Two points lost. No other words can adequately describe a weekend in which Liverpool failed to capitalize on events elsewhere to cement top spot on the Premiership table.
As I hinted last week, it’s all well and good to beat title contenders like Man U, but it’s consistency that wins titles and that’s precisely what the Reds were missing at Anfield on Saturday.
Of course, had that early Steve Gerrard “goal” been allowed to stand, it would have been a different story and, like the rest of the world, I still can’t understand why referee Andy Mariner ruled it out. Stoke certainly didn’t have an equalizer in them. They managed two shots all game – both off target – and they were obviously set up to defend, with two banks of four in front of the ‘keeper, and they did a fine job of it too.
Yet, Liverpool must expect those kinds of games at Anfield and their ability to break down such pragmatic tactics would go a long way in determining how well they do this season. The truth is, for Liverpool to be real contenders they simply have to put away teams like Stoke at Anfield.
Then again, it’s hard to imagine Liverpool dominating another game this much without getting on the scoresheet. Stoke gave Gerrard and Xabi Alonso the run of midfield and posed so little threat in attack that full backs Alvaro Arbeloa and Andrea Dossena were practically camped upfield all game. But for all that, Liverpool showed little creativity in the final third and most of their 30 shots at goal came from distance. Sadly, neither Gerrard nor Alonso could find their shooting range. Strikers Robbie Keane and Fernando Torres had very few chances, but they weren’t exactly on their best game either. Keane saw two tame efforts stopped by Sorensen and Torres’ booted one high into the stands and saw another – Liverpool’s best chance of the game - deflect off the chest of Leon Cort and out for a corner kick.
So, after last week’s encouraging win, this was quite the let down. And I know there are many detractors who will point to this result as another sign that Liverpool will be off the pace again this season.
They’ll conveniently forget of course that the other big teams have already slipped up this season as well: Chelsea were held at home by Tottenham, Man U drew with Newcastle at Old Trafford and Arsenal lost at Fulham.
Trust me, the Liverpool challenge is far from over.
Elsewhere, Chelsea preserved their incredible unbeaten home run against Man U and one has to wonder what it would take to beat this team at the Bridge. Man U came pretty close this time, sitting on that one goal lead for most of the game before super-sub Solomon Kalou saved the day yet again.
Man U are certainly taking their sweet time getting going, although they have the depth and know-how to be there are thereabouts come May. I think Chelsea look best positioned to win the title – even if my loyalties lie elsewhere – but Nicolas Anelka will have to start finishing better than he did at Stamford Bridge last week.
Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger’s youngsters have the early lead again and have bounced back very well since the Fulham loss. As they did last season, the Gunners are playing the most attractive soccer in the Prem, even if they still need to resolve the defensive midfield position. Looks like Cameroon’s Alexandre Song might get the nod. He certainly did a decent enough job at Bolton last Saturday and I’ve always felt Wenger was wasting his talents in central defence.
I don’t think Arsenal have been really tested yet though – they are yet to face a top ten side – and I wonder how long they’ll last at the top.
On a final note, isn’t it amazing how easily Amr Zaki has taken to the Premiership? The Egyptian striker has hit four goals for Wigan already, having arrived from Zamalek of Cairo in the summer. Sure, he’s got a good enough reputation in Africa – what with two Nations Cup winners’ medals and 29 goals in 48 appearances for Egypt – but who would have bet that the 25-year-old would have more goals than the likes of Torres and Berbatov at this stage of the season?
So much for all that talk about “Premiership Experience”.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Liverpool Draw First Blood
You’ll pardon me for borrowing the Barak Obama presidential slogan, but Liverpool fans everywhere must be thinking “Yes we can” after what was a most enjoyable 2-1 defeat of arch rivals Manchester United on Saturday.
A victory over the defending champions is always an occasion to savour, but this was especially pleasing in that it had been over four years since Liverpool tasted victory over Man U – thanks to Danny Murphy’s penalty at Old Trafford in April 2004. For an Anfield win, you have to go even further back, to November 2001 when Michael Owen’s brace inspired a 3-1 win. And it certainly gave hope to those who have been longing to see a league championship at Anfield for the past 18 years.
Of course, when Carlos Tevez left Javier Mascherano in his wake to smash home Dimitar Berbatov’s cross after just 3 minutes, it looked like it would be another of those frustrating Man U visits.
Not this time though, even if it took a stroke of luck to get Liverpool back on level terms – Edwin van der Sar’s attempted save bouncing in off the hapless Wes Brown. But it was no more than Liverpool deserved and Dirk Kuyt had already seen a point blank effort stopped on the line. Ryan Babel’s winner was less fortuitous, more down to Mascherano’s persistence and Kuyt’s composure.
Benitez set out to deny United space and time on the ball, and it worked well with Xabi Alonso and Mascherano dominating Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick in midfield, and the constant chasing and running by Robbie Keane and Kuyt upfront denying Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and van der Sar the space to start things from the back.
But Liverpool also attacked with much more verve and purpose than they have in recent times. New boy Albert Riera looks a promising prospect on the left, the mobility of the front two kept the United defenders on edge all day and Babel’s pace and trickery proved a useful asset.
Even the full backs got involved, with Alvaro Arbeloa, on the right, and Fabio Aurelio, on the left, persistently offering width and options on the attacking end. But the pick of the lot, for me, were the central midfield duo – the ever-running, never-flagging Mascherano and a much-improved Alonso, my pick for Man Of The Match. After an injury-riddled 2007/08 season and a summer of uncertainty, the Spaniard has been Liverpool’s most consistent player of the season so far and Benitez should be somewhat pleased that the Gareth Barry move didn’t pan out affterall.
So, Liverpool draw first blood, but let’s not get carried away; it’s just one win and there’s still a long way to go. Consider also: Liverpool did the double over Man U in 2001/02, yet that didn’t bring the title to Anfield. More ominously, Man City also did the double over Man U last season, and we all know how their season ended.
Those who say that Liverpool need to improve against the rest of the top four to be considered real contenders may have a point. Yet, there’s more to winning the title than those six games. That comes down to consistency, even in the supposedly easy games, and the ability to get results even on a bad day.
The early results certainly bode well. Liverpool were well below par against Sunderland, yet won on the strength of a wonder strike from Torres; they struggled at home against Middlesbrough, yet scored twice in the last seven minutes to claim all three points. And the manner in which they turned this one around against the Old Enemy – their best performance of the season so far - certainly suggests a mental toughness that has been lacking in previous seasons.
The fact that they turned it on without their two best players – Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard – should put a lie to all these suggestions that Liverpool are just a two-man team, even if any team would be that much stronger with those two on board. Benitez as slowly but surely put together a solid squad of winners – his strongest since arriving in 2004 – and, even if there are still areas that could use some work, they certainly look like they can compete with the best this season.
Yes, they can.
A victory over the defending champions is always an occasion to savour, but this was especially pleasing in that it had been over four years since Liverpool tasted victory over Man U – thanks to Danny Murphy’s penalty at Old Trafford in April 2004. For an Anfield win, you have to go even further back, to November 2001 when Michael Owen’s brace inspired a 3-1 win. And it certainly gave hope to those who have been longing to see a league championship at Anfield for the past 18 years.
Of course, when Carlos Tevez left Javier Mascherano in his wake to smash home Dimitar Berbatov’s cross after just 3 minutes, it looked like it would be another of those frustrating Man U visits.
Not this time though, even if it took a stroke of luck to get Liverpool back on level terms – Edwin van der Sar’s attempted save bouncing in off the hapless Wes Brown. But it was no more than Liverpool deserved and Dirk Kuyt had already seen a point blank effort stopped on the line. Ryan Babel’s winner was less fortuitous, more down to Mascherano’s persistence and Kuyt’s composure.
Benitez set out to deny United space and time on the ball, and it worked well with Xabi Alonso and Mascherano dominating Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick in midfield, and the constant chasing and running by Robbie Keane and Kuyt upfront denying Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and van der Sar the space to start things from the back.
But Liverpool also attacked with much more verve and purpose than they have in recent times. New boy Albert Riera looks a promising prospect on the left, the mobility of the front two kept the United defenders on edge all day and Babel’s pace and trickery proved a useful asset.
Even the full backs got involved, with Alvaro Arbeloa, on the right, and Fabio Aurelio, on the left, persistently offering width and options on the attacking end. But the pick of the lot, for me, were the central midfield duo – the ever-running, never-flagging Mascherano and a much-improved Alonso, my pick for Man Of The Match. After an injury-riddled 2007/08 season and a summer of uncertainty, the Spaniard has been Liverpool’s most consistent player of the season so far and Benitez should be somewhat pleased that the Gareth Barry move didn’t pan out affterall.
So, Liverpool draw first blood, but let’s not get carried away; it’s just one win and there’s still a long way to go. Consider also: Liverpool did the double over Man U in 2001/02, yet that didn’t bring the title to Anfield. More ominously, Man City also did the double over Man U last season, and we all know how their season ended.
Those who say that Liverpool need to improve against the rest of the top four to be considered real contenders may have a point. Yet, there’s more to winning the title than those six games. That comes down to consistency, even in the supposedly easy games, and the ability to get results even on a bad day.
The early results certainly bode well. Liverpool were well below par against Sunderland, yet won on the strength of a wonder strike from Torres; they struggled at home against Middlesbrough, yet scored twice in the last seven minutes to claim all three points. And the manner in which they turned this one around against the Old Enemy – their best performance of the season so far - certainly suggests a mental toughness that has been lacking in previous seasons.
The fact that they turned it on without their two best players – Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard – should put a lie to all these suggestions that Liverpool are just a two-man team, even if any team would be that much stronger with those two on board. Benitez as slowly but surely put together a solid squad of winners – his strongest since arriving in 2004 – and, even if there are still areas that could use some work, they certainly look like they can compete with the best this season.
Yes, they can.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Premiership: Big Four in League of Their Own
I know it’s already three rounds old, but I think this is exactly the right time to talk about the new English Premiership season. For one thing, we’ve had a chance to see all the pretenders in action – I know, it’s still early days and we haven’t seen enough – and, for another, all the transfers are done now. Or what would have been the point of talking about the Spurs attack – only for Dimitar Berbatov to jump ship at the last minute. Or, indeed, of hyping Chelsea’s credentials, only for that “inevitable” Robinho deal to suddenly go awry. And don’t even get me started on the Gareth Barry-Aston Villa-Liverpool tug-of-war.
That’s not to say surprises can’t still happen – injuries, sackings and all that – and, of course, come January, that transfer window opens again. By then though, we’ll be half way through the race – and it could very well be over bar the shouting.
But I seriously doubt this is going to be one of those seasons. At best, we may have only three or four clubs still in contention at that stage, but a January one-horse race appears very unlikely.
The big four seem to have carved out a league of their own at the top of the Premiership and I wouldn’t be looking beyond those clubs for this year’s champions. Of course, the shape of that top four may well change with the new cash infusion at Manchester City but - Robinho notwithstanding - I don’t think this’ll be the year.
Defending champions Manchester United will again be the team to beat, despite very little transfer activity. But it’s not like they had that much to fix; their one problem area has been upfront – Ronaldo’s free-scoring sufficed last season - and Dimitar Berbatov should prove a more than adequate foil for the likes of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez. Sir Alex has spent heavily and wisely over the last few seasons – spending megabucks on Michael Carrick, Owen Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson and Tevez – and his best piece of business in the off-season was keeping Ronaldo at Old Trafford.
Chelsea have made the best signings of the lot, bringing in Jose Bosingwa at right back and the creative Deco in midfield to fill the two main problem areas from last term. Didier Drogba’s injury still leaves them below par in the early running, but Chelsea fans must be concerned about the lack of width in midfield and I still wonder how Scolari is going to fit Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard, Deco, Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel into his midfield.
I think Arsenal will struggle to reach the heights of last season when, in truth, they over-achieved. Last season’s squad could have taken a step forward this year, but Arsene Wenger’s inability to hold on to Alex Hleb and Matthieu Flamini has weakened his squad and not even the arrival of the skilful Samir Nasri and the growing influence of Theo Walcott can paper over the cracks. They still have a soft underbelly in central defence and Flamini’s departure doesn’t help matters. Much will once again depend on the superb Cesc Fabregas, who faded slightly last term, the form of Emmanuel Adebayor, who spent the summer trying to get away, and the fitness of the fragile Robin van Persie.
At my beloved Liverpool, Rafa Benitez would have been pretty cross that the long-running Gareth Barry deal eventually foundered, yet he starts another season with an improved squad – and with the in-form Xabi Alonso still on the staff. Robbie Keane offers new options upfront, Albert Riera brings much-needed left-footed width, and Andrea Dossena replaces the departed John Arne Riise at left back. More importantly, Liverpool have kept last season’s spine – Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard, Torres – and if Benitez can sort out the right formation – and quickly – this should be a much better season for the Reds. Last season’s largely successful 4-2-3-1 formation will have to change to accommodate Keane though, and there’s a risk that the players may not adapt quickly enough.
As for the chasing pack, the name on every lip will now be Manchester City, especially with the surprise arrival of Robinho. But I think Man City started the stronger anyway, even before the arrival of the skilful Brazilian. They’ve bought very smartly and if the new faces settle quickly it will be a different City this season. The Argentine full back Pablo Zabaleta arrives fresh from the Olympics to replace Spurs-bound Vedrun Corluka; Belgian defender Vincent Kompany, from Hamburg, is one of the best young players in Europe; striker Jo, from CSKA Moscow, is another excellent Brazilian prospect; and Shaun Wright-Phillips, back after two wasted years on the Chelsea bench, should regain his confidence in familiar climes. Plus, Man City already boast some decent players – Elano, Martin Petrov, Micah Richards – and new manager Mark Hughes should thrive in the new air of stability.
For sheer entertainment, I wouldn’t look too far from Aston Villa either. Martin O’Neill’s side play exciting attacking soccer and with Barry staying, they’ve kept most of the team that finished 6th last term. Luke Young and Nickey Shorey arrive to fill weaknesses at full back, and James Milner will offer new width on the right, to complement the efforts of the impressive Ashley Young on the left. Stilian Petrov should be a key player this season, after taking his time settling in after joining from Celtic two years ago. His partnership with Barry in central midfield looks a promising one for Villa.
Spurs will be interesting to watch again – if only for the tactical manoeuvrings of Spanish coach Juande Ramos. They’ve lost Keane and Berbatov, who scored over 40 goals between them last season, and it remains to be seen if Marcus Bent and Roman Pavlyuchenko can replace that duo. If centre backs Ledley King and Jon Woodgate stay healthy, they should be a bit more secure at the back, and new arrivals, Luka Modric and David Bentley will need to settle in quickly. I think they have too many new faces though, and only the fearless tinkering of Ramos will keep them competitive.
Everton look like they will struggle to match last season’s 5th place finish – despite the acumen of manager David Moyes and the goals of Yakubu Aiyegbeni. Lee Carsley’s departure leaves an experience vacuum in central midfield, even with the arrival of new boys Segundo Castillo and Marouane Fellaini. Louis Saha should contribute on the goal scoring end – if he stays healthy – as should Tim Cahill – if he stays healthy.
FA Cup holders Portsmouth are also depleted in midfield, having let Pedro Mendes and Ghanaian Sulley Muntari leave in the off season. Yet, Harry Redknapp knows a thing or two about putting together a competitive side - even if the signing of Younes Kaboul makes one wonder – and Pompey should be in the running for the UEFA Cup places. Jermaine Defoe is a proven goal scorer and should benefit from playing with the towering Peter Crouch. Makes me wonder what’ll become of Nigeria captain Nwankwo Kanu.
For the rest, it’ll be business as usual, from mid-table respectability to relegation-battle mediocrity.
As for who will win it all, you’ll get no prediction from me – not this early in the season, anyway. I hope it is Liverpool, even if the odds suggest otherwise, and the first test will come up at Anfield on Saturday when Manchester United come calling. A win would be a nice confidence boost and three points in the bag, but it won’t make a season – and a loss, unpalatable as that may sound, wouldn’t be the end of the world either
I’ll be watching.
That’s not to say surprises can’t still happen – injuries, sackings and all that – and, of course, come January, that transfer window opens again. By then though, we’ll be half way through the race – and it could very well be over bar the shouting.
But I seriously doubt this is going to be one of those seasons. At best, we may have only three or four clubs still in contention at that stage, but a January one-horse race appears very unlikely.
The big four seem to have carved out a league of their own at the top of the Premiership and I wouldn’t be looking beyond those clubs for this year’s champions. Of course, the shape of that top four may well change with the new cash infusion at Manchester City but - Robinho notwithstanding - I don’t think this’ll be the year.
Defending champions Manchester United will again be the team to beat, despite very little transfer activity. But it’s not like they had that much to fix; their one problem area has been upfront – Ronaldo’s free-scoring sufficed last season - and Dimitar Berbatov should prove a more than adequate foil for the likes of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez. Sir Alex has spent heavily and wisely over the last few seasons – spending megabucks on Michael Carrick, Owen Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson and Tevez – and his best piece of business in the off-season was keeping Ronaldo at Old Trafford.
Chelsea have made the best signings of the lot, bringing in Jose Bosingwa at right back and the creative Deco in midfield to fill the two main problem areas from last term. Didier Drogba’s injury still leaves them below par in the early running, but Chelsea fans must be concerned about the lack of width in midfield and I still wonder how Scolari is going to fit Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard, Deco, Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel into his midfield.
I think Arsenal will struggle to reach the heights of last season when, in truth, they over-achieved. Last season’s squad could have taken a step forward this year, but Arsene Wenger’s inability to hold on to Alex Hleb and Matthieu Flamini has weakened his squad and not even the arrival of the skilful Samir Nasri and the growing influence of Theo Walcott can paper over the cracks. They still have a soft underbelly in central defence and Flamini’s departure doesn’t help matters. Much will once again depend on the superb Cesc Fabregas, who faded slightly last term, the form of Emmanuel Adebayor, who spent the summer trying to get away, and the fitness of the fragile Robin van Persie.
At my beloved Liverpool, Rafa Benitez would have been pretty cross that the long-running Gareth Barry deal eventually foundered, yet he starts another season with an improved squad – and with the in-form Xabi Alonso still on the staff. Robbie Keane offers new options upfront, Albert Riera brings much-needed left-footed width, and Andrea Dossena replaces the departed John Arne Riise at left back. More importantly, Liverpool have kept last season’s spine – Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard, Torres – and if Benitez can sort out the right formation – and quickly – this should be a much better season for the Reds. Last season’s largely successful 4-2-3-1 formation will have to change to accommodate Keane though, and there’s a risk that the players may not adapt quickly enough.
As for the chasing pack, the name on every lip will now be Manchester City, especially with the surprise arrival of Robinho. But I think Man City started the stronger anyway, even before the arrival of the skilful Brazilian. They’ve bought very smartly and if the new faces settle quickly it will be a different City this season. The Argentine full back Pablo Zabaleta arrives fresh from the Olympics to replace Spurs-bound Vedrun Corluka; Belgian defender Vincent Kompany, from Hamburg, is one of the best young players in Europe; striker Jo, from CSKA Moscow, is another excellent Brazilian prospect; and Shaun Wright-Phillips, back after two wasted years on the Chelsea bench, should regain his confidence in familiar climes. Plus, Man City already boast some decent players – Elano, Martin Petrov, Micah Richards – and new manager Mark Hughes should thrive in the new air of stability.
For sheer entertainment, I wouldn’t look too far from Aston Villa either. Martin O’Neill’s side play exciting attacking soccer and with Barry staying, they’ve kept most of the team that finished 6th last term. Luke Young and Nickey Shorey arrive to fill weaknesses at full back, and James Milner will offer new width on the right, to complement the efforts of the impressive Ashley Young on the left. Stilian Petrov should be a key player this season, after taking his time settling in after joining from Celtic two years ago. His partnership with Barry in central midfield looks a promising one for Villa.
Spurs will be interesting to watch again – if only for the tactical manoeuvrings of Spanish coach Juande Ramos. They’ve lost Keane and Berbatov, who scored over 40 goals between them last season, and it remains to be seen if Marcus Bent and Roman Pavlyuchenko can replace that duo. If centre backs Ledley King and Jon Woodgate stay healthy, they should be a bit more secure at the back, and new arrivals, Luka Modric and David Bentley will need to settle in quickly. I think they have too many new faces though, and only the fearless tinkering of Ramos will keep them competitive.
Everton look like they will struggle to match last season’s 5th place finish – despite the acumen of manager David Moyes and the goals of Yakubu Aiyegbeni. Lee Carsley’s departure leaves an experience vacuum in central midfield, even with the arrival of new boys Segundo Castillo and Marouane Fellaini. Louis Saha should contribute on the goal scoring end – if he stays healthy – as should Tim Cahill – if he stays healthy.
FA Cup holders Portsmouth are also depleted in midfield, having let Pedro Mendes and Ghanaian Sulley Muntari leave in the off season. Yet, Harry Redknapp knows a thing or two about putting together a competitive side - even if the signing of Younes Kaboul makes one wonder – and Pompey should be in the running for the UEFA Cup places. Jermaine Defoe is a proven goal scorer and should benefit from playing with the towering Peter Crouch. Makes me wonder what’ll become of Nigeria captain Nwankwo Kanu.
For the rest, it’ll be business as usual, from mid-table respectability to relegation-battle mediocrity.
As for who will win it all, you’ll get no prediction from me – not this early in the season, anyway. I hope it is Liverpool, even if the odds suggest otherwise, and the first test will come up at Anfield on Saturday when Manchester United come calling. A win would be a nice confidence boost and three points in the bag, but it won’t make a season – and a loss, unpalatable as that may sound, wouldn’t be the end of the world either
I’ll be watching.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Pride in Defeat...But What Next?
As expected Argentina took home gold in what turned out to be a pretty close Olympic final against Nigeria. Sure, I got it right and yes, I was rather saddened – like any die-hard Nigeria supporter – yet I came away from this experience with a tremendous amount of pride.
Argentina, with all the star players and the big reputation, were expected to see off a relatively less accomplished Nigeria team with minimum fuss. Yet, the Nigerians gave a performance worthy of champions, matching their counterparts all the way and only succumbing to one moment of madness on the part of the hitherto reliable shot-stopper Ambrose Vanzekin. They played with poise, confidence and discipline, refusing to be intimidated by the Argentine big names in a performance that must go down as one of the best from a Nigerian team since the glory days of the mid 1990s.
Indeed, had captain Promise Isaac converted one of two first half opportunities that came his way, the gold medal may well be resting in the Nigerian capital today. The first arrived after Peter Odemwingie burst past Pareja to slide a perfect low cross across the six yard box. Promise, sliding in, arrived a second too late to convert, but he was certainly well placed when Adefemi zipped in another cross from the right flank. This time, he couldn’t control the fast ball and his effort rebounded safely into the grateful arms of Romero in the Argentina goal.
Argentina, for their part, looked to Riquelme, Messi and Aguero to do the damage and they certainly looked the part when they had the room to operate. The Nigerian defence were well prepared though and they gave the Argentine stars precious little room to manoeuvre. Kaita and Ajilore were all over Riquelme’s every move in midfield and central defenders Apam and Adeleye did very well to restrict Messi and Aguero to barely a sniff of a chance.
Argentina controlled most of the play, yet their best chances came from distance, with first Di Maria and then Messi testing Vanzekin with well-struck shots from outside the area. It was the unsung Di Maria – one of the revelations of this Olympics – who finally put out the Nigerian challenge after an excellent Messi pass had pierced the Nigerian rear guard. Vanzekin’s wayward rush off his line left the Benfica striker with an easy lob for the game’s only goal.
Nigeria’s forwards did well to respond but came up against a savvy defensive shield. Mascherano and Gago lived up to their reputations as top class defensive midfielders and Promise hardly got anything out of Garay. Yet, the Eagles came pretty close to an equaliser after Anichebe came on for Promise. His first attempt, after an excellent over-lapping run by Adefemi, was blocked by Pareja from 4 yards out, and he had another close effort well fielded by Romero.
In all, the Nigerians can leave with their heads held high – and not just because they came into this game as clear underdogs. I think they gave as good as they got and it’s hard to fault any part of their performance in that final. Of course, it’s easy to blame Vanzekin for the goal and there’s no question that it would have been a harder task for Di Maria had he stayed closer to his goal line. Yet, he’d made a number of brilliant saves to keep his team alive up till that point. And if I had to pick a weak link, it would be Okonkwo’s efforts down the left flank, which hardly matched the over-lapping runs of Adefemi on the right – of course, he was only filling in for the missing Taiye Taiwo.
Otherwise, the back four stood firm, the midfield played with calm authority and even if the attack didn’t flow at will, they did enough to open up a resolute Argentina back line on a few occasions. Which is a lot more than those Brazilians could manage in their 3-0 semi final thrashing.
Considering that this team was missing Chelsea’s John Mikel Obi and left back Taye Taiwo – and then striker Chinedu Ogbuke for the final - Siasia certainly proved his worth as a coach in this competition, and in an ideal world, he should be stepping up to the big job of handling the Super Eagles now. That’s not likely to happen though – Shaibu Amodu is firmly in that seat right now and the Super Eagles are winning again.
But there’s no reason why a good number of his squad shouldn’t make the step up right away. Obinna, Odemwingie, and Apam are already regular Super Eagles squad members; Adeleye, Kaita, Ogbuke, Adefemi and Okoronkwo should follow suit. That, for me, would be the real gain of Siasia’s four-year project.
Can Nigeria translate this silver medal – and that runners-up finish at U-20 level three years ago – to success at senior level? That’s the big question. I know Nigerians worldwide are disappointed about this Olympic loss, but the real disappointment, for me, would be a failure to capitalise on the positives and build a senior team capable of matching the likes of Argentina and Brazil.
World Cup 2010 will be the litmus test and I am positive that Siasia can take Nigeria to the next level. Siasia’s teams have matched the world’s best at U-20 and U-23 levels and the next step would be for Nigeria – with or without Siasia - to match them at the highest level. Now, that would be real success. Anything less – after the gains of the past three years - would be a disappointment.
Argentina, with all the star players and the big reputation, were expected to see off a relatively less accomplished Nigeria team with minimum fuss. Yet, the Nigerians gave a performance worthy of champions, matching their counterparts all the way and only succumbing to one moment of madness on the part of the hitherto reliable shot-stopper Ambrose Vanzekin. They played with poise, confidence and discipline, refusing to be intimidated by the Argentine big names in a performance that must go down as one of the best from a Nigerian team since the glory days of the mid 1990s.
Indeed, had captain Promise Isaac converted one of two first half opportunities that came his way, the gold medal may well be resting in the Nigerian capital today. The first arrived after Peter Odemwingie burst past Pareja to slide a perfect low cross across the six yard box. Promise, sliding in, arrived a second too late to convert, but he was certainly well placed when Adefemi zipped in another cross from the right flank. This time, he couldn’t control the fast ball and his effort rebounded safely into the grateful arms of Romero in the Argentina goal.
Argentina, for their part, looked to Riquelme, Messi and Aguero to do the damage and they certainly looked the part when they had the room to operate. The Nigerian defence were well prepared though and they gave the Argentine stars precious little room to manoeuvre. Kaita and Ajilore were all over Riquelme’s every move in midfield and central defenders Apam and Adeleye did very well to restrict Messi and Aguero to barely a sniff of a chance.
Argentina controlled most of the play, yet their best chances came from distance, with first Di Maria and then Messi testing Vanzekin with well-struck shots from outside the area. It was the unsung Di Maria – one of the revelations of this Olympics – who finally put out the Nigerian challenge after an excellent Messi pass had pierced the Nigerian rear guard. Vanzekin’s wayward rush off his line left the Benfica striker with an easy lob for the game’s only goal.
Nigeria’s forwards did well to respond but came up against a savvy defensive shield. Mascherano and Gago lived up to their reputations as top class defensive midfielders and Promise hardly got anything out of Garay. Yet, the Eagles came pretty close to an equaliser after Anichebe came on for Promise. His first attempt, after an excellent over-lapping run by Adefemi, was blocked by Pareja from 4 yards out, and he had another close effort well fielded by Romero.
In all, the Nigerians can leave with their heads held high – and not just because they came into this game as clear underdogs. I think they gave as good as they got and it’s hard to fault any part of their performance in that final. Of course, it’s easy to blame Vanzekin for the goal and there’s no question that it would have been a harder task for Di Maria had he stayed closer to his goal line. Yet, he’d made a number of brilliant saves to keep his team alive up till that point. And if I had to pick a weak link, it would be Okonkwo’s efforts down the left flank, which hardly matched the over-lapping runs of Adefemi on the right – of course, he was only filling in for the missing Taiye Taiwo.
Otherwise, the back four stood firm, the midfield played with calm authority and even if the attack didn’t flow at will, they did enough to open up a resolute Argentina back line on a few occasions. Which is a lot more than those Brazilians could manage in their 3-0 semi final thrashing.
Considering that this team was missing Chelsea’s John Mikel Obi and left back Taye Taiwo – and then striker Chinedu Ogbuke for the final - Siasia certainly proved his worth as a coach in this competition, and in an ideal world, he should be stepping up to the big job of handling the Super Eagles now. That’s not likely to happen though – Shaibu Amodu is firmly in that seat right now and the Super Eagles are winning again.
But there’s no reason why a good number of his squad shouldn’t make the step up right away. Obinna, Odemwingie, and Apam are already regular Super Eagles squad members; Adeleye, Kaita, Ogbuke, Adefemi and Okoronkwo should follow suit. That, for me, would be the real gain of Siasia’s four-year project.
Can Nigeria translate this silver medal – and that runners-up finish at U-20 level three years ago – to success at senior level? That’s the big question. I know Nigerians worldwide are disappointed about this Olympic loss, but the real disappointment, for me, would be a failure to capitalise on the positives and build a senior team capable of matching the likes of Argentina and Brazil.
World Cup 2010 will be the litmus test and I am positive that Siasia can take Nigeria to the next level. Siasia’s teams have matched the world’s best at U-20 and U-23 levels and the next step would be for Nigeria – with or without Siasia - to match them at the highest level. Now, that would be real success. Anything less – after the gains of the past three years - would be a disappointment.
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