How Low Can You Go?!

Real Madrid, nine times conquers of Europe, 31 time conquerors of Spain have hit an all time low!! Last decade I struggled to fathom Real Madrid showing inferiority to any club in the world, but this struggle was overcome when I learnt Los Merengues asked UEFA to suspend 6 of Barcelona’s players. Also mind boggling is that this is a team coached by the self titled special one, Jose Mourinho. Yes, Barcelona did not have the classiest of outings at the Santiago Bernabeu but the fact is they took their chance and Messi showed up and made the +80 million Euro defense look like a beer drinking Sunday league team. Back to the issue at hand, the message the Galacticos have sent out is, ‘ we do not have faith in our players to win at Camp Nou’ I MEAN THIS IS THE REAL MADRID THAT SPLASED THE CASH ON RONALDO, KAKA, XABI ALONSO, DI MARIA, BENZEMA. Don’t get me wrong Barcelona’s actions in the first leg were unsporting, but to appeal to suspend divers just seems hypocritical for any club after all Cristiano Ronaldo is notorious for his dives the only recollection I have of a team requesting for suspensions is Celtic in the case of Eduardo when he won a penalty that knocked them out of the competition, the only difference is it is not embarrassing for a team with the stature of Celtic. I am just disappointed that the Galacticos that once fielded Zidane, Ronaldo, Figo, Raul at the same time have asked UEFA for help in beating Barcelona…I guess money can’t buy it all.

PS: To those that agree with the video that shows Pepe didn’t make contact with Dani Alves, I urge you to reason with the referee because even if it was a dive the studs where up, and it was malicious. Pepe’s reputation does not help either

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaTP4BnJLwU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6o1TW4paWE&feature=related
By: Babatumi Sodade

Randy Moss

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1010673/1/index.htm

This article is a great read about the enigma that is Randy Moss.

Top 5 Transfers

Javier Mascherano- €21 million

Javier is a big time loss for Liverpool, when you look at the way he influenced the game with his running and tacking it is difficult to find a player worthy enough to replace him. The Argentine Captain is the perfect fit for a Barcelona team that lost the services of Yaya Toure, Mascherano is a fluent passer, he is more mobile, and is adequate going forward. How Man City paid more for Yaya Toure than Barcelona paid for a better player is a mystery to me.

Mesut Ozil- €15 million

Definitely a real bargain buy (no pun intended), He was one of the top performers at the world cup, he dazzled every time he touched the ball. The danger for the kid is he might not have the same opportunity to play a free flowing style under the tactical Jose Mourinho especially with players like Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo who need the ball at thier feet to influence the game. All in all the price tag does not show his real worth, Real Madrid took advantage of his contract situation.

Marouane Chamakh- Free

I would rather have Chamakh for free than to pay €7 million on an obscure unproven international (Chicharito), i would also go as far to say i would rather have a free Chamakh than to shell out €30 million on a Mario Balotelli.

Yoann Gourcuff- €22 million

One of the most underrated players in Europe, to me he is the best player from France, and was the only realistic replacement for Cesc Fabregas if he was to leave Arsenal. Lyon will win League one because the influence will be too much with the already dominant squad they have.

David Villa- €40 million

justified his price tag with his exploits in South Africa this summer. Villa will make Barcelona so difficult to handle there will be to much speed, skill, agility in the front lines. Not many defenses will be able to cope with them.

Pace yourself Lad.

3 years ago no one would have predicted Alex Hleb would be playing for Birmingham City. Alex Helb was another one of Mr. Wenger's discoveries when in june 2005 he signed for a fee that could rise up to €15 million. Goals where not expected from him, as he was a compliment to a very intricate passing system that saw him develop an almost telepathic relationship with Cesc Fabregas. Helb spent most of his season playing in the right/left midfield where he was able to roam into central positions in attack. The midfield supplied Emmanuel Adebayor with 30 goals in the 2008-2007 season. That same season, the Gunners where in with a shout to win the league until it fell apart on February 24th when they drew at Birmingham 2-2. Despite that, it was still a good achievement for a Gunners side that had been dismissed by pundits in the preseason. Helb went on to join Barcelona in the summer of 2008 for a total fee of €17 million. Helb left the 4-4-2 system for Barcelona's 4-3-3 system which requires its wingers to have agile trickery, elusiveness, and pace (Henry and Messi). Helb possesses none of those attributes leaving his only realistic position for him at the two central midfield positions which where occupied by untouchable midfield combination Xavi and Iniesta. Helb lost his reputation as a talented player and became a fringe player which has led him to go on loan to Stuttgart and now on loan to Birmingham City at 29 years of age. Hleb has openly regretted leaving the Gunners, in what seems like an attempt to save face that he is still capable of performing for big clubs Hleb says "I had a few options - Liverpool, Tottenham and Benfica," and went on to say "But Birmingham clearly wanted to do the deal more than the others, which is why I made my choice."...by that statement he has classified himself as a player that is not as coveted as he once was by the top clubs.

All I have to say is be careful Cesc.

The Alex Hleb story has happend often with players who leave arsenal when they are supposed to hit their primes.

Flamini: now on the fringe at AC Millan

Emmanuel Petit: ended up in a then mediocre Chelsea team

Adebayor: on the fringes at Man City

Patrick Vieira: on the fringes at every club he has been too

Anelka: took 8 years to settle at Chelsea.

To name a few.

By : Babatumi Sodade

Mascherano to Barcelona

Devensive minded midfielder Javier Mascherano has signed for Barcelona for a fee of £18 million. The 26 yeaold leaves the red half of mersyside on a sour note after refusing to play. Liverpool swiftly signed Raul Meireles for FC porto for a fee of £11.5 million. Mascherano should flourish more in Barcelona as he will not have to share the creative burden as he has done with Steven Gerrard.

By: Babatumi Sodade

Zlatan Ibrahimovich signs for Rossoneri

Ac Milan have taken a step into reinstating themselves as a team to be feared. They have signed Barcelona cast away Zlatan Ibrahimovich who cost the Catalan side €46 million plus Samuel Eto'o is on loan for the time being with Milan having the option to buy him for €24 million.

What does this mean?

Zlatan is looked at as one of the premiere strikers in the world. A player that has size, skill, and decent pace is a rare combination. On his day, he is a handful for defenders, but sometimes has an attitude that produce lackluster performances. Barcelona spent money on David Villa (€40million) a Spaniard who stared at the world cup in South Africa. Villa will replace Ibrahimovic as the starting striker, relegating him to a substitutes role. Zlatan has made the right choice of leaving Barcelona because he could face a situation where he would slowly get shifted out of the Barcelona picture while the likes of Bojan and Pedro push for playing time. Zlatan need to now prove his worth and take advantage of a weak Serie A. The fact he is on loan does not mean he is not a definite purchase, it is due to the finiancial state of the club as they have agreed to pay his transfet fee in 3 installments over 3 years after the loan.

By: Babatumi Sodade

Tumi's top 15

Inter Milan

Chelsea

Barcelona

Manchester United

Real Madrid

Bayern Munich

Arsenal

Roma

Olympique Lyon

Werder bremen

AC Milan

Valencia

Manchester city

Benfica

Shalke 04