Above Everyone Else

Just another demonstration of their superiority against any rival. La Furia are like Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona where it seems that there is no rival that can match and beat the exquisite touch football that Spain are displaying. This is associated football at its purest form. From top to bottom they are perfection and no team can compare. Capello’s England should be thankful that at least they were able  to see the beauty of Spain’s football up close and personal. England may have invented the game but Spain are taking it to another level. Some are calling Spain the Brazil of Europe, but at the current moment I think Brazil can take a page or two from La Furia’s style of play.

Highlights:

• Spain continues to taste sweet victory for the 126th straight time
• Iker only 27 years old reaches Hierro with 89 caps. There is no removing his mark from Spanish history books.
• Fernando Llorente scores his first goal wearing the red. Moments later he would limp off the field with an injury.
• David Villa opened the way for Spain by scoring against England, which makes him the first Spanish player to score in six consecutive matches.
• David Beckham also makes history with England by making his 108th appearance reaching the same numbers of the eternal Booby Moore.

Note: Brazil against Italy delivered an impressive performance with the City boys Elano and Robinho giving the Italians a major headache. The way Robinho broke the spines of the Italian defense with his mind numbing dribbling inside the box was tremendous. To watch him play with Brazil it makes me wonder who lost more Real Madrid or Robinho with his transfer to City? On another note, the Azzuri’s performance was horrendous, but come the Confederations Cup I am certain that the Italians will be in tip top shape. I never  let my guard down with Italy.

The Becks Effect Pt. 2

The Becks effect was alive and kicking this past Sunday against Bologna, where Mr. Beckham has helped keep alive the hopes of attaining the Scudetto. Yes it could be said that Kaka had a great game scoring a brace ,but when David Beckham hits the back of the net for the first time since arriving to the club you know he is going to be the center of attention. It just can not be any other way. David Beckham like I have said in my previous entry is absolutely 100 percent an extremely committed professional to this craft and as he continues to gain minutes with Milan he is proving to gel in well with his team mates. The chemistry was present all throughout the match against Bologna who facilitated Beckham to run wild with moves and passes when Bologna went down to ten men. Like the Beckham of his glory days at United he closed the night with a spectacular strike to the top of the net. I know some will disagree on me saying that he was brilliant and has been fantastic in these past matches, but for the short amount of time he has had to adjust he is playing at a very good level in one of the most difficult leagues in the world. Not any player can do what he has done. Most would have flopped. He is becoming very valuable in the position that Ancelotti has fielded him in and it is clear that for Beckham this is the stage where he belongs. He knows that if he wants to continue the number of caps for England he needs to be competing in league like this one and not in the MLS. With all due respect to the MLS but Beckham’s talent is being wasted there. The message is clear: Don’t return to the U.S!!!

The Becks Effect?

After weeks of bad results Milan made a clear statement with Udinese: The club will not back down and will fight till the very end. The demolition of Udinese was just what the team needed to get the spirits up before the holiday break. The Brazilian trio delivered that touch of brilliance and made everything seem too easy. Udinese of course helped the rossoneri cause because beside Di Natale’s goal, they were never really present on the field. But still there is no denying that this was one of Milan’s best performance all season long. What gave to such a radical change? Many factors went into play last night but there are those who believe that the ‘Becks Effect’ was responsible for Milan’s stunning match. Its been mentioned how his sole presence injected the team with determination and inspiration that they lacked before. A bit over the top if you ask me just like his presentation to the club. I clearly do not believe in Golden Balls having such a powerful effect on the players, but if it were to be the case then he is welcome to sit in the stands and look pretty all he wants. If sitting in the stands delivers then, lets see what Mr. Beckham can deliver when on the field.

Becks Joins Milan

Milan for some time now has decided that what the club needs is the glamour of superstar players. This is evident when look at Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and its latest gem is who other than David Beckham himself. Beckham, football’s playboy and the originator of the football celebrity, has decided to land in the fashion capitol, and well many fans are wondering if this Milan is a retirement home or a football rehabilitation center? I myself have questioned their transfer policy quite a few times and well this time I have to admit that I am not too bothered with his arrival.

Honestly, we cannot expect too much from Beckham a player who is past his prime and well almost heading for retirement. And although he may be a fading glory his signing can benefit Milan in a variety of ways. First, it is quite obvious that the biggest impact he will have is in being a cash machine for Milan. He may not be able to rewind and return to his great days at Old Trafford but he has his celebrity that still makes money. It never hurts a club to earn a buck or two especially when they are not receiving any revenue from the Champions League. And in terms of football, Beckham still has a very educated foot that can deliver the long passes into the strikers zone and shoot a freekick here and there. Most importantly he is coming to Milan for free and only for four months. There really is nothing to lose with this deal. When his time is done he will leave back to the good old USA and everything will go back to normal. Both parties will leave happy.  

If there is one thing I learned and admired of Beckham while in Madrid is that of a true gentleman on and off the pitch. We judge him for being that celebrity football player that never really accomplished much but we often forget that he is a serious and dedicated player. He may have been the reason for Madrid’s three years of pain but I also remember the player that ended up helping Madrid earn their 30th league cup and bringing to a close the Galactico era. So with that being said I can not be angry with his arrival and I can only wish him the best.

* Just want to note that I am still against Milan’s transfer policy and hopefully the trend of signing ’star’ players is done soon.