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Hell has frozen over.
Meulensteen for sure, Phelan was just a Yes man to Sir Alex, probably the worst assistant Manager in Sir Alex's reign,
Renee was very knowledgable when it came to tactics, And was one of the main reasons for Cristiano's big development
see david, thats why we (the fans) want kagawa in the nummber 10 pure sexy confident magic there were times during the match i was just smiling because of how awesome it was to have him where he wants to be, you can see it in his body language the confidence he shows is great i want more
see david, thats why we (the fans) want kagawa in the nummber 10 pure sexy confident magic there were times during the match i was just smiling because of how awesome it was to have him where he wants to be, you can see it in his body language the confidence he shows is great i want more
THIS
Was a delight to see Shinji play like that
FYI, on the Brazil Sao Paolo/Corinthians stadium folks...
A crane FELL on a portion of the stadium (take a very close look at the pics posted earlier in the thread) and damaged it. I'm pretty sure the stadiums are safe, it seems as though the cranes however weren't. Its very plausible that the crane, although inspected and rigged appropriately, could've attempted to carry too much weight and was calibrated incorrectly for a maneuver. We've had similar accidents here in the US and recently.
Through the group...but awful, awful performance by Chelsea.
Only Chelsea games that I've missed live this year are the Basel games...my bad.
Somebody needs to buy this dude Salah. From all the times I've watched him in CL/EL and for Egypt, he would have no issue playing in a top 4 league,
SPIRO BLOG: CANNY BLANC UNITING PSG
Ligue 1 > Spiro Blog
28/11/2013Increase Font Size Reduce Font Size Print Article Send Article via Email
Laurent Blanc's willingness to listen to his players and share tactical responsibility is helping PSG remain strong and united, says Ligue1.com's Matthew Spiro.
The scene that took place on the Parc des Princes pitch early in the second half of Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League match against Olympiakos on Wednesday was both unusual and revealing. Although the hosts led 1-0, Marco Verratti had just been sent off and the Greek side was beginning to get on top.
Thiago Silva influence
Skipper Thiago Silva began gesticulating to PSG's coaching staff, but sensing that his message was not being received, the Brazilian became more and more animated. Eventually Blanc's assistant Claude Makélélé ran around the outside pitch to speak to goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, who passed on the defender's message. Silva told Makélélé that a tactical change was required as he felt the defence was too exposed.
Moments later, Blanc replaced Zlatan Ibrahimovic with Marquinhos and asked the youngster to slot in alongside Thiago Motta in front of the defence. That Olympiakos still equalised - before conceding Edinson Cavani's last-minute winner - is by the by. The fact is at a key moment of a key game, Blanc changed tactics because a player asked him to.
There are different ways of interpreting that: some may say he showed weakness by allowing himself to be dictated to by a player. Others will commend the PSG coach for being open-minded and intelligent enough to listen to his captain's thoughts and, after a moment's deliberation, act on them. I would argue strongly for the latter.
Thiago Silva is the Brazil captain. He was the best defender in Italy at AC Milan, is the best defender in France today, and quite probably the best defender in the world. He is also an experienced, considered, down to earth and smart man. When somebody like that feels so strongly about something, it would be foolish to ignore him.
Blanc man-management
When Blanc was a player, he did not hesitate in speaking out in the changing room or during the game if he felt the need. The cleverer coaches will have listened to him.
When the former France defender was appointed PSG boss in the summer, the biggest concern among fans was that he might be unable to command the respect of the dressing room and deal with the egos. It certainly hadn't been easy for Carlo Ancelotti and Leonardo. Blanc, however, has been very canny in this respect. One of his first acts was to sit down with his senior men - most notably Thiago Silva and Ibrahomivic - and to hold open discussions with them. He made it clear that they were central figures, not merely top players but also good people who had plenty to bring to the global project.
Influential Ibrahimovic
Never before in his career has Ibrahimovic appeared so committed and so passionate about helping his club achieve success, and I don't think that's a coincidence. By implicating the Swede and the Brazilian in PSG's grand plans at every opportunity, Blanc has displayed a masterclass in motivating.
Raymond Domenech may be a maligned figure, but his assertion that establishing a clear hierarchy within a team of footballers is crucial in order for that team to gel is fascinating. Domenech explains in his book Tout seul (all alone) that his failure to do just that before Euro 2008 meant France were doomed. The young players didn't respect the older ones, the older ones didn't feel they had the influence they wanted etc.
This is where Blanc has triumphed. At PSG, that hierarchy has clearly been established. Ibra and Thiago Silva are top dogs. Other senior men like Thiago Motta, Edinson Cavani, Salvatore Sirigu, Maxwell and Blaise Matuidi get to have their say. But I doubt any of them challenge the Swede or the Brazilian. And Blanc makes the final choice.
Unbeaten run
The capital outfit are now unbeaten in 35 matches in all competitions and they look to be loving life together this season. Paris look good to win the league title and they should, in my mind, be considered serious contenders for the Champions League.
The reasons for PSG's meteoric rise are manifold, and of course the massive investment from Qatar remains the primary explanation. Yet Blanc's humility, intelligence and man-management skills should not be dismissed - they are also playing a central part.
what?Bendtner actually isn't a bad back-up.
You guys need to see this gif in another angle. Isco was was out there cookin'!!!! his footwork was