Failing to Bridge the gap

Reports of their demise are not so much exaggerated as invented. That is the party line from Chelsea, proclaimed with a defiance that some of their displays can lack. While it is 

greeted with scepticism, the ultimate test lies in time. 

There are reasons to believe Chelsea are in decline, whether the age of their squad or their faltering form of late, but perhaps the greatest factor for believing that the greatest spell is nearing an end is simpler: history.

Put simply, only two English clubs have ever managed to extend excellence without interruption: Manchester United for the past two decades and Liverpool for the two before then. A case could be made for the inclusion of Arsenal, who are on course for a 15th successive top-four finish, but although a six-year wait for silverware might be ended on Sunday, a fallow period of that duration would be unacceptable for Chelsea.

When others thought they had a dynasty, their subsequent slide proved they merely had a team. That is a particularly pertinent concern for Chelsea. Since the spine of Petr Cech, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba was formed in 2004, some key components, such as Arjen Robben, Damien Duff, William Gallas, Claude Makelele and Ricardo Carvalho, have been removed and others - Michael Essien, Ashley Cole, Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka - added. 

The £75 million investment in Fernando Torres and David Luiz is the latest attempt to extend Chelsea's glory years; the much-hyped youth policy was another. But posterity proves that breaking up a team is hard to do: replacements are often inferior or ill-fitting. Don Revie's Leeds side grew old together, as did Stan Cullis' Wolves. 

One of the charges that can be levelled against Kenny Dalglish is that, in his first spell at Anfield, he failed to prepare for the future - instead, Graeme Souness steamed in with too much money and too little judgment and discovered Dean Saunders, Mark Walters, Paul Stewart and Julian Dicks could not carry on a tradition of trophies.

Yet both Liverpool and Manchester United could rely on much else besides the chequebook: a winning mentality, an environment where emerging players bloomed, a mix of youth and experience and excellent long-term planning. Despite their considerable prowess, Chelsea tick too few of the boxes and decline could be the consequence.

by  Norman Hubbard, Soccernet.com

Soccer Players & Their Car 2

And the updated version

Soccer Players & Their Car 1

Let's take a look the cars of top soccer players.

Jose Mourinho - the Special One

Jose Mourinho  

• Birthplace: Setubal, Portugal
• Honours: Champions League: 2004, 2010; UEFA Cup: 2003; English Premier League: 2005, 2006;English FA Cup: 2007; English League Cup: 2005, 2007; FA Community Shield: 2005;Portuguese Liga: 2003, 2004;Portuguese Cup: 2003; Italian Super Cup: 2008; Italian Serie A:2009, 2010; Italian Cup 2010

Team Managed

2000                Benfica

2001–2002      União de Leiria

2002–2004      Porto

2004–2007      Chelsea

2008–2010      Internazionale

2010–  Real Madrid

Strengths: Always willing to produce a soundbite for the thronged media men, he is a dream for the tabloids and has a silver tongue. His tactical knowledge is second to none and he is always first to defend his players. A real man-manager.

Weaknesses: Hot-headed and passionate, he suffers from red mist occasionally and his antics can detract from the football. Accused of playing defensive, dull football to grind out results.

Tactics: Mourinho likes playing with three men up front, two in the wide positions and then three in central areas. Two defensive midfielders usually provide the spine, and allow one attacker to drift. Flying full backs are also asked to provide the width.

Quotes: ''Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one"-Mourinho's first press conference at Chelsea.  He also got the nickname as “The special one” from British press.

After spells working as an assistant manager and a youth team coach in the early 1990s, he became an interpreter for Sir Bobby Robson. There, Mourinho learnt much from the veteran coach and worked with him at Sporting Clube de Portugal and Porto in Portugal, before following him to Spanish club Barcelona.

2002-2004

He began focusing on coaching and impressed with brief but successful managerial periods at Sport Lisboa e Benfica and União de Leiria. He returned to Porto in 2002, as head coach, and soon became a force to be reckoned with, making the treble, winning the Portuguese Liga, Cup of Portugal, and UEFA Cup in 2003. Greater success followed in 2004 as Mourinho guided the team to the top of the league for a second time and won the highest honour in European club football, the UEFA Champions League.

2004-2007

On 2 June 2004, Jose Mourinho joined Chelsea on a three-year contract.  He won two consecutive Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006, among other domestic honours.

After a fall-out with the Chelsea hierarchy, he moved to Italy's Serie A, Inter Milan FC, in mid-2008. Within three months, he had won his first Italian honour, the Supercoppa Italiana, and completed his first season in Italy by winning the Serie A league title. He then followed that up the following year by winning the first treble in Italian history: the Serie A league title, Coppa Italia, and the UEFA Champions League. Due to these achievements he again won the IFFHS best football manager for the 2009–10 season and the first ever FIFA Ballon d'Or Best Coach Award in 2010.

2008-2010

On 28 May 2010, his appointment as head coach at Real Madrid was confirmed, signing a four-year contract.  So far now (February, 2011), the Real Madrid is 2^nd place in La Liga.

English Analysis: Will Manchester United Come To Regret Not Splashing The Cash In January?

t's the end of another transfer window and Sir Alex Ferguson – either under the orders of those on high or through his own thrift – has failed to spend midway through the season, again.

Only one new player, Anders Lindegaard, whose signing from Aalesund was long ago wrapped up, has been brought in by the wily boss this winter.

Some might say that at the top of the table, Manchester United don't need to add new faces to a side that is presently unbeaten in the Premier League and looking formidable with a streak of meaty comebacks.

Others would argue that these comebacks have been necessary due to inherent weaknesses in the squad, and with Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Edwin van der Sar all edging closer to retirement it would be better to bring players in pronto and blood them as replacements, giving the side an edge on their rivals in the title race with a glut of hungry players itching to prove they've got what it takes.

United have had mixed fortunes in past transfer windows, with Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra proving to be excellent signings in January 2006, but have also spent big on flops like Zoran Tosic and Manucho. 

So has Ferguson done the right thing this January?

In safe hands?   

With Edwin van der Sar announcing his retirement at the end of the season, Ferguson will surely be looking to bring in a replacement for the Dutchman. In Lindegaard and Tomas Kuszczak he has an unknown quantity and a player not good enough to take on the No.1 jersey come the summer.

Maarten Stekelenburg, David De Gea and Manuel Neuer appear to be the leading candidates for the job, with goalkeeping coach Rene Meulensteen revealing that the Dutchman is the top man. 

Ferguson can be forgiven for not buying in winter given the extraordinary difficulties of bringing in a goalkeeper during such a short amount of time – few clubs are willing to let go of their most irreplaceable players in January, and there are arguably no more difficult spots to fill than that of a goalkeeper.

And, of course, Ferguson may have been waiting on Van der Sar to make a decision about his future before deciding on whether or not to bring in a goalkeeper. 

Having only just found out last week, it's understandable that he is prepared to wait until the summer to see what to do – be that to entrust Lindegaard or spend on a replacement. One thing Ferguson can ill afford is to wait nigh-on 10 years to find a new goalkeeper, as happened when Peter Schmeichel left the club.

Possible targets: Stekelenburg (£8 million), De Gea (£20m), Neuer (£20m), Pepe Reina (£30m)

The case for the defence

While Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra are undoubtedly among the best in the business in their respective positions, beyond that there is some cause for concern. The FA Cup tie with Southampton showed just how fragile United's backline is without its first choice starters. 

Yet in Chris Smalling and Rafael, United have two of the most promising defensive youngsters in the league. The latter earned a call-up to the Brazil squad – no mean feat with Maicon and Dani Alves to compete with at right-back – after earning praise before being knocked out at Blackpool, while the former has the makings of a steady centre-back.

Evans could yet make it as a first team regular if he learns from his peers, but Fabio has yet to show that he will make as much of an impact as his twin brother has done.

The defence could certainly have done with an extra body for security, especially if Evra or Rafael pick up an injury in the tail end of the season as their runs down the left carry a tremendous threat, with John O'Shea unable to provide such an outlet when he deputises out wide.

Possible targets: Paulo Ferreira (£2m), Jose Bosingwa (£5m)

Stuck in the middle?

The hub of it all for United, but this season, perhaps more than in recent ones, it's been the brilliance of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes that have kept the league leaders ticking – indeed, the turnaround at Bloomfield Road last week was largely a result of the Welshman's introduction.


Darren Fletcher remains the club's only other steady centre-midfielder besides Scholes, with Michael Carrick too often going missing on the pitch and Owen Hargreaves sadly anonymous with a series of injuries.

Darron Gibson is a very poor man's excuse for a midfielder in a title-chasing side, with a tendency to blast wildly from distance rather than retain the ball.

On the flanks it's a slightly different story as Nani has been a sensation this season and the return of Antonio Valencia will provide an extra string to the bow of United's attack. The Ecuadorian winger delivers a consistently excellent cross and can stretch the play with his pace, giving the side balance and an additional threat. Park Ji-Sung may be a brilliant runner, but he lacks the finesse to be a source of danger.

A centre-midfielder and/or a winger would have done United's chances no harm.

Possible targets: Charlie Adam (£10m), Ashley Young (£18m)

Leading from the front

It's just as well that Dimitar Berbatov has been banging them in this season as the form of Wayne Rooney has been utterly dreadful. Only in recent weeks has the England man got anywhere near his best and an abject display at Blackpool served as a reminder that the 25-year-old still hasn't got his head together.

The same can't be said for the man that many thought would have been a bargain buy and the like-for-like replacement for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – Michael Owen. Injuries have limited him at United, but the former Liverpool man has lost his pace and struggles to link the play. 

While he retains that killer instinct, he is a pale shadow of his former self and with Bebe yet to learn how to walk in the first team, any serious injuries to one or more of the starting three strikers could thrust the ageing and increasingly witless Owen into the fold.

Possible targets: Amauri (loan), Danny Welbeck (loan recall)

Right or wrong?

Ferguson may live to regret not bringing in an extra midfielder, but his logic in not spending big on a new goalkeeper, who would have to squeeze out the perfectly fine Edwin van der Sar for the remainder of the season, is sane.

He may well be taking a risk on not bringing in a versatile defender, but if Evra and Rafael remain fit for the rest of the season then United should be fine.

By Nick Price, Goal.com