tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44331347184174063662024-03-04T22:23:47.359-08:00 Soccer ManiaWhere FOOT meets BALL
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.comBlogger235125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-35300504702129408902013-09-29T03:32:00.001-07:002015-10-17T10:19:21.546-07:00The FIFA 14 Fever<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"Come quick!" the PES fan shouts, as if peering from his bedroom window and seeing fresh snow. "It's back!" It happens every year – this hoped for resurgence. Later, brash words are rescinded and shoelaces gazed at. PES 2014 earned a deserved four stars in our recent review, but against what a hopeful community tells you, this is not the year PES beats Fifa. That's the curious thing about their great rivalry. PES continually improves and Fifa doesn't – at least to the naked eye. Yet, Fifa is, stilll better.<br />
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After a decade of juggling between the two, I've settled on this analogy: PES is chess, Fifa is draughts. Both have their virtues, but draughts works better as a video game, more immediate, easier on beginners, and generally more fun. Fifa 14's new Pure Shot mechanic fits all three criteria in one. Essentially, efforts on goal have a greater tendency to dip, bend and rise, giving them ferocious unpredictability. It's difficult not to feel a flutter in your gut as the ball falls to your long distance specialist on the edge of the box.<br />
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Thunderous volleys, first-time belters and off-balance lashes — they look natural and feel right, thanks to improved ball physics and a slew of new contextual animations.<br />
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<a href="http://s.pro-gmedia.com/videogamer/media/images/xbox360/fifa_14/screens/fifa_14_20_605x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://s.pro-gmedia.com/videogamer/media/images/xbox360/fifa_14/screens/fifa_14_20_605x.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a>Keep in mind, long shots aren't a magic button. They're actually less frequent, and this is thanks to EA's other new back-of-the-box feature – Precision Movement. So-called 'stepbased location' is a technical triumph, players now weightily planting feet when running and pushing off from pivots, but it's an awkward fumble of a feature in practice.<br />
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For one, players take ages to get going. The effectiveness of a simple turn, bread and butter of football, has been neutralised in the maelstrom of 22 men on the pitch, all dizzyingly scrambling for ball possession and losing it just as quickly. In Fifa 14, thanks to clumsy new biomechanics, space is a truly rare commodity.<br />
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Attacking is revitalised by Pure Shot, but Precision Movement clogs midfield and defence. Matches aren't ruined by any means – rather, they're simply thrown off in a second. Problem is, in a high-tempo game like Fifa, with its tight margins for error and all-important timing, that second counts. However slight, the complexion is altered.<br />
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Off the pitch, things could have been equally clogged if not for revitalised Windows 8-style menus that cleanly whizz you through skill games (navigate imposing gauntlets of yellow plastic men and knock down evil towers of cardboard boxes), a creation centre (create and share custom players, teams and tournaments) and market (buy vintage kits, virtual pro boosts and cocky celebrations with coins earned online).<br />
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Most substantial is Ultimate Team, which, EA is keen to tell us, hosts 3.5m matches daily. No huge improvements here, but it does streamline the previously arduous organisation of online single matches and seasons, and the ability to change kit numbers and set-piece takers in addition is community wish fulfilment. New chemistry styles are welcome, too. There are a variety of them; you can, for instance, apply a defensive chemistry style to a defender in order to boost their performance. It's contributes fresh complexity towards chasing the rainbow of your dream team.<br />
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Likewise, the career sees only minor changes. It's still split between player and manager – both options let you control the entire team, but the former can use their virtual pro and skip all the management gubbins. It still serves up emails from the board and transfer gossip on the wire to keep you involved (Soldado isn't happy at Spurs. Oh). And it's still meshed together by an agonisingly slow calendar system that ticks through each day like the life cycle of a star. Transfers have at least had a facelift, though.<br />
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<a href="http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2013/266/711401_20130924_640screen011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="FIFA 14 Image" border="0" src="http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2013/266/711401_20130924_640screen011.jpg" height="225" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a>Along with more hurdles to jump for a signature, such as promising players match time and checking they're nice and marginalised at their current squad before prowling, there's a new global scouting network. Here you'll employ up to six scouts of varying knowhow, set parameters, and send them off. You can find and nurture an unknown prodigy in the youth team or get beads on established names, learning cost and wage demands so you can make a bid that won't be laughingly dismissed. As a result, wheeling, dealing, and finally securing that hot prospect is much more rewarding.<br />
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Let's clarify: we played a pre-alpha build of FIFA 14 running at about 60% completion on an Xbox 360, rather than one powered by the next-gen Ignite Engine revealed during the Xbox One conference. Sweeping changes were not expected, and sweeping changes we didn't get. That said, Precision Movement - one of this year's big additions - is at least noticeable from minute one.<br />
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Gameplay producer Kantcho Doskov explains: "It's the most fundamental part of FIFA gameplay. It affects everything. It affects first touch, it affects dribbling, it affects shooting, positioning, AI. In the last game, if you wanted to change direction, it was like 'we don't care where your feet are planted, we just know you want to go there.' It was called floaty animation. We were giving the user what they wanted - but it didn't look like football."<br />
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Online, aside from two v two co-op seasons, Fifa 14 doesn't have any big new mode to show off. But that's OK because they've just about got the entire sport covered anyway, from user-made pro clubs with customisable kits, to 10-game seasons where players fight each other for promotion, to full on 11 v 11 matches. Any one could easily see you through to next season.<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #073763;">PRECISION MOVEMENT ISN'T ABOUT GIVING YOU MORE CONTROL - MORE ABOUT RECREATING THE FEEL OF FOOTBALL</span></i></b></h4>
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The game's difference-maker is entirely on the pitch – that new movement system. In multiplayer especially, where the absence of an all-knowing AI sees imperfect humans make repeated mistakes, it leads to slightly clumsier, boggier, slower matches. All the same, the change is only incremental, and doesn't ruin the game by any means.<br />
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You know this by now – things in EA Sports land either get slightly better or slightly worse, and whatever side of the dial the year's instalment ticks into, what you're getting remains the same: the most fun and feature-rich sports games on the planet. Still.<br />
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JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-4567191082004178012013-08-27T03:48:00.003-07:002013-08-27T04:00:38.701-07:00Soccer Stars and their Toys 2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Soccer Players and their Super Cars 2013 </h3>
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Soccer players can make tons of money; enough that it lets them run through thousands of dollars without even breaking a sweat. With that much disposable income on their hands, a lot of these athletes have taken to purchasing some of the most awesome supercars on the planet.<br />
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Yeah, it’s one of those things that make everyday Joes like us green with envy. We already have enough trouble paying our bills, but these dudes don’t seem to have any worries dropping six-figure sums of money on a car they’ll probably enjoy for at least a year before moving on to the next automotive eye candy that catches their attention. Of course, with the schedule and talent these guys need to maintain for their career, they deserve it.<br />
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In this page, we’re going to take a look at the supercars of these soccer players. It could potentially be an exercise in envy, but hey, that’s what makes it all the more fun, right? If we can’t buy these exotics, we might as well live our fantasies vicariously through the dudes that can.<br />
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Check out the supercars these boys ride around their towns in after the jump<br />
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<a href="http://mosaiconline.hu/online/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/130806-davidbeckham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://mosaiconline.hu/online/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/130806-davidbeckham.jpg" height="187" width="200" /></a><span style="line-height: 25px;"><br />Name: </span><span style="line-height: 25px;"><b>David Beckham</b></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 25px;">Car: <b>Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">We couldn’t possibly leave David Beckham off this list, could we? It must be said, though, that Becks doesn’t really have any problem driving an everyday car like the Jeep Wrangler, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t splurge on luxury either. The current LA Galaxy midfielder has had over 40 cars to his name, including a Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe and a Porsche 911 Cabriolet.</span><br />
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Name:<b> Fernando Torres</b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 17px;">Car: <b>Mercedes-Benz M-Class</b></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 17px;">After winning the Golden Boot in the 2012 UEFA European Championship, Fernando Torres — Chelsea's youthful striker and the pride of Spain's national team — deserved to take a victory lap or two in his Aston Martin DBS, the same model seen in the movies "Casino Royale" and "Quantum of Solace" from the James Bond series. But this Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV is his everyday ride.</span><br />
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<a href="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/mfonobongnsehe/files/2011/08/Samuel-Eto-o_2046006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/mfonobongnsehe/files/2011/08/Samuel-Eto-o_2046006.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="line-height: 25px;">Name: <b>Samuel E'to</b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 25px;">Car: <b>Bugatti Veyron</b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 25px;">Samuel E’to, the former Barcelona star and current striker for Anzhi Makhachkala, also has quite a collection of supercars. Apparently, he’s taken the age-old adage "quality over quantity" to heart because unlike his peers who have far more cars than they can handle, E’to has opted for the more prudent option of sticking to a few. The thing is, these "few" supercars include an Aston Martin One-77, a Bugatti Veyron, and a Xenatec 57S Cruisero Coupe.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.hdwallpapersinn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/gs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.hdwallpapersinn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/gs.jpg" height="173" width="200" /></a><span style="line-height: 25px;">Name: <b>Claude Makalele</b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 25px;">Car: <b>Mercedes McLaren SLR</b></span><br />
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Claude Makalele is now a retired football player, but during his playing years, he raked in enough money to purchase quite an impressive garage of supercars. Among his prized possessions include a Mercedes McLaren SLR, a Ferrari 360, and a Mercedes SL65 AMG.<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.breitbart.com/images/2013/2/11/CNG.631fab66cbbcc636e8d3a26a7b7d81b0.3e1/photo_1360607786270-1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.breitbart.com/images/2013/2/11/CNG.631fab66cbbcc636e8d3a26a7b7d81b0.3e1/photo_1360607786270-1-1.jpg" /></a><br />
Name: <b>Mario Balotelli</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 25px;">Car:</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 25px;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><b>Audi R8</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 25px;"> Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli fits into the Cristiano Ronaldo mold in more ways than just their impeccable skills on the pitch; they also have an itch for supercars and a certain brazen attitude towards making the headlines with them. To date, Balotelli has crashed an Audi R8, had a Maserati GranTurismo confiscated and impounded by the cops a total of 27 times, and once made the rounds around Manchester, England in a Range Rover while dressed up as Santa Claus and handing people Christmas money.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 25px;">Eccentric? We think so.</span><br />
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<a href="http://muddyshorts.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/wayne-rooney1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://muddyshorts.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/wayne-rooney1.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="line-height: 25px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 25px;"> Name: <b>Wayne Rooney</b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 25px;"> Car: <b>Lamborghini Gallardo</b></span><br />
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<img height="428" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CwrFwYvGGpE/TpPGl00DwCI/AAAAAAAALMY/tHEFPq8Rm7k/s640/wayne-rooney-and-his-fleet-of-fast-cars-15407-image8.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 25px;"> While not as obsessed with supercars as his one-time Manchester United teammate, Wayne Rooney still has a soft spot for high powered machinery. The United striker has quite a garage of them, including a Lamborghini Gallardo, an Audi RS6, a Bentley Continental GT, and a Range Rover. Who’s betting on Wazza to add to that collection by year’s end?</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.africatopsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/img-manchester-prepare-une-offre-pour-cr7-1362070477_620_400_crop_articles-167223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.africatopsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/img-manchester-prepare-une-offre-pour-cr7-1362070477_620_400_crop_articles-167223.jpg" height="129" width="200" /></a><span style="line-height: 25px;"></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 25px;"><br /></span> Name: <b>Cristiano Ronaldo</b><br />
<span style="line-height: 25px;"> Car: <b>BMW M6</b></span><br />
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<img alt="Cristiano Ronaldo" src="http://cdnl.complex.com/mp/620/400/80/0/bb/1/ffffff/c686050e4979ad722a0baa659123a6f6/images_/assets/CHANNEL_IMAGES/RIDES/2013/05/15-soccer-players-and-their-cars/awalq_m6_568643.jpg" height="412" width="640" /></div>
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This deep-black <span style="line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">BMW M6 </span>is one of a number of pricey rides owned by this 27-year-old Portuguese winger and striker for the Spanish club Real Madrid and captain of the Portuguese national team. As one of the highest-paid footballers in the world, he can afford a stable of six-figure stallions.</div>
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<a href="http://blogs.voanews.com/sonny/files/2010/05/Drogba-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://blogs.voanews.com/sonny/files/2010/05/Drogba-1.jpg" height="173" width="200" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Didier Drogba</b><br />
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Car: <b>Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster</b><br />
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<img alt="Soccer Stars and Their Cars" src="http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/Media/580x348/83/83200ae38c804343bdfa6431325272d0.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></div>
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This is a classy car, driven by an even classier guy. When Didier Drogba is not carrying the Olympic torch or brokering peace in his home country of Ivory Coast — his efforts there placed him on Time magazine's 2010 list of the world's 100 most influential people.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XJOYCy7JW0k/TuuWGEpaBkI/AAAAAAAAADQ/6PPjLhT2KVg/s1600/Pele-interview-page.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XJOYCy7JW0k/TuuWGEpaBkI/AAAAAAAAADQ/6PPjLhT2KVg/s200/Pele-interview-page.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Pelé</b><br />
Car: <b>Mercedes-Benz W111 Limousine</b><br />
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<img alt="Soccer Stars and Their Cars" src="http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/Media/580x348/a0/a0f25509b65a4773924725d71939cbd0.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></div>
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Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known to the world simply as Pelé, is widely regarded as the best footballer of all time. He won his first World Cup at 17 and went on to become the most successful goal scorer in the world, with a staggering 1,281 goals scored in 1,363 games overall. He's shown here proudly posing with his Mercedes-Benz W111 limousine on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goolfm.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/diouf-copy-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.goolfm.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/diouf-copy-3.jpg" height="140" width="200" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>El-Hadji Diouf</b><br />
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Car: <b>Mercedes SLR McLaren</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhaVJ0aFRWBrZHnyn3wGYIkvi3MdwEza7pANmBGq-N2pkcIliIWB0jg6knJpFEQa9ebE7ks9LYPiu9PMVZXuqVurlCFzp-li_r089emi9l7_Q3BiOagaVilezr_7BSIuCivPTtOrRxqNC_HPOHgL32YHwZErHfE7W0umhCGki31Ss5imOx1ZXLxb1eWW883Ae0JxYleGj9gJc_4bOhK=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.therichest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/El-Hadji-Diouf-Mercedes-SLR-McLaren..jpg" height="380" width="640" /></a></div>
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El-Hadji Diouf next to his £300,000 Mercedes SLR McLaren.<br />
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<a href="http://img.thesun.co.uk/aidemitlum/archive/01650/AshleyCole_1650593a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img.thesun.co.uk/aidemitlum/archive/01650/AshleyCole_1650593a.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Ashley Cole</b><br />
Car: <b>Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.therichest.com/cdn/418/250/75/c/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Ashley-Cole-Mercedes-Benz-SL63-AMG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://www.therichest.com/cdn/418/250/75/c/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Ashley-Cole-Mercedes-Benz-SL63-AMG.jpg" height="377" width="640" /></a> <br />
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England and Chelsea defender Ashley Cole is snapped in his matt black Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG. Mr Cole has also reportedly taken delivery of a new customised Bentley Continental GT.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ukrainebusiness.com.ua/modules/news/images/topics/4e1bbcd2-6e78-4e40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.ukrainebusiness.com.ua/modules/news/images/topics/4e1bbcd2-6e78-4e40.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><br />
Name: <b>Andriy Shevchenko</b><br />
Car: <b>Audi RS6</b><br />
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Ex-Chelsea and Ukranian forward, Andriy Shevchenko nips out for a spot of shopping with his Audi RS6.<br />
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<a href="http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q536/carmyakaepsi/513684-10879880-640-360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q536/carmyakaepsi/513684-10879880-640-360.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Adriano Leite Ribeir </b><br />
Car: <b>Ferrari F430 Spider</b><br />
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<img src="http://www.therichest.com/cdn/418/250/75/c/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Adriano-Leite-Ribeir-Ferrari-F430-Spider.jpg" height="382" width="640" /></div>
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Roma striker Adriano is spotted shopping with his Ferrari F430 convertible.<br />
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<a href="http://findanewclub.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/bendtner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://findanewclub.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/bendtner.jpg" height="200" width="160" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Nicklas Bendtner </b><br />
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Car: <b>Aston Martin DBS</b><br />
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Arsenal’s Nicklas Bendtner is motor-mad and he’s gone for one of 007′s favourites, the Aston Martin DBS.<br />
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<a href="http://worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/javier-mascherano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/javier-mascherano.jpg" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Javier Mascherano</b><br />
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Car: <b>Audi Q7</b><br />
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A few years ago, the Range Rover was the car to be seen in for footballers, and it remains a popular choice with many soccer superstars still owning one today. But there’s a new breed of executive 4x4s that are gaining popularity, like the Audi Q7, seen here being driven by Liverpool and Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H6j8mK_OJRg/S_I9T_g_J-I/AAAAAAAABMI/x9BqfctNEtY/w630-h510-no/94386emp4070926122577loxj8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H6j8mK_OJRg/S_I9T_g_J-I/AAAAAAAABMI/x9BqfctNEtY/w630-h510-no/94386emp4070926122577loxj8.jpg" height="161" width="200" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Frank Lampard</b><br />
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Car: <b>Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano</b><br />
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<img alt="Lincoln Navigator/ Pires, Henry and Viera (© BIGPICTURESPHOTO.COM)" src="http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/81/5BB1F736D38BC561FAA83958733230.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></div>
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Chelsea player Frank Lampard leaving Stamford Bridge in his Range Rover<br />
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<a href="http://imstars.aufeminin.com/stars/fan/djibril-cisse/djibril-cisse-20051008-76666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://imstars.aufeminin.com/stars/fan/djibril-cisse/djibril-cisse-20051008-76666.jpg" height="162" width="200" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Djibril Cissé</b><br />
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Car: <b>Plymouth Prowler</b><br />
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<img src="http://www.therichest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/djibril-Plymouth-Prowler.jpg" height="382" width="640" /><br />
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France and Panathinaikos stiker Djibril Cissé is famous for his outlandish hairstyles and fashion sense, so no surprises his choice of car is a bit ‘out there’ too. Here he is in his Plymouth Prowler, a US import.<br />
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<a href="http://topnews.in/sports/files/Emmanuel-Adebayor_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://topnews.in/sports/files/Emmanuel-Adebayor_5.jpg" height="120" width="200" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Emmanuel Adebayor </b><br />
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Car: <b>Bentley GTC</b><br />
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<img src="http://www.therichest.com/cdn/418/250/75/c/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Emmanuel-adebayo-Bentley-GTC.jpg" height="382" width="640" /><br />
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Manchester City’s Emmanuel Adebayor climbs into his Bentley GTC supercar.<br />
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<a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.449687!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/alg-futball-thierry-henry-jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.449687!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_635/alg-futball-thierry-henry-jpg.jpg" height="161" width="200" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Thierry Henry</b><br />
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Car:<b> Lincoln Navigator</b><br />
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<img src="http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/4A/32A8E2C52EF2DF990B76FF210A3E5.jpg" height="383" width="640" /></div>
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SUVs don’t come much bigger than the giant Lincoln Navigator. Thierry Henry’s model is over 5,200mm long and two metres wide. Power comes from a 5.4-litre V8 engine with a prodigious thirst for unleaded.<br />
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Still, if anyone can afford to run a Navigator, the former Juventus, Arsenal and Barcelona forward can.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CZvZ5Eo9itqZSklwgUe-gG3BBWuzHwMRaxKY5hyphenhyphen6NQ-V2HpgsAengdZaocplZQDBpnMw9us-v8e24ZmcaLsAb1Dl196AO8XLJKujwWf2hpaYV3Wo9GrZBtU2zVYhzye1khkdyglw35fe/s1600/80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CZvZ5Eo9itqZSklwgUe-gG3BBWuzHwMRaxKY5hyphenhyphen6NQ-V2HpgsAengdZaocplZQDBpnMw9us-v8e24ZmcaLsAb1Dl196AO8XLJKujwWf2hpaYV3Wo9GrZBtU2zVYhzye1khkdyglw35fe/s200/80.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Theo Walcott</b><br />
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Car: <b>Ferrari 458 Italia</b><br />
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<img alt="Lincoln Navigator/ Pires, Henry and Viera (© BIGPICTURESPHOTO.COM)" src="http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/24/552EF97D8B4577727615E4DFC1C3_h498_w598_m2.jpg" height="498" width="640" /></div>
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Winger Theo Walcott has pace to burn just like his choice of car, the superlative Ferrari 458 Italia. This mid-engined supercar has 570hp on tap, enough in theory to see Theo past 60mph in 3.4s and on to a 202mph top speed. If we had £180,000 kicking about, this is where it would go.<br />
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<a href="http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/2784/imghargreavesoo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/2784/imghargreavesoo2.jpg" height="200" width="153" /></a><br />
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Name: <b>Owen Hargreaves</b><br />
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Car<b>: BMW Z4</b><br />
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<img alt="Lincoln Navigator/ Pires, Henry and Viera (© BIGPICTURESPHOTO.COM)" src="http://db2.stb.s-msn.com/i/4E/C31F7476478C27E06C877519F1459.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></div>
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Not all footballers have £100,000 Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Here we see former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves in a more modest £30,000 BMW Z4.</div>
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<h4>
Hottest Football Players Of 2013 and Their Current Life Partners</h4>
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1 - <b>Iker Casillas</b></div>
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<img height="400" src="http://www.1920x1200.net/posts/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/iker_casillas_1920_1200_sep222012.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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This time its not Cristiano Ronaldo but Iker Casillas,In the world of soccer, goalies are credited for the wins and he is one such goalie who does his job well. That could be why he is the team captain for Real Madrid and the Spanish national team. A testament to this goalie’s greatness is he is one of the very few players who has won all the major club and national championship titles.<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.caughtoffside.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Carbonero-Split.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.caughtoffside.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Carbonero-Split.jpg" height="200" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><b>Relationship Status</b>-<span style="color: red;">In A Relationship</span> with Sara Carbonero<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">2- </span><b style="text-align: center;">David Beckham</b></div>
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<img src="http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/jun2009/1/7/image-1-for-david-beckham-at-selfridges-gallery-301351367.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></div>
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Opening the top five is one of the most famous soccer players of all time, David Beckham. He made his debut to football in 1992 at the tender age of 17 and has been playing since then. He has joined teams like Manchester United, Real Madrid, Preston North End, and Los Angeles Galaxy. He has been known to be on many people’s list of hottest soccer players of all times. He is married to posh spice Victoria Beckham but what makes him so popular are his many endorsements and advertisements. With a face like that, who wouldn’t want him to represent their brand?<br />
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<a href="http://i1.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article842541.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/%20David%20Beckham,%20wife%20Victoria%20Beckham%20and%20sons%20(L-R)%20Cruz,%20Romeo%20and%20Brooklyn%20Beckham%20arrive%20at%20the%2027th%20Anniversary%20Sports%20Spectacular-842541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article842541.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/%20David%20Beckham,%20wife%20Victoria%20Beckham%20and%20sons%20(L-R)%20Cruz,%20Romeo%20and%20Brooklyn%20Beckham%20arrive%20at%20the%2027th%20Anniversary%20Sports%20Spectacular-842541" height="211" width="320" /></a><b>Relationship Status</b>-<span style="color: red;">Married</span> to Victoria Beckham<br />
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3- <b>Cristiano Ronaldo</b></div>
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<img src="http://cristianoronaldofan.net/files/2013/04/165360326.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></div>
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The Next is none other than Cristiano Ronaldo. He was considered one of the most expensive players in history when he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid, which cost about £80 million. He joins the likes of Lionel Messi and David Beckham as he is regarded as one of the greatest players in soccer history. And much can be said about his looks, too. His beautifully structured face and deep, piercing eyes are enough to leave any woman speechless.<br />
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<a href="http://i1.ezinemark.com/imagemanager2/files/30003665/2013/05/2013-05-15-10-14-46-2-cristiano-ronaldo-shared-a-kiss-with-his-girlfrien.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1.ezinemark.com/imagemanager2/files/30003665/2013/05/2013-05-15-10-14-46-2-cristiano-ronaldo-shared-a-kiss-with-his-girlfrien.jpeg" height="226" width="320" /></a><b>Relationship Status-</b><span style="color: red;">In a Relationship</span> with Irina Shayk<br />
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4- <b>Tim Cahill</b><br />
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<img src="http://channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/img/kerrianne/may2011/110510_tim_blog.jpg" /></div>
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How do we love Tim Cahill? Let us count the abs. Er, ways. But no, let's focus on the abs. And it's what he wants, really. His team-mates may be shivering like big girls in their multi-layers of evil, skin-masking underarmour but Tim is a real man.<br />
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<a href="http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2010/05/17/1225867/914466-tim-cahill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2010/05/17/1225867/914466-tim-cahill.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a><br />
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<b>Relationship Status</b>-<span style="color: red;">Married</span> to<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>Rebekah Greenhill </div>
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5- <b> Ricardo Kaka</b></div>
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Ricardo Kaka is a smoldering hot Brazilian who plays for Real Madrid. At the age of 19, he played for Sao Paulo and showcased his tremendous talents and skills. He scored 30 goals in his first two season which sent the European teams to Brazil in hopes to recruit the young gun. But it was AC Milan who was able to convince him to join their team. It did not take long until Real Madrid came into the picture and signed him for £65 million which is the second most expensive transfer in soccer history.<br />
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6 - Cesc Fabregas<strong style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></strong></div>
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Goodness, this man is a great footy player - which adds a big notch in the 'baller bedpost scale. He loves donuts, Disney and dressing up in costume (both leather and furry.) He's a rare combination of dorky and delicious. Plus, his name sounds like sex.<br />
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Relationship Status-<span style="color: red;">In a Relationship</span> with Daniella Semaan<br />
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7- <b>Gerad Pique</b><br />
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Baby blue eyes. Sexy beard. When Gerard Pique steps on the field, the female population of the world collectively sighs and wishes that they'd wake up one day as Shakira. Honestly, our fairy godmothers have some serious explaining to do. However, it’s his facial fiesta , scruffy beard and lips that look like they’ve regulars at a celebrity dermatologist's office that make Pique so gorgeous.<br />
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8-<b>Mario Gomez</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Striking his way to the 7th spot is Center Forward Mario Gomez from Germany. His teams are FC Bayern Munich and the German National Team. Not only is Gomez a commendable soccer player, he is also very outspoken about social issues. In 2012, he openly spoke about homosexuality in soccer to encourage gay players to come out so that they could feel more liberated when they play. It isn’t just his good looks that make him hot but also his spirit.</span><br />
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9-<b>Lionel Messi</b></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">One of FC Barcelona’s prized possessions is Lionel Messi, though he is an Argentinean. He is also considered to be one of the best soccer players of his generation. Some critics even compare him to the notorious Diego Maradona. And there is no doubt that this player is doing quite well. He became an all-time top scorer of Barcelona by the tender age of 24 beating the record set by Cesar Rodriguez of 232 goals. He was also given the World Player of the Year awards from 2009 until 2012 making him worthy of being crowned the 9th hottest soccer player.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><b>Relationship Status</b>- <span style="color: red;">Married to</span> </span>Antonella Roccuzzo</div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 37.98611068725586px; text-align: center;"> 10-</span><b style="color: #212121; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 37.98611068725586px; text-align: center;"> </b><span style="color: #212121; line-height: 37.98611068725586px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Xabi Alonso</span></b></span></div>
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Standing tall at six feet is the 8th hottest soccer player from the Basque regions of Spain, Xabi Alonso. This Spanish midfielder is known for his excellent passing ability. He was one of the consistent starters for Spain when they won their first FIFA World Cup victory in 2010. But his performance in the Euro 2012 was even more stellar as he scored both goals in Spain’s 2-0 victory against France during the quarterfinals.</div>
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JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-26313531390233385722013-07-26T03:31:00.001-07:002013-07-26T03:31:29.086-07:00Bayern Munich The First Team To Beat Barcelona in Possession for the Last 5 Years in 55% Possession<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sorry Guys Could Post This Days Coz Of My College Just Started But From Now Onwards I will Really Post Everyday.</div>
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Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich enjoyed a 2-0 win at home to his former employers Barcelona in Wednesday's friendly as the Spaniards only played their stars until the break.<br /><br />Although Barcelona left new Brazil signing Neymar at home, first-team regulars Javier Mascherano, Adriano, Alex Song and Alexis Sanchez, plus Argentina's Lionel Messi played the first-half in Munich.</div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />Goals by Philipp Lahm and Mario Mandzukic either side of half-time was enough to give the Champions League winners victory over the Catalan giants at a sold-out Allianz Arena in front of 71,137 fans.<br /><br />With the Uli Hoeness Cup on offer, in honour of Bayern's president, this was Munich's second pre-season title in four days having won Sunday's Telekom Cup final with a 5-1 win at hosts Borussia Moenchengladbach.<br />
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<br /><br />Barcelona had something to prove on their first return to Munich since their 4-0 drubbing in April's Champions League semifinal, which the Germans had backed up with a 3-0 win in Spain.<br /><br />But with Gerardo Martino back in Spain, ahead of Friday's official unveiling as Barcelona new manager, caretaker coach Jordi Roura had no qualms about blooding his entire bench of juniors at half-time.<br /><br />Likewise, with the Bundesliga season a fortnight away, Guardiola gave both Brazil centre-back Dante and Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger, back from a minor ankle op, their first pre-season appearances.<br /><br />Messi made a bright start with a run through midfield before blasting his shot wide, while at the other end, Germany's Toni Kroos forced Barcelona goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto into a diving save.<br /><br />France winger Franck Ribery and Holland's Arjen Robben then combined and only the desperate boot of Barcelona's Adriano deflected the Dutchman's shot in a lively first five minutes.<br /><br />Bayern took the lead on 13 minutes when captain Philipp Lahm latched onto Ribery's chipped cross and lobbed his header over Pinto.</div>
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<a href="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/003/124/799/bayern3_display_image.jpg?1366766332" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/003/124/799/bayern3_display_image.jpg?1366766332" border="0" height="213" src="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/003/124/799/bayern3_display_image.jpg?1366766332" width="320" /></a><br /><br />At the other end, Bayern's Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer denied Barca's Sergio Roberto with the ball at his feet and pushed the shot wide.<br /><br />Germany's Thomas Mueller, playing as Bayern's lone striker, was only denied again by Adriano's desperate intervention as Bayern pressed for a second with half-time approaching.<br /><br />The half-time break heralded a host of changes, including the full Barcelona team, while goal-scorer Mandzukic would become one of 10 second-half introductions.<br /><br />Bayern grabbed their second on 87 minutes when squad member Diego Contento whipped in a cross which Croatia's Mandzukic buried from close range.<br /><br />Bayern now travel to face Borussia Dortmund on Saturday in the German Super Cup in a repeat of the Champions League final, which the Bavarians won 2-1 at Wembley in May.</div>
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JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-87353617393491993032013-07-11T11:16:00.002-07:002013-07-11T11:16:18.121-07:00SHOCKER:Mario Götze moves to Bayern <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It’s one of those nightmare scenarios as a true football fan – You support a club, follow a young player closely, you know he’s tipped for greatness, he quickly becomes one of your favourites in the game and then before you know it, he’s joining a club you come to detest over the years.<br />
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Not just a competitor or a rival, but in the case of Borussia Dortmund and the Bundesliga – THE RIVAL. Yes, FC Bayern Munich fans will have a lot to say about history and other things that would not put BVB in the same league or even close.<br />
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But being an extremely practical person, I prefer to concentrate on the present and it is apparent for all to see that in the last few years, Dortmund has been the only club to challenge Bayern, beat them at their game and even make them step it up and go all out and win everything last season.<br />
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But I am not here to unload my frustrations on Bayern or verbalise how much I loathe or even envy them. When the news of Mario Götze’s transfer first broke, my reaction was obvious – one of disbelief. It took three different people, plus multiple readings of the press release on the BVB website and other trustworthy sites to convince me that it was true.<br />
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There were so many things that didn’t make sense about the transfer. For one, the timing of its announcement – on the morning of Dortmund’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid. Well it didn’t quite affect Dortmund’s performance like Bayern would’ve probably liked, but that evening and in the games that followed, another very surprising thing caught my eye – the way the Dortmund fans reacted to it.<br />
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They never booed Mario Götze’s every touch, they never threw projectiles and hurled abuses at him. There was gratitude for his performance and contribution, and a sense of acceptance, as if to say, it was bound to happen. If there were upset fans, it didn’t show. Or at least the media found a way to mask all of that. That of course excludes the players’ Facebook page, which was a goldmine of choicest German cusswords.<br />
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A lot of fellow Dortmund players at the time, pleaded for Götze not to be victimized, some even supported his decision, while others chose to remain tight-lipped on it. Only recently, after the dust had settled and a few days before the official day of the transfer, did Mats Hummels question the sanity behind it in the “footballing” sense.<br />
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I do agree with him in principle and I didn’t see the need, nor the urgency for Mario Götze to move right now. However, I am a fan. And a fan doesn’t think of the financial aspects and career prospects of a player, even though, the practical me tells me that I should. And let’s not forget the €37 million that Dortmund get as part of it – not the worst deal!<br />
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Well its past the 1st of July, and Mario Götze is officially a Bayern player now. As if to remind everyone how skewed this transfer was, he showed up for his unveiling in a Nike t-shirt, and is photographed holding that Adidas red jersey, to complete a totally senseless picture of the swoosh literally out sizing the three stripes.<br />
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I wonder if that was planned too? If so, well played Nike. And as I always do, I still try to find positives or as rock band Seether would put it “finding beauty in negative spaces“. And this is how I choose to console myself: I am a huge fan of the German National team. It was the first football team I ever supported. All my club allegiances have evolved later.<br />
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I always believed that Götze will be a huge part of a ‘Nationalmannschaft‘ that will hopefully win something big. This is his shortcut to getting there. Playing with fellow national team members day in and day out will obviously be a huge advantage. The additional factor of playing under Pep Guardiola may also produce wonders, but I think the whole of Germany also has their fingers crossed along with me in this regard.<br />
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And yes, I will miss seeing him wearing black and yellow and scoring goals for a team that I love to watch, but at least some time in the future, and hopefully soon enough, it will pay dividends in a field that matters more in the bigger picture. Bayern Munich may have three Marios (probably two by the time the season starts), but maybe then my insistence that “there is only one Super Mario” might just come true for Mario Götze.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-49715167149207580792013-07-11T11:09:00.004-07:002013-07-11T11:09:58.373-07:00Is Chelsea Still Interested In HULK?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Despite numerous failed attempts from Chelsea to procure Hulk’s signature, it does appear the Blues have renewed their interest in the Brazilian forward.<br />
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The 26-year old currently plays for Zenit Saint-Petersburg in the Russian Premier League. This season, Hulk scored seven goals in 18 league games. He signed for the Russian outfit for €40M in 2012.<br />
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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has long been an admirer of Hulk, and enquired about his services during his time at Real Madrid.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">‘There are clubs interested in me, but if I am to move, it has to be to a better place, with a better team in a better competition.’ – Hulk.</span></i><br />
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His debut season at Zenit hasn’t gone as hoped. Hulk fell out with the manager in January, and has faced racial abuse from his own supporters throughout. He was close to a move during the mid-season transfer window. Even his own teammates fell out with him due to disputes about the difference of pay in each contract.<br />
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The stumbling block to sign the Brazilian is his value and wages. While Hulk has openly said joining an ambitious club does interest him, Zenit won’t be prepared to take a hit on his €40M transfer fee.<br />
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His wages are said to be around €140K-a-week. There aren’t too many clubs across Europe willing to offload such an amount of money – especially sides who meet Hulk’s ambition.<br />
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But Chelsea remain an ever-present possibility all this time. Mourinho sees the forward as a potential game-changer and feels he possesses all the attributes to propel the London side to the Premier League title next season.<br />
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No talks have been made between Chelsea and Zenit this summer, but the Russian Premier League side are aware of their interest, and have admitted they will consider any bids for Hulk if they meet his asking price.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-59369451748578044442013-07-11T10:57:00.000-07:002013-07-11T10:57:46.962-07:00Who Will Win The UEFA Best Player in Europe Award?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ronaldo finished as the top scorer in the 2012-13 Champions League.</div>
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The ten-man shortlist for the UEFA Best Player in Europe for the 2012-13 season was released on Tuesday.<br />
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English Premier League top scorer Robin Van Persie along with PFA double award winner Gareth Bale feature on the list. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the two players from La Liga.<br />
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Not surprisingly five players from the Bundesliga have been shortlisted for the coveted award. Among the five, four are from the German treble winning club Bayern Munich. Thomas Mueller, Franck Ribery, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Arjen Robben were all part of the team that won the 2012-13 Champions League.<br />
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Borussia Dortmund hit-man Robert Lewandowski, who had a spectacular Champions League campaign, is the fifth player from the Bundesliga on the list.<br />
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The players were selected by a panel of journalists from UEFA member countries and the award will be presented on August 29 at the Champions League group-stage draw in Monaco.<br />
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Andres Iniesta, who won the award in 2012, was not selected this time around. Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the only player selected from Ligue 1. There were no players from any of Serie A sides on the list.<br />
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Full Shortlist:<br />
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Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)<br />
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)<br />
Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur)<br />
Robin van Persie (Manchester United FC)<br />
Thomas Muller<br />
Franck Ribery<br />
Arjen Robben<br />
Bastian Schweinsteiger (all Bayern Munich)<br />
Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund)<br />
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain).</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-88125266471826010582013-07-11T10:40:00.000-07:002013-07-11T10:40:16.233-07:00Chances Of Cristiano Ronaldo Retiring From Real Madrid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Cristiano Ronaldo had recently said that he is happy playing for Real Madrid. Continuing on same, the club president Florentino Perez says that he would spend rest of his career also with Real Madrid.<br />
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The Portuguese player, had recently been linked to returning back to Manchester United or to French club Monaco. But Perez confidently says “You can be absolutely certain that Cristiano will retire at Real Madrid.”<br />
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He also added saying Real haven’t made any bid for Spurs’ Gareth Bale , or have received an offer of Gonzalo Higuain for Arsenal. Higuain had been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal, after he said that he wanted to leave the Bernabeu at the end of last season. But Arsenal are yet to make a move for the 25-year-old says Perez.<br />
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Though Higuain’s future still remains undecided, Perez is confident that, Ronaldo, who has scored 201 goals in 199 games for the club, will remain at Bernabeu even after his current contact ends, which lasts till 2015.<br />
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He said: “Ronaldo wants to retire at Real Madrid, and we want him to retire here, just like [Zinedine] Zidane and so many other great players did.”</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-30545124273536218522013-07-11T10:28:00.001-07:002013-07-11T10:28:17.077-07:00Battle Of The Superclubs: SG and AS Monaco Battling it out on the transfer front<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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PSG: Can they do it two years in a row?</div>
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Paris – one of the most prominent centres of art in the world. Home to iconic buildings like the Louvre museum, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, the capital city is the melting pot for cultures, arts and theatre. Also doubling up as the financial hub of France, Paris is where people meet and business is done.<br />
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An eight-hour drive away from Paris is Monaco, where people head for recreational activities following a busy week. It’s a sovereign city-state, little more than 2 km in land area, situated in the French Riviera, southeast France. With a population of 37,000, mostly comprising of celebrities and affluent individuals, Monaco is the pleasure centre of Western Europe, with its gentle climate, splendid scenery, tourist attractions and inviting tax laws.<br />
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There is a world of difference between the two places, but Paris and Monaco do have one thing in common – Football Superclubs.<br />
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Owned by Qatar Investment Authority, Paris St. Germain, or PSG, is the shining light of French Football. Following a second place finish the previous season, PSG, backed by high-profile signings, clinched the Ligue 1 title in the 2012-13 campaign, after a gap of 19 years. With the national team coach, Laurent Blanc, also being lured to the Parc des Princes, it is safe to say that PSG is the capital club of France, both literally and metaphorically.<br />
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But PSG’s place in the sun is slowly being overshadowed by the new kid on the block, AS Monaco. With close to €150 million already spent on marquee signings in this summer’s transfer window, Monaco has successfully managed to usurp PSG’s position at the top and grab the world media’s attention.<br />
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Bankrolled by Russian billionaire businessman and philanthropist Dmitry Rybolovlev, the tiny state of Monaco has made a big splash in world football following the club’s promotion to Ligue 1 after clinching the second division title at the end of the 2012-13 season.<br />
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Having already agreed a contract with Radamel Falcao before the transfer window officially opened, Monaco further outlined its intention by snapping up the Porto duo of Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez for a combined fee of €65 million, in the process sending shockwaves through the rest of Europe and making its presence known to the major players in the transfer market.<br />
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Signing a striker as in-demand as Radamel Falcao from right under the noses of the elite clubs only goes to highlight Monaco’s transfer strategy. It’s not the reported €60 million fee, but the statement of intent that matters. A club like Monaco needs exposure, and so signing a world-renowned striker, albeit at a staggering price, is a step in the right direction. The effect has been almost instantaneous. Almost every potential big transfer has AS Monaco as one of the rumoured buyers, who, even if not interested in the player, would still be appreciating the media focus that is helping put the club on the front pages.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-57875629565723400662013-07-10T11:07:00.001-07:002013-07-10T11:07:23.571-07:00Barcelona ignoring real issue behind fragile defence<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
April 23, 2013: Bayern Munich 4-0 Barcelona – The night the Catalan juggernaut was exposed in the most spectacular of ways. A week later at the Camp Nou, the Bavarians went on to add a further three goals to the aggregate score line, as if to prove it wasn’t a fluke.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bayern Munich exposed many of Barcelona’s problems</span></i></div>
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Since then, Catalan newspapers have been sent into overdrive, desperately throwing forward the names of players who could, in theory, restore Barcelona’s position as the dominant force in world football.<br />
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Thiago Silva, Mats Hummels, Vincent Kompany and David Luiz are just some of the defenders that have been put forward as players who will single-handedly solve Barça‘s defensive crisis.<br />
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Curiously, more attacking options such as Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero, Juan Mata and Robert Lewandowski have also been linked with a move to Catalonia, with Barcelona seemingly mulling over the idea of trying to simply outscore the opposition, regardless of how many they concede.<br />
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Whether these links are true or not remains to be seen, but all would rather be missing the point, irrespective of how much individual talent each player would undoubtedly bring. For whilst Barcelona are patently in desperate need of a truly world-class centre back, the team will remain defensively fragile until Tito Vilanova installs a more cohesive defensive strategy.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thiago Silva would undoubtedly improve the quality of Barcelona’s backline</span></i></div>
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As sad as it is, the tiki-taka model that Pep Guardiola brought to Barcelona has been found out. Perhaps the writing was on the wall even before last season, with Pep himself trying to alter the team’s formation in order to remain one step ahead of the opposition.<br />
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The trident of Busquets-Xavi-Iniesta – who were once able to dominate and control games with such ease – are now unable to stop top opposition from engineering incisive breakaways, leaving Barcelona’s back line regularly exposed.<br />
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Similarly, with full-backs Jordi Alba and Daniel Alves given the license to roam forward at will, Barcelona have found themselves in situations where their centre backs have had to contend with attacks by themselves on numerous occasions.<br />
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That is not to say that any of these players are not good enough to play for Barcelona.<br />
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Iniesta is at the peak of his powers, capable of mesmerising his opponents with brilliant trickery and unparalleled imagination. Busquets and Alba are players who are still improving, yet could possibly already be considered amongst the best players in their position in world football. Dani Alves and Xavi may not be as good as they once were, but still remain two of the best players of their generation.<br />
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Indeed, it is the individual quality that Barcelona have at their disposal which has enabled them to still remain a considerable force, recording a historic 100 point total last season in La Liga.<br />
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Consequently, it is apparent that Barcelona need to embrace a new approach. The philosophy of dominating possession and territory doesn’t need to change, but there does need to be a change in how careful the team are when in possession of the ball.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Barcelona’s hierarchy must modify club’s philosophy</span></i></div>
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In order to rectify the situation, Tito should look no further than the Spanish national team who, under the guidance of Vicente del Bosque, have dominated international football whilst always looking defensively assured.<br />
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The reason for this is that Del Bosque is far more pragmatic, deploying two holding midfielders and encouraging his full-backs – particularly Alvaro Arbeloa - to get forward only when there is a genuine opportunity.<br />
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In this system, neither Xavi or Iniesta are played in their preferred roles, yet both nevertheless flourish, with Spain’s set-up allowing them to control the tempo of the game even better than they do for Barcelona.<br />
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If there was ever any doubts placed on Del Bosque for favouring a more safety first approach, the recent Confederation’s Cup has certainly banished them, instead confirming the World Cup winning coach’s deepest fears.<br />
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With Xabi Alonso injured, Del Bosque succumbed to the wishes of both senior players and the public, abandoning his double-pivot for a formation that closely resembled the Barcelona model. At points during the tournament, the Spanish – like Barcelona – played some breath-taking attacking football. However, they also began to look increasingly fragile at the back, eventually being exposed by Brazil in a manner that was strikingly similar to that of the Catalan’s match against Bayern.<br />
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The double-pivot is not a tactic that is solely used by Del Bosque to great effect, though. In fact, almost every top team – including both Champions League finalists – play a variant of the much maligned 4-2-3-1. Using this formation, teams are able to strike a happier balance between committing players forward and defending against possible counter-attacks.<br />
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The only potential problem of using such a system is that Blaugrana fans have been spoilt to the point that they now not only want constant success, but also demand attacking, exciting football.<br />
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However, whilst Spain’s use of two defensive midfielders has led to criticisms of them being dull to watch, other teams with the same basic template have shown that it is possible to captivate the imagination of fans around the world whilst remaining successful.<br />
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With players the calibre of Lionel Messi, Neymar, Iniesta and Xavi able to single handedly win games for Barcelona, it seems apparent that they can afford to sacrifice one attacking outlet for the good of the team. Indeed, with the opposition not able to solely rely on incisive counter-attacks, they may be forced to be slightly more cavalier in their approach, which could possibly result in Barcelona creating even more opportunities than they currently manage.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Barcelona still possess some of the world’s best players</span></i></div>
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For whilst Barcelona remain in need of a world-class centre back, there are also other, subtle changes that need to occur for Culés to see their club reclaim the position as the dominant force in world football.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-79564055855517123232013-07-10T10:56:00.003-07:002013-07-10T10:56:41.716-07:00Manchester United Captain Nemanja INJURED,Will Miss Pre-Season tour in Bangkok<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Manchester United skipper Nemanja Vidic is set to miss the flight to Bangkok for the pre-season tour, with the defender thought to be suffering from painful nerve conditions, sciatica.<br />
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The Red Devils are hopeful about getting him back for their pre-season preparations later during the tour to Sydney, Tokyo and Hong Kong.<br />
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The 31-year-old was present alongside the new manager David Moyes during the Scot’s unveiling last Friday but did not seem as though he might be injured or in any kind of pain.<br />
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Vidic, who has entered into his final year of contract at the club, expects a new contract to be offered by the club in the next few months. However, the Manchester outfit have severely missed Vidic’s towering presence and influence in the team following recurring injuries as the Serbian suffered two serious knee injuries in the past two seasons, which has reduced his game-time.<br />
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<a href="http://www.drugs.com/health-guide/images/205159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.drugs.com/health-guide/images/205159.jpg" /></a>Even if, he is offered a new deal, it is likely to be a one year extension, which is in-line with the club’s policy of dealing with players over the age of thirties.<br />
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Vidic’s future has been well speculated in the media too, and despite his claims that he wants to stay at Old Trafford, the Serbian has been tipped to join Serie A giants AC Milan in the summer.<br />
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Meanwhile there are rumours that Manchester United are stepping up their chase to buy a quality centre-back, with Inter Milan’s Andrea Ranocchia and Benfica’s Ezequiel Garay top of the manager’s wish list.<br />
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United will also miss the services of trio – Chris Smalling (foot), Ashley Young (ankle) and Nani (broken nose) – for their pre-season trip to Bangkok.<br />
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Robin van Persie and David de Gea will be out of action too, for Saturday’s opener in Bangkok as the duo have been given additional time off, following their summer international commitments, and are expected to join the rest of the squad in Sydney.<br />
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Manchester United’s first match under Moyes will be against Singha All-Star XI at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on the 13th of July.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-85884527775531552912013-07-10T10:46:00.001-07:002013-07-10T10:46:23.100-07:00A Long Awaited Entrance,Manchester United On TWITTER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Premier League Champions Manchester United have finally made their Twitter debut today, after achieving a considerable presence on Facebook.<br />
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Twitter, is a popular micro-blogging site, used as a networking and communication tool by football clubs to communicate with their fans. The Red Devils hitherto refrained from launching their official Twitter account, though they have had great success with Facebook, another social networking site, which has 34 million “likes”.<br />
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Around 8.30 am today, the club launched their Twitter account, with its first tweet read “New era, same spirit. The season starts here. Let’s do this.”<br />
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The account had accumulated almost 200,000 followers by lunchtime, and according to social media experts, it could take less than a week for the Red Devils to attract 1 million followers and going by that steady rate, it would eventually take over Chelsea with 2.39 million followers and Arsenal with 2.5 million followers.<br />
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United have also launched on Sina Weibo, the China-based micro-blogging site, to ensure better communication with their strong contingency of fans in Asia.<br />
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The twitter account is initially launched in English, but the club is planning to follow Liverpool’s suit and establish tweeting accounts in foreign-language versions too.<br />
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It is understood that Manchester United are going to appoint a social media campaign manager, and that such steps have already been taken. It will also present an opportunity for the club, to work on commercial opportunities with its partners, like promotion of events, should they wish to.<br />
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Already, the club has taken another gigantic step in the field of commercialization, having signed a commercial deal with the state-owned Russian airlines Aeroflot.<br />
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United claim to have 659 million fans across the world and through the use of social media, especially Twitter, the plan is to expand their brand further.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-80489662285260251602013-07-09T12:06:00.002-07:002013-07-09T12:06:23.991-07:00A Journey from Red to Yellow - Arsenal 2013-14 away kit, Historic roots meet modern design. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Arsenal have unveiled their new away kit, in collaboration with Nike, for the upcoming 2013-14 season that happens to be fusion of the club’s traditional away colours of yellow and blue, with a distinct contemporary style.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The kit is currently being promoted at the Emirates Stadium, with a giant banner featuring the some of the core group of Arsenal’s British young talents – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs, Cark Jenkinson, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere – at the side of the stadium.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">“The kit looks and feels great. Arsenal is synonymous with yellow and blue and I think this new design fuses that tradition with a modern twist. I can’t wait to get out on the pitch and wear it,” </span></i><span style="color: #990000;">said Walcott.</span><br />
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The colour combination of the new strip showcases Nike’s inherent belief in style, craft and strong aesthetics. The shirt is yellow with a blue polo collar and deep blue cuffs on the sleeves. The polo-shirt collar epitomizes the best of London style, ranging from fine gentleman’s tailoring to urban street wear.<br />
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The design of blue and yellow socks dates to the days, when hoop stock designs were first used in 1930’s under the stewardship of legendary manager Herbert Chapman.<br />
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Use of advanced technology in manufacturing kits and wears are the hallmarks of Nike, and here the kit has been made from recycled polyester, with thirteen recycled plastic water bottles are used to prepare the shirt and shorts of each kit.<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.caughtoffside.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Arsenal-Away-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://cdn.caughtoffside.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Arsenal-Away-3.png" width="320" /></a>Amazingly, in the modern world, where pollution has been a major reason, why life on Earth is gradually edging towards decay; Nike have found a revolutionary way of manufacturing something productive by using more than 1.1 billion plastic bottles from landfills through the use of recycled polyester.<br />
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The light-weighted fabric used is integrated with Nike Dri-FIT technology, which will draw away the sweat from the body and will keep players cool and dry.<br />
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Overall, the innovative designs will add a sparkling appearance to the kit, whereas the latest technologies used would provide more comfort further enhancing the player’s performances.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-48607876878361919782013-07-09T11:49:00.004-07:002013-07-09T11:49:41.645-07:00REVEALED:Tottenham Hotspur 2013-14 kits<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Tottenham Hotspur have unveiled their new three-kit package for the 2013-14 season, with poster-boy Gareth Bale featuring heavily in the promotional ads.<br />
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The new kit sponsored by American manufacturer Under Armour, who had signed a five-year-contract with Spurs back in 2011, sport a huge logo of the club sponsor Hewlett-Packard in the front of their kit.<br />
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<img height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaOD1KspgzIRjoHMPaDU3gZK-dvU8FyevsxB6EkGwlEs99pP1MveBN31DT-TpBM0YB9VA4T9tJtHSdh_jUDzvX5MC709KeLlm6DlOuEthQoaJAQtn5sEl_nxpRh1hop2BW1Vw9QtgiVA7/s640/Tottenham+Hotspur+13-14+Away+Kit.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Spurs have maintained their tradition of a white home shirt and have also released the pictures of the away kits, which may not be as visually delightful as the home kit, and is turquoise blue in colour.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLh7vvw-Tq6b2GE8kzZgLxEbBJH26wTWWhRuW8t4uaNAAuDNS2TorMfouZ73-gTowIC5vzxVwzs97FESZjeipyaYCZijWfr_ihgzrpj3fnYL5RYh1ltutonvPdzCgKbQNbHMDSJ7_JQGVX/s1600/Tottenham+Hotspur+13-14+home+Kit+shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLh7vvw-Tq6b2GE8kzZgLxEbBJH26wTWWhRuW8t4uaNAAuDNS2TorMfouZ73-gTowIC5vzxVwzs97FESZjeipyaYCZijWfr_ihgzrpj3fnYL5RYh1ltutonvPdzCgKbQNbHMDSJ7_JQGVX/s320/Tottenham+Hotspur+13-14+home+Kit+shirt.jpg" width="248" /></a>Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said:<i> <span style="color: #990000;">“We are delighted to welcome the HP brand back to the Club having previously been a Club partner in the 90′s.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">“HP has established itself as one of the world’s leading technology companies and we look forward to working with them once again for the coming season.”</span></i><br />
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<img height="160" src="http://www.26kits.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/uk-prem-league-tottenham-hotspur-kit-2013.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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The Welshman Gareth Bale was at the official kit launch event, along with Brad Friedel, Michael Dawson and Jermain Defoe on Monday.<br />
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The retro design of the shirt has been inspired by the Spurs Pony kit of the late 90s. The size of the HP logo looks arguably awkward along with the “Under Armour” lettering on the sleeves which look incongruous and superfluous.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-51490380175011373842013-07-08T10:40:00.000-07:002013-07-08T10:44:09.814-07:00Manchester United Uniting With Russia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Manchester United took the first step in warming up to the Russian market by signing a commercial deal with the state-owned Russian airlines Aeroflot.<br />
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The agreement was signed in Old Trafford where new manager David Moyes was in attendance. Wealthy Russian investors have been flooding the European footballing landscape for quite some time, so it comes as no surprise for arguably the most commercialized entity in modern football reach out for their slice in the pie.<br />
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United claim to have 659 million fans across the world and to expand their reach further, have entered into commercial partnerships with enterprises across the globe.<br />
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With the Aeroflot deal, the Red Devils now have 13 global partners which is a staggering number by itself. The deal is expected to raise the profile of Aeroflot also. While the airline does not operate flights to/from Manchester, the brand appeal will get a raise through pitch side ads and ads on the Manchester United web site.<br />
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Aeroflot CEO Vitaly Saveliyev said as quoted in The Guardian:<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">“We believe that such a great club as Manchester United will help us to promote our brand worldwide.”</span></i><br />
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The airline will also advise United on travel arrangements and flight scheduling as the squad requires extensive travelling for friendlies and European games.<br />
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It is reported that the new deal is way over what Turkish Airlines was paying United for the title of the <b>“Official Airline Partner”</b> of the club.<br />
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The airlines have been investing heavily in sports by means of sponsoring CSKA Moscow, the Brooklyn Nets basketball team and the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.<br />
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Airlines have typically been active in English football with Etihad and Emirates bagging the stadium naming rights and shirt sponsorships of Manchester City and Arsenal respectively. With the increasing popularity and international audience of the Premier League, it won’t be surprising if more operators jump into the sponsorship pool in coming years.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-10634392057195193192013-07-08T10:34:00.001-07:002013-07-08T10:46:42.176-07:00Liverpool Rejects Arsenal's £30m BID for Luis Suarez<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Liverpool have rejected a reported £30 million offer from Arsenal for star striker Luis Suarez and remain adamant that they would not consider an offer for their top player from any Premier League rival clubs.<br />
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The 26-year-old dropped a clanger last month, voicing his dislike towards the treatment by the English media and further hinted of his desire to ply his trade with one of the world’s biggest club, Real Madrid in several interviews.<br />
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sort out his future within three weeks’ time, lest, he will have to forget about other greener pastures and commit his present to the Anfield club.<br />
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It was reported last week that both London clubs, Arsenal and Chelsea were interested in signing him, but it was the Gunners that made the first approach officially for Suarez, who has three years remaining on an improved contract he signed last summer.<br />
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Suarez, who has been given an extended holiday break, after his involvement in the Confederations Cup, won’t return at the club until 22nd July and then he is expected to join the squad for tour matches in Australia and Thailand.<br />
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Whether Suarez plays for the Merseyside outfit next season remains to be seen. However, what is certain is that Liverpool will try their level best to persuade the gifted Uruguayan to give the Reds another chance of making it to the Champions League.<br />
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Suarez, who has been a joy to watch since his arrival from Ajax, has been subject to numerous controversies for the last couple of seasons. The club and the fans, who have stood beside the player with unparalleled support and loyalty, expect that he will honour and reward them by extending his stay at Anfield.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-39900622985525222992013-07-08T10:28:00.002-07:002013-07-08T10:28:20.758-07:00Manchester United and Barcelona at loggerheads with Rooney and Thiago swap<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01586/rooney_1586570a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01586/rooney_1586570a.jpg" width="212" /></a>The Wayne Rooney saga refuses to draw a conclusion despite David Moyes’ bold statement in his opening press conference as a Manchester United boss, where he reaffirmed his desire to keep hold of the England international.<br />
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What complicates issues is that several players are being thrown into the mix, while old stories are regurgitated in order to sale copies.<br />
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<a href="http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/17800000/D-Villa-Barcelona-Athletic-Bilbao-david-villa-17863761-453-594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/17800000/D-Villa-Barcelona-Athletic-Bilbao-david-villa-17863761-453-594.jpg" width="243" /></a><br />
Manchester United are keen to land the prodigiously gifted Thiago Alcantara from Barcelona for a reported fee of £17 million with the player himself eager to make the switch in the summer.<br />
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The La Liga champions are resigned to losing Thiago in the summer but are trying to dilute the saga longer by changing the nature of the transfer agreement, if the Spanish media reports are to be believed.<br />
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In an ideal situation, Barcelona should accept the transfer fee from United, as the Red Devils are successfully meeting the player’s release clause here. No fuss what-so-ever.<br />
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However, there are new twists in the tale, almost every day while the saga drags on. The matter has been made complex by the fact, that United striker Wayne Rooney is unsettled at the Old Trafford club and has been targeted by several European heavy weights.<br />
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Barcelona are looking to lure the England international but instead of paying £30 million upfront for him, the Catalan giants are suggesting a swap deal involving couple of players plus cash, with one of the them is obviously Thiago.<br />
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Catalan based newspaper Sport published a story last week that says Barcelona are looking to include David Villa as a part of the transfer deal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWiMtYsUVHu3AnHd2F2KEkQ8SMCmDCvDd-_PMIsSMeeGgCoU7MTRu9Q7srE9FP24KoxLp_bMUPNgxuvA8rj6Dz2EObV08zrjyXJCnvsQMobatQFkvm2v5nmjSjMATOdgYlzZCzsz59FFQ/s1600/Thiaguinho.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWiMtYsUVHu3AnHd2F2KEkQ8SMCmDCvDd-_PMIsSMeeGgCoU7MTRu9Q7srE9FP24KoxLp_bMUPNgxuvA8rj6Dz2EObV08zrjyXJCnvsQMobatQFkvm2v5nmjSjMATOdgYlzZCzsz59FFQ/s300/Thiaguinho.jpg" /></a>The 31-year-old is one of the coveted strikers in Europe, even at this age, with Premier League clubs like Tottenham head-over-heels to secure his signature, and would cost around £8-9 million.<br />
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Thus, going by the suggestion, Barcelona are willing to part with a mere £5 million for one of the best strikers in the Premier League, and will allow Thiago and Villa to swap colours.<br />
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David Moyes clearly stated last week that the striker won’t be sold and has tipped Rooney to surpass the goal scoring records of legendary Bobby Charlton and Denis Law, and further achieve more personal glories at the iconic club.<br />
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The Sport published yet another story about the on-going saga today, and to everyone’s amazement, it was the same old trio of Thiago-Rooney and Villa, dominating the headlines.<br />
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English newspapers as usual have been quick to collect such information coming from the European press and have framed their own story within no time.<br />
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Meanwhile, according to The Daily Mirror, Villa has already agreed personal terms with the North London club, and it is now down to the two clubs to agree a fee.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-37047001373549632052013-07-06T10:27:00.003-07:002013-07-06T10:27:30.227-07:00Liverpool 2013-14 third kit – a perfect blend of old and new<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Liverpool football club have revealed their new third kit design, in collaboration with Warrior Football, completing the full three-kit package for the 2013/14 campaign (see the 2013/14 home kit and the 2013/14 away kit).<br />
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<img alt="Here it is: Daniel Sturridge, Steven Gerrard and Pepe Reina model the kit" src="http://i1.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2024544.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/New-Liverpool-kit-2024544.jpg" /></div>
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The American manufacturing group have tried to deliver keeping in mind of the club’s rich history of producing iconic and statement-making kits, while the design seems to have been inspired by the club’s away strip in the 1995/96 season, when the Reds finished Runners-up in the FA Cup, losing out to Manchester United at the Wembley Stadium.<br />
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Richard Wright, head of Warrior Football, claimed the third kit completes “a strong and dynamic range of new season looks” for Liverpool. He added:<br />
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“The kit not only delivers a technical story, but also looks striking and unique on the pitch.”<br />
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Liverpool’s managing director, Ian Ayre noted that the kit has a blend of historic feel and contemporary touches in it. He said:<br />
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“The third strip completes our full kit for the 2013/14 campaign and we are delighted to share with fans a kit range that has a mix of historic and contemporary touches.<br />
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“The team will play in the third kit during appropriate domestic cup games and away Premier League fixtures.”<br />
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<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/p480x480/1010282_588616441160573_172953180_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/p480x480/1010282_588616441160573_172953180_n.jpg" /></a>The kit is basically a mixture of white, black and purple set of colours but with a dominant black base. The contrasting panels on the sleeves throw out a glittering effect. Same combinations of colours have been used for the socks, while the white coloured shorts emblazon the overall the look of the kit.<br />
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The emblems of the club are kept in vogue of the other two home and away versions, where the Liver-bird sits predominantly on the crest while two commemorative Eternal Flames and a 96 logo are positioned on the nape of the neck.<br />
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The kit has been constructed using Warrior’s revolutionary apparel technology system, War-Tech, where the away kits are powered by breathable, moisture-wicking War-Tech fabric.<br />
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The mesh panelling under the arms and across the back of the shirt allows optimum ventilation adding extra comfort, as it helps in temperature control in core heat areas.<br />
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JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-57894368959731268712013-07-06T05:07:00.001-07:002013-07-06T05:07:27.227-07:00Premier League Transfer Round Up: Wayne Rooney set to stay claims the Chosen One<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
David Moyes handled the inquisitions regarding the Wayne Rooney transfer saga, in his first press conference as the manager of Manchester United, very well.<br />
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Instead of conventional style of evading the questions, Moyes responded graciously with a certain degree of diplomacy and in turn rubbishing reports that the maverick striker is up for sale.<br />
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The 27-year-old striker is reportedly unsettled at the Old Trafford club and since the departure of Legendary manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, rumours have intensified that several European heavyweights, including the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG and Barcelona, have all registered their interest at some point of time in this summer.<br />
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“I have had opportunities to speak [to him], I’ve had a chance to speak to Wayne. The fact of the matter is that Wayne’s not for sale,” said Moyes as quoted in The Guardian.<br />
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Moyes, who had previously worked with Rooney at Everton, is keen to keep hold of him, and has tipped him to surpass the likes of Bobby Charlton and Denis Law’s goal scoring records.<br />
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Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of highly rated midfield dynamo from Brazil, Paulinho, as the 24-year-old is set to fly to London to complete his medical and finalize other formalities for a £17 million move from Corinthians.<br />
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The prodigiously gifted midfielder, who impressed everyone at the Confederations Cup in Brazil earlier this month, will tee-up with fellow compatriot Sandro Raniere, at the heart of the midfield for Spurs.<br />
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Over to Merseyside, it was a day of mixed reactions of from the Red and Blue halves. While Brendan Rodgers’ side have suffered a damaging blow in their pursuit of the Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan; the Blue half of Merseyside are thrilled with £5 million capture of striker Arouna Kone, who has undergone his medical at Everton yesterday.<br />
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And finally, Edin Dzeko looks set to bid farewell to the Premier League this summer with Serie A giants Napoli having earmarked the Bosnian as a possible replacement for Edinson Cavani, who is closing in on a £53m move to Paris Saint-Germain.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-29666020659959269312013-07-06T05:01:00.001-07:002013-07-06T05:01:54.928-07:00Why Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo won’t be swapping clubs this summer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney (left) and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo (right) have both been linked with summer moves away from their respective clubs to each others’.<br />
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<a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02480/ronaldo-rooney_2480712b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02480/ronaldo-rooney_2480712b.jpg" /></a><br />
<a name='more'></a>However, with both players playing for two clubs of such magnitude, the grass is rarely greener on the other side.<br />
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Cristiano Ronaldo was signed by Madrid for a fee around £80M. It’s very unlikely new Manchester United manager David Moyes would consider paying anywhere near to the figure to bring the 28-year old back to the club. At 28, the Portuguese international has little re-sale value, and certainly won’t command a similar figure in a few years time. Put simply, Manchester United won’t get their money back for Ronaldo if they were to re-sign him now.<br />
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Manchester United’s want-away striker Wayne Rooney has been linked with every top club in Europe this summer, but only a select few can afford him. Real Madrid are close to selling striker Gonzalo Higuain, which would free up some funds, but they have been more keen on signing Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, and Tottenham forward Gareth Bale.<br />
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Both players may want a change of scenery next season, but their transfer fee and wage demands will be a stumbling block for any side. The pair would warrant too much money for outlay which at the minimum would have to be winning their domestic league title – let alone the Champions League.<br />
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Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are among the highest paid footballers in the world. Regardless if either player wants to leave the club, finding a potential suitor willing to part with the money required to sign them is another story.<br />
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It’s more likely the pair will remain at their respective sides for at least another season. Inevitably with a new-and-improved long-term contract earning them even more money per annum.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-38705786339491080212013-07-06T04:58:00.000-07:002013-07-06T04:58:03.901-07:00Chelsea looking to sign ‘the new Marcel Desailly’<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
French Ligue One side AS Saint-Etienne have issued a hands-off warning to Premier League side Chelsea, following reported interest in their young centre-back Kurt Zouma from the Europa League winners.<br />
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His playing style has already drawn comparisons to ex-Chelsea and France centreback Marcel Desailly – a player Zouma is said to have idolised grown up.<br />
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The London side are said to be the hot favourites to procure his signature this summer, but the Blues will be met with stubborn resistance from Saint-Etienne.<br />
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Les Verts are keen on keeping Zouma for at least a further season as they feel his development will benefit from regular first-team football.<br />
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After the Ligue One side were forced to sell striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer to raise funds, the manager Christophe Galtier was assured by Saint-Etienne no other players had to leave the club in the coming weeks.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">‘We’ve been very clear. There was only one player given permission to leave – Aubameyang. No other player will leave this season, because Zouma has great potential to improve a lot. We want to keep him this season.’ – Saint-Etienne president Roland Romeyer.</span></i><br />
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However, continual interest in Zouma doesn’t look like dying down while the summer transfer window is open, and a lucrative offer for the youngster could convince Les Verts to sell him.<br />
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The 18-year old French defender has featured for the France U20s and is tipped to pick up his first cap for the senior squad next season. He made 18 league appearances for Saint-Etienne last season – scoring two goals.<br />
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With the 2014 World Cup looming at the end of next season, Zouma will be under no illusions that he stands a greater chance of making the squad should he playing at a higher level.<br />
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The risk of a move for the 18-year old will be if he can get enough playing time next season, as he wants to put himself in contention for a call-up for his country. Should he sign for Chelsea this summer, a season-long loan to another Premier League side might be on the cards in order to get first-team football.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-90616708093695321952013-07-05T11:40:00.002-07:002013-07-05T11:40:57.967-07:00David Beckham is already wanted back in the game.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The city of Miami is looking to get its hands on the newly retired superstar to help bring a Major League Soccer franchise back to town.<br />
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"We're ready and we're excited about the possibility of having top-flight professional soccer back in Miami,"<br />
Mayor Carlos Gimenez said.<br />
"With people from all over the world living in our community, this is an ideal market for MLS and David Beckham is the right person to make it happen."<br />
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The Miami Fusion closed up shop in 2001 after only three years, leaving four professional sports teams based in the city.<br />
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In Miami today, Beckham toured two possible homes for an MLS team, Sun Life Stadium, where the Miami Dolphins play, and Florida International University Stadium, which, Garcia said is<i> "</i><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000;">made for soccer</span></i><i>."</i><br />
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After announcing his retirement from pro soccer after 20 storied, studly years, Beckham never ruled out returning to the sport in a front-office capacity. And, coincidentally, the 38-year-old athlete and underwear model is made for being the face of just about anything.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-29405199536882557462013-07-05T11:35:00.001-07:002013-07-05T11:35:21.302-07:00Former Real Madrid manager Benito Floro hired as soccer coach of Canadian men's team <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Former Real Madrid coach Benito Floro has been hired as Canada's national soccer coach.<br />
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He succeeds Stephen Hart, who left in October following the team's humiliating exit from World Cup qualifying. The Canadian men's team is ranked 88th by FIFA.<br />
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Floro coached the Spanish giant Real Madrid from 1992 to 1994. He most recently coached a club in Morocco and has also managed club teams in Mexico and Japan.<br />
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The Canadian Soccer Association said it is "thrilled" to have "such an accomplished soccer mind" running the team. The 61-year-old Floro will be assisted by son Antonio Floro Esteve.<br />
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The team, under interim coach Colin Miller, is currently at the Gold Cup, the championship for North and Central America and the Caribbean.<br />
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JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-35529809420689062052013-07-05T11:31:00.000-07:002013-07-05T11:31:00.766-07:00Liverpool planning for life after Suarez <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Luis Suarez remains the only thorn in the flesh for Liverpool, in an otherwise an excellent and commendable summer transfer window for the Reds so far.<br />
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The 26-year-old Uruguayan has been chased by several European heavy weights, including the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, following admissions from the player himself that he is getting dis-enchanted with life in England and is actively seeking a move abroad.<br />
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While it is no rocket science that it is just a nice ploy to ring the alarm bells on the corridors of continental journey, Suarez’s suave admonishing of the English media for his situation turned out to be rather hypocritical following a bizarre report last night.<br />
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Spanish newspaper AS claimed Premier League giants Chelsea have emerged as shock destination for the Uruguayan and the Blues would be looking to prize him away with a deal worth €40 million.<br />
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Liverpool have been maintaining a rigidifying stance over Suarez since the day he first vented his frustration in the media. Not for a single moment, the club gave out an impression that they have buckled down under the pressure of Suarez’s demands, rather, the Reds have been diplomatic in their approach.<br />
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It seems like they have learnt from their mistakes of the past. For the first time in many years, the morbidity around Anfield is replaced with a positive buzz, and it gives a feel that the Reds have done their homework very well with regards to their handling of the transfer market.<br />
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According to reports from The Mirror, Suarez has been given three weeks’ time to sort out his future, lest, he will have to forget about greener pastures and commit his future at the Anfield club.<br />
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To replace a player of Suarez’s stature is probably difficult, but there is no dearth of quality players in this world, and certainly it would give Liverpool the opportunity to replenish in other areas of the pitch too using the transfer money.<br />
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Liverpool are giving the impression that Suarez is no longer an indispensable asset and the club could be ready to march on without him, if that’s how situation pans out in the end.<br />
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Now whether it goes to plan and works out in favour of the Merseysiders is a conjecture at the moment, but Liverpool’s determination to go out and sign value for money talents rather than overpriced British players suggests that the Anfield outfit could not go very wrong this time around.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4433134718417406366.post-21955312155564791302013-07-05T11:10:00.000-07:002013-07-05T11:10:09.011-07:00Five ways Higuain will make Arsenal a better team<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Reports suggest Arsenal are close to securing a deal for Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid, which would be a superb signing for the club and a real statement of intent.<br />
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Higuain has been linked with the Gunners for several weeks and now that the transfer window has opened, Arsenal appear close to announcing that they have done a deal for the Argentinian striker.<br />
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Here are five ways he will make them a better team.<br />
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<b>Goals</b><br />
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The first and most obvious way, is that he’ll add to the amount of goals they already scored.<br />
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He knocked in 16 goals in 19 starts and nine sub appearances for Real Madrid last season, which suggests he can become very prolific for the club once he hits a spell of good form and settles in with the rest of the side.<br />
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<b>Assists</b><br />
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He also weighed in with five assists last season, which is important because it shows he has good decision making inside the opponent’s final third.<br />
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He doesn’t panic when he gets into good areas and seems willing to lay the ball off to other players who may be in better positions than himself.<br />
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Arsenal have a squad packed full of talented attacking players so it’s important that he’s not an overly selfish striker, who will sometimes mute the effectiveness of other players.<br />
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<b>Timing</b><br />
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He was caught offside on an average of just over once per game in La Liga last season.<br />
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That suggests the timing of his runs is superb and that he can get the balance between staying on the shoulder of the defence and making runs tuned to the way he wants to play in an Arsenal shirt.<br />
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It also shows that he reads play well from the midfield, which will allow Arsenal’s players to hit the ball into space allowing him to run onto the pass.<br />
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<b>Passing</b><br />
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His basic passing stats last season were superb with an average of 75% in La Liga and 84% in his Champions League appearances.<br />
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Those numbers are not as high as other players in the Arsenal side but they are significant because Arsenal are obviously a team that like to pass the ball around and dominate possession effectively.<br />
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<b>Turnovers</b><br />
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His turnover stats are superb and show that he had an average of 1.1 turnovers per game in La Liga last season.<br />
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That ties in perfectly with his passing stats and suggests that he will fit in well with the Arsenal style of play and ideology.<br />
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It should also allow Arsenal to maintain pressure in their opponent’s final third, which will be important when they are under pressure to play well, secure points and get wins.</div>
JOehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14440924303981732784noreply@blogger.com0