Premier League
Ahead Of 2017/18: Pep Guardiola -Tactically Astute or One Club Wonder?
BY SAM FRANSISCO’
The former Barcelona manger has not reached the same heights he attained at the Camp Nou despite spending astronomical amounts on transfers
Pep Guardiola was regarded as one of the best players of his generation with his combination of creativity and technically prowess and made the switch to football management first with Barcelona B, eventually succeeding Frank Rijkaard as first team manager in 2008.
The Spaniard’s time at the helm of the Catalan giants was bedridden with ground breaking achievements, winning the treble in his first season and becoming the youngest manager to win the champions league. Between 1st July 2008 and 30th June 2012, Pep’s team won a total of 14 major trophies with a win rate of 72.47% and he was quickly heralded as one the best minds in football management.
After choosing to go on a one-year sabbatical, he joined German giants Bayern Munich in 2013 replacing Jupp Heynckes who just won the treble the previous season with the same squad.
But apparently he could not wield the same magic wand that brought him so much acclaim in Spain at the Allainz Arena losing 5-1 on aggregate to Real Madrid and receiving strong criticism from German media.
In the 2014 season, things didn’t improve as he lost four games in a row for the first time in his career and still couldn’t get into the final of Europe’s elite club competition, and on the 20th of December 2016, he announced he would be leaving the Bavarians at the end of that season.
He won only seven trophies in his three-year reign in Germany, with some very bad losses; a far-cry from his time at Barcelona.
Pep joined English outfit Manchester City for the 2016/2017 season and finished outside the top-two in the league for the first time in his managerial career after a blistering start to life in England and everyone tipping them for the title, but that form didn’t hold as he lost six games in a row for the first time as a manager and lost to Monaco in the Champions League.
But his inability to replicate his successes at Barcelona has sparked controversy with many terming the Catalonian ‘Fraudiola’. And even though his record puts him at the very top of the managerial ladder, it is totally unacceptable to have spent 1.037 billion pounds on transfers and not deliver trophies.
With his recent splurge on defenders, all eyes will be on City and Guardiola this season to deliver, City to prove they can finally compete that they are amongst Europe’s elite and Pep needs to shut up his critics who have been growing ever since his last triumph at the Camp Nou.
The coming season might define Pep Guardiola as a manager and I’m sure he feels the weight of the pressure to deliver both from within and without as reputation can only carry you so much without results.
Premier League
Chelsea’s Pochettino cries foul over VAR decision in 2-2 draw with Villa
A VAR decision chalking off what looked to be a late winner for Chelsea at Aston Villa on Saturday has damaged the Premier League, the London club’s manager Mauricio Pochettino said.
His side thought they have completed a remarkable comeback when substitute Axel Disasi netted in second-half stoppage time, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review penalised a push by Benoit Badiashile in the build-up.
“Me and you and everyone in the stadium watching the game, they didn’t see a foul on the pitch and then VAR changed the decision of the referee. For me that was a normal challenge. The decision was there and that’s it,” Pochettino told broadcaster TNT following the 2-2 draw.
“For me, it damaged a little bit the Premier League and English (football). If we want to be the best league in the world it should be protecting the spectacle and the decision … (it) damaged myself, damaged my team, my players, the fans,” he added.
Chelsea were 2-0 down at the break but goals from Noni Madueke and Conor Gallagher put them level before the late goal was overturned.
“The performance was very good and we played really well. It is true in the first half we conceded easy … to play Villa, who are fighting for the top four, I am pleased with the team and the players were good,” Pochettino said.
Villa boss Unai Emery said his side, who are currently in fourth spot and seven points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur, still had their sights set on qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Spurs, however, have three games in hand.
“We have to try to keep being consistent with the players we have and I believe in the players … in Premier League we are fighting with Tottenham for fourth position,” he said.
-Reuters
Premier League
Salah in touchline row with Klopp as Liverpool drop points
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah appeared to have a heated exchange with manager Juergen Klopp shortly before the Egypt international was brought on as a second-half substitute in a 2-2 Premier League draw at West Ham United on Saturday.
Salah, who has not been at his best since returning from injury last month, was brought on in the 79th minute, just after the Hammers’ second goal levelled the game.
He appeared angry with Klopp on the touchline before he was introduced and continued to remonstrate with his manager as fellow substitute Darwin Nunez pushed him away from the German.
Klopp tried to play down the incident, telling reporters: “We spoke about that in the dressing room and it’s done for me, that’s all.”
But Salah seemed to have a different perspective and refused interviews with reporters in the mixed zone, saying: “There’s going to be fire today if I speak.”
Saturday’s draw further dented Liverpool’s already slim chances of winning the Premier League in Klopp’s final season with the club and leaves them reliant on rivals Arsenal and Manchester City dropping points in the run-in.
-Reuters
Premier League
Iheanacho, Ndidi back in Premier League as Leicester City get promotion
Leicester City earned promotion back to the Premier League on Friday after nearest rivals Leeds United were beaten 4-0 by Queens Park Rangers, ensuring the Championship leaders will finish in the top two in the standings.
This means that the Super Eagles duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi, both players of Leicester City again taste action in the English Premier League next season.
The result of Leed City and QPR left second-placed Leeds’s chances of automatic promotion from the second-tier Championship hanging by a thread. They trail Leicester by four points with one game left to play and are only a point ahead of Ipswich Town, who have two games in hand.
It was a dream first half for QPR as the London side scored two goals without reply.
First Ilias Chair scored with a deflected effort from outside the area, while a curled finish from Lucas Andersen midway through the first half made it 2-0.
Leeds tried to up the pressure in the second half but with little effect, with French forward Georginio Rutter pulling a shot wide from the middle of the penalty area.
Scottish forward Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field both scored headers from set pieces in the second half to complete the 4-0 win.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke turned to his bench to try and influence the game and it was one of those substitutes, striker Mateo Joseph, who came closest, seeing his close-range attempt turned wide by Rangers keeper Asmir Begovic
-Reuters
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