Dropping Lionel Messi and Neymar didn't just harm Barcelona's performance in their 1-0 defeat by Real Sociedad but also created the potential to disrupt their game against Atletico Madrid on Sunday.Barcelona's schedule for this week sees them host Elche on Thursday night in the Copa del Rey and then take on Diego Simeone's Rojiblanco champions, also at the Camp Nou, three days later.
Leaving Messi and Neymar on the bench until the second half of their dour display against David Moyes' watertight La Real caused uproar in Catalonia with fans and journalists alike puzzled by Enrique's decision.Barcelona-based newspaper Sport's front page questioned just what the manager was up to, saying he threw away the points from a game that could have seen the Catalan giants take control of the league.A win would have moved them two points clear of Madrid, although having played a game more, and they would be captains of their own destiny by virtue of the Clasico in March.
The result of all this fuss is that Enrique may now be tempted to play Messi and Neymar on Thursday against Elche, which would be a mistake.If he was planning on resting the duo, then he shouldn't have included them in the squad for Sunday's game and should not need them at home against relative minnows.
If Enrique believed that Pedro and Munir El Haddadi were good enough to help beat Real Sociedad away from home, then he should trust them to dispose of Elche at the Camp Nou.A big win for Barcelona would carry obvious benefits, because then they could rest players in the second leg ahead of a trip to Deportivo La Coruna.
But it's not worth obtaining that and tiring out Messi and Neymar ahead of the visit of Simeone's Atletico. The Argentine's side are always a physical challenge and with hard work and discipline overcome some of their technical failings.Then there's the issue of whether or not to bring back Dani Alves. He too was benched for Barcelona's game against Real Sociedad and called from the bench in an urgent bid to turn things around.
If Enrique brings him back in to play Elche, will he then be too tired to play at his optimum level against Atletico? Or if Alves is rested, will he be ready for such a difficult game after playing little football in recent weeks.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2319489-luis-enrique-has-created-barcelona-worries-over-atletico-madrid-clash
Monday, 5 January 2015
Fernando Torres Boost Will Only Last for Atletico Madrid If He Delivers
After seven-and-a-half years away from Atletico Madrid, Fernando Torres finally realised his dream and returned to the Vicente Calderon.
El Nino is back, whilst the atmosphere surrounding his homecoming in Madrid is electric.There were 45,000 supporters in the home stadium to welcome him this weekend, via BBC.
"Fernando is a player of the house that has generated great enthusiasm, he has come to contribute and he wants to make things right," said defender Diego Godin to the Daily Mail.
The Uruguayan showed that it's not just the fans that are getting carried away with his arrival, as he and Antoine Griezmann celebrated their goals on the weekend against Levante utilising the "archer" pose that Torres has used throughout his career.
"I was a 24-year-old kid. It was very hard [to leave], the hardest decision of my career," Torres told the press at his unveiling, per The Guardian.His transfers haven't always been the correct ones or at the right time, but it's arguable they have all been best for both Torres and the departing club.
As the forward states Atletico Madrid has grown in his absence, whilst at Liverpool he left a side that had been poorly run for years and at 27, he couldn't afford to waste more time.
"At Liverpool, I had almost everything but titles," Torres explained to French magazine So Foot, via The Mirror.
"There, I felt like a king but the team was falling apart. The directors had sold Mascherano to Barca, then Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid without investing any of the money to compensate for the departure of these two key players."
He won those titles at Chelsea, but never discovered the form that made him one of the world's deadliest strikers.
Torres will now aim to recreate his passion for the game, whilst collecting the top prizes simultaneously.The World Cup winner is a different player from the one that left Spain, but the Atleti fans will have followed his progression close enough to know that he isn't as quick due to injury problems.
Diego Simeone can restore lost confidence and help with any mental issues."Fernando hasn't come here as some kind of saviour and I am in no hurry for him to start delivering right from day one – he will need time to adapt," the Argentine sensibly suggested, via Goal.com.
However, he will need to produce at some stage for the feel-good factor to continue.No one should expect him to recover his peak, as his body won't allow for that explosiveness, but he can still score goals in the right system and offer a variation in attack.
It's about playing to the strengths of the Torres of 2015 and not the speed merchant of 2007.He can use his experience of winning titles, injuries and adjusting to various situations to aid youngsters like Angel Correa and Griezmann.
The attacker hasn't looked particularly comfortable in a front two, but that's an avenue that Simeone should now explore.
Alongside Mario Mandzukic he might find more space, whilst his own runs may take defenders away from the Croatian.
Torres in Madrid is a fantastic fairy tale that only gets a happy ending if he delivers to some degree on the pitch.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2319497-fernando-torres-boost-will-only-last-for-atletico-madrid-if-he-delivers
El Nino is back, whilst the atmosphere surrounding his homecoming in Madrid is electric.There were 45,000 supporters in the home stadium to welcome him this weekend, via BBC.
"Fernando is a player of the house that has generated great enthusiasm, he has come to contribute and he wants to make things right," said defender Diego Godin to the Daily Mail.
The Uruguayan showed that it's not just the fans that are getting carried away with his arrival, as he and Antoine Griezmann celebrated their goals on the weekend against Levante utilising the "archer" pose that Torres has used throughout his career.
"I was a 24-year-old kid. It was very hard [to leave], the hardest decision of my career," Torres told the press at his unveiling, per The Guardian.His transfers haven't always been the correct ones or at the right time, but it's arguable they have all been best for both Torres and the departing club.
As the forward states Atletico Madrid has grown in his absence, whilst at Liverpool he left a side that had been poorly run for years and at 27, he couldn't afford to waste more time.
"At Liverpool, I had almost everything but titles," Torres explained to French magazine So Foot, via The Mirror.
"There, I felt like a king but the team was falling apart. The directors had sold Mascherano to Barca, then Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid without investing any of the money to compensate for the departure of these two key players."
He won those titles at Chelsea, but never discovered the form that made him one of the world's deadliest strikers.
Torres will now aim to recreate his passion for the game, whilst collecting the top prizes simultaneously.The World Cup winner is a different player from the one that left Spain, but the Atleti fans will have followed his progression close enough to know that he isn't as quick due to injury problems.
Diego Simeone can restore lost confidence and help with any mental issues."Fernando hasn't come here as some kind of saviour and I am in no hurry for him to start delivering right from day one – he will need time to adapt," the Argentine sensibly suggested, via Goal.com.
However, he will need to produce at some stage for the feel-good factor to continue.No one should expect him to recover his peak, as his body won't allow for that explosiveness, but he can still score goals in the right system and offer a variation in attack.
It's about playing to the strengths of the Torres of 2015 and not the speed merchant of 2007.He can use his experience of winning titles, injuries and adjusting to various situations to aid youngsters like Angel Correa and Griezmann.
The attacker hasn't looked particularly comfortable in a front two, but that's an avenue that Simeone should now explore.
Alongside Mario Mandzukic he might find more space, whilst his own runs may take defenders away from the Croatian.
Torres in Madrid is a fantastic fairy tale that only gets a happy ending if he delivers to some degree on the pitch.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2319497-fernando-torres-boost-will-only-last-for-atletico-madrid-if-he-delivers
Manchester United and Yeovil Divided by Money, Bonded by Short-Term Ambitions
HUISH PARK, Yeovil—The FA Cup has never been a great respecter of traditions, as veteran reporter John Lukins was reminded ahead of Yeovil Town’s meeting with Manchester United on Sunday.Lukins, who has reported on the Glovers for almost half-a-century, could not even get a spot in the press box for a third-round tie that had attracted representatives from all the national newspapers—despite the fact the press box at Huish Park carries his name.
Lukins was remarkably gracious about the snub, if that is what you might call it, but it was an indication of how drawing the most successful club in English football can create a number of logistical headaches for a club more used to operating in the more distant reaches of English football.
Yeovil boss Gary Johnson, the man hoping to take down United's reputation a peg or two, joked in the aftermath of his side's eventual 2-0 defeat that just three journalists had turned up for his previous post-match press conference, following the League One defeat to Leyton Orient. On this occasion there were over 100 credentialed media.That is not to say the whole experience was completely unprecedented for the Somerset club. Yeovil have been here before—11 years ago they hosted Liverpool at the same stage of the same competition—but United is a different proposition. It’s perhaps an indictment of modern football, or at least the dominating nature of the Premier League, that a sizeable section of Yeovil fans also class themselves as United fans, creating a bumper market for the now ubiquitous half-and-half scarves that were being sold outside the ground.
The two clubs have faced themselves in the FA Cup before: Back in 1949, United hosted the Glovers at Maine Road (Old Trafford was still be repaired after suffering damage in the war) in a fifth-round tie, an 8-0 win with an attendance of 81,565 that remains the second-highest ever for an FA Cup game outside Wembley.
“Typical Yeovil,” one fan noted. “Never quite good enough.”In general, however, the clubs operate in different footballing circles, with the clubs' differing trajectories since that Maine Road game allowing Yeovil citizens to follow both sides without ever suffering any real conflicts of interest. Yeovil pottered around in non-league for much of the 20th century, selling their old Huish ground to Tesco in 1989. A new ground, further outside the city, was financed by the supermarket, and the new Huish Park has helped see the Glovers defy their limitations as they rose into the Football League around the millennium, culminating in last season’s memorable (if ultimately bittersweet) Championship campaign.
A repeat of that 80,000 attendance was never going to be on the cards, but the club did what they could: A temporary stand was erected in the days before the match, allowing the club to sell another 100 tickets or so with restricted views. Those were snapped up in minutes, with the final attendance numbering 9,264.They came to watch a once-in-a-lifetime match, although few anticipated a shock to tell the grandchildren about. In one way, this tie came at the perfect time for the Glovers but, in another, it perhaps came a season or two too late.
The League One side made a loss of £464,000 last season, but the arrival of United for one afternoon is expected to inject over half-a-million pounds into the coffers, once television payments, ticket receipts and other revenues are taken into account. With relegation from the Championship in the summer bringing with it a significant loss in revenue, the tie will plug a financial gap at an important moment for the club.
But the excitement of such ties is found in the possibility of an upset, in the prospect of another giant-killing to join the competition’s brilliant history of them. On the surface of it, Yeovil manager Gary Johnson, a veteran of the Football Leagues, shares little in common with Louis van Gaal but he, like Van Gaal, is currently steering his side through a transitional phase, after his previous team was dismantled following relegation from the Championship last season.
Goalscoring midfielder Ed Upson departed for Millwall, as did uncompromising defender Byron Webster. Tidy full-back Luke Ayling made a lucrative move up the road to Bristol City, while goalkeeper Marek Stech returned home to his native Czech Republic to press his national-team ambitions.The tie may just be a turning point for Yeovil, a point where the pain of relegation—and the abrupt halting of what had been an impressive ascent through the football pyramid—was finally absorbed, accepted and moved beyond. Perhaps it will spark improved league form, something that could prove every bit as valuable as the money brought in by the tie.
United, too, remained focused on the league—with Van Gaal still insistent that the Premier League title is not beyond their reach. Over the festive period they have closed the gap to the top of the table by a point, evidence enough for the Dutchman that the dream is still alive in his first season in England.
“I repeat myself,” Van Gaal said, “but nine points is not so many—and eight points is less.”But the lack of any European football, and that early League Cup exit, means the FA Cup is the only other shot at a trophy for United this term, a club that lives by such milestones. United will be hoping their visit to Huish Park is just the start of a long run in the competition, one that—who knows?—might end at Wembley.
“I have heard from my fantastic assistant [Ryan Giggs] that United have not won the FA Cup for 10 years,” Van Gaal said. “Maybe we can win it this year, but that is a very long way away.”
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2319477-manchester-united-and-yeovil-divided-by-money-bonded-by-short-term-ambitions
Lukins was remarkably gracious about the snub, if that is what you might call it, but it was an indication of how drawing the most successful club in English football can create a number of logistical headaches for a club more used to operating in the more distant reaches of English football.
Yeovil boss Gary Johnson, the man hoping to take down United's reputation a peg or two, joked in the aftermath of his side's eventual 2-0 defeat that just three journalists had turned up for his previous post-match press conference, following the League One defeat to Leyton Orient. On this occasion there were over 100 credentialed media.That is not to say the whole experience was completely unprecedented for the Somerset club. Yeovil have been here before—11 years ago they hosted Liverpool at the same stage of the same competition—but United is a different proposition. It’s perhaps an indictment of modern football, or at least the dominating nature of the Premier League, that a sizeable section of Yeovil fans also class themselves as United fans, creating a bumper market for the now ubiquitous half-and-half scarves that were being sold outside the ground.
The two clubs have faced themselves in the FA Cup before: Back in 1949, United hosted the Glovers at Maine Road (Old Trafford was still be repaired after suffering damage in the war) in a fifth-round tie, an 8-0 win with an attendance of 81,565 that remains the second-highest ever for an FA Cup game outside Wembley.
“Typical Yeovil,” one fan noted. “Never quite good enough.”In general, however, the clubs operate in different footballing circles, with the clubs' differing trajectories since that Maine Road game allowing Yeovil citizens to follow both sides without ever suffering any real conflicts of interest. Yeovil pottered around in non-league for much of the 20th century, selling their old Huish ground to Tesco in 1989. A new ground, further outside the city, was financed by the supermarket, and the new Huish Park has helped see the Glovers defy their limitations as they rose into the Football League around the millennium, culminating in last season’s memorable (if ultimately bittersweet) Championship campaign.
A repeat of that 80,000 attendance was never going to be on the cards, but the club did what they could: A temporary stand was erected in the days before the match, allowing the club to sell another 100 tickets or so with restricted views. Those were snapped up in minutes, with the final attendance numbering 9,264.They came to watch a once-in-a-lifetime match, although few anticipated a shock to tell the grandchildren about. In one way, this tie came at the perfect time for the Glovers but, in another, it perhaps came a season or two too late.
The League One side made a loss of £464,000 last season, but the arrival of United for one afternoon is expected to inject over half-a-million pounds into the coffers, once television payments, ticket receipts and other revenues are taken into account. With relegation from the Championship in the summer bringing with it a significant loss in revenue, the tie will plug a financial gap at an important moment for the club.
But the excitement of such ties is found in the possibility of an upset, in the prospect of another giant-killing to join the competition’s brilliant history of them. On the surface of it, Yeovil manager Gary Johnson, a veteran of the Football Leagues, shares little in common with Louis van Gaal but he, like Van Gaal, is currently steering his side through a transitional phase, after his previous team was dismantled following relegation from the Championship last season.
Goalscoring midfielder Ed Upson departed for Millwall, as did uncompromising defender Byron Webster. Tidy full-back Luke Ayling made a lucrative move up the road to Bristol City, while goalkeeper Marek Stech returned home to his native Czech Republic to press his national-team ambitions.The tie may just be a turning point for Yeovil, a point where the pain of relegation—and the abrupt halting of what had been an impressive ascent through the football pyramid—was finally absorbed, accepted and moved beyond. Perhaps it will spark improved league form, something that could prove every bit as valuable as the money brought in by the tie.
United, too, remained focused on the league—with Van Gaal still insistent that the Premier League title is not beyond their reach. Over the festive period they have closed the gap to the top of the table by a point, evidence enough for the Dutchman that the dream is still alive in his first season in England.
“I repeat myself,” Van Gaal said, “but nine points is not so many—and eight points is less.”But the lack of any European football, and that early League Cup exit, means the FA Cup is the only other shot at a trophy for United this term, a club that lives by such milestones. United will be hoping their visit to Huish Park is just the start of a long run in the competition, one that—who knows?—might end at Wembley.
“I have heard from my fantastic assistant [Ryan Giggs] that United have not won the FA Cup for 10 years,” Van Gaal said. “Maybe we can win it this year, but that is a very long way away.”
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2319477-manchester-united-and-yeovil-divided-by-money-bonded-by-short-term-ambitions
Cavs GM Says David Blatt Will 'Remain Our Coach,' but That May Not Stop Noise
CLEVELAND — Everything changed for David Griffin, David Blatt and the Cleveland Cavaliers with an essay. That's when they ceased being a peripheral NBA curiosity—young general manager, first-time NBA head coach, underachieving collection of highly picked prospects—and became the most scrutinized team in the sport, all because LeBron James had returned.
Then the Cavaliers did the worst thing possible, as far as avoiding the brunt of the media storm: they started slow. They did so while often looking lost on defense, and getting caught looking at assistants for assistance, rather than consulting Blatt. Add James' lukewarm support of Blatt in his press briefings, and the presence of viable head coaching candidates on the Cavaliers' staff, including job search runner-up Tyronn Lue, and the result was rampant speculation about Blatt's future.
Nor did anyone in the Cavaliers organization seem be doing anything to counter that chatter. No statement from Gilbert, whose credibility is challenged after firing two coaches (one of them twice) over the past four years. No leaks that anyone, behind the scenes, had assured Blatt of his status, backing him in the way that Pat Riley had backed Erik Spoelstra when the Heat struggled at the start of the 2010-11 season, which empowered Spoelstra to put more on his stamp on the star-studded team.
That Heat team then ripped off a 21-1 run, propelling it to a No. 2 seed, and ultimately the NBA Finals.
It's hard to imagine that what David Griffin did publicly, prior to Sunday's 109-90 home loss to the Dallas Mavericks, will have quite the same effect, because some of the circumstances are different.
The timing of his impromptu press conference was odd, even though he'd received plenty of requests for interviews, simply because, with James out until mid-January with knee and back strains, Blatt was actually likely to get a brief respite from the media glare. It was also risky, since there's always a chance that the impulsive Gilbert ultimately makes a different call. If so, Griffin's words could come back to haunt, unfairly viewed as disingenuous, or perhaps correctly perceived as meaningless because he was powerless.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2318910-cavs-gm-on-david-blatt-hes-our-coach-hes-going-to-remain-our-coach
Then the Cavaliers did the worst thing possible, as far as avoiding the brunt of the media storm: they started slow. They did so while often looking lost on defense, and getting caught looking at assistants for assistance, rather than consulting Blatt. Add James' lukewarm support of Blatt in his press briefings, and the presence of viable head coaching candidates on the Cavaliers' staff, including job search runner-up Tyronn Lue, and the result was rampant speculation about Blatt's future.
Nor did anyone in the Cavaliers organization seem be doing anything to counter that chatter. No statement from Gilbert, whose credibility is challenged after firing two coaches (one of them twice) over the past four years. No leaks that anyone, behind the scenes, had assured Blatt of his status, backing him in the way that Pat Riley had backed Erik Spoelstra when the Heat struggled at the start of the 2010-11 season, which empowered Spoelstra to put more on his stamp on the star-studded team.
That Heat team then ripped off a 21-1 run, propelling it to a No. 2 seed, and ultimately the NBA Finals.
It's hard to imagine that what David Griffin did publicly, prior to Sunday's 109-90 home loss to the Dallas Mavericks, will have quite the same effect, because some of the circumstances are different.
The timing of his impromptu press conference was odd, even though he'd received plenty of requests for interviews, simply because, with James out until mid-January with knee and back strains, Blatt was actually likely to get a brief respite from the media glare. It was also risky, since there's always a chance that the impulsive Gilbert ultimately makes a different call. If so, Griffin's words could come back to haunt, unfairly viewed as disingenuous, or perhaps correctly perceived as meaningless because he was powerless.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2318910-cavs-gm-on-david-blatt-hes-our-coach-hes-going-to-remain-our-coach
Kyrie Irving Injury: Updates on Cavaliers Star's Back and Return
The Cleveland Cavaliers' fortunes worsened Sunday when All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving left the floor against the Dallas Mavericks with a back injury.
Following the game, the Cavaliers announced Irving would not play Monday against the 76ers in Philadelphia in order to receive treatment on his back in Cleveland, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. Bleacher Report's Ethan J. Skolnick also provided postgame statements from head coach David Blatt and Irving discussing the injury:
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2319017-kyrie-irving-injury-updates-on-cavaliers-stars-back-and-return
Following the game, the Cavaliers announced Irving would not play Monday against the 76ers in Philadelphia in order to receive treatment on his back in Cleveland, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. Bleacher Report's Ethan J. Skolnick also provided postgame statements from head coach David Blatt and Irving discussing the injury:
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2319017-kyrie-irving-injury-updates-on-cavaliers-stars-back-and-return
How Long Can the San Antonio Spurs Survive Without Kawhi Leonard?
If there was any doubt about Gregg Popovich’s surefooted assertion to Michael Lee of The Washington Post that Kawhi Leonard was destined to be the next great crux of the San Antonio Spurs, the 2014 NBA Finals bid to hell those hems and haws for good.
Though his silence and stats might say otherwise, Leonard was a star—bar none and no strings attached.Now, with San Antonio sputtering and Leonard still sidelined after suffering a right hand injury on December 15, Popovich is fast figuring out that fortune’s flip side.
In this wild Western Conference, not even the survival of a Finals champion is guaranteed. So exactly how long before the Leonard-less Spurs should officially start to panic?
Judging by the on-off court splits, the concern is more than well warranted:
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2319212-how-long-can-the-san-antonio-spurs-survive-without-kawhi-leonard
Though his silence and stats might say otherwise, Leonard was a star—bar none and no strings attached.Now, with San Antonio sputtering and Leonard still sidelined after suffering a right hand injury on December 15, Popovich is fast figuring out that fortune’s flip side.
In this wild Western Conference, not even the survival of a Finals champion is guaranteed. So exactly how long before the Leonard-less Spurs should officially start to panic?
Judging by the on-off court splits, the concern is more than well warranted:
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2319212-how-long-can-the-san-antonio-spurs-survive-without-kawhi-leonard
The Most Underappreciated NBA Player at Every Position
Theoretically speaking, no quality NBA player should ever go without a considerable modicum of appreciation in today's hyper-connected world. There are too many 24-hour sports networks, too many dedicated websites (like, say, Bleacher Report), too many folks plugged into League Pass and too many more flittering and Twittering away on social media for any standout performance to go unnoticed.
In practice, though, things don't always work out that way. There are still only so many time slots for nationally televised games on TNT and ESPN, only so many postseason honors to be doled out and only so many playoff berths to be filled.
Even then, snagging such prime placement is no guarantee that the player in question is going to see his profile explode beyond the bounds of his home fanbase.
So while the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry and James Harden are all but guaranteed to get some serious publicity just for setting foot on the hardwood, these next six studs—one for each of the five positions, plus a superb bench performer—could all use a little more love at the start of the new year, because either they're overshadowed on their own squads or the teams they play for don't get much shine to begin with.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2317588-the-most-under-appreciated-nba-player-at-every-position
In practice, though, things don't always work out that way. There are still only so many time slots for nationally televised games on TNT and ESPN, only so many postseason honors to be doled out and only so many playoff berths to be filled.
Even then, snagging such prime placement is no guarantee that the player in question is going to see his profile explode beyond the bounds of his home fanbase.
So while the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry and James Harden are all but guaranteed to get some serious publicity just for setting foot on the hardwood, these next six studs—one for each of the five positions, plus a superb bench performer—could all use a little more love at the start of the new year, because either they're overshadowed on their own squads or the teams they play for don't get much shine to begin with.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2317588-the-most-under-appreciated-nba-player-at-every-position
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