Is Manchester United Really Bad Or Simply Unlucky?

This is the question one can ask himself after watching Manchester United lose yet again this season. The Red Devils lost on their home field to Sunderland (0-1) on Saturday, May 3. 

This was the 11th loss for Manchester United, making it the worst season in the history of the club. The club will not qualify for any European Cup: A first in 20 years! 

So is Manchester United simply terrible this season or very unlucky? If you watched their games this season you could ask yourself the same question. It seems that the team does everything it can to win, especially at home, but just can't score. The team averages a possession of 60 percent, shots on goal at least 10 times in a game, and has a 1.44 goal for average, which means the team scores at least one goal every game. 

Against Sunderland, Manchester United players tried and tried, over and over, but never found the net.  The full-backs played many balls in front of the goal, but no one was there to finish. The Red Devils only had one clear opportunity to score when Van Persie deflected a cross coming from the right side and missed the net for a few inches. This is surely not enough to win a game. 

The main issue with the Red Devils this season is their defense. Sunderland could have won the game 3-0 if they hadn't hit the post two times in the second half. Manchester concedes an average of one goal per game, and lost seven games on a one goal margin this season. As a comparison, the team only lost five games last season. However, they still allowed 43 goals (for 40 this season), which shows that the defense was already terrible last year. 

The injuries of Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney could explain the bad showing this season. Van Persie had 30 goals last season for 17 this year. Without them, Manchester struggled to score goals. 

On top of that, Manchester had some really unlucky days, sometimes hitting the post two or three days in a game, or getting strange refereeing decisions. Many games should have gone their way, but slipped away from their grasp. That's also the beauty of football! 

United is having the worst season in the history of the club. A season that led to their brand-new manager, David Moyes, getting fired. Manchester will have to start over again next season with yet another manager. 

It seems that the departure of the legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson has dried out United's thirst for victory...         

Cabaye Sign To PSG; Major Blow For Newcastle?

It's official! French midfielder Yohan Cabaye signed for the 2013 Ligue1 champions Paris St. Germain. The club was interested in Newcastle's player for a while and after one £17 million offer that Newcastle turned down, PSG got what they were looking for with a second offer around £20 million pound.

English press are still late tonight, saying that Cabaye is simply "on brink" of joining PSG. However, French newspaper L'Equipe made it official, saying "Cabaye in Paris, it's done!"

Cabaye joins PSG and reconnects with his former coach with France, Laurent Blanc. One question remains: Whose player is going to lose his spot to allow Cabaye to play?

PSG midfield is becoming one of the bests in Europe with Matuidi, Veratti and Motta. If you doubt it, just watch PSG play in the Champions League. So what is going to happen when you add a star player like Cabaye in the mix? It's a chinese puzzle that Laurent Blanc will have to fix!

This transfer could be a major blow for Newcastle when you know the impact Cabaye has on the field for the Magpies. The French player has been outstanding so far this season, helping his team staying in eighth place, only seven points behind Liverpool, fourth.

Will the Magpies survive Cabaye's departure? Will the other French players feel lonely without their leader? Newcastle coach Alan Pardew did admit that it would be really hard to keep Cabaye at the club. He was right!

The coach loses there one of his star players, one of his "captains" and leaders. Pardew knew that he did not have a saying in Cabaye's transfer and had to simply accept the outcome, good or bad.

But Magpies fans should not worry! The club is already looking for a replacement. Indeed, the club is on the verge of signing, on loan, Borussia Munchengladbach rising star Luuk de Jong. The 23-year is traveling to Newcastle for a medical exam and a possible loan deal today.

Another target is France and Lyon midfielder Clement Grenier. The 23-year old is one of the best players in Ligue1 and could be consider as the future Cabaye. Same profile, same style, Grenier would be a perfect fit to replace Cabaye.

Let's hope Newcastle finds a new player before the end of the transfer window. And who knows? Maybe a new Frenchie will join the Premier League!

Is Mata The Right Fit For Man Utd?

This is the question everybody is asking amid the possible transfer of the Spanish player from Chelsea FC to Manchester United for $40 million Euros. Juan Mata, 25, has been looking for a way out of the London club where he struggled to get a starting spot since the beginning of the season. So if this deal works out, let's hope everyone will be happy! But I doubt it...

Is Manchester making the right choice by signing Juan Mata? Mata is a technically gifted player, winner of the World Cup and the Euro with Spain. He is a player many teams would like to have. However, many experts are saying that Mata won't fit in the system and the philosophy of Man Utd. Former Manchester player Gary Neville has expressed his doubts regarding Mata's ability to help Manchester getting better.

"Does he fit in with what I would call the typical Manchester United philosophy? I would say no!" 

However, Neville also said that Mata was a fantastic player who knows the Premier League and could bring some creativity to the Red Devils' game. That is something they greatly need! Manchester is struggling so far, stuck in eighth place, far away from the top four. The injuries of Rooney and Van Persie have hurt the club and the substitutes are having a hard time grabbing wins.

But will Mata play when Rooney and Van Persie will be back? How is Moyes going to manage so many players playing in similar positions? With Rooney, Young, Januszaj, Giggs, Nani, Welbeck and Valencia, Mata will have a tough time to earn--and keep--a spot! Mata played 17 games, scoring once and giving three assists with Chelsea this season.

So, will Moyes change his system to include the Spanish player? Maybe he should when you look at how bad his team is this season! One thing is sure, the young Spanish player is hungry; Hungry for playing time! He wants to touch the ball and to score goals! He also wants to play the World Cup in Brazil and this would only happen if he is effective on the field! No pressure... 

There could be one, and only one, big winner after this deal: Chelsea!  

    

Everton Stops Gunners In Thrilling Draw

Arsenal FC missed the opportunity to get a seven-point lead at the top of the BArclays Premier League after a 1-1 draw with Everton FC, today at the Emirates Stadium.

Everton offered a very good opposition to the Gunners, surfing on the wave after their great win at Old Trafford against Manchester United early this week. The Toffees played like they were at home, even having more possession than Arsenal! A great achievement for Robert Martinez' team.

The game was incredibly even and the final result is logical as both teams played great football and offered a good show to the fans. Especially in the final 10 minutes of the game!

As both teams were tied, 0-0, Arsenal was pushing higher to score, but was struggling to control the ball and the tempo of the game. We rarely saw the Gunners having so much difficulty to put their style in place. Everton pressured the Gunners and forced them to play long balls most of the time. However, in one of the few good build-ups, Rosicky had time to play a good ball over the defense for Walcott. The international English headed back the ball toward the penalty spot. Olivier Giroud missed his volley, but Mesut Ozil, who had a great game today, was there to score. Arsenal took the lead with even minutes left in the game!

But the beauty of English football makes it that a game is never over until the final whistle is blown and Everton knows that.

After Arsenal's goal, the Gunners left the ball to the Toffees, like they were waiting for them to score and tie the game. And that's exactly what Everton did!

The young and promising Spanish player Gerard Deulofeu made a decisive apparition on the field, after being subbed in with 15 minutes left in the game. Deulofeu quickly showed his skills and created opportunities for Everton and, at the 84th minute, he tied the game with a powerful shot from inside the box. Despite the power of the shot, Scezcny could probably have saved it as the ball just past over his head. 

The intensity of the game kept increasing as the end got nearer. Arsenal could even have clutched the win with an unbelievable volley from 25 yards out by Giroud which hit the woodwork! Tim Howard was beaten and Everton was lucky on that one.

Overall, the draw is logical as both teams had opportunities to score. Both sides deserved a point and it would have been almost unfair to see one of them lose today. Arsenal (35) is still on top of the league with five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea (30). Everton (28) is in the top five, only one point behind Manchester City (29). 

Should Yellow Cards Become "Temporary" Red Cards?

This is the wish of UEFA President Michel Platini who said that it was a proposal to explore.

"I would like to make it like rugby, punishing the offender with 10 or 15 minutes out of the game," Platini said Spanish newspaper AS. "It is an idea. Now, it needs to mature and see if it really is good for the game."

A temporary ban like the one already used in rugby could change the game forever.  One yellow card slightly affects a defender's behavior, but really does not change the whole game. However, 10 minutes out of the field has an impact on the entire team, making it more vulnerable and changing the tactical aspect of the game, even for a short time. 

It'll force defenders to be more careful, giving forwards more space to express themselves. This would bring more skills to the game, more liberty, more fun even. It would become a real game where you could see which player is technically better, faster, quicker over the actual power and strength, not allowing a player to stop his opponent by grabbing his shirt every time he is beaten and getting away with it with a useless yellow card. This is one of Platini's concerns and reasons why he believes this rule should be put in place. 

In the current rules, if the same player gets multiple yellow cards in multiple games, he is suspended for the next game and that only benefits the upcoming opponent. With a temporary ban, the player, as well as his team, would be sanctioned during the actual game.

"That way, the benefit goes to the team he is playing against instead of a sanction by cards which is carried out against a third team, the next on the calendar," Platini said.

Obviously, a few players adept of challenges, tackles, or shirt-pulling would disagree with that rule, probably arguing that being given a yellow card is already enough that it is unnecessary to add a 10 minute ban! 

Surely, the Barclays Premier League would be a totally different league if the rule was applied when there is an average of three yellow cards per games! Players such as Wayne Rooney (Five yellow cards this season), Matthieu Flamini (5), or Branislav Ivanovic (4) would surely change the way they play or think twice before arguing with the referee.  

We should not forget that the yellow card serves to show that the player infringed the rules of the game and was disrespectful of the game. It is a way to make sure the game flows without disruptive interruptions that go against the spirit of the game. 

Many people already disagree with the idea, saying that, with the huge number of yellow cards shown every game, it would be a nightmare to keep track of what's going on. 

I believe the rule will see the light one day and it'll change the game; change it in a good way.

What is your opinion?

    

French Touch Gives Newcastle Fifth Straight Win

Both Yoan Gouffran and Moussa Sissoko scored to give Newcastle a 2-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion in the Barclays Premier League. Newcastle United is now in fifth place, while WBA  drops to the 12th.

It is starting to become a habit to see French players shine at St James Park. With five French players on the pitch at kick-off, Newcastle resembles more and more the Arsenal FC of the 2000's. Three of the five Frenchies where involved in the offense with Gouffran and Sissoko flanking Loic Remy on top, with Ameobi. Yohann Cabaye played in midfield while Matthieu Debuchy was positioned as a right-back as usual.

Newcastle did not have an easy game against a good WBA's side. Newcastle had the control of the ball at home, but had to wait the 34th minute to find the net by Gouffran. The Frenchie scored his fifth goal of the season.

It seemed that the break woke up WBA! Indeed, shortly after the second half kicked-off, Brunt equalized for the visitors (53rd minute). However, Newcastle fans did not have time to worry as their team took the lead once more only four minutes later.

At the 57th minute, Sissoko launched a missile in the upper-ninety of WBA's goal! An unbelievable goal by the French midfielder. Simply unstoppable. It was Sissoko's second goal this season.

The last 30 minutes of the game were mostly dominated by WBA which tried to tie the game. Newcastle built a wall in front of their goal and waited for the visitors to crash into it. The famous Bristish kick and rush was in display as WBA was kicking the ball high in the air into Newcastle's box hoping to get a shot on goal.

However, Newcastle held tight and almost scored a third goal on a counter attack, led by Sissoko and Cabaye, whose shot was deflected by a defender's hand. The referee did not award a penalty and whistled the end of the game instead.

Newcastle got there its fourth win in a row in the league and proved that this group has what it takes to play a major role in the Barclays.

      

Cardiff City-Arsenal FC: An Easy Task For The Gunners?

Game Day 15th of the Barclays Premier League features a tide between Cardiff City, 16th, and Arsenal FC, leader of the league, on Saturday, November 30.

What could look like an easy game for the Gunners could turn out to be much harder as the Welsh side is getting better and better each game. Indeed, Cardiff earned a well-deserved draw, 2-2, against last year's champions Manchester United, only conceding the second goal in injury time.

Arsenal, who easily defeated Marseille this week in Champions League, will come in Wales confident and ready to bring the three points back to London. In their luggages, the Gunners should arrive in Cardiff with Aaron Ramsey. The 22 year-old Welsh returns to Cardiff for the first time in two years.

Ramsey played 16 times for Cardiff before joining Arsenal in 2008. He played again for Cardiff while on loan from Arsenal in 2011. He will undoubtedly be one of the keys of the game for the Gunners as he is in great form since the beginning of the season.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger knows that his midfielder can make the difference. Wenger has praised Ramsey's performances this season.

"Aaron has first a fantastic engine. I believe his defensive awareness has improved, his defensive qualities have improved and his defensive score is very strong now," the technician said.

Statistically, Ramsey is the player who made the most tackles in the Premier League this season (57). And in addition to his defensive skills, Ramsey scores goals and that is something new for him. Ramsey has scored six goals in 12 appearances so far and looks to keep his scoring going.

Cardiff City will have a tough game against Arsenal, but the Welsh club has weapons to deliver and grab a win. Among players which could help Cardiff tomorrow are Peter Odemwingie. The Cardiff striker has scored two times in the last three games against Arsenal and would love to put his name on the scoreboard once more.

On the other end of the field, Cardiff goalkeeper is also in form. David Marshall is the league's top shot stopper, having made 54 saves in 11 matches. A statistic that has a lot to do with another one, more crucial for Cardiff. The team has allowed more shots on target than any other teams (75).    

Finally, Arsenal is undefeated in the last 11 games in all competitions against Cardiff, winning six and drawing fives. The Gunners could also count on Jack Wilshere, who scored twice against Marseille, to push his teammates for the win.

Tomorrow's game will surely be interesting, first to see if Cardiff can offer themselves a second season in the top league, and if Arsenal has what it takes to reach the title for the first time since 2004!  

Impressive City Scores Six Past Spurs

Manchester City winger Jesus Navas celebrates after his goal.
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images

It did not take long for Manchester City to take the lead over Tottenham Hotspurs in the big game of the week in the Barclays Premier League this Sunday. The Citizens scored after only 14 seconds in the game and ended putting five more goals in the net, earning an easy 6-0 win.

The Spanish winger found the net after a save by Hugo Lloris on a 25-yard attempt by Aguero. Before this goal, the Spurs were the best defense of the league, conceding only six goals in 11 games. Unfortunately for them, that goal was just the first of a long list on Sunday afternoon as the Citizens were simply on fire.

Even though Tottenham reacted and created a few opportunity, especially by Erik Lamela, City took control of the game with an impressive Sergio Aguero and a good Samir Nasri, involved in many offensive opportunities. Indeed, at the 35th minute both players were involved in the second goal. With the ball on the right side, Nasri found Aguero who lost his face to face with Lloris. Negredo got the rebound and his shot, deflected by Sandro, found the net. This was an own goal by the Spurs midfielder.

Only two minutes later, Aguero found the net, giving a three goal lead to City. The Spurs were happy to get to the half with only a three-goal difference. City perfectly played in the back of the Spurs' defense with their fast and technical players like Aguero, Nasri and Navas.

It seemed that Andre Villas-Boas' speech at the break did not wake up the Spurs! After five minutes in the second half, Aguero scored again after a brilliant rush by Yaya Toure. The Spurs almost conceded a fourth goal two minutes later, but Nasri found the crossbar on a great shot that let Lloris on his feet.

But the Citizens were unstoppable and at the 55th minute, striker Alvaro Negredo, who played a great game, found the net with a great shot after beating his defender. Unstoppable for Lloris!

The Spurs did try to react with Adebayor, who entered the game at halftime and played there his first minutes this season, and with Lamela who kept dribbling on his right side and creating opportunities. But it was not enough as Tottenham was poor defensively today, and conceded a sixth goal of the foot of Jesus Navas in added time (92').

The Spurs, best defense of the Barclays before this game, gave up six goals in 90 minutes when they had only conceded six in the 11 previous games.

City showed once again its finishing power. The Citizens scored 13 goals in the past two games. They might keep this scoring spree as they will face Vitoria Pizen during the match day 5 of the Champions League.

The Spurs are still stuck in ninth place and Manchester City gets back in the top four (4th).  

Rooney: 2 - Liverpool: 1 / Tottenham tranquille face a Newcastle / King Henry for the Win!

Manchester United s'impose dans le choc du week-end face a Liverpool grace a un doublé de son serial buteur Wayne Rooney!

Pourtant Liverpool était bien rentre dans le match en se créant de nombreuses occasions sur coup de pied arrêtés et sur des frappes lointaines. Mais les diables rouges vont se réveiller. Sur un corner venu de la droite, Rooney recupere de volley un ballon dévié au premier poteau par un défenseur de Liverpool. 

Une defense qui semble endormi par le beau jeu mancunien. Quelques minutes plus tard, Spearing va perdre un ballon a 10 metres de sa surface de reparation et va conceder un second but, encore l'oeuvre de Rooney bien servi par Valencia. 

La reduction du score de Suarez rendra la fin de match un peu plus palpitante. Manchester s'impose face a un concurrent, une semaine apres avoir arraché un nul improbable a Chelsea. 

De son cote, Tottenham s'est facilement imposé 5-0 face a Newcastle avec notamment un doublé de Saha pour ses debuts. Un match plus que tranquille pour les Spurs qui ont dominee le match de bout en bout. 

Chelsea, battu 2-0 par Everton, a du mal en ce debut de saison. Les Blues laisse échapper le trio de tete!

Le roi est bien de retour a Arsenal! Thierry henry offre la victoire aux Gunners grace a son 2 buts en 5 matchs (autant que Fernando Torres dans toute la saison!) et son 229eme but sous le maillot d'Arsenal. Arsenal prend la 4eme place du classement en lieu et place de Chelsea...

Le retour en puissance d'Arsenal!

Vainqueur 4-0 de Wigan, Arsenal continue sa remonté au classement et retrouve son football qui en a fait un grand d'Europe. 

Le début de saison des Gunners a été catastrophique! On se rappelle, les hommes d’Arsène Wenger avait alignée quatre défaites et un nul en 8 matchs avec notamment un accablant 8-2 face a Manchester United! Mais tout cela semble oublié. La jeunesse d'Arsenal a trouvé son rythme de croisière et enchaîne les bons matchs et les bons résultats. Six victoires et un match nul depuis le 16 Octobre avec notamment le fameux 5-3 face a Chelsea a Stanford Bridge. 

Arsenal doit beaucoup a son serial buteur, Robin Van Persie, auteur de son treizième but de la saison en 13 titularisations! Van Persie tire Arsenal vers le haut et démontre qu'il est un joueur de classe internationale. Pour vous donner une idée, Messi est actuellement a 16 buts en 14 matchs...dans un championnat d'Espagne sans doute moins défensif que la Premier League. 

Arsenal a également misé sur la jeunesse et a perdu de nombreux joueurs cadres a l'image de Nasri et de son ancien capitaine Fabregas. Cela explique surement le mauvais début de saison des Gunners. 

Reste a savoir si Arsenal peut tenir le rythme, remonter au classement et accrocher enfin un titre qui lui échappe depuis maintenant 2004.