The ISL: A new dawn for Indian Football?

For the longest time, the Indian national team was something of a joke, here in India. Indian football and the local I-League were often greeted with mocking rather than being seriously watched, while the national team languished between 120-160 in the FIFA rankings. Cricket was always given more preference by both children and the government in terms of financial support, marketing and grassroots development. As a result, the Indian football team is currently ranked 158^th in the world, while its cricketing counterpart sits 2^nd in the world ODI rankings. Millions of football fans in the country watch the Premier League and La Liga at odd hours, yet the I-League is played in front of sparse crowds every week.

That is where the ISL comes in. Perhaps for the first time ever, Indian football fans are genuinely excited about football in the country. Following the MLS’ model, the league has attracted a host of legendary ‘marquee’ players for each franchise, including the likes of Alessandro Del Piero, David Trezeguet, Robert Pires, Nicolas Anelka and… David James. While, they may be well past their prime, their sheer recall value and the novelty of watching Del Piero play in places like Guwahati and brush shoulders with the likes of national heroes like Subrata Pal has attracted fans to watch what is touted as the birth of Indian football.

And it could very well be the case. The quality of football already seems to be improving across the league, and is of a markedly higher level than that of the I-League. Promising young players in the franchises suddenly have the opportunity to learn from a Pires or a Ljunjberg, an opportunity that seemed impossible a couple of years back.Moreover, the addition of grassroots level development programs undertaken by each pf the franchises looks like a massive step in the correct direction.

Sepp Blatter once remarked that India was ‘the sleeping giant’ of world football. The task at hand, to wake the giant, is a Herculean one, but one that seems increasingly achievable. A nation of a billion people, if pushed in the right direction could easily turn into a footballing powerhouse.

It took the MLS almost 2 decades to produce a national team capable of making the country proud, and this was also owing to the fact that the USA had the chance to host the 2002 World Cup. India’s journey to the top promises be a much longer one, but with the U-17 World Cup to be held in India in 2017 and the strength oherald f a billion, the ISL could the birth of a new footballing power in the East

Arsenal vs Manchester City Match Report: Gunners and City enthrall till the end

There was a moment in the fag end of the match that perhaps perfectly summed up the match. David Silva beautifully slid in a low pass to Edin Dzeko, whose left footed effort was parried excellently by Szczesny. It fell to Samir Nasri, who comfortably turned it into the empty goal, only to realise that he had been ruled offside, much to the delight of the Arsenal fans.

Danny Welbeck too, grafting hard on his debut will reflect on what might have been after his chipped effort sailed comfortably off the onrushing Joe Hart, only to rebound off the post into the goalkeeper's arms. Arsenal had been dominant, with central midfielders Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey combining very well around the box, and Alexis Sanchez a constant threat in wide areas. The change in formation from a 4-3-2-1 to a 4-1-4-1 seemed to be working well, the midfielders ensuring that Matheiu Flamini wouldn't have much to do in his defensive midfield role, at least for the opening half hour.

And it was on the hour mark that City burst into life. Jesus Navas raced down the right flank, exploiting the acres of space left by Nacho Monreal, and squared it to the ever present Sergio Aguero, who was never going to make a mistake from 5 yards out. It was a perfect example of the difference in the two clubs' philosophies. Arsenal, so much in control, playing attractive football perhaps tried too hard to hit the perfect goal, and lacked decisiveness in front of goal; City were ruthlessly clinical in the few chances they had.

There were to be more chances though, as the Citizens went on the offensive, with Navas and Aguero actively attempting to push forward and exploit the Gunners' somewhat sluggish backline. Fernandinho was as effective in midfield as Frank Lampard wasn't, the Brazilian constantly looking to disrupt Arsenal's rhythm, flirting with danger along the way. Lampard in contrast was hardly involved in the first half and perhaps deservedly subbed off at the end of the half. 

Mesut Ozil too saw the game pass him by for much of the 90 minutes, fading away just as many feared. The image was that of a man devoid of confidence, and with the return of Theo Walcott on the cards, more games like these could, incredibly, see the German's place in the starting eleven in threat.

A man whose performance has given his confidence a much needed boost, however, is Jack Wilshere. After doing a decent job for England in a holding role last week, the Englishman was given free reign in a central midfield spot alongside the typically excellent Aaron Ramsey, and showed once again why he still is regarded ever so highly, delightfully chipping Joe Hart after a beautiful interchange of passes between him, Ramsey and Sanchez, and then setting up Arsenal's second goal with an excellent header to Sanchez, who sized it up and sidefooted a wonderfully struck volley past Joe Hart to give The Gunners the lead in a deafening atmosphere.

And they looked back in control, with the match seeing some scintillating end-to-end action before Martin Demichelis, a man whose reputation perhaps still hasn't quite recovered from that disastrous Champions League match against Barcelona, headed a corner from the powerful Aleksandar Kolarov into the net to make it 2-2.

And it would stay that way, despite some late action including Edin Dzeko's scrappy chip onto the post and Kolarov's powerful drive which ricocheted off the outside of the post as well.

Injuries, though, will be a major worry for Arsene Wenger. Matheiu Debuchy from the looks of it faces a considerable time on the sidelines after an awkward landing in which he seemingly damaged his ankle. Equally worryingly, Danny Welbeck too could be injured, the forward spending two minutes on the ground, before being substituted, although he did get up and attempt a long range strike before coming off.

The future seems bright for Arsenal, and with Sanchez finally finding his feet, will look to the upcoming title race with renewed optimism. One wonders if the same can be said for City. 

Manchester United are definitely in transition, but it’s always darkest before dawn.

It seems like last season all over again, doesn't it? All the optimism surrounding Manchester United’s resurrection has disappeared within a month. It was never going to be an easy task to turn around their fortunes for van Gaal, and perhaps it was his involvement in the World Cup, which led to the creation of this aura about him, that has proved to be a hindrance in their path back to glory.

While LvG was busy guiding the Netherlands to an extremely impressive third placed position in Brazil, his Premier League counterparts were already hard at work. Brendan Rodgers had already secured the signings of Emre Can, Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana; his former protégé Jose Mourinho had signed Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas Felipe Luis and Manuel Pellegrini had already brought Fernando and Bacary Sagna to the blue half of Manchester.

This meant that van Gaal metaphorically started the race when his rivals had already completed the first lap. And with a team so short on confidence and quality, it was always going to take time. Yet perhaps not even van Gaal had foreseen quite how far the 20 time champions had fallen.

A midfield that once comprised of Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs now consisted of Ashley Young, Tom Cleverley, Darren Fletcher and Antonio Valencia. This was code red.

And he has acted upon it- Marcos Rojo’s arrival will lift the burden from Tyler Blackett’s inexperienced shoulders and Luke Shaw’s return to fitness will certainly elicit cheers from the Old Trafford faithful tired of seeing Ashley Young lose possession and tackle poorly in the left wing back spot. Daley Blind too will be an excellent upgrade wherever he plays. It’s that bad at the moment.

Yet the crowning jewel of this summer’s activity is one which will provide most comfort to the fans. Angel Di Maria’s tireless running, speed and creativity breathed new life, albeit sporadically, into a midfield that looks like it can be overrun even by my school team, and I’m Indian.

There were signs, small signs but signs nonetheless of a faint revival of fortunes last afternoon. For one thing, the centre backs seemed more positionally aware and looked like they were finally coming to terms with the new formation. So were the wing backs, not that they were awfully effective.

The press hailed van Gaal’s luck when the fixture list was announced; it seems like the only thing that has gone his way so far. Injuries to ten players, 3 central midfielders among them, have left the team worse off than it should’ve been. The formation is naturally suited to the new boys. Luke Shaw and Daley Blind will especially thrive under it. As will Angel Di Maria, who was wonderful in a similar position last season.

The only ones who worry me are the men who seemed most assured, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie. Rooney, so used to probing deep, looking for the ball in his no.10 role doesn’t quite seem at home as a no.9 yet. Van Persie has been peripheral in his last few games, including those towards the end of the World Cup and seems to be going through a dip in form at the worst possible time.

There is also an enormous amount of dead wood that needs to be done away with. Tom Cleverley needs to be immediately sold to Aston Villa before they change their mind, ditto for Ashley Young who’d need a miracle to get into the first team following the arrival of Blind. Anderson, in all probability, has also played his last cursed game for the club. I’d be sad to see Welbeck and Kagawa go, but it also seems on the cards.

There seem to be two negatives for every positive to United’s season so far, but this, historically, is the way Van Gaal works. Here’s a man who has guided clubs like Bayern Munich and Barcelona through similar situations. Once the system clicks in, results will follow.

Injuries and teething problems are what have caused this dramatic dip in form, but all is not lost. It is always darkest before dawn

Match Report- Manchester United 1-2 Swansea City

Right before kickoff at Old Trafford, a palpable sense of excitement and expectation from Louis van Gaal and his men hung in the air, but the tumult gave way to a familiar sense of déjà vu as Ki Sueng Yeung slammed in an excellent strike to the bottom corner of a helpless David De Gea’s goal almost half an hour into the contest.

The atmosphere soon went from expectant to fearful as Swansea started to express themselves more freely, with Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer looking to exploit United’s weakness in the wide areas by getting into the space left behind by Ashley Young and impressive debutant Jesse Lingard.

It was the latter who brought most to the Red Devils’ attack, troubling Neil Taylor down the left hand side with his pace and movement. A painful challenge by Ashley Williams, however, left Lingard limping off the pitch with an ankle knock after just 23 minutes; replaced by Adnan Januzaj, who wore Ryan Giggs' iconic number 11 jersey for the first time.

United comfortably dominated possession, but problems came, surprisingly, from an area where they were considered the strongest- Rooney, Hernandez and Mata were kept quiet by a diligent Swansea back four led by Ashley Williams, who defended uncompromisingly to ensure that the Swans went into half time the happier side.

Watching on from his seat next to Ryan Giggs, Louis van Gaal abandoned the 3-4-1-2 for a classic 4-2-3-1 in the second half, bringing Nani on for Hernandez and playing Ashley Young and Phil Jones as left and right fullbacks respectively.

The gamble seemed to be paying off, as Adnan Januzaj won a corner from yet another foray down the left hand side. Mata's delivery was headed on by Jones to Rooney, who improvised and struck a wonderful overhead kick into the bottom corner right in front of a rapturous Stretford End.

A half time comeback seemed to be on the cards, with Rooney and Mata more involved in the attack. Januzaj was particularly impressive, stretching the visitors' defence with his pace and trickery.

Yet just as United looked as if they would indeed end the afternoon with three points, new signing Jefferson Montero's cross was mis hit by Wayne Routledge. It fell to Gylfi Sigurdsson, who made no mistake, giving Swansea the lead once more. 

And it was to stay that way, with Swansea thwarting late pressure from the Red Devils, who began to send it long and into the box to Marouane Fellaini, Ander Herrera's replacement. Neither impacted the game very much. 

Bafetimbi Gomis, the new signing from Lyon also gave fans an exciting glimpse as to what may lie ahead with an impressive display as the lone striker. He may have scored, if not for an excellent last ditch tackle by Phil Jones, who was excellent at the right side of defence. Tyler Blackett too continued his impressive rise under van Gaal, with a calm and unaffected performance on his league debut.

For all their dominance on the ball, United's latest disappointing loss is perhaps a blessing in disguise. The squad desperately needs a top quality centre back and experienced cover for Luke Shaw, as well as a top quality winger as Nani's performance showed. Its still to early to say, but Manchester United must act soon to avoid another debacle. As for Swansea, the future looks pretty bright.

Manchester United Season Preview: A New Beginning?

Originally Posted on The Sport Space.

Last Season

The Red Devils’ first season post the Ferguson era was an unmitigated disaster. Failure to capture any of their primary targets forced David Moyes to panic and turn to his old side, Everton, and panic buy Marouane Fellaini for 2.5 million more than what he could have had he acted sooner. This set the tone for the entire season. The football was predictable and ineffective, with Moyes stubbornly insisting on a 4-2-3-1 all season long and forcing gifted players like Shinji Kagawa, and later Juan Mata, to fit both Rooney and van Persie into the team. As a result United failed to beat all teams placed above them in the league bar Arsenal, losing 4-1 and 0-3 to archrivals and eventual champions Man City; 3-1 to Chelsea and 3-0 to Liverpool. A 2-0 loss to Everton saw the departure of David Moyes. His replacement, current assistant coach Ryan Giggs offered a glimmer of hope for the future, with United playing some of their best football in his first game in charge against Norwich; but once again they rediscovered old habits, losing to Sunderland and drawing against Southampton. A 7th place finish ensured that after such a long time at the top, United will not be participating in this year’s Champion’s League as well. A loss to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena saw them crash out at quarter final stage.

Off Season report

Manchester United destroyed LA Galaxy 7-0 in Loius van Gaal’s first game in charge, with new signing Ander Herrera hitting the ground running with a spellbinding display at the heart of United’s midfield. While a win against a side like Galaxy can hardly be judged as a sign of things to come, wins against Roma and a dominant display against Inter Milan will have United’s massive fanbase smiling once again. However, they badly need at least another centre back, a midfielder and possibly another winger to challenge for the title. This might drastically change however, if a certain Chilean decides to swap Turin for Manchester – and we aren’t talking about Mauricio Isla.

Arturo Vidal has been surrounded by speculation over a potential transfer to United this summer

Season Objectives

A fierce battle for European qualification seems to be on the cards- with Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs very much in the mix. Absence from the Champions League can, however work in their favour as it did in Liverpool’s case last season. But with the league somewhat out of grasp as of now, van Gaal could do worse than to aim for one of the domestic cups.

The Manager

Enormously confident, experienced and a strict disciplinarian, Louis van Gaal is the complete antithesis of David Moyes. An enormously successful World Cup campaign with the Netherlands may have put some pressure on him to deliver, but it’s no less than what the club and its fans expect. But it is what the Dutchman is accustomed to, and his CV reflects it. A fascinating season awaits us.

Strengths

Switching the age old four man defence to 3-5-2 has not only papered over the obvious weakness in the wings but has also brought the best out of Rooney, Mata and van Persie. Instead of trying to fit them into the system, van Gaal has tailored it to suit them best. The form of these three will be key to the Red Devils’ fortunes.

Weaknesses

After forming one of the most solid defences in Europe; Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra have all gone their separate ways, leaving a massive leadership vacuum and lack of depth in a already shaky defence. A top class centre back should be on the top of LvG’s shopping list. Mats Hummels would be brilliant, but another centre back to add depth won’t hurt either.

Key Player

Wayne Rooney, their talisman for a decade, shouldered the goalscoring burden last season in Robin van Persie’s injury-forced absence. If the two of them get going like they did briefly last season, a top four finish will almost be a certainty.

It’s a big season for

Shinji Kagawa. An undoubtedly gifted number 10, now is his chance to challenge Juan Mata for the spot, with Rooney out of the way. Played out of position he could hardly influence the game like he did centrally for Dortmund, and van Gaal recognizes that. But will he stay at the club in the first place?

Emerging Star

Adnan Januzaj. A breathtakingly elegant player with great vision, speed and dribbling ability, he was earmarked by the Old Trafford faithful to don the no.7 jersey this season. It will be an important year for his progress, and it is intriguing to see how he will fit in in the new 3-5-2 system.

Prediction

Top 4. Van Gaal showed how he can work with a slighltly inexperienced side and play to its strengths. Good signings are also I the offing, and with the right players coming in it would be hard to rule them out of the title mix as well.

Liverpool Season Preview: A Season of Transition

Originally posted on The Sport Space.

Last Season:

The Merseysiders returned to the Champions League in style, finishing second in one of the most topsy turvy title races in recent memory. Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling formed the most destructive front threes in the league, while Jordan Henderson finally proved his worth to the side alongside a reinvented Stevie G. Philippe Coutinho added further creativity to the side that ended the season with a smashing 101 goals. Luis Suarez had a season to remember, scoring and creating goals at will. Problems at the back, however, cost them the league as they surprisingly surrendered a 3 goal lead against Crystal Palace to hand Man City the title.

Off-Season Report:

Luis Suarez’s transfer to Barcelona could well prove to be what
decides their season. To say that his goals were crucial to their
campaign would be a gross understatement, and the failed pursuit of
Loic Remy indicates that Brendan Rodgers doesn’t fully trust Rickie
Lambert and the impressive, yet raw talent of Lazar Markovic to fill
the void left by El Pistolero. And while a front three of Sturridge,
Lallana and Sterling doesn’t look too bad either, there really isn’t
anyone like Suarez.

Emre Can is an excellent signing, and will benefit greatly under the
guidance of Steven Gerrard, who might be playing his last season at
the top.

Concerns, however, remain at the back. Martin Skrtel and Kolo Toure
are nowhere near reliable at the back, with both netting at the wrong
end last season, while Daniel Agger is most likely to leave this
summer. Hence Dejan Lovren will be a crucial part of the side going
into the season, while Mamadou Sakho looks like a much more assured player during his time at PSG. Jose Enrique did well last season, but it’s difficult to judge how well he can recuperate from his injury; Alberto Moreno will be a solid signing.

It’ll be interesting to see how the squad copes with the rigours of European football.

The Manager:

Brendan Rodgers showed tactical astuteness and was the architect of
Liverpool’s resurgence last season and was hailed by many as the
manager of the season. The mass influx of players and sale of a star
could go either way for him, and effectively bedding them in will be a
challenge for the Welshman.

Strengths:

The raw pace and power of the Reds’ attack left many a defence
befuddled, most notably Arsenal, last season. Raheem Sterling and
Daniel Sturridge are wonderfully talented players, and with Coutinho, Lallana, Origi, Lambert and Markovic their strike force is close to the best in the Champions League.

Weaknesses:

An unreliable defence cost them the league last season, and despite
the arrival of Dejan Lovren, their still is an air of weakness about
it. A hole at left- back needs to be plugged.

Key Player:

Raheem Sterling. An absolute delight to watch, the youngster will play a crucial part in the Reds’ campaign in the absence of Luis Suarez and this could very well be the season where he consolidates his spot
among the best young players in the world.

It’s a big season for:

Daniel Sturridge. Prior to his move to Liverpool, he was often seen as
an enigma. Undoubtedly talented, yet somehow not good enough to play for the big boys. All this changed last season where he netted 21
times and became a Kop favourite. Now, for the first time in his
career, the burden of delivering goals is on him. How he handles it
will decide both his, and his club’s future.

Emerging Star:

Lazar Markovic was extremely impressive in the Reds’ pre season clash against Olympiakos. An important player in last season’s Europa League finalists, Benfica, the youngster now has the chance to impress at the big stage and will be a useful player coming off the bench. The prospect of him and Sterling in the wings in a few years’ time is a mouthwatering one for the Kop.

Prediction:

It’s going to be a season of transition at Anfield, and at the moment
Liverpool start as fifth-favourites for the league. With the new
signings adapting, it probably won’t be a surprise to see the Reds in
the Europa League next season. It’s going to be tight, though.

Chelsea season preview: Failure is not an option

Last Season

Favourites for the title, Chelsea had an odd season. Despite overcoming their fellow contenders including a masterclass against Manchester City and a ruthless 6-0 drubbing of Chelsea, they struggled against lesser sides and that is what cost them the title. Accused of playing boring football at times, as you would expect from Jose Mourinho, their atacking midfield played some great football, with Eden Hazard in unstoppable form. Captain John Terry enjoyed a resurgent season, leading from the back and formed an excellent partnership with Gary Cahill in the league's tightest defence. A rather easy draw saw them make it to the semi finals of the Champions League, where they were deservingly beaten  by a spectacular Atletico Madrid.

Ins and Outs

Jose Mourinho's men look like undeniable title favourites after ransacking Atletico Madrid; bringing in some much needed quality up front in the form of Brazilian- Spanish striker Diego Costa. A hole in the left back position has been filled with the signing of the excellent Felipe Luis from Atletico as well.

Cesc Fabregas' surprising signing makes their midfield one of the best in the world, with the former Arsenal skipper expected to partner the solid Nemanja Matic in midfield. 

Didier Drogba's signing also seems to be more about retaining some experience in the squad rather than an upgrade in forward positions, but Romelu Lukaku's place in the 11 looks less likely, with the striker expected to go out on loan once again and make Jose repent.

Thibaut Courtois' arrival has made an interesting subplot  pre season. Does Jose bench Petr Cech or worse, Iker Casillas him? Or will the clearly superior Courtois be left on the bench in favour of the more experienced Cech? Rotation seems to be an option, but one gets the feeling that one must leave for the other to thrive.

But undoubtedly the most brilliant piece of business from Chelsea's point of view was offloading the graceful, but utterly unreliable David Luiz to Paris Saint- Germain for 50 million pounds. While I fail to understand why PSG would bid so much for a man who spent much of last season either on the bench or out of position, clever little Jose Mourinho can now spend even more without having to worry about Financial Fair Play regulations. What a laugh must he have had had Luiz gone to Barcelona.

Strengths

Oof, where do I begin? Diego Costa is a massive upgrade over Fernando Torres, while Felipe Luis' arrival means that Cesar Azpilicueta can be shifted to his favoured right-back slot for the coming season. But where does that leave Branislav Ivanovic? Regardless, it can only be a good thing for the Blues, whose defence looks unstoppable with the arrival of Thibaut Courtois in goal.

Weaknesses

Complacency in thoroughly winnable matches cost Mourinho's men last season and with a new, albeit fantastic couple of players, it might take them a while to hit their stride. Mourinho's main problem will be turning those lost chances in to wins.

Key Players

A lot rides on Diego Costa, Didier Drogba and Romelu Lukaku to keep the pressure of scoring goals off Eden Hazard, who will score regardless. A lot rides on how Mourinho integrates Costa into his side, while Eden Hazard has the potential for a 20- goal season as well.

It's a big season for

Romelu Lukaku and Petr Cech. Do they seek moves elsewhere, or fight for a spot in the side? Both have quality and will be sorely missed if things go awry, especially in the case of Romelu Lukaku, who would've undoubtedly led the line for Chelsea last season. Petr Cech, though, will need to hope that Courtois suffers an uncharacteristic dip in form for him to be in reckoning for the number one spot.

Watch out for

Nemanja Matic. His arrival in January last season gave the side some much needed stability in the middle of the park, and his steel is the perfect foil for the more attack minded and creative Cesc Fabregas.

Prediction

They're squad screams world class through every position, and you'd be an idiot to count them out for the title. A Real- Chelsea Champions League final is also not a long shot, but failure will not be forgiven,by both the fans, and owner Roman Abramovich.

Arsenal season preview: Solid unit, but can they prevent the collapses?

The story last season

Arsene Wenger's Gunners started last season with a bang, dominating their way to the top spot with Aaron Ramsey in particularly sublime form; but injuries to key men, sudden defensive lapses and lack of  cover for Olivier Giroud up front saw them utterly collapse in January, and the problems persisted for the remainder of the season as the Gunners withered dismally in pressure games, losing 6-3 away to City, 5-1 to Liverpool and an absolutely humiliating 6-0 thrashing at Chelsea on Arsene Wenger's 1000th game in charge. A promising start to their Champions League campaign also came to an end with the North Londoners bowing out in the second round against Bayern Munich. There was, however, a bright ending to their campaign as they claimed fourth spot, edging Everton to the Europa League and ended a 19- year long trophy drought, beating Hull to claim the FA Cup.

Off Season Report

For the second season running, Arsenal have managed to hold on to their key players while adding another excellent signing which goes a long way in solving their problems up front. Alexis Sanchez adds yet more pace and directness to a side teeming with it and will be a key man this season provided he can adapt to the rigours of English football. David Ospina is a massive upgrade over Lukasz Fabianski and the duo of Matheiu Debuchy and Calum Chambers are also a significant improvement over Bacary Sagna and Carl Jenkinson. 

Aaron Ramsey has been their standout performer in the run up to the start of the league, picking up exactly where he left off last season. A special mention must also go to the very promising Hector Bellerin, who looks like a future Emirates darling.

The Manager

Fresh off a summer in Brazil, covering the World Cup, one must imagine Arsene Wenger to be pretty satisfied with the way things have gone thus far, but disaster right when things are going their way seems to be the theme of Arsenal's recent seasons gone by. It will be intriguing to see how the new signings fare under his tutelage. Could Alexis Sanchez be their next Robin van Persie?

Strengths

Arsenal boast of one, if not the best midfields in the Premier League. Tomas Rosicky's opener at White Hart Lane and  Jack Wilshere's magical team goal against Norwich were absolutely top drawer performances. Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott's performances will be instrumental in their title challenge.

Weaknesses

While their attacking midfield left us spellbound last season, central midfield remains a slight worry for Arsene Wenger's men. Jack Wilshere, despite showing sparks of true class was often disappointing last season and frequent injuries to Aaron Ramsey and him didn't help while Matheiu Flamini is nothing more, or less than acceptable. Wenger will need to find someone a whole lot better than Kim Kallstrom to bridge the midfield gap. Sami Khedira, anyone?

Key Players

Mesut Ozil arrived and hit the ground running, but was clearly unaccustomed to the rigours of English football. He will return as a better player, though and his genius vision and assists will be key to Arsenal's title dreams. Alexis Sanchez's arrival gives the Gunners a reliable and deadly goalscoring threat up front. Can he be the Gunners' X- Factor?

It's a big season for

Jack Wilshere. Touted as England's next big thing since a couple of years now, he has delighted and frustrated in equal measure. Time is running out for English football's golden boy. Will he step up to the plate or wilt, and can he put this summer's disappointment behind him?

Emerging Star

Gooners have been salivating over 17 year old wonderkid Gedion Zelalem. The youngster showed massive promise last season for the under-21s, drawing comparisons with Cesc Fabregas. With Arsenal reliant on aging central midfielders like Mikel Arteta and Matheiu Flamini, it could very well be a breakout season for the German.

Prediction

The arrival of Alexis Sanchez must have Arsenal dreaming of glory once again, but stiff competition awaits them in form of an extremely improved Chelsea team, last season's champions Manchester City, a Suarez- less yet dangerous Liverpool side, and Louis van Gaal's Manchester United, all of whom Arsenal failed to convincingly overcome last season. The signs have been impressive, though, and it could very well be the season in which they finally break the curse of fourth place. But can they avoid the collapses?

FIFA World Cup Report- The Best and the Worst so far.

One of the best World Cups in recent memory has now progressed to the knockout stages. Here's the lowdown on the best, and the worst so far.

Best Team: The Netherlands.

A young, inexperienced Dutch team came into the Cup with their place in the last 16 threatened by Spain and Chile, but Louis van Gaal's side started the tournament with a bang- decimating a surprisingly lackluster Spain side. Despite stuttering slightly against Australia's Socceroos, they have played brilliant attacking football and have been an absolute joy to watch. Another convincing win would see them as absolute favourites to reach a second semi final in a row.

Worst Team: Cameroon 

The Indomitable Lions seemed anything but, capping a disappointing World Cup for Africa. Internal disputes turned into altercations between players on the pitch itself, while main players like Samuel Eto'o and Alex Song underwhelmed, the latter especially so. While they were plain boring against Mexico, the performance against Croatia was utterly woeful, with Alex Song being sent off for an utterly brainless elbow to the back of Mario Mandzukic and Benoit Assou-Ekotto attacking his own teammate, Benjamin Moukandjo. An absolute disgrace.

Most Promising Player: Divock Origi 

Origi has been sensational for a Belgian side that have laboured for their three wins, despite boasting a vast array of attacking options. The previously unheard- of teen from Lille was impressive against the dogged Algerians and scored late to win it against Russia. He may not feature much in the coming rounds but  he has had Europe's biggest clubs (and Spurs) sitting up and taking notice.

Most likely to win the Golden Ball: Lionel Messi (Again)

Yes, him again. Lionel Messi single handedly carried Argentina into the knockout stages with stunning goals in every match. While his team have appeared disjointed and have been largely underwhelming, The Little Flea has been at his best. A disastrous campaign for Cristiano Ronaldo means that he may still be in contention for the Ballon D' Or provided The Albiceleste fulfill their potential.

Most disappointing player: Luis Suarez, beyond a shred of doubt.

While he remains a brilliant player, Luis Suarez's cannibalistic tendencies are threatening to overshadow his prolific scoring. After a great season, which saw him break records for a resurgent Liverpool, his bite on Giorgio Chiellini has ruined his season and will ensure that his name remains infamous in World Cup folklore for years to come. What a shame.


While Brazil still remain favourites, sides like Costa Rica and Algeria have made history and deserve recognition for their achievements. It promises to be a humdinger of a World Cup, let's hope it doesn't disappoint.

It might take more than a season for Van Gaal to undo last season's debacle at Manchester United.

It wasn't just the Dutch who rejoiced at the end of Holland's 5-1 trouncing of Spain. Louis van Gaal's Oranje side enthralled millions of Man United fans who watched in awe as a fit, confident Robin van Persie robbed Iker Casillas of the ball and casually sent it into the back of the net. The top scorer in their Premier League winning season was back to his lethal best, as if unaffected by his club's disastrous form this season. In the dugout, van Gaal celebrated, rising from his bar stool seat, celebrating- a sight many United fans will hope to see more often in the upcoming season. A sense of optimism, absent since the arrival of Juan Mata, filled Old Trafford.But it's a long road back into the Champion's League. Manchester City, United's noisy neighbours and successors to the Premier League crown were absolutely unplayable at times, decimating Arsenal and United among a host of others. 

As were Liverpool  and Chelsea, the latter seeming like potential Champions League contenders with the signing of Cesc Fabregas and the impending arrival of Brazil's favourite son, Diego Costa; while the Merseysiders, looking to mount a Champions League challenge, have been excellent in the transfer market so far- bolstering midfield and adding depth to their already formidable attack by signing the exciting Emre Can and the experienced Rickie Lambert. Adam Lallana and Alberto Moreno have also been continually linked with the Reds.

Arsenal endured an equally bad second half to the season- butchered by Liverpool, Chelsea and City, but the return of key players like Theo Walcott and the signing of a top centre forward like Mario Balotelli will bolster hopes of a season like the one they had until January at the Emirates.

Despite being linked with dozens of players including the entire Dutch national team over the summer, United have still not made a signing, with the finger of blame being pointed right at their bumbling Chief Executive, Ed Woodward. United desperately need at least two quality centre halves, a left back capable of taking over from Patrice Evra, at least one more winger and crucially, a top central midfield player.

However, new signings, no matter how good they may be individually, will not ensure success. Just look at how Tottenham Hotspur imploded last season. Van Gaal will face a monumental task to bring them together as a cohesive unit. 

The expectations from van Gaal are clear- anything less than a Champions League spot will be deemed catastrophic, and while he has proven himself to be a formidable leader, it could take more than a season to resurrect the fallen Red Devils.

Spain v Holland: Robin, Robben and co take apart tiki taka

Yesterday in Salvador, at the end of 90 minutes of excellence by his team, Louis van Gaal, the man known for  his strict no nonsense style of management, greeted the final whistle with a broad boyish smile of pure, unadulterated joy. Vicente Del Bosque and his Spanish teams cut a sorry figure- stunned speechless at what they had just witnessed. La Roja's first defeat by 5 goals or more since 1950. Spain had conceded more goals in a single match than they had in all of the matches 4 years ago in South Africa, against the very side that they had conquered to win the ultimate prize in football. The absolute dominance of Spanish football and tiki taka obliterated.

One man, who has in his career experienced the pain of losing two Champion's League finals and a World Cup final was the one all smiles this time round. Arjen Robben was at his destructive best, ending the match with two brilliantly taken goals; arguably one of the best performances of his career. Robin van Persie, his partner in crime was equally good, scoring two goals of incredible importance, the first of which will live in World Cup folklore for years to come and has made sure that van Persie is going to spend the rest of his career being called the Flying Dutchman. 

His second goal, however, will live in memory not for the way it was scored, but the blunder which led to it. It might be remembered in the future as the moment Iker Casillas , the hero of so many big matches in his career, fell from grace.

10 seconds summed up his match. Arjen Robben charging towards the Spanish goal, outrunning the defenders, then sending Casillas the wrong way twice. San Iker scampered on all fours, his face a mask of misery, as Robben sent the ball flying past Sergio Ramos and Pique into the top corner. Spain's hero for a decade had fallen.

Their run at the top has been an extraordinary one, and with players of such quality you'd be justified to expect the best from them, but the Dutch defended with utmost focus to thwart Iniesta, Costa and company. Ron Vlaar had an excellent game at the centre of a three man defence. Bruno Martins Indi and Stephan De Vrij too were solid, the latter scoring the third of five goals from the far post with a slightly scrappy effort. 

Daley Blind played a, erm, blinder in his left wing back position with two assists. A performance that will definitely have bigger clubs interested.

Spain were their usual self up until van Persie's header, controlling possession but were lucky to score in the second controversial penalty decision this World Cup, but Diego Costa had an extremely disappointing debut and was rightly subbed after an hour for an equally unimpressive Fernando Torres. Iniesta attempted a couple of shots from far out but never looked like scoring either time.

For the defence, it was a shocker. On paper, a side which boasts of two world class centre backs in Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique with promising wide defenders like Azpilicueta and Jordi Alba is a force to reckon with, but neither of the back four could cope with Robben's trickery and pace.

This result leaves Spain in a precarious position. A lot will depend on their clash with Chile. Another loss or a draw could leave their chances of qualifying for the last 16 in serious jeopardy. 

Sides will underestimate La Roja at their own peril, however. This here is a side loaded with world-class talent, especially in midfield and has players who boast a wealth of experience. They were pummelled in Salvador, but they will return, intent on restoring their pride.

Brazil v Croatia: Good win, but sterner tests await the hosts.

Oh how Marcelo must be thanking his lucky stars that Croatia didn't play the entire game the way they started it. An entire nation watched in stunned silence as Jelavic's scuffed shot went off the unfortunate Real man into the goal. Marcelo's reaction said it all. A loss on the opening day, due to an  own goal no less, would be unforgivable. Thankfully for every Brazilian in the stadium, especially Marcelo, it wasn't one of those days. A fine left footed effort by Neymar restored parity before the Barcelona man scored a somewhat controversial penalty ,midway through the second half, giving Brazil the lead. A nation cheered, as the young man from Mogi looked heavenwards. 

Croatia certainly had their moments, with the brilliant pair of Ivan Rakitic, and Luka Modric running the game in the opening 15 minutes. Rakitic in particular was sublime, sending Olic through that eventually led to the opening goal. Mateo Kovacic too offered glimpses of class, while veteran striker Olic consistently looked to exploit the gaps left in the right side of the Brazilian defence by the attack minded Dani Alves.

But in the end, the game belonged to the Selecao, with Oscar capping off an impressive display with a goal in injury time. With him, Neymar, Hulk and Fred all in good touch, Brazil can be absolutely terrifying going forward. 

The defence, however,  underwhelmed. Both David Luiz and captain Thiago Silva had a decent game, although the former was guilty of losing Jelavic in the build up to the own goal. Marcelo played the game with renewed vigour post his unfortunate mishap, sprinting up and down the left, but it was Dani Alves who left the most to be desired. Bombing ahead as always, his runs down the wing left space for Olic, which led to the first goal. A natural winger would've caused a whole lot more problems than the veteran out wide. Leaving so much space against a side like Germany or even Holland, whom they may face in the last 16, could cost them heavily.

Felipao Scolari's men have started the tournament positively, but sterner tests will tell if the hosts are truly the contenders they're being billed to be. The world will be watching.