All posts by h79snht.top

The Cherries had lost just 4 of their 21 league games as the end of the January transfer window approached. Having lost key players 12 months ago it was a different time for Cherries fans, with the co-owners investing in the squad this time around. In came tricky midfielder Donal McDermott and one of the most wanted lower league strikers Matt Tubbs. These are two very good signings on paper, but were they good signings in relation to the balance of the squad?

AFC Bournemouth had been playing a 4-2-3-1 formation, due to the creative ability and lack of strikers. Wes Thomas made the front man spot his own and scored some 9 goals in 15 games, looking very confident in doing so. The Cherries already had Scott Malone who had moved to the left side of midfield before his injury and Marc Pugh a right footed left midfielder who was playing on the right. The three in midfield were a mixture of defensive and creative players. This was working for them as the side went 11 matches unbeaten on the road.

With a mixture of injuries and added personnel, the Cherries have changed to a more orthodox 4-4-2 with new signing Matt Tubbs joining up with former team mate Wes Thomas and Donal McDermott slotting on the right for the injured Wes Fogden. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, it isn’t working. The signing of McDermott has seen some added craft and guile to the side, but an orthodox or wide midfielder he is not. Often the right back is left exposed or if someone covers then gaps in the central midfield start appearing. With the cultured player liking to come in on his left foot it leaves a lack of an outlet which The Cherries lost when Liam Feeney moved to Millwall.

With Matt Tubbs arrival, the Cherries lost Michael Symes on loan to Rochdale as the forward wanted game time. Symes is a good player at this level and it is a blow to lose a striker like that. It has left the Cherries reliant on the aging Steve Fletcher and a young Jayden Stockley to change games. Also the understanding between Symes and Thomas was good and they both worked well together or on their own. Wes Thomas also looks to have been affected by the signing, he was a big fish, a crowd favourite and the top dog at the club. Spending a large fee on a decent goalscorer seems to have affected him and he actually seems to be intimidated playing with Tubbs. An opportunity came in the final moments against MK Dons that had it been a couple of months ago, Wes Thomas would have put away with his eyes closed. At the moment he looks a shadow of the player. However, after spending that amount of money, Lee Bradbury will persist with Tubbs and Thomas.

Lastly, we come to the formation. In a 4-4-2 the Cherries are missing a midfield Dynamo, someone that is tough tackling and will drive the side and bring excitement that gets the fans going. Marvin Bartley went to Burnley, Anton Robinson to Huddersfield and Danny Hollands to Charlton. This kind of player has not been replaced, yet. Recently the Cherries signed Miles Addison on loan from Derby, could he be the missing link that brings all of this together. At the moment he is playing centre back while Steve Cook is injured, but once Cook is back, I think Addison will be moved into the middle. This could change the Cherries season, but it may just be too much for this year.

One frustrating thing is fans expectations. Going to games is a horrible experience at the moment. The crowd are on the teams back very quickly and feel there should be some divine right to win. Teams come to Dean Court and defend and we do not have the quality to break them down. Also, we have been adding and removing players all season that the squad has never settled.

The January arrivals haven’t bedded in yet and it would be harsh to make a full judgement after five games, but after a poor start to the season, losing three games on the bounce wasn’t something AFC Bournemouth could afford, especially with a run of Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday, Carlisle and Brentford coming up. The squad lacks balance and understanding as well as any steel to the side. It lacks the ability to break through teams that sit and defend. The recent signings are good signings at this level, but do they fit into the way the side have been playing. No. 3 defeats in five games since their arrivals would suggest something is wrong. However, the Cherries still sit five points off of the Play Offs despite only one win in six. I wouldn’t write them off though, because once they click they could be a force and maybe with a full pre-season under their belt, AFC Bournemouth could be a side to watch out for next season.

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By AFC Bournemouth blogger Adrian Lee 

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After a disappointing season in front of goal, it has become clear that Spurs must sign a forward this summer. Their lack of goals last season cost them a place in the Champions League and should they wish to keep hold of talents such as Modric, Bale and Van Der Vaart, it is vital that they improve up top. I, along with many others was astonished that they failed to sign a striker last January, despite rumours of some big money bids being placed on deadline day. I am certain that the Spurs board will not make the same mistake this time around, the only question is, who should they go for?

Samuel Eto’o

Rumour has it the Cameroon International is looking to move and has reportedly been quoted saying he’s open to a Premier League switch. At 30 years of age, he may be not fit Tottenhams usual transfer criteria however, under Harry Redknapp , Spurs have signed a number of older, more experienced players with proven ability and one thing Eto’o does have in abundance, is ability. He scored over 100 goals during his time at Barcelona and helped Inter Milan to their famous ‘Quintuple’ in 2010. His style of play fits the bill perfectly for Spurs, with lightning speed, deadly finishing and constant movement. However, his high wages could prove to be a stumbling block in the move, as could be his desire for Champions League football.

Should it happen? 5/5

Will it happen? 1/5

Radamel Falcao

After an astonishing season in which he scored 38 goals in 42 appearances, there are a number of high profile European sides interested in the Colombian forward. Tottenham and Arsenal appeared to be leading the race for his signature, however after Porto manager, Andre Villas-Boas left the Portuguese champions earlier this week to join Spurs’ London rivals Chelsea; it seems Falcao could be headed to the blue side of London. Despite only standing at 5’9”, Falcao is phenomenal in the air and would surely thrive off of the crosses provided by Bale and Lennon. With a buy out clause £26million, which is considered cheap for a 25 year old forward in todays market, he must surely be on Tottenham ’s radar.

Should it happen? 5/5

Will it happen? 2/5

Lukas Podolski

Recently, Tottenham legend Steffen Freund urged Daniel Levy to consider making a move for world cup star Lukas Podolski. The German international striker, who is still only young at 26, is vastly experienced in club, European and International football could be a viable fix to Spurs’ striking problems. Traditionally, players from the German league tend to do well in England, with Michael Ballack and Owen Hargreaves (when he is fit) being prime examples of this.

Podolski would come relatively cheaply at a price between £10-15 million and has all the assets required to adapt to English football. His pace, strength, great dribbling and thunderous left-foot indicate he would be suited to Tottenhams style of play and I believe this would be a great piece of business by Spurs, should a deal come to fruition.

Should it happen? 3/5

Will it happen? 2/5

Leandro Damiao

The young Brazilian has been strongly linked with Spurs over the past few weeks and reports suggest it is likely a deal could take place. After having an initial bid of £10 million rejected by Damiao’s club, Internacional, Spurs have apparently returned with an improved offer and both the club and the media await a decision from the Brazilian side, with whom Tottenham have a partnership.

Strong in the air and with the ball at his feet, Damiao resembles a classic ‘No.9’ striker, with a touch of Brazilian skill. He would take time to adapt to the Premier League, as did his ex-Internacional team mate Sandro, but the midfielder’s progress and continued praise of Damiao to Levy and the board will surely influence their decision. At only 21 and with the potential to become a world class striker, he is surely worth the, relatively low risk.

Should it happen? 4/5

Will it happen? 5/5

Fernando Llorente

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The big Spaniard has been linked with Spurs for a while now and many believe their upcoming summer friendly with his club, Athletic Bilbao could be more than just a pre-season warm up.

Llorente is perfectly suited to the lone striking role he would fulfill should he move to N17 and his height and heading ability, combined with his strength indicate he would thrive off of the balls provided by Tottenham’s wingers. He would however command a sizeable transfer fee, although it could prove to be worth it, should he arrive in England, firing on all cylinders.

Should it happen? 4/5

Will it happen? 3/5

Article courtesy of Richard Baker from This is Futbol

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Victorious coach Cesar Farias could not hide his delight after Venezuela booked their spot in the last four of the Copa America on Sunday.Goals from Oswaldo Vizcarrondo and Gabriel Cichero led Venezuela to a shock 2-1 victory over Chile in their quarter-final in San Juan, earning a semi-final place for the first time in their history.

Farias’ team remains unbeaten so far in the Copa and will meet Paraguay on Wednesday for the chance to make the final.

“We trained to play six matches and we did it, despite the fact that nobody took us into consideration,” Farias said.

“Venezuela have played against three World Cup teams and Ecuador, and haven’t lost against a single one.”

“Today we beat Chile, the revelation of the (World Cup) qualifiers, confirmed in South Africa. We proved that we can compete with the rest of South America.”

And having already come this far, Farias said his squad were determined to push on and claim Venezuela’s first major title.

“(The players) are not content with this and they are hoping to continue going forward,” Farias said.

“This experience also leaves us well-placed thinking about the next qualifying tournament, since our hope is to play the Brazil World Cup in 2014.”

Chilean coach Claudio Borghi dismissed claims that he had taken Venezuela lightly, and said he was proud of how his team fought to get a result.

“I don’t believe in luck, I believe in being able to do what you have to or not. Chile always wanted to win,” Borghi said.

“They always had the conviction that they could win the game. I’m going home sad, but not disappointed.”

Norwich City right-back Russell Martin has been doing a sterling job playing as a centre-back for the club in recent games. It is a role that the defender will be expected to continue in when Norwich face Liverpool on Saturday. Zak Whitbread, Elliott Ward, and Daniel Ayala are all currently out injured, but they are fighting their way back to fitness.

Should Russell Martin keep his place when one of these players is fit to play? There are clearly two very strong arguments for and against this. Firstly, Russell Martin deserves the right to continue to play due to the performances he has put in, in the last few games.

However, the likes of Whitbread, Ward, and Ayala would argue that as recognised centre-backs a right-back should not be played ahead of them.

Overall though there has to be a bigger reason to drop Russell Martin than simply there is another player available. Russell Martin may not be a central defender by trade, but watching his performances this season you wouldn’t really know that. On Saturday against Swansea, Martin put in a solid shift at the back and even managed to get himself on the score-sheet in Norwich’s 3-1 win at Carrow Road.

Paul Lambert has been in the privileged position over the last few games of playing at the same starting –eleven. The Norwich City manager certainly would not want to disrupt his team’s rhythm by making unnecessary changes. The likes of Whitbread, Ward and, Ayala have to work hard in training and play well for the reserves. Then it is up to them to make an impact from the substitute’s bench when given the opportunity in the first-team.

The place at centre-back occupied by Russell Martin should be his to lose. As long as he continues to play well in that position then really he has nothing to worry about. He should be mindful of the fact though that a few costly errors cost Ritchie De Laet his place in the team. Martin therefore needs to ensure that his performances stay at the level they have been in the last few games. Lambert has already proved this season that he will make big decisions, if he feels they will benefit the team.

Few Norwich City supporters would have expected Grant Holt to be dropped from the first-team this season. However, it has quickly become apparent that no one’s place is completely safe. This includes Russell Martin, so he must continue to play well to stay in the team.

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Follow James Kent on Twitter.

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Barcelona. The fluidity of their football and dominance of the football world have left many wondering whether they are first among equals in a hall of fame that consists of Real Madrid’s 1960 team, Holland’s 1974 team, Brazil’s 1970 team, Liverpool’s 1984 team and many others.

As we look at the top teams in the Premier League today we are left wondering what happened to the archetypal British, 4-4-2, long ball, physical football? Steve Barron’s brilliant satire of British football ‘Mike Bassett: England manager’ perfectly summed up everything that was farcical yet familiar about our island’s style of play. But does it ring true any more? Ever more our clubs have shifted away from the two-wingers-two-strikers to a system that allows greater movement between roles for the midfield and striking positions. So effective has Barcelona’s style of play been that it would seem only natural for clubs around the world to try and emulate it. So is this what we’ve been doing too?

The Formation

The 4-3-3 seems to have taken over English football recently. Adopted at times by Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool, Blackpool, Swansea, Aston Villa, QPR and others the formation is fast becoming first choice for many clubs. The advantages as demonstrated by Barcelona not only lie the fluidity of forwards (Messi, Villa and Pedro are constantly switching position) but also in the dominance of three central midfielders over two. If the recent Barcelona vs. Man Utd encounters in the Champions League have taught us anything is that attempting to play two midfielders against Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta is an optimistic approach. Especially if one of those midfielders is Carrick. The fact is that Barcelona has demonstrated that when your players are playing well there is nothing you can do to stop it a midfield trio. Man Utd fans will have recognized Ferguson often playing five in midfield in Europe last season in an attempt to combat just that.

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Defence without defenders

Possession football is a luxurious way to defend that only the best teams can afford to do. Barcelona has become so good at it that they are regularly playing their midfielders in defence. Granted it is through necessity and not choice but they are faring pretty well. I’m not saying that similar tactics will be employed here by choice but the option to have ‘ball-playing’ defenders over ‘defensive’ defenders is definitely on the up in our game. Players like Vermaelen, David Luiz, Sebastian Coates and others are the beginning of a new generation of defenders. No more do we have our back lines modeled on burly, brutish men regimentally playing the offside trap as they scythe down players and relentlessly put their head on the line. That player still exists but the advantages of players like Pique and Dani Alves have been more than highlighted by Barcelona. Arguably Dani Alves only plays as a defender against the best teams. The rest of the time he is somewhere next to Messi on the wing. I’m not saying that Barcelona have patented the attacking or ball playing defenders. Just that their use of them has highlighted the importance of the roles of those players. Role that we are seeing more and more of in British football.

Natural progression or Barcelona impersonators?

There are two arguments that could be touted: a) that these and other changes are just the natural progression of football and Barcelona was simply slightly ahead of the curve; b) we have simply seen how good Barcelona are and thought: ‘I want to play like that’. Either way I think it is perfectly plausible to say that Barcelona have inadvertently changed the way we play football in this country. Of course the idea of a 4-3-3 existed before Barcelona as did the Dutch ‘total football’ but Barcelona have now honed it until it seems idiotic to play any other way. After Inter Milan beat Barcelona to reach the Champions League final a few years ago everyone was saying: ‘that’s the way to beat Barcelona’. Now, with Mourinho having failed to really emulate that feat since, people are starting to realize that you need to play in a similar way. Arsenal’s victory at the Emirates last season is testament to the fact that, even with much lesser players, Barcelona can be beaten at their own game. And that their tactics are pretty useful for beating others too. Nobody in our League has come close to perfecting it yet. But they style and formation they play is more likely to start getting taught in our academies. Even the FA Head of Elite Development Gareth Southgate has proposed that we switch the way we train our youth teams to the same style that Barcelona’s La Masia uses. The Cultural Revolution is in full effect.

 Follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay

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It’s not often you hear about a footballer contracting a rare illness, it’s even more unlikely you see that same player make a comeback in the professional game. But, that’s exactly what happened to Markus Babbel. The German defender, who is best known by fans in England for his time at Liverpool, overcame a life-threatening illness to play football once more. But, what happened after his time in England came to an end?Babbel started out with his hometown club Bayern Munich at a very early age, progressing through their youth system. He made a handful of appearances for the first team before moving on to fellow German club Hamburg in 1992. Following a successful two-year spell here, in which he became an established first-team player, Munich were convinced to buy him back.The Munich yearsMunich were the great force in German football at this time and Babbel was able to pick up several major honours during his time there. These included three Bundesliga titles, two German cups, the UEFA Cup and, of course, a runners-up medal for the famous 1998/99 Champions League Final against Manchester United.Also, during his time with Munich, he broke into the German national side and became a regular member of the side. He picked up a winners medal from Euro 1996, after Germany beat Czechoslovakia in the final – a match Babbel played in. His performances at the competition did not go unnoticed and a rumoured move to Manchester United had been on the cards. However, the move did not go through and he remained at Munich for several more years – before joining Liverpool in June 2000.In his first year at Infield, he helped the club to a fantastic treble of the League Cup, FA Cup and the UEFA Cup. He became known for his attacking play from full-back and even helped set up a goal in the UEFA Cup final. However, not all was well for Babbel, who had begun to complain of tiredness and fatigue towards the end of the season. Thinking it was just general wear and tear, he returned after the summer break with optimism.Life-threateningHowever, the problem continued and he was substituted at half-time during the first few games of the season. Further tests confirmed that Babbel was suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome – a rare illness that affects the nervous system and can cause life-threatening symptoms. This kept him out of action for around a year, most of which he spent in hospital back in Germany.[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’right’]But when he returned to fitness, he was unable to get back into the first team, restricting him to just a few appearances in the 2002/03 season. He was sent out on loan to Blackburn for the next season, where he was a regular in the side. Upon his return to Liverpool, he left the club and moved back to Germany to join Stuttgart.He found himself in and around the first team for the majority of his time at the club, and even helped them to the Bundesliga title in the 2006/07 season – which also proved to be his last playing season. However, he was able to stay on at the club as assistant manager to Armin Veh.Manager MarkusWith the club expected to once again challenge for major honours, there was understandably a lot of pressure on the duo. This began to show just a couple of months into the season and, with the club languishing in 11th in the league, Veh left the club. Babbel was appointed manager immediately and managed to turn the fortunes around and helped them to a third-placed finish.Stuttgart rewarded him with an extended contract, but this was not to last. Despite helping them to second place in their Champions League group, the club continued to struggle in the league. In December 2009, with the club in 16th place in the Bundesliga and facing a battle to avoid relegation, Babbel was sacked.After spending a few months away from the game, Babbel was given the chance to return to management with recently relegated Hertha ‘BSC’ Berlin. Here, Babbel regained a lot of credit as a manager as he helped the club win the league and gain an immediate return to the Bundesliga.With just one game left until the end of the season, Babbel can look forward to a summer of building a team capable of competing in Germany’s top league. Nobody would begrudge Babbel a second chance at managing at the top. A man with such determination, which saw him battle for his life and return to professional football at the highest level, one cannot help but admire him.Good luck Markus. If you continue to manage with such determination as you played, then a return to England might not be too far away.FootballFanCast.com WORLD Exclusive, Robbie Savage’s Face in a Baby Scan[ffcvideo file=’robbie_savage’]

Paul Lake was the biggest “what if” in Manchester City’s recent history. What if he had stayed fit for most of his career? What if he had continued his progress as a player? What if he had become an England regular? What if City could have had him in their defence or midfield for a good ten years? What if? What if? What if?

We will never know. Serious injuries treated badly ensured that. What we fans who prayed for the day he might return did not know was the turmoil that the injuries had caused, and the effects that having your career extinguished can have on a young man’s life.

In his new autobiography, I’m Not Really Here: A Life of Two Halves, written with his wide Joanne, Lake describes the enormous highs and lows of playing for his beloved club.

Lake was born in 1968, just after Manchester City’s last league title. His love of Manchester City was almost instant, and he grew up obsessed with football. At a young age, he realised he had a natural talent for football – he didn’t know why, but things came easily. He made his way from the Denton Youth U12 side (aged just 8), through City’s youth sides, under the tutelage of the legendary Tony Book, to a YTS traineeship in 1985, and glory with the youth team, winning the FA Youth Cup against Manchester United in 1986. Inevitably, he was soon in the senior squad, making his first team debut in January 1987. This being City, relegation followed soon after, and Lake was to experience the first of many bitter disappointments. The versatile Lake was soon holding down a permanent 1st team place though, his proficiency across the pitch seeing him wear 8 different shirt numbers in one season.

Soon, Malcolm Allison was calling him “the big talent at Maine Road”. And later after a call up to an England training session, Bobby Robson reported back to Lake’s favourite manager Howard Kendall that he had earmarked Lake as a future England captain. Naturally fans love a home-grown player, a local lad, and Lake was no different, idolised by all City supporters.

But having missed out on the Italia ‘90 England squad, it wasn’t long into his career the following season as City captain that it all started to go wrong, against Aston Villa. One false move, and his cruciate ligament had snapped.

Not that he knew for some time. City’s treatment involved an ice pack for days until the swelling reduced, an X-ray, and running up and down the concrete steps of the Kippax stand. Only when he collapsed in his first proper training session did he see a specialist and learn the truth. The damage had been done.

The following years were painful on many levels, a depressing cycle of rehabilitation, hope, and false dawns as he went on to rupture the ligament a further two times as soon as he returned to competitive football. He spent more time recuperating at Lilleshall than any other player in history. All this changed Lake as a man – the young lively, eager player that lived life to the full spiralled into depression, and withdrew from public life, going to extreme lengths to shun contact with others. As Daniel Taylor’s review in the Guardian described it, he was a tormented soul.

It is commendable that Lake came out the other side intact, and rebuilt his life. It is even more commendable that he retained the love for his football club despite the way some at the club treated him – mostly Peter Swales, the only person Lake shows bitterness towards in the book, after he shunned him throughout his fight for fitness and fought sending Lake to America for superior treatment.

That treatment was too late, and at the age of 27, Lake was forced to accept that there was no way back, and retired.

For City fans the book is an eye opener, shedding light on the way the club was run under Peter Swales’ stewardship. This was a club that allowed drunks to shout abuse from behind a wire fence during training every morning. That had players doing comedy routines at Junior Blues meetings, and had Eddie Large delivering half-time team talks using a variety of celebrity impressions when City were on the cusp of promotion.

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This is not just a book for City fans though. Whilst it also beautifully illustrates the life of a footballer, and such things growing up as Manchester ruled the music world, it is less about playing in football matches and more about what the game means to us all, and the despair and multiple lows when your dreams are snatched from your grasp. It also provides an insight into many other people in the game at that time, such as Bobby Robson, John Barnes, Paul Gascoigne and others.

Paul Lake is 42 now. After retirement he studied physiotherapy and worked on the medical staff of various clubs, even running his own practice too, until in March 2010, when he was appointed Ambassador for Manchester City in the Community.

There will always be curiosity over what could have been, what Lake could have achieved if he had avoided injury, and Lake had plenty of time to mull such things over during those fraught years on the treatment table. He came out the other side, and his account is one of the great sporting books of recent years. The final word can go to The Metro newspaper, who said: “The greatest football autobiography ever written? Unquestionably.”

Former Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has revealed a spat with striker Didier Drogba was behind his early exit from Stamford Bridge.Scolari was sacked by Chelsea in February 2009, merely seven months into a three-year contract with the Blues.

A player revolt against the Brazilian manager was rumoured to have led to his departure, something Scolari was quick to dispel at the time.

But the 62-year-old has confessed in an interview to a troubled relationship with Ivory Coast international Drogba, who was hampered by a knee injury in the 2008-09 season.

”Drogba had a bad knee, and the previous year he had played 12 to 15 games with the help of cortisone injections,” Scolari said.

“I wouldn’t accept that, I did not want it. He had to go through physiotherapy, and he thought he had to get it done in a big clinic in Cannes, in the summer.”

“So the dummy here said ‘no’, and the problems began.”

”To this day I do not believe in this sabotage conspiracy, but I did not know how to handle certain things, or handle it like I do in Brazil.”

Scolari landed at Uzbek club Bunyodkor after leaving Chelsea, and took over at Brazilian side Palmeiras in June last year.

His tenure at Palmeiras is beginning to bear fruit, with the club one point clear on the Campeonato Paulista table and assured of reaching the play-offs.

Asked if he would consider a move back to Europe, Scolari was reticent but would not rule it out altogether.

”I won’t say I won’t go back to Europe, but I think to myself, I am 62, almost 63 years old,” he said.

“Will I have to go back there to a medium sized team to make my name?”

“No, I think I have to stay here in Brazil and find a solution for Palmeiras, which is a team I like.”

”The basis of this group is that the players want an opportunity. They are giving me the chance to show them that opportunities in life are few and far between.”

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has praised his team after they won the North London derby 2-1 on Saturday, and has stated the win was deserved, despite Arsenal having more possession.

Goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Kyle Walker gave Spurs the three points, with Aaron Ramsey scoring for the visitors.

Despite The Gunners’ having the lion’s share of the ball, especially in the first half, Redknapp feels the win was justified.

“They had a lot of possession in the first half. It was difficult. They played three in midfield,” he told Sky Sports after the game.

“So they were always going to hold the sway in terms of possession. We had the two (players) in there. But we got the goal before half-time. To be honest, I nearly changed it (Spurs’ formation) at half-time. I nearly made the change and thickened us up in there.

“But I thought, ‘well, let’s see how we go’. They (Arsenal) got off to a better start in the second half, got the goal, and watching the game you would have thought, ‘they are in the ascendency. We could be in trouble’.

“But we upped it. We got better and stronger and we took over. We deserved the win in the second half, I thought we were excellent. We had all the good chances,” he stated.

Walker’s long distance strike proved to be the winner, and despite a mistake by Wojciech Szczesny, Redknapp was full of praise for the young defender.

“He is a great attacking full-back, he loves to get forward. It was a good strike from Kyle. He has done ever so well, he has had a good start to the season,” he concluded.

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Spurs have a week off now for international duty, and travel to take on Newcastle at St James’ Park in their next game.

By Gareth McKnight

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Say Cristiano you get the response Leo. Hear Messi someone thinks Ronaldo. The best two players in Spain – well let’s face it the world – are somewhat intertwined through no fault of their own. Last week Messi reached the goal mark of 200 for Barcelona, being only the second player in their history to do so. Ronaldo then replied with a hat trick on the weekend to send Real three points clear at the summit of La Liga – incidentally his twelfth hat trick so far in the Los Blancos shirt.

So who would make the cut in your dream team? It would be easy to sit here and do a comparison of stat after stat and see who provides the most assists or goals, and who has a better win percentage in the team – yet no matter how many pages of data someone can provide you with, if you believe one is better than the other, there will be no dissuading you.

Both players are head and shoulders above everyone else in the world – there is no player past or present who could boast such impressive records and performances week in week out, with improvements always being made. No one else in Europe can touch either player – imagine Fernando Torres if he went just three matches without a goal – it would be like his birthday and Christmas’ for the next decade all rolled in to one – yet Messi went three games without a goal and the media were asking if he was in crisis. Due to the goals he has banged in since, it seems safe to assume that is not the case.

Where Messi may have previously had the edge over Ronaldo is the way he plays for the team. Ronaldo, and rightly so, in seasons gone by could have been accused of only being interested in the Cristiano show, and whilst prolific, he did not give enough to the team as a whole, whereas Messi did. However, under the guidance of Mourinho, Ronaldo has evolved as a player, and the entire approach to his game is now much more about the team and what he can give to them. Not only does he still score at a phenomenal rate – 103 goals in 106 games to be precise – but he has now adopted more of a team mentality and this can clearly be seen in his game.

This is both blatantly obvious when watching Ronaldo as an individual, but also when watching Real as a team you can clearly see how they function more effectively and fluidly, with Ronaldo adding more assists to his game, and a harmony not seen at the club before.

One thing Ronaldo does have in his locker that Messi does not and will never have is the ability to track back and defend when the team is under pressure. When at United, this was not one of Ronaldo’s strong points, yet under Mourinho you learn to defend and you learn sharpish. Ronaldo has done this and is again adding to his all round game, becoming a stronger player for it.

Neither Messi nor Barcelona really subscribe to the art of defending – playing Mascherano and Busquets as their centre back pairing being a personal favourite to illustrate this – yet Messi is never expected to track back or should he lose the ball – rare I know – and Guardiola would prefer Messi further up the field waiting for his team to retain possession.

Although in Spain reliance on corners and free kicks is not as prominent as in England, when in Europe, defending set pieces becomes a vital task. Again this is something Ronaldo is able to do, being strong, tall and powerful not just scoring but also defending said situations. Can you really imagine Messi defending a set piece away at the Allianz arena? In a word – no.

Ronaldo has also proven he can cut it in the Premier League – Messi, whilst brilliant at Barcelona under the whistle happy officials has never played his trade in another league, and it is doubtful if he is really cut for the style of English football. Ronaldo however has proven he can withstand the kicks and the rainy away nights over the winter period – whilst Messi was on his winter break on a beach in the Caribbean. That is not to say Messi could not perform in England, I am sure he could, but on a Monday night at the Britannia I know who would make my starting line-up.

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The Messi supporters amongst you will now be ready to point out to me that to win the Champion’s League, you have to play teams from countries other than Spain. Yes, I realise this, but even so the referees in Europe are somewhat softer than in the premier league – hence the well-used commentators phrase ‘well in Europe that’s a yellow.’ Again there is substantial protection from officials, and let’s face it even if it isn’t a foul on a Barcelona player, 9 times out of 10 they get the free kick anyway, and the opposition player can count himself lucky not to be sent off – Pepe anyone?

Another little point here is their performances for their respective national teams. Messi has had roughly the same level of success with Argentina as Balotelli had when trying to have a bonfire in his bathroom. Ronaldo on the other hand has become the talisman for Portugal, and is surrounded by players of much less quality than Messi.

One reason why Ronaldo is seemingly less loved than Messi around the footballing world is undeniably the way each comes across as a person. Whilst Messi appears to be Mr Approachable, humble and just like the average man on the street just with a gift from god, Ronaldo is flashy, very in touch with his metrosexual side and knows it.

Not to mention the fact that Ronaldo, when asked why some people are less than kind about him felt the need to reply that it was certainly jealousy, as he is rich, good looking and talented. Well he is not wrong there – he just missed out the fact he also has a girlfriend who is a super model to boot. However, this is no reason to dislike Ronaldo as a player or even to prefer Leo Messi. As much as I hate to break it to pundit Gerry Francis, you can’t prefer Messi as a player just because ‘he plays the game with a smile on his face.’

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They may both feel that due to the other, they do not get the plaudits they deserve – Ronaldo certainly feels that due to the fact Messi plays for Barcelona, who can be seen to do no wrong in UEFA’s eyes, he can lose out in voting at certain times, and there is some truth to this. After receiving the Golden Boot, when asked about his chances to win the Ballon D’or, both Ronaldo and Mourinho replied that the golden boot was done on ability and hard fact, not votes and emotions – clearly alluding to the fact they feel had the Golden Boot been decided in the same way, it would have been on its way across Spain to Cataluña.

Whatever the case, due to the existence of the other, neither can coast on the tag of ‘best player in the world’ and both have to improve their game on a constant basis, almost to the extent that when in form, they become unplayable. Come the 11th of December, all eyes will be on the most watched footballing game in the world – El Classico, and with so many scintillating match ups and wealth of talent on both sides this may be the best one of all, and may mean that for once, the match can be remembered for all the right reasons. If this will be the case remains to be seen, but what is certain is that the two best players in the world will be on display – both at the very top of their game, but who do you think is better?

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