System Overload?

Liverpool have now won only 3 of 10 games, a statistic hard to take for the ever expectant Liverpool faithful. In the last 3 years, arguably the most turbulent in the clubs history (4 managers, a close shave with administration, 2 different owners, on-field incidents and inconsistent performances), Liverpool have gone from genuine title contenders to a team desperately clinging to European qualification contention. Despite this, there has been cause for optimism for fans such as myself. Under the iconic Kenny Dalglish the club saw a season in which spurned chances paved the way for bad results. Under Brendan Rodgers things seem unerringly similar.

Rodgers may well think Liverpool can outplay and out pass any team in the league, and they have indeed shown that more often than not. However, if the personnel is not there to turn the dominance into points then should the system that he swears by still be implemented? The worry is that there is no plan B in place to turn to when the possession and pressing football style is not working, a quick though immediately turns to the much more direct Andy Carroll. While Rodgers may not be at fault for the club beginning the season with less strikers than the previous year, despite the well publicised scoring issues, his faith in his beloved system has recently been questioned. While his confidence is admirable the results have shown chinks in the armour. Young and inexperienced wingers don't get beyond Suarez to fill the box, pressing high up the pitch means giving away easy chances despite conceding few, Gerrard plays more deeper in the absence of Lucas despite arguably being the clubs best finisher, only Glen Johnson plays the full-back role to match the philosophy and the finishing is dreadful. The only other striker in the squad, Fabio Borini, being injured does not help things and puts added pressure on young shoulders such as Suso, Pacheco, Sterling and Assaidi when they play.

This week Rodgers stated Liverpool are one or two signings away from being genuine contenders, a notion I completely agree with. Certain aspects of their game are superb, it is obvious where the issues lie. Rumours of the red-hot Klaas-Jan Huntelaar signing in January may not turn to done deals but were the club to have a born scorer in their squad then points may come on a much more regular basis. Let us remember that Suarez and Huntelaar scored 68 goals in 52 games when partnering one another at Ajax. Suarez, the Premier League's joint second top scorer with 7, is often a lone wolf fighting the cold on his own - something that certainly needs to be addressed in the next transfer window - and despite scoring goals his conversion rates are very low (around the 12% mark compared to Van Persie's 35%). While Suarez isn't the most consistent finisher his general play is sensational at times.

Players that have impressed me so far:

Luis Suarez - a wonderful footballer, highlighted by his goal at the weekend vs Newcastle

Steven Gerrard - legendary player who has it all and, along with Suarez, still our go to man. Has made more key passes and assists than any other player

Glen Johnson - in my opinion the best right back in the world. He thrives under the Rodgers philosophy and I firmly believe that if he played for Barcelona most people would agree how good he is

Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger - subject of £25m+ bids in the Summer, both have been monumental

Joe Allen - excellent footballer, brilliant at breaking up play and playing superb possession football (I am most impressed by him - often left to run the midfield on his own as Sahin and Gerrard play free roles)

Raheem Sterling - youngster has burst onto the season and looks set for a bright future. Dangerous and direct style

Fernando Suso - bags of talent but must add goals. Clearly a player with a big future

Andre Wisdom - young, strong, athletic, good on the ball (unfortunately not great going forward which doesn't suit the system but has age on his side to learn)

Players that have Disappointed me:

Pepe Reina - uncharacteristic mistakes are happening too often

Jose Enrique - one of the most unintelligent footballers I've ever seen. Positionally poor, bad decision making and not a great crosser or passer of the ball)

Joe Cole - weak, slow, off the pace. A shadow of his former self

Stuart Downing - I actually feel sorry for Downing as he can cross the ball well but no one is in the box to head it in. Last season he was on the wrong end of a lot of the 'hitting the post' misses. He must add goals to play the role well

Jamie Carragher - while he may still be a bastion of the club his legs are gone. Coates should play instead of him

So can Liverpool be a force? Most definitely, despite a low league position only 6 points separate them from 4th and it is evident that with a clinical striker things can easily change. Promised signings in January can of course influence any season and the groundwork is there to be seen. All the criticism of Rodgers system is, for me, ridiculous. The bottom line is if we had a clinical striker (RvP, Owen, Torres on-form, Nistelrooy) we would be much higher up the table, possibly even contending. The stats of chances created, possession, corners etc are there to be seen. To show how easily things could be different, should Liverpool had won 3 games they completely dominated - Man City, Stoke and Newcastle - instead of drawn they would be 4th! My prediction is that Liverpool will finish 5th and go to the Europa League Semi-Finals. 

Why Diving?

Diving has become ingrained in the game of football, more so abroad but more recently in the English game. While abroad it is a weekly occurrence, in England it is still reasonably rare, yet so focused upon. Watched a game between Real Madrid and Barcelona, while full of talent, is like watching a panto. Tony Pulis recently called for retrospective action against Luis Suarez, yet is less forthcoming on the subject of Robert Huth, his own player who viciously stamped on Suarez's chest. There is no doubt that Suarez's actions, and Gareth Bale's, were reprehensible but no more so than Huth's, or even Robin Van Persie who treated Newcastle midfielder Cabaye to a blow from his forearm. Ultimately Suarez's dive does get punished as on numerous occasions already this season blatant penalty decisions have been waved away by referees wary of being conned. Some journalists even have even said that Mark Wilson's trailing leg slightly catches Suarez and his preposterous fall is just a desperate attempt of getting noticed. Referee's seem to have shorter memories when it comes to violence and repeat offenders often escape unnoticed. Managers like Tony Pulis fail to be troubled by this but they should. While Pulis has done a reputable job at Stoke and I agree with his point that divers should get harsher punishments, to neglect a more serious issue, practically assault, is a clever way of deflecting media attention from his own players who he tells to play 'ugly' football. Teams like Stoke take the beauty out of the game. While effective, their sole purpose is to disrupt the spectacle. The referee in the Stoke vs Liverpool game can defend himself and say, "well I booked 6 players" compared to Liverpool's none, yet if he had control of the game it would have been worse for a Stoke team lucky to end the game with 11. While Huth's stamp was the only one of real aggressive substance, countless niggles, timewasting and professional fouls ruined the game. Now while I discuss Stoke, plenty of other teams take this approach. The great C Ronaldo suffered the same treatment on a regular basis and then instead of condemning teams who go out to break him in two, manager's criticize him for occasionally diving.

Let us not forget that diving in Spain, for example, is a weekly occurrence, yet we call Spanish football beautiful and technical. I personally think Suarez should leave the Premier League for a Spanish club as his game would suit it more and he would not be constantly vilified. While the English media claim foreign players are the catalyst behind diving let us not forget our own. Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale, Gareth Barry and Steven Taylor to name a few. Despite being THE man when it comes to theatrics Drogba still didn't get vilified the way Suarez does. It begs the question, what is the media's issue with Suarez? And why diving get main headlines?

In my mind the laws on tackling and goal line technology are a bigger issue, along with consistency. Technology because too many cases are wrongly closed when it comes to the ball crossing the line. Clarity could be given to fans, referee's and players. Tackling as I am of the belief of if you win the ball is it no foul, let alone a sending off. Going back to basics football is a contact sport, while we don't want to see injuries they happen. It riles me when things like the Ramsey injury happen, which was an accident from the distraught Ryan Shawcross, and manager Arsene Wenger comes out blasting Shawcross and saying he should never play football again. There is a big difference between going in hard and going in to get the man. Vicious fouls where there is intent to purely hurt the man should be sanctioned much harder, and of course all fans want to see consistency. If someone gets sent off for a two footed challenge then all two footed challenges should face the same penalty, or none. The 'reckless' tackle rule only allows referee's to have bias interpretation, leading to inconsistency.

So back to my original point, while I hate diving as well the coverage it receives is ridiculously out of proportion, it has been happening for years and the great players are normally guilty of such acts. Harsher bans would indeed help cut it out and I am fully behind that. What I am looking for is consistency and fairness, something I don't believe football is getting at the moment.

Rafa Benitez, one of the finest managers in modern Premier League history

Despite a torrid end to a career in England that saw Liverpool rise to the top of European football, Rafa Benitez is a man that commands great respect in the football world. Known for his in-depth analysis and knowledge of the game he is a master tactician and a true gentleman in the world of football.

Before reading any further cast whatever opinion you have of him out of your mind and approach this for what it is, a realisation of what Benitez has brought the game and admirable way he conducts himself in doing so. Regardless if you are a Liverpool FC fan, a Valencia fan, or a fan from a rival club, and intelligent fan can see that Benitez deserves the credit he has been given.

As a Liverpool FC fan I clearly have a biased opinion and Rafa will go down in the club's history for the 5th European title he brought back to Anfield, and on a more personal level the tears he shed during a Hillsborough memorial ceremony. With the truth of Hillsborough finally revealed maybe rival fans can see that being Liverpool manager is more than just football, a statement perfectly exemplified by Benitez. He is a true great for the club and many were unhappy with the way that the love affair between Benitez and LFC came to an end, mainly due to the ownership at the time being what can only be described as arguably the worst in the club's glorious history. Despite leaving LFC, Rafa stayed in Merseyside with his family and his love for, not just LFC but, the English game is without question. He is a family man who has an enormous amount of pride in his work. I, for one, firmly believe that given the backing from the ownership Benitez would have continued his remarkable career with LFC. This article, however, is not just to discuss Liverpool, it is to take a look into Rafa's life and philosophy to try and make fans who may have prejudged him realise that he is one of the most genuine and intelligent men in the game.

I expect many do not know his story - beginning as a young lad who excelled in football, basketball, tennis as well as being a superb chess and 'stratego' player. He began his path in football at Real Madrid, joining their ranks at 13 years of age whilst continuing his education. Progressing through the Madrid youth teams he excelled academically and in football seeing him gain a degree in Physical Education and also being called up to the Spanish University National team. Unfortunately for Rafa a terrible knee injury set his football career back and he was promptly loaned out of Madrid. After spending a few years on loan from Real Madrid, years blighted by recurring knee problems, Rafa retired early at the age of 26. He quickly became the Technical Director for Madrid and then went on to become u19 manager, winning 2 league titles and a cup in 3 years. Following his first success at youth management level, then Madrid manager Vicente Del Bosque offered Benitez the assistant manager role. After excelling in previous roles it was clear to see that Benitez had what it takes to be a great manager and a job offer followed. Going solo Benitez went to Extremadura, getting them promoted to La Liga. He then went to Tenerife, again getting them promoted to La Liga. Despite a few setbacks, these credentials meant that Benitez got offered his first major managing role for Spanish giants Valencia.

Rafa jumped at the chance to manage such a major team and success was around the corner. Under Benitez, Valencia began playing a style of football that saw them rise above the rest to win their first league title in 31 years. For those of you who don't remember this was at a time when the Spanish league was considered the best in the world, containing the 'Galacticos' of Madrid, the great Barcelona, 'superdepor' Deportivo (a major force back then), the rich Sevilla and Atletico Madrid. Rafa continued to win trophies for Valencia before being offered a new challenge at the historically rich Liverpool. Benitez was awarded the Golden Club Crest for the work he did for Valencia by the club President in 2011. Following his time in Spain, he became the first ever Spanish manager for LFC. Going on to take Liverpool to the top of Europe's elite and to their highest ever Premier League finish was just part of the story that saw Benitez gain love at Anfield.

Married with children, Benitez has dedicated his life to football and his family. His emotions have caused people to love him, yet have also at times cost him dearly. Perhaps his most notable outburst of emotion was to his chairman at the time when he had just won the Club World Championship with Inter Milan. Immediately after winning the final Benitez was visible unhappy and publicly voiced his disapproval of lack of funds and the way the club was being run to, essentially, his boss. Needless to say, Benitez left Inter by mutual consent shortly afterward. Other outbursts include his rant about Sir Alex Ferguson and the power that he had over referees and other aspects of the game.

With Brendan Rodgers now at the helm at LFC, I personally was desperate to see Rafa given another shot at managing the club. With owners who could offer him stability rather than the turbulence he received before I feel that he could have thrived. Despite some poor signings such as Robbie Keane and Aquilani he also brought world class players to the club: Reina, Alonso, Torres, Mascherano, Johnson to name a few. One of the best performances I have seen LFC play is when the mighty Real Madrid, captained by the World's Best Player Fabio Cannavaro at the time, got hammered 4-0 with Torres and co giving them the run-around. Benitez' philosophy and style of football was admirable and his tactical genius got the better of many world-class managers - Ferguson, Mourinho and Wenger.

Even now Liverpool are reaping the benefits of Benitez' work. Not many people give him credit for the youth setup at Liverpool - as many simply do not know. The likes of Kelly, Spearing, Sterling, Suso, Morgan, Coady, Wisdom, Shelvey, Pacheco and so on have gone on to make first team appearances and some are now firm fixtures in the senior squad. Before Benitez, Liverpool's reserve and youth setup was nowhere near the standard it now is.

After coming in 3rd place in the Nextgen series Champions League (youth CL) it is evident that LFC youth teams have a lot of talent and a lot of this is due to the work that Benitez put in to change the structure of the club top-to-bottom.

As an intelligent fan I can put aside my hatred and say that manager's such as Wenger, Mourinho and Ferguson are world class and I have a lot of respect for them. They have experienced the highs and lows of football, much like Benitez. Rafa deserves enormous credit and gratitude for all that he has done for football, be it for Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan or the charity work he does through the Montse-Benitez Foundation.

What professionals have to say about him:

Gerrard - "Rafa is obsessed with football 24 hours a day, seven days a week", "he is a great man and a great friend"

Hamann - "in my mind he is pure managerial genius"

Bellamy - "I have learnt more from Rafa Benitez than any other coach I have worked with"

Records that speak more than what I can say:

2005-06

Liverpool became the first British club to 'keep' the European Champions League trophy after winning it for the 5th time in Istanbul 2005.

Liverpool then became the 3rd team and 1st British side to win the Super Cup 3 times

Gerrard became the first Liverpool player in history to score in 5 successive European matches

Liverpool set a new club record of 11 consecutive clean sheets (Oct-Dec 2005)

Liverpool win 10 league games in a row for the 1st time in 15 years

2006-07

Benitez became the first manager to lift a trophy in each of his first 2 seasons after the FA Cup win in 2006

Liverpool went unbeaten in 30 successive home games

Pepe Reina kept more clean sheets in his first 50 league games (28) than any other keeper in Liverpool's history

Liverpool reached their second champions league final in 3 seasons

2007-08

Liverpool beat Besiktas 8-0 to record the highest ever Champions League win

Benitez won 81 of his first 150 league games in charge, only Kenny Dalglish (87) won more as an LFC manager

Torres scored 24 league goals - the most by any LFC player in their debut season

Pepe Reina won Golden Glove award for the 3rd successive season

Liverpool scored 119 goals - more than any team in England

2008-09

Liverpool inflicted Real Madrid's biggest ever Champions League defeat at Anfield

Benitez' 100th league win as manager in his 181st game. The 3rd quickest ever by a LFC manager and 50 games quicker than Alex Ferguson

Liverpool got the highest number of points by any team which failed to win the league (38 game seasons)

2009-10

Liverpool unbeaten in 31 home league games

Torres broke club record by scoring his 50th league goals in his first 72 games

Reina set a new record of 79 clean sheets in his first 150 games

For Valencia:

La Liga (2) - 01-02 and 03-04

Uefa Cup - 03-04

Valencia's highest ever win ratio: 53.50%

Most trophies by any coach in Valencia's history

For Inter:

Club World Championship (1)

Italian Super Cup (1)

Controversy, bad starts, Hillsborough and all things football

First and foremost I think it is fitting to pay tribute to the 96 who lost their lives at Hillsborough. Following the emergence of the disgusting truth that has reached the public over the last week fans of football have united in their support for the families that lost their loved ones. Serious questions must be answered by the Police and in the near future I am sure justice will and must be had.

Yet again goal-line technology was called into action after Everton had goals disallowed in their game against Newcastle last night. Time and time again this has happened and yet the powers that be still seem reluctant to execute a plan that sees technology clear these matters up.

At the top of the table things look as expected, however dropped points for the big teams show that the quality of the league is higher than ever and looks set to be full of surprises - Arsenal misfire in their opening games, shortly followed by smashing Southampton. Southampton play superbly against Man City and United and then truly terrible against Arsenal. Chelsea look unstoppable and then play poorly in a goalless draw against QPR and so on.

Tottenham haven't had the best of starts but fans will be somewhat calmed by their result against a weak Reading team, however, Tottenham have escaped extra pressure due to another of the big teams starting poorly, Liverpool. Despite high hopes for the season Liverpool have 2 points from 4 games, a start that will have fans question whether new manager BR has what it takes to lead them back into European contention. Whilst some may blame a tough start in the fixture list it is clear that it will take more than 4 games to adapt to the philosophy that Rodger's Swansea team played superbly last season. Unlucky dropped points against the Champions Man City followed an awful performance against Arsenal, again asking the question "can Liverpool be a consistent force?" There is still a long way to go in the season and much of Liverpool's play has given fans optimism despite their results. Creating chances is not a problem, being clinical is. As football pundits say, it would be worse if they were not creating the chances at all! Man United visit Anfield next, a clash that has been and will continue to be the biggest clash in English football, despite Liverpool's lack of domestic success in the Premier League. The rivalry between these two massive clubs spans numerous years, bitter struggles, fiesty affairs and a certain racist incident that left both sets of fans furious about the other party involved.

Man United look very good I have to admit, resting RVP and without Rooney they showed their depth as they still scored 4 goals against Wigan. The major difference between the likes of Liverpool/Tottenham and Man United/City is knowing how to win Premier League games. While that sounds ridiculously obvious think about how many games Liverpool and Tottenham players have actually won? United players have been doing this for years (Scholes, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Giggs, Rooney, RvP, Nani, Carrick - all experienced Prem players. Tottenham - Dembele, Walker, Vertonghen, Sandro - all relatively new to the Prem. Liverpool - Shelvey, Allen, Suarez, Enrique, Kelly, Sterling - all pretty new. Whilst I am not in any way saying any of these players are not very good, as I believe some I have mentioned are excellent, I am merely making the point of the vast experience and years of winning the likes of United have under their belt. When they play badly they find a way, something Liverpool, for example, have not been able to do in the last 2/3 seasons.

After the opening games I believe that it will be between: Norwich, QPR, Aston Villa, Southampton and Wigan to go down and the top six will be United, City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham.

Is the 100m Sprint overrated??

The men's 100m Sprint is the pinnacle of the games. People pay hundreds of pounds to watch the likes of Bolt, Blake and Gay battle it out to become the worlds fastest man. A title that carries such weight in the world of athletics. A mere 10 seconds and the race is over, 9.63 seconds if your Usain Bolt. The crowd go wild, Bolt pulls his normal pose and enjoys the camera's. Is it deserved?

Today the Brownlee brothers showed what the Olympics really is all about. Athletes sweating blood and tears for their country and personal achievement. While Usain Bolt has just taken Gold he was more bothered about working the crowd than feeling the strain of a race. While there is undeniable talent in Bolt's speed, I believe to deserve a medal you should have to hurt for it. Bolt barely looked tired after his event. When the Brownlee boys crossed the line they could barely stand, let alone run again!

Sprint arrogance is preceeded by sportsmanship, determination and a will to succeed in the triathlon. There is no bad bantering between the athletes and a lot more respect in other events. While the 100m sprint may be the more glamourous, I am a believer that the gulf in 'celebrity status' is undeserved. While I do enjoy the sprint I have been far more enthralled by the likes of the cycling road race, triathlon, velodrome drama, Mo Farah taking gold and Jess Ennis. 

Bolt's arrogance and self confidence is at times admirable but there are far greater athletes who handle themselves in a truly great way.... Michael Phelps when he lost to Chad Le Clos, now there is a true champion! 

Alistair Brownlee's post race actions say it all really:

The crazy performances involving Badminton match fixing

Seasoned professional, highly skilled in their sport, must have been watching their colleagues with despair in the last of the Badminton group games. Women's doubles in the sport normally offers up an experience that is both fast-paced and intense. However South Korea, China and Indonesia set about putting up a display that could only be described as astounding, and not the good kind! In a bid to manipulate the draw for the knockout stages four sets of doubles teams made it obvious to the watching nation they they did not want to win, oblivious of the fact that in doing so in a way that was so patently clear they ultimately cost themselves a place in the knockouts all together. With performances of sheer stupidity, going as far as deliberately serving into the net and hitting standard shots out, they have cost their places in the further round of London 2012 Women's Doubles Badminton. How Indonesia and South Korea can try and appeal is beyond me and beyond the expectant crowd who had gathered to watch some of the finest women's badminton players in the world. The longest rally in the first game between China's Yu Yang/Wang Xiaoli and South Korea's Jung Kyung-eun/Kim Ha-na actually managed the impressive feat of only 4 shots. The aim of the game was to avoid winning in a bid to miss playing the Chinese number 1 seeds. While they thought it was a tactical move the Badminton World Federation had the last laugh and gave them the boot from the competition!

Destination Board Games and Rachel Lowe MBE

The award winning Destination Board Games are now on Facebook, "Like" the page at http://www.facebook.com/Destinationboardgame. Destination is the popular board game that has 23 editions, including current special editions Destination London 2012 and Destination London 2012 Sports, official licensed products of the 2012 Olympics.

Best-seller Destination Hogwarts is due for re-release later this year!!

Rachel Lowe MBE, an entrepreneur from Portsmouth, came up with the Destination board game idea while working as a taxi driver in order to fund her way through University. In 2004 she appeared on Dragon's Den with her idea but unfortunately left empty handed. Later that year the game went on to become Hamley's best-seller and continued to outsell rival Monopoly.

Rachel's story is one that is both inspiring and intriguing. She successfully shows how a business idea can be made and how to succeed despite knock backs (Dragons Den). Rachel lost her company RTL in 2009 when Warner Bro's delayed the release of Harry Potter, The Half Blood Prince, and she had to push back the release of the game due to this. However, Rachel recouped the Destination game after pitching to 'Twitter Dragon' Simon Dolan who invested in her and their new company She Who Dares UK Ltd, who now have Destination back in the market and their new product sees Rachel delve into the fashion industry with She Who Dares, a brand designed to empower and celebrate women, coming soon.

www.destinationboardgames.co.uk
https://twitter.com/__Destination
https://twitter.com/SWDfashion
http://rachellowe.co.uk/

My Euro 2012 Predictions

Group A
Overview: The easiest of the groups but possibly the hardest to predict. I'm going for Poland as group winners and Russia as runners-up.

Poland:
Star Man: Robert Lewandowski - Has been in lethal form for Dortmund this season, helping them win the German League and scoring 22 league goals. Poland will need him to get on the goal trail in order for the co-host nation to progress.
One to Watch: Wojciech Szczesny - The Arsenal keeper has had a great season and many will be looking at him to continue his progression in his first major tournament.

Greece:
Star Man: Georgios Samaras - Can be hit and miss but can be a match winner. He has had a good season with Celtic and will need to be at his very best if Greece are to have a chance.
One to Watch: Sotiris Ninis - At the age of 22 Ninis is a bright prospect for Greece and has just been signed by Italian team Parma. A creative attacking player who can play anywhere across the midfield.

Czech Republic:
Star Man: Tomas Rosicky - Finished the season in great form for Arsenal and will be looking to lead his team forward as captain. Can score and create and will probably need to do both if he wants to take his team forward.
One to Watch: Michal Kadlec - Confident attacking full back who has been a consistent performer for Leverkusen in recent years. He can score and has 8 international goals in 34 caps from left-back.

Russia:
Star Man: Alan Dzagoev - At 21 years old Dzagoev is the main man for Russia. He is extremely creative and has an eye for goal. A strong tournament could well put him in line for a big summer move.
One to Watch: Andrei Arshavin - Despite losing his place and form in the Arsenal team this season he is certainly one of the more talented players in the Russian team and has a good track record in recent major tournaments.

Group B
Overview: Incredibly tough group where one of the big nations will not make it through. I think Germany will win the group with Netherlands finishing second. Commiserations Portugal.

Germany:
Star Man: Mesut Ozil - An extremely intelligent player who constantly finds space in between the lines. Integral to feeding the likes of Mario Gomez up front and can also grab a goal. His vision and accuracy in delivery makes him the man to stop and he is in fantastic form having just lifted the La Liga trophy with Real Madrid.
One to Watch: Toni Kroos - He's a midfielder who helped Bayern to the Champions League final and looks set to have a huge career in front of him. He already has 26 caps at the age of 22 and this could be his chance to blossom into an international star.

Portugal:
Star Man: Cristiano Ronaldo - Officially the second best player in the world. On his day he can tear anyone apart and Portugal can never be written off for this reason. Contributes goals and assists and is a complete player. Hasn't quite produced his best form at international level but there is still time.
One to Watch: Raul Meireles - Has just won the Champions League with Chelsea. An efficient and intelligent player with 8 international goals to his name. Goes about his business in a less flashy way to the likes of Ronaldo and Nani but an important part of Portugal's system.

Netherlands:
Star Man: Robin Van Persie - He struck 30 league goals for Arsenal this season and has been in unplayable form recently. If he performs, with service from the likes of Robben, Netherlands will be a force.
One to Watch: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - With 29 league goals to his name this season he will certainly be looking to stamp his authority on the world stage. A great finisher and certainly a danger to any defense.

Denmark:
Star Man: Daniel Agger - Experienced and a great defender. Beset by injury problems but when fit a leader for Denmark. Has had a good season for Liverpool but a few too many injuries. As captain and penalty taker Denmark will look to him for inspiration, although being in the hardest group their chances don't look good.
One to Watch: Christian Eriksen - At the age of 20 many people are already touting him as one of the hottest prospects around. He was expected to make a big impact at the 2010 WC but failed, now 2 years on he has matured and grown as a player and a big performance could get him a big money move from Ajax. He is an attacking player who many have likened him to Mesut Ozil.

Group C
Overview: Holders Spain to coast as winners and Croatia to pip an Italian team beset by troubles to second.

Spain:
Star Man: Andres Iniesta - A player of footballing genius and an integral part of Barcelona's formidable team. He is extremely creative and also has an eye for goal. His movement and passing ability are one of the reasons why Spain are a dominant force currently and one of the favourites to win the tournament.
One to Watch: Jordi Alba - Has had a great season with Valencia and has received transfer attention from all the elite clubs. Can play anywhere down the left and has good attributes going forward and defending. At 23 years old he looks to have a big future in front of him.

Italy:
Star Man: Andrea Pirlo - Blessed with a fantastic touch and passing range the experienced midfielder will be looking to orchestrate Italy's team in order to progress out of their group.
One to Watch: Claudio Marchisio - A creative spark for Italy and Juventus. He has had a great season this year, lifting Juventus back to the top of Serie A.

Croatia:
Star Man: Luka Modric - An elegant player who provides the moves that could see Croatia qualify. In a group against the holders, Spain, Modric will need to perform to keep his team in the hunt for progression.
One to Watch: Ivan Rakitic - Has had a great season for Sevilla in Spain and has amassed 41 caps at the age of 24. He is a creative midfielder with great passing and shooting ability, scoring 8 international goals so far. While the focus may well be on Modric, the likes of Rakitic may be able to thrive under less pressure.

Rep of Ireland:
Star Man: Robbie Keane - With over 50 international goals he is certainly Ireland's most prominent goal threat and is also their captain. If he performs to his best then they have a chance and with his movement and leadership he can be a thorn in most sides.
One to Watch: James McClean - Has had an unbelievable season in the Premier League with Sunderland, mainly praised for his dribbling skills from left-midfield. Despite only having 2 senior caps Ireland may look to him for a bit of genius in their bid to progress.

Group D
Overview: I think England will surprise critics and win the group with France coming in second. The first game between England and France will ultimately decide who wins the group.

England:
Star Man: Steven Gerrard - Talismanic captain and part of a weakened England midfield that has been terrorized by injuries. It is imperative that Gerrard and Parker remain fit in the middle of the park. He can score, create and defend and on his day can be the complete player that can inspire England. With Rooney absent it will be up to Gerrard to be at his best to drive England forward like he has been doing for Liverpool for many years.
One to Watch: Andy Carroll/Danny Welbeck: With Wayne Rooney suspended for the first 2 games one of these two will have a chance to impress. England will need a scorer to help them qualify and with France up first it could be a great chance for one of these young strikers to make their mark.

France:
Star Man: Karim Benzema - He is one of the most prolific strikers in the world currently and France will no doubt be looking at him for goals. If a chance falls to him in the box he would expect himself to score and having earned himself a first 11 place in the Real Madrid side this season he will be full of confidence.
One to Watch: Yohan Cabaye - He has had a fine first season in English football, helping Newcastle finish 5th in the Premier League. While others can call themselves match winners, Cabaye has the ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch and dominate a midfield. With legends like Vieira before him, Cabaye will hope to cement the centre midfield spot as his own and continue his form on the international scene.

Sweden:
Star Man: Zlatan Ibrahimovic - A striker of undoubted talent who's attitude has occasionally held him back. He can be the difference for Sweden and is capable of great things if he puts his mind to it. His skill and manipulation of the football is certainly impressive and his improved goal scoring statistics in recent years had led to him becoming one of the worlds most dangerous strikers.
One to Watch: Rasmus Elm - He is a midfielder who has been linked with many European clubs this summer such as Liverpool and PSG. Has a creative spark and scores goals. He has been in fine form for AZ this season and at the age of 24 he may see this tournament to really kick start his career and get a big summer transfer.

Ukraine:
Star Man: Artem Milevskiy - A talented player who hasn't always played to his potential. A major tournament could be his chance to impress the home fans and lead his team forward from the front. He is a striker who can finish and is a clever player.
One to Watch: Andriy Shevchenko - One of the best strikers in the world back in his peak. Can this legend of the game leave the international stage with a bang and captain his side to qualification from the group? While he may have lost his pace, Shevchenko still has an eye for goal and is a messiah figure for the co-hosts.

Overall Winners: Germany
Runners-up: Spain

The Predictability of Tennis

Djokovic will hold all 4 Grand Slams should he win Roland Garros, although the King of Clay Rafa Nadal will certainly prove stern opposition. What has happened to tennis? It has become an increasingly hard sport to support someone as you know that don't really have a chance of winning, unless it is Federer, Nadal or Djokovic. Gone are the days when Juan Carlos Ferrero would win the French, Andy Roddick the US, Lleyton Hewitt the English and Marat Safin the Australian. And of course Henman would be sniffing around the semi-finals. Federer had just started his rise in the rankings, although back then he was an angry youth, far from his calm exterior he is now known for. It was a good time to be a fan. Now the sport is predictably dominated by the big three. The finals are made up of two of those three, bar the rare appearance from the likes of Del Potro or Murray, although they never go on to win it. The Goran Ivanisavic win at Wimbledon just wouldn't happen any more. Back in the glory days of tennis, some ten years ago, you could have genuine belief in the underdog. Now, it is more just a certainty that one of the big three will destroy them. While Nadal, Fed and Djok have certainly raised the standard of tennis and make great champions, it must be a daunting task to anyone outside the top three trying to win their first major tournament. When Marat Safin made his last Grand Slam final appearance at the US in 2009 he was ranked 58th in the world...

Brendan Rodgers - The Future

Brendan Rodgers represents not only the new face of Liverpool football club, but the ever changing face of football. As a young manager he has experience with the best, Jose Mourinho, and has a philosophy that is admirable by his peers. 


‎"The philosophy is very much based on the attacking side of the game. People ask me that question and I always say it's about being offensive and creative, but also with tactical discipline. If you look at the Swansea team in the last couple of years they've been lauded for their offensive approach but defensively we've kept many clean sheets and we're up there with the top defensive records. That's the principles of this club. This is a club that's based on fast, attacking, offensive football. But I'll repeat - it's very important to have tactical discipline within that. Your philosophy and your principles will always be governed by the players. There is a fantastic squad here, some terrific players, but there is no doubt I'll need to make maybe two, three or four additions to try and get that flow - and it will take time to put that in place."


It is clear that the ideals that Rodgers hopes to impose upon the Liverpool team have real intent to move forward. With around £30m available to spend, adding on any outgoing transfers, it will be about finding the right play to fit the mold of the team, not making signings just because they are good players. Liverpool is a historic club and expect Champions League football every season. Realistically that is a high target, although not necessarily unachievable . More likely is a good, solid season in which a gap of 17 points does not arise between the coveted 4th spot in the Premier League and 8th, where Liverpool finished in the season just passed. Targeting top 6 and being in the running for 4th is imperative in LFC's strides forward. Rodgers high pressing, possession football is a formula that is bred for success. With the right, quality signings made to boost the squad he will be delighted with this opportunity he has been given. Some say the Liverpool job is one steeped in doom with high expectations and money that can't match the likes of Man City or Chelsea making success increasingly hard.


So what does Rodgers have to work with. Well the stats are there to be seen. Liverpool have often played teams completely off the park and still not won. Finishing has been a clear problem throughout the season with Luis Suarez becoming top scorer with only 11 goals. Liverpool had to lowest chance conversion percentage in the whole league and that is where their problems lay. There is clear talent in the Liverpool ranks, Suarez, Gerrard, Skrtel, Enrique, Lucas, Johnson...these are players that are some of the best in their position and will certainly play a major part in Rodgers transition into the LFC team. Time is obviously an essential element of a managers career, but also an increasingly 'old' trait in football. Modern football has seen many clubs chop and change manager as often as they like, paying vast sums to sign them and then vast sums to sack them. Ferguson got time, got trophies. Wenger got time, built a successful club that gets top 4 every year. There must be a line, however, when the reality becomes too bad for time. Sorry Kenny Dalglish but that was the end of this season. Finishing 8th, behind Everton, with only the Carling Cup to our name is simply not acceptable for LFC and it could not be ignored. 


Signings: Liverpool are a club that are always strife with transfer rumours and this window will be no different. With a new man at the helm it is inevitable that players will come in and some players will go. Chelsea have already made major moves by signing Hulk, Marin and Hazard for a combined fee costing barely more than Andy Carroll and Henderson. However in net spend Liverpool received £50m from Chelsea for Torres to allow those signings, which isn't a defense, just a sign of the financial difference between the two clubs. Chelsea's players are clearly more household names but as Newcastle proved this season, with the right signing massive money does not have to be spent. Find the right player who fits with the squad and that is all that matters. I believe Arsenal are a prime example of how not to do this. Most people identity Arsenal's weakness as their defense and yet Wenger still fails to rectify the problem, signing attacking players year after year....Gervinho, Benayoun etc before, Podolski now. You don't have to always buy the best players, sometimes you have to buy what you need and I hope Rodgers realizes this.

While LFC are not in the Champions League currently they are still a club full of history, passion and a philosophy. From the likes of Paisley and Shankley, and then of course King Kenny, trophies were ingrained in the club, signified when Rafa Benitez lifted LFC's 5th Champions League trophy in 2005. While the club have taken knocks backwards and some people questioning the clubs status it is ridiculous to say that they are not a big club. Not only are LFC one of the biggest in the country, but they are also a worldwide club. The fact that LFC are STILL in the Forbes Richest Clubs top 10 with only a 45,000 seat stadium and no Champions League football in a few seasons says it all. It was clear a change was needed and that is what LFC have now got, wether or not it will be a success will remain to be seen but with the style of football Rodgers plans to implement I believe that LFC will soon be making vast strides towards where they want to be, although time to build their project is essential.