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Food For Thought: Jose-Like Chelsea, Ibra Comes To The Party And The Calcio "Decline"
Chelsea turn back the clock, and the Serie A isn't all that bad, you know?
30-Nov-2009 1:37:09 PM
Jose-Like Chelsea
Chelsea’s performance against Arsenal was what many would call, vintage Chelsea or 'Jose-like' Chelsea. Strong in the tackle, extremely well organized and scoring with the chances they got. The post- Mourinho era had seen Chelsea lose their aura of invincibility, but surely this season they are earning that reputation back.
For Arsenal, it was the same old story. Lots of possession, fluid play but no cutting edge in the last final third. They certainly are going to miss Van Persie more than anyone guessed initially. Eduardo doesn’t have the finishing touch he did before his horrific injury, and Arshavin prefers to play more as an attacking midfielder than a striker.
Chelsea on the other hand have the perennial ‘two quality players for every position’ squad. And the experience they have in their ranks showed at the Emirates. It has been almost two and a half years, but it seems the blues are truly and surely out of the Special One’s shadow and in doing so have become very difficult to beat, just as it was three seasons ago.
Ibra Comes To The Party
Zlatan Ibrahimovic finally scored when the whole world was watching. The Swede had always performed well in the league when at Inter but failed to perform ‘on the big stage’ when people outside of Italy were also watching. He has often been criticized for failing to cope with the pressure of the big occasion, but he came up with the goods last night. A sweetly timed side footed volley, within minutes of his introduction will not only give him confidence but also assure the Barca faithful that the swap between Ibra and Eto’o might come better than they thought.
Calcio Decline
What happened to the Serie A? Italy, once the powerhouse of football, home to AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus, does not generate the kind of interest it once did. It might have to do with the fact that Serie A doesn’t get the kind of TV coverage which the superbly packaged Premier League and full of glamour La Liga get, although the latter isn't being telecast in India this season.
But the fact that Milan, Inter and Juventus are finding it difficult to compete with other European heavyweights, makes people assume that since the leaders are not as strong as they used to be, the whole league must have declined. However, that necessarily isn't the case. Across Europe, Fiorentina and Roma are probably the strongest when it comes to teams outside the traditional ‘top three’ or ‘top four’. It might have lost the charm it once had but the Serie A remains a very strong and competitive league, home to some of the world’s best young talent.
Venkatesha Sharma
Chelsea’s performance against Arsenal was what many would call, vintage Chelsea or 'Jose-like' Chelsea. Strong in the tackle, extremely well organized and scoring with the chances they got. The post- Mourinho era had seen Chelsea lose their aura of invincibility, but surely this season they are earning that reputation back.
For Arsenal, it was the same old story. Lots of possession, fluid play but no cutting edge in the last final third. They certainly are going to miss Van Persie more than anyone guessed initially. Eduardo doesn’t have the finishing touch he did before his horrific injury, and Arshavin prefers to play more as an attacking midfielder than a striker.
Chelsea on the other hand have the perennial ‘two quality players for every position’ squad. And the experience they have in their ranks showed at the Emirates. It has been almost two and a half years, but it seems the blues are truly and surely out of the Special One’s shadow and in doing so have become very difficult to beat, just as it was three seasons ago.
Ibra Comes To The Party
Zlatan Ibrahimovic finally scored when the whole world was watching. The Swede had always performed well in the league when at Inter but failed to perform ‘on the big stage’ when people outside of Italy were also watching. He has often been criticized for failing to cope with the pressure of the big occasion, but he came up with the goods last night. A sweetly timed side footed volley, within minutes of his introduction will not only give him confidence but also assure the Barca faithful that the swap between Ibra and Eto’o might come better than they thought.
Calcio Decline
What happened to the Serie A? Italy, once the powerhouse of football, home to AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus, does not generate the kind of interest it once did. It might have to do with the fact that Serie A doesn’t get the kind of TV coverage which the superbly packaged Premier League and full of glamour La Liga get, although the latter isn't being telecast in India this season.
But the fact that Milan, Inter and Juventus are finding it difficult to compete with other European heavyweights, makes people assume that since the leaders are not as strong as they used to be, the whole league must have declined. However, that necessarily isn't the case. Across Europe, Fiorentina and Roma are probably the strongest when it comes to teams outside the traditional ‘top three’ or ‘top four’. It might have lost the charm it once had but the Serie A remains a very strong and competitive league, home to some of the world’s best young talent.
Venkatesha Sharma
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