Crystal Palace - Just how doomed are they?

If you'd have told the average football fan that the first managerial sacking of the season would take place after just four games he'd most likely have laughed in your face. He'd be in hysterics when you then said Roy Hodgson would manage in the Premier League again. And he'd down right call you a liar when you then suggested that after the first 6 games the side at the bottom of the league would have zero points and zero goals. Now imagine the reaction when you tell him all of the pre-mentioned points happened to the same club. Come on in, Crystal Palace.  

  

Crystal Palace. Just how has it gone so wrong so quickly? As the 2016/2017 season drew to a close, The Eagle's finished in a very respectable 14th position. With Benteke firing in the goals, Zaha causing havoc down the flanks, and Sahko looking solid at the back, it appeared that Palace where on the up. Well you asked and you shall receive, May 23rd 2017, Big Sam quits. The former England manager (very briefly yes, but still former England manager) had taken over at Selhurst Park and, despite some early turmoil, got his side playing the 'Big Sam way' in time for the Palace faithful to be able to watch another season of Premier League football this time around. The reason for Allardyce's departure appeared to be his desire to retire from management, stating he 'has no ambition to take another managerial position'. This was HUGE for Palace as Sam Allardyce's tactics had been what kept them up, and it had taken time to drill those tactics into the side. Now it was back to square one, and who was the man for the job?  

  

Frank De Boer. The legendary Dutch centre back was tasked with carrying on from where Big Sam had left off. And what did he do? The exact opposite. Now, modern day football is much more tuned to the style of football De Boer wanted to play, a style similar to that of the Ajax side he was a part of for a decade. The Ajax side that managed to win five league titles, two domestic cups, and one Champions League title as well as one UEFA Cup. An Ajax side with the likes of Patrick Kluivert, Jari Litmanen, Frank Rjjkaard, Edgar Davids and Marc Overmars just to name a handful. One of the great sides in European history, playing one of the most attractive styles of football we've seen, and De Boer tried to translate a similar style to Crystal Palace. It doesn't take a genius to see how poor of a decision this was from De Boer, but when you look back at his former managerial roles you have to wonder, why did the club hire him in the first place? When Steve Parish sat down with the board of directors, and ironed out the deal to appoint Frank De Boer, did anyone in the room ask "Why are we hiring him?" A club that had clung onto Premier League survival with a manager famed for keeping poor teams up with an ugly, long ball and hard tackling style of play, wanted to hire a man who had only ever managed sides who, for one, were HUGE sides in their domestic leagues, and two, played fast paced, slick, attacking football. If this HAD been asked maybe Parry would have responded with "Yes but look at his success at Ajax!" Which would be a fair argument, De Boer did win four league titles in his first four years at Ajax... but then failed to win the Eredivisie in either of his final two seasons before leaving for Inter Milan. What happened at Inter you ask? I'm glad you brought it up! After spending big in the summer, the new manager was fired after just 88 days in charge. So, this was the man Palace we're hiring, not the legendary Dutch defender, not the all-conquering Ajax manager, but a man who's track record over the last three years could rival any as the worst in management. In all fairness to De Boer however, after a slow start, and by slow start I mean four defeats from four with ZERO goals, his side did appear to be slowly but surely, adapting to his style of play. But just like that, it appeared Steve Parish did some research into his new manager, and showed the Dutchman the door in record time. 4 games, 4 defeats, no goals, and now no manager. How could it possibly go worse?  

  

Roy Hodgson. That's how!  

  

Crystal Palace had managed to appoint their second former England manager in less than one calendar year. Take that however you like but the appointment of the 70 year old made him the oldest appointment in Premier League history. I'd pay to be a fly on the wall of any Palace fan for the moment they discovered the man who failed to manage England to a victory over Iceland, was now the captain of their rapidly sinking ship. In fairness to Roy, when in charge of 'smaller' sides he famously does quite well. He lead Fulham to a Europa League final, and over achieved with West Brom. But you have to ask yourself, is there ANY appointment in football history which has drawn less enthusiasm then this? Actually yes. When Hodgson was given the England job over Harry Redknapp! (But we won't go into that.) So, what has Roy done since being given the job? Has he registered Palace's first points of the season? No, two defeats, including a 5-0 hammering by Manchester City. Well surely they've scored a league goal by now? Again no, that makes it 6 games without a goal for Crystal Palace. And as if things couldn't get any worse, their top goalscorer and record signing from last season Christan Benteke is said to be out for up to 6 weeks with injury. This news means that, going into an extremely tough away trip to Manchester United, Palace have ZERO fit strikers. THIS is the chance for Roy to prove he isn't past it! This is the chance for him to earn the trust of the Palace fans! Solve this crisis, get some goals on the board, and prove the doubters wrong. Wait... he's after Carlton Cole to replace Benteke? FREE AGENT Carlton Cole? The man who hasn't scored a single goal for his last three clubs? Not a bright upstart from the academy, not a youngster on the fridges of the side, Carlton Cole. What was that I said about unenthusiastic?  

  Do you know what this reminds me off? Cast your mind back to 2008, Derby County, mid way through their first season back in the top flight of English football. They were rock bottom of the league and looked destined for relegation, and what did they do? They signed Robbie Savage and gave him the captain's armband. The rest is history as Derby ended with a historically low 11 points, which included just one win. Could Palace be on for a similar season? The signs are all there.  

The Future of Football - Paulo Dybala vs Marco Asensio.

For the last 10 years the top table of world football has been dominated by two men. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Never before have we seen the title of world player of the year been so predictable as to who will be competing come January. But what will happen when these two icons of the world game take a step back? What will happen when the Argentine forward Messi steps back into a deeper laying number 10 role, allowing for someone else to steal all the headlines? What will happen when the goals dry up for Cristiano? When the lung busting runs and climbing headers become a rarity and not just another Sunday for the Portuguese national captain. Well here are two names you will have heard before, Paulo Dybala and Marco Asensio. Dybala being compared to his fellow Argentine international Lionel Messi, and Asension to his fellow galactico Cristiano Ronaldo. The next big rivalry in world football is ready and waiting, lets take a closer look.

So first of all, with Paulo Dybala. The Juventus number 10 has openly stated on several occasions that be has no interest in becoming the 'Next Lionel Messi' that he would rather be the 'First Paulo Dybala' and that is a highly commendable attitude from the 23 year old. Many young players have taken the praise heaped upon then and ran themselves into a wall with it, the names Mario Balotelli and Ricardo Quaresma instantly come to mind, however Dybala seems to be handling it perfectly, getting his head down and playing football. Despite Paulo's insistence NOT to be compared to Messi, it is clear to see where to comparisons have been drawn from. Dybala is one of the most naturally talented players in world football today, his ability on the ball and technique very closely resembles that of a young Lionel Messi. The speed at which Dybala can dribble with the ball is a defenders worst nightmare, and to cap it all off his average of a goal every other game in his Juve career so far demonstrates the eye for goal the forward possess. The attributes have earned Dybala the nickname 'La Joya' translated from Spanish meaning ' the jewel'. During his first professional season at the age of 17, Dybala went on to break four long standing Argentine football records. Firstly, scoring his first goal for boyhood club Instituto, making him the youngest goal scorer in the leagues history, he followed this up scoring in 6 consecutive league games, beating the previous record by 2. And to cap off the season, he became the first player to score two hat-tricks in the league, as well as the first to compete in 38 consecutive league matches in the country. So a young Argentine footballer breaking records left right and centre. Do you see where I'm going with this?

Only one year later Dybala was on his way to Europe, to Italian side Palmero where he continued to grow and shine. In his third season in Italy we saw the first examples of the player Dybala has grown into today, scoring 13 league goals and providing 10 assists, making his one of the most influential players in the league that season. Much like his time with Instituo, this breakthrough season saw the youngster moving on to bigger things, namely a £32 million move to Juventus, where he was given the famous 21 jersey. Playing as Juve's main attacking threat Dybala ended his first season as the clubs top scorer, registering 23 goals. Only Italian great Roberto Bagio held a greater goals/games ratio in his debut season, as the Argentinian fired his new club to the Scudetto. The success just kept coming for Dybala, in his second season with Juventus he knocked in another 19 goals, even more impressive when you consider he was now playing the position of a second striker behind new signing Higuain. As well as winning his second Italian league title, Dybala helped the Old Lady to the Champions League final against Real Madrid, where they came up short. That brings us to the current campaign, and what else do I need to say other then 10 league goals in 6 games, and two hat- tricks already. The pressure was heavily on the Italian champions this time around after their failure in the Champions League final and Dybala has taken that pressure and dealt with it with match winning performances. ON the day of writing this the news is filled with a rumoured £155 million offer being weighed up by Manchester United for the Argentinian star. Whether these rumours are factual or not is yet to be seen, but how little surprise this news has earned from the footballing world shows just how big a deal the man is. I don't think I'm being over dramatic when I say I can see Dybala being named the worlds best player sooner rather then later, his talent is just undeniable and if he continues this season the way he has began it I think it could be even sooner then we could ever have imagined. I am however going to end this with another cheap comparison to Lionel Messi. Paulo was sent off in his FIRST EVER start for Argentina. As I'm sure you're aware Messi saw red in his first ever game for his country, another cheap comparison as I said but it takes great strength to come back from such a knock down and to go on and flourish. Lio has undoubtedly gone way above all expectations, and after the start to his career has been so fruitful, I think it's safe to say we can expect the same from Juventus' new number 10.

Now onto a newer sensation, the Spanish midfielder who is being treated as the answer to the question, what will Real Madrid do without Cristiano Ronaldo? Marco Asensio. Now unlike Dybala, we don't have a handful of seasons at the highest level to go off of, with Asensio we simply have ability. In Asensio's first 37 league games in the top flight of Spanish football the midfielder only managed 4 league goals, which is by no means an impressive feat. But by just looking at the stats you're missing the point with this player. While still at youth level, both Barcelona and Real Madrid wanted to get their hands on Asensio, but the Spaniard spent his first professional season with Mallorca. As the season drew to a close Asensio truly found his form, scoring all 4 of  the league goals he managed in his first season within the same month, ending the campaign as the hottest property in Spanish football. And in November of 2014 Real Madrid got their man, before loaning him back to his boyhood club for the remainder of the season. During this same time frame Madrid's newest signing was representing Spain at under 18's level, scoring 8 goals in 12 games, showing just how big of a talent he could be! Before the end of the 2014-2015 season Asensio was called up to the under 21 squad, continuing to shine, and currently Marco has 8 goals in 17 games at that level. In the following summer Asensio was loaned to Espanyol, Catalan rivals of Barcelona, where he continued to improve, ending the campaign with 12 assists as the Real Madrid man looked to bet set for a number 10 role. At this point however the Spanish midfielder was growing frustrated by his career with Real Madrid, almost two years after signing he was yet to make his professional debut and rumours of a move away from the Spanish capital saw the managers hand forced and Asensio was in the side, which could turn out to be the best decision Zidane has made in his time in charge of Los Blancos.

The brightest star in Spanish football couldn't have started his Real Madrid career any better, scoring on his competitive debut for the club. A quite brilliant 25 yard strike against Sevilla in the Spanish super cup, a game that went all the way to penalties. And just 12 days later Asensio made his first league start for the club, and again found himself on the score sheet. After his fast starts however Asensio's appearances were limited to substitute appearances, which again drew frustration from the midfielder, reports came from the Madrid camp that Marco's representatives had informed management that if they did not intend to play Asensio then he would be forced to play his football elsewhere. The Champions League however is where the teenager was able to really show his class, scoring four goals during Real Madrid's campaign, including the fourth in the final, securing Madrid's 12th European Cup. As the 2017/2018 season got under way the indication was that whenever Cristiano Ronaldo did not play, Asensio would slot into his position out wide, with Ronaldo growing older and his game time appearing to be on the decline, this new role was seen as a great opportunity for the midfidler, a new role for the Spaniard but one he settled into almost instantly. During the Spanish super cup first leg against Barcelona, Asensio fired in a bullet of a strike from the wide left position, and just four days later he did it again. In the second leg, in the first game of the season in the Bernabeau, a quite remarkable strike cutting in from the right this time left Barcelona's Ter Stagen stranded as Asensio filled in for the suspended Ronaldo. Also in the summer just gone, whilst representing the Spanish under 21's Asensio scoring a hat-trick on match day one, leading his side to the final where they were eventually beaten by Germany, but another showing on the world stage for the youngster who's stock has been growing and growing. It's really been since the 2017 Champions League final where the world has stood back and realised just how much potential this man has. Good on both feet, technically brilliant, able to produce that one bit of magic to change the game. With an eye for goal and a role playing as the Madrista's number 7's understudy, Asensio really is learning from the best.

Right here what we have is, I feel, the next generation of Balon D'or winners. Much Like Ronaldo was making headlines before Messi, I feel like it could only be a matter of time before Dybala is seen as an elite level, top five in the world footballer. But as soon as that happens, expect Asensio to show that he belongs at that top table, and just like that a battle is on to be the worlds best. Now of course these aren't the two only names who could replace Messi and Ronaldo at the top, the likes of Neymar, Garath Bale, Eden Hazard, Kylian Mbappe and many many others all have a claim to the throne. But right here, like I said, I feel is the next generation. Much like we've seen two men dominate the top table of football for the last decade, I expect these two to do it for the next. Paulo Dybala and Marco Asensio. Watch this space.

Mane's red card - Right or Wrong?

The tens of thousands of fans inside the Etihad Stadium last Saturday was witnessed to perhaps the biggest talking point of the Premier League season so far. In a game where two of the early front runners, Manchester City and Liverpool, faced off and the home side ran away convincing 5-0 victors, for one referee's decision to be across the back pages the following day, you know it had to be a big one. Okay, for those of you who have been living under a rock since last Saturday, here is what happened. Sadio Mane had only the day before been named the Premier League's Player of the Month, and looked to continue from where he left off before the international break. 1-0 down, but with the game certainly still in the balance, a long ball from the back was played over the Senegalese winger for him to chase. As Mane charged towards the ball, City's newest keeper Ederson came flying off his line to challenge the Liverpool forward, a complete 50/50. The Brazilian goal keeper won the race, with a strong clearing header, however he was met, a fraction of a second later, by the boot of Sadio Mane. Mane had jumped up to try and knock the ball around Ederson, knowing if he won the ball he was in for a guaranteed goal, but instead the full force of the attacker went flying into the face of Manchester City's shot stopper. Jon Moss instantly blew up, and without a second though, brandished a straight red to a bewildered Sadio Mane who instead of protesting his innocence, simply crouched down and looked on in disbelief. Gary Neville on commentary was adamant that the referee had got it wrong. where as Jamie Carragher voted it was the correct decision. So lets break it down.  

Okay just look at that picture for a moment and try and explain to me how it ISN'T a red card, I'll wait... 

Yes it is very true that ANY foul, in fact any tackle, can be made to look a lot worse then it is with the right angle, the right shot. In real time Mane's tackle looked a lot more inconspicuous than the picture indicates, but and as much as this pains me to say from a Liverpool fans point of view, it's impossible to miss why the referee gave the red card. Mane's foot is a whole 6ft in the air, and as soon as his standing foot also leaves the floor he is out of control. When both feet leave the floor in a more traditional tackle there is no argument, it's a straight red. The incident was simply an example of serious foul play, one of the seven offences that warrant a red card under the laws of the game. Do you want me to quote from the rule book? Of course you do! Law 12, under fouls and misconduct. 'A player is guilty of serious foul play if he uses excessive force or brutality against an opponent when challenging for a ball while it is in play. A tackle that endangers the safety of an opponent must be sanctioned as serious foul play. The second half of that statement is what has landed Mane a three match suspension. Whether intentional or not, at the height Mane's foot was when challenging Ederson, he is putting the opposition goal keeper in serious danger. And as the Brazilian spent the remainder of the day in a near by medical facility, I'm sure he'd be inclined to agree. Sadio Mane, while chasing down the ball and jumping for the touch, you'd imagine has an idea of Ederson's presence, and even though he couldn't back out of the challenge once he had left the ground, the didn't have to go in for it in the first place. Later in the game Jordan Herderson found himself in a very similar position, charging towards the substitute goal keeper Claudio Brave who had committed to coming and getting the ball. The Liverpool captain saw the danger early, and (perhaps with Mane's red card on his mind) proceeded to run around the goal keeper, preventing any sort of collision. Yes the Englishman was not up to speed the likes of Mane which had reached, but he showed that a bit of pre thinking could have been done to avoid the situation entirely. 

In the immediate moments following the red card I was CONVINCED that is wasn't a red, a foul yes, a yellow, yes, but not a sending off. Why? It's just as simple as my previous argument. Intent. 

Okay now look at this picture, it was taken milliseconds before the previous picture, look at Mane's eyes. Notice the concentration that is 100% on the flight of the ball, notice how all that could possibly be going through the attackers head at this time is 'if I get a touch, I score'. Coming from a man who has played the sport all his life, when in the situation Mane was in, you experience 'tunnel vision' all you're thinking about is what is directly in front of you, in this case, the ball. Notice how Ederson has already thrown himself into the challenge, head first, endangering himself, with Mane flying towards him. Now, cards on the table, giving a red card for this challenge is 100% justified, but it comes back to the age old debate. Have the men who write the rules ever played the sport? On BBC's Match Of The Day, Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Gary Lineker all said that they would have made the same challenge if they where in Mane's boots. The reason for this is, as a striker, all you're thinking about is the next goal, and in this situation the next goal was potentially seconds away. From the point of view of three of the best front men England has ever produced, it was a 50/50 challenge that had to be made. Now in a 50/50 challenge, both men know what they're getting themselves into. They both also know, once they've committed to the challenge if either one of them was to pull out, they would certainly be coming out of it on the wrong end. If Mane was to drop his foot, the 6ft1 200 pound frame of Ederson would have came flying through him, causing potentially serious injury. Potentially also, Ederson's forward momentum could lead to the two men colliding heads, leading to potential concussions for both men, Mane could not back out. 

This scenario was one Ederson has been in several times already in his short Manchester City career, so much so that on Twitter, journalist Nooruddean Choudry predicted the goal keeper's injury a month before the game against Liverpool. Stating how he is quick to launch himself into the ball head first against an onrushing attacker. Simply put Ederson's action were reckless, and 30 yards off his line, he has to be treated the same way as an outfield player. And despite what you may think, this sort of challenge takes place week in week out, on the half way line, or the edge of the box, and rarely if ever is the red card awarded as a punishment. The very next day after Mane was given his marching orders, Matt Richie was shown a yellow card for a high footed lunge towards Swansea's Alfie Mawson. Like Mane, Richie had the run on the ball which brings in the argument of excessive force and endangering the opponent, and like Mane, Richie had eyes only for the ball, no intent to hurt the man. The only difference is that Mawson avoided the complete contact, Ederson did not. If the rules of the sport state that a challenge that endangers an opponent should be met with a red card, then the outcome of the challenge is a mute point. Ederson's injury, as horrible as it was, should not mean Mane deserves a red and Richie does not. Now if Richie had been sent off, and every high footed foul ever had been punished with a red card then this argument would be a lot less fruitful, but you simply can't make a decision as big as the Mane sending off, if all of your peers, the other Premier League referee's, aren't reading from the same play book. 

You could argue that I'm picking at hairs which in all fairness I am. I agree that in the rules of the sport Mane was RIGHTLY given a red card, I just think that it's sad how the sport has developed into one where players should restrain from giving their all as they're running the risk of being given their marching orders. Mane was only ever going for the ball, you see it on every pitch, Premier League or Sunday League, every day of the week. This one isolated incident has been over examined (sorry about that) and it has brought up the same points that always come up when a red card causes controversy. On one side you have the black and white rules of the sport, what is and isn't allowed between the white lines. And on the other, we have interpretation, what a lot of people would say this sport is built on. The cherished 'bar room debate' is built on interpretation, four days after the red card was given I sat in a pub with my dad and uncle, debating the red card. On a table across the room, they were doing the same thing. In a world where some referee's are more inclined to give a red card then other for an almost identical incident, we are bound to continue to have incidents like the one you're reading about today. We also have to take a step back and see what football is becoming, more and more it is becoming a non contact sport. Maybe that is a bit extreme, but the 'no slide tackling' rule you're given in the primary school play grounds is seeping it's way into the professional game. A simple shoulder barge is now considered a foul and a yellow card, jumping for a header along side a goal keeper is a foul, basic body contact and the play is stopped. It may seem like I'm trying to argue a case against Mane's red card but I'm not, I understand that under the rules of the game it WAS a red card. What I am arguing against is the culture that football in this country is becoming, the hard tackling ways of the 1970's and 80's is long gone, and has been replaced with... well, exactly what i'm writing about today!

I may have gone off on a huge tangent about the state of modern football, but it's an argument that needs to be said! But overall should Mane have been sent off? Yes, under the laws of football it was the right call for Jon Moss to make. Now every other referee in the world just has to follow the same rules and we're golden.