago Mendes, and up top with  Gudjohnsen and Drogba. Mourinho had a top starting 11 and great squad players in which he made a run in a Champions League where he knocked out a great Barcelona team too. Arguably one of the best teams, atleast in the Premier league if not.

•  What about two great Man United teams put together by Sir Alex Ferguson. Firstly the treble winners that held arguably one of the best strike partnerships in the history of the Premier League where Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke scored nearly 40 goals between them for the Premier League. Almost half the goals of the whole team. That team had Man Utd's best goalkeeper of all time most might say( until VDS retires), in Peter Schmeichel. A world class defense at that time in Gary Neville, Denis Irwin, Jaap Stam. A great midfield which Roy Keane marshalled and was accompanied by players such as Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs. Along with the lucky charms of Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar this team won the champions league in the most dramatic of scenes and defeated some of the bests teams in the world on their way to it including Inter Milan at the San Siro, Juventus in Turin and the mighty Bayern Munich at that time. Also they played out two draws against a star studded Barca team in those times. Easily one of the best teams in the history of the game.
  
• Another great Man United team put together by S.A.F as  they were the 2008 Champions League winners with a great mixture of youth and experience. This team did the prestigious double of winner Champions League and Premier League in fashionable style. A team built from a solid foundation and world class defense with players such as Van der Sar, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra. A strong and workman like midfield with the likes of Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and the added youth of Anderson and Nani. The Top 3 was the crowd drawers as Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez and these three players were the deadliest attacking players in that year where the three combined for nearly 80 goals for man united. This team was quality all the way round and had a never-give-up attitude that has been instilled by Sir Alex Ferguson. Definitely one of the best teams.
  
• AC Milan have had great teams through out their history and these teams have dominated European Football especially in recent times. Teams built primarily on strong defense and the attacking players with the ability to make great counter attacks they took out all the top teams. From their win in 2003 at Old Trafford in the final of the Champions League against Serie A rivals Juventus to their infamous loss against Liverpool in Istanbul to their triumph in 2007 in their repeat against Liverpool in Athens. There were all great teams with a similar base. With two of the greatest Defenders to play they game in Alessandro Nesta and Paulo Maldini they had a great defensive stalwarts.These two were accompanied by at the time, a quality goal keeper in Dida and the aging but ever present Cafu, one of the greatest ever. With a workman like midfield in Gattusto, Seedorf, Pirlo and the poise of Rui Costa to add to the World Class Duo of Shevchenko and Pippo Inzaghi they really had a good team that took had ability to compete against any team in the world. Adding Kaka to their ranks, they made it to the finals in 2005 and 2007 where they could have been seen as the best team in the world as they thrashed most their teams on their route to those finals, including the humiliation of Manchester United in Italy. The soon to be WPOTY Kaka was emerging as a class act and this team went down in history as they won their latest CL title in 2007 with the same core of Kaka, Maldini, Nesta, Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf, Inzaghi. Where do they rank?
  
• Can't have a discussion about the best team of all time and not call Real Madrid. Madrid is a club that have had many great teams through out their history and some stand out for the wrong reasons such as los galacticos. The project that never came to fruition. In my opinion, the greatest Madrid team had been the team under Vincente Del Bosque which took home the last European crown Real Madrid ever won. In 2002, madrid had a team that was built with quality in all areas with players such as Iker Cassilas, Fernando Hierro, Michel Salgado, Roberto Carlos, Ivan Helguera, Claude Makalele, ( madrid hasn't replaced him up to this day) Luis Figo, Raul , Morientes and the amazing Zinedine Zidane who himself won them that CL crown. At that time they had great squad players such as Solari and Guti, the latter becoming ever present and a legend for the club. On paper may not be the best ever but this team was the last to bring great glory to the White House and were predominantly home based players, very similar to the current barca team. Where do they rank?
  
  These are just some great teams in the history of the sport....they are many more such as Los Galacticos built by Perez that on paper must have been the greatest ever but the missed out due to their lack of achievements and ability to play to their ability. Also there were other great Milan teams with the likes of Rijkaard, Van basten, Ancelotti and those old folks.Maybe some of the Ajax teams of the past could be on this list.Where do you rank this Barca team with these teams?

Record Weekend of Premier League goals...Good or Bad?

Must admit I'm a huge fan of high scoring games, its really good on the eye but is there as much bad as good of this? This past weekend there were many high scoring games and pretty exciting ones but did this record weekend highlight the quality of attack in the EPL or the lack of defense from various teams. In most games I watched or saw the highlights for there were many set piece goals as if they teams have forgotten how to defend them. Once again Arsenal struggled from them (poor referee I might add) Man United, Sunderland, Aston Villa...it is an alarming trend..