Get What You Pay For

That seems to be the model for this year's young EPL season.  Now I don't claim to be a English Premiere League expert.  I also am not a huge fan as far as watching; as many of you know I'm more of a FC Barcelona La Liga fan.  But somehow I convinced Comcast to give us Fox Soccer Channel for free.  And Saturday morning, hungover, it is great watching. 

In the wake of a 13-3 thrashing of the North London teams by the teams from Manchester I want to devote a brief analysis of what seems to be happening right now in English football: money talks.  This is not new.  The big clubs always rise to the top (with some exceptions, see Leeds United).  Spain is dominated by Barca and Real Madrid because those two have more money (although recent purchase of Malaga by a wealthy Arab could make things interesting).  Italy the two teams from Milan have consistently held the Scudetto. 

England has had in recent years the "Big Four:" Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal.  They got this monicker because they dominated the Champions League spots from the EPL.  But in recent years these 4 have had a little trouble holding on to those 4 spots.  Two seasons ago, when Liverpool hadn't spent much money, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City pushed them down the table and Spurs nicked the final Champions League spot.  Since then Manchester City has spent, spent, and spent some more trying to create a team with the fluidity and flexibility of Barcelona.  Last year it was City who captured that 4th spot, just beating out Tottenham.  This weekend City destroyed Spurs 5-1 at Tottenham.  It's not that Spurs haven't bought plays, but they have tried to under bid many on the same players that City signed (like Sergio Aguero).  And boy did it show.

Similar story with the Manchester United's 8-2 demolishing of Arsenal.  Both managers believe in developing talent.  But the difference is that Sir Alex Ferguson is not afraid to not only change tactics, but also buy experienced talent for Man U when he knows there is a weakness.  Wenger unfortunately believes that he can buy young and develop.  He consistently buys inexperienced players who he can mold to his system.  Maybe one day the excuse of "we're building" will come true, but I believe that if you're good enough, you're old enough. 

The question remains what about Chelsea and Liverpool?  Both teams have been consistently spending money on talent.  Chelsea has the problem of inconsistency at the helm.  I count 6 managers in 4 years.  But despite that they have been in the top 3 each year (even winning one title) and have looked good thus far under youngster Andre Villas-Boas.  Liverpool has also had managerial issues, but they also had ownership problems.  They have those settled, have purchased smartly and have looked sharp thus far.

The lesson of the young season seems to be tight purse strings= bare trophy cabinet.

Mixed Debut

Last night marked the debut on new US Men's National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann in a friendly (exhibition) against rival Mexico.  After 10 days on the job, the man who has been touted as the savior of US soccer had to face a team that had embarrassed us a little over 6 weeks ago in the Gold Cup final and the only other soccer power in CONCACAF.  It was definitely going to be a tough task. 

As the match grew closer, pundits tried to bring expectations down a bit.  Both Alexi Lalas and Taylor Twellman said on ESPN's pregame coverage that it was not so much the result but the style that mattered.  This was the first sign that we had taken a step forward as a footballing nation.  Under Bradley style was sacrificed for results.  Now that is not something to complain about; Bradley took US soccer to the top of a World Cup group; he took the team to a new level of respect internationally.  However, his short sighted approach and his lack of tactical flexibility had taken the team as far as it was going to go.  This year's Gold Cup was an example of that: we had one way to play and it was to defend in numbers and hopefully get a goal on the counter-attack.  Unfortunately, because Bradley had taken every match one at a time this meant our defense consisted of players who had a few too many caps and way too few.  Mexico tore this to shreds.  So, last night's match would be a great barometer on how Klinsmann's style would hold up and change the side.  The result didn't matter because he had 10 days and 3 practices to put in his system.

The first half the style was not there.  Many of the players starting were stalwarts under Bradley and the same Bradley problems plagued the team.  We could not keep possession for long spells, and when they did it was just outside of our own 18 yard box, not on the Mexican side of the halfway line.  It was almost impossible to get the ball forward because there was no link.  Just like under Bradley our lone striker was useless because no one could get the ball into the final third by doing anything but hoofing a long pass up there and hoping he could fend of 3 defenders.  As a result the halftime whistle blew with 0 shots on goal for the US.  While the goal conceded could be chalked up to bad luck, the team was lucky to not be down more than 1.  Mexico deserved the lead.

The second half was much more promising.  It started the same as the first half: Mexico possessing, probing, looking the most likely to score.  Then Klinsmann went to his bench.  He brought on two players Bradley either completely failed to utilize (Brek Shea) or used poorly (Juan Agudelo who was always either a lone striker or alone on a wing under Bradley).  These two proved to be crucial in implementing Klinsmann's style onto the game.  Immediately the squad began pinging the ball around with series of one touch passes.  The triangle game was there.  The US kept possession; we kept it well into Mexico's half.  After that we took control of the game and it began to look like a goal for Sam's Army was inevitable.  And that goal did come.  It was a beautiful move of short passes and individual skill that led to Shea teeing up Robbie Rogers with a snappy cross along the ground for an unmarked shot from 2 yards out to a wide open goal.  Ironically Rogers came on for son of the former coach, Michael Bradley.  Is this a sign or a coincidence? 

Michael has been a great player and there is certainly a role for him as more of a midfield enforcer, but he symbolizes his father's game plan: defend then long ball.  Klinsmann wants to play more like Spain than a mid-table Premiere league squad.  The question was do we have the players who can play that style.  Last night answered that partly: you have to be able to play like that if you want a spot in Klinsmann's team.  Obviously, one game is no judge of how the Klinsmann era will play out.  However, last night's second half showed we can play like he wants us to for spells, but we have a long way to go.  He's only been on the job for 11 days and there are two more good tests coming up for the German in the next month or so.  Those two games will be more telling, but the attitude is certainly right: he wants players to fit his style, not the other way around.  That style is what is needed for the next level of success (see Spain, FC Barcelona).