Happy New Year!

Well this is the last post for 2010, it's been a great year for me starting up this blog. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided finally decided to put all these thoughts I had on the game onto paper, or in this case cyberspace. The initial intent of Football Saves All was to bring up issues or match's in the game that intrigued me and then start a conversation about them. I have to stay this ended up being more successful then I could possibly imagine.

As we head into 2011, I hope to improve the look of the blog and maybe even publish a magazine on the beautiful game (closer to 2012 in truth). I also intend to keep up the same style of writing and coverage!

Thank you for reading and for following! Have a safe and happy new year!

Cheers,
Mike

Alright here's another list!

So I know it's pretty cliche to put together year end lists, but I though I'd put some together. Please note these lists are completely subjective based on my ideas on how the game should be played, you are free to rip them all you like, personally I believe that what these lists are meant to do!

So with further a do I present my first ever top 5 year end list: Top 5 exciting club teams of the year!

Note: I have really only watched European and North American based clubs in 2010, I watched a bit of Brazilian league but not enough to form a proper opinion. Also note this list isn't for the BEST team, but the most exciting/entertaining on the pitch!

5) Palermo (Serie A)


Javier Pastore



Out of all the teams currently playing in Europe who can say the line this club boasts is not one of the most interesting and exciting in Europe? This team has always been on the fore front of signing promising young talent on the cheap and building them up to their potential. 2010 was no different, as players like Simon Kjær, Fábio Simplício, Edinson Cavani, Abel Hernández, Josip Iličić and Javier Pastore made or began to make their name at the Sicilian club. Although the first three were sold during the summer they helped the club to a Europa League birth. During first half of the 2010-11 season Pastore has stepped up to become one of the most sought after talents in world football with his outstanding control a pinpoint passing. While Iličić has provided some amazing performances and goals in the same period. If Palermo can hang on to these players, the ladder only leads to the top spots in the Serie A.

4) Blackpool (Premier League)

Seasiders manager Ian Holloway

Everyone like to root for the underdog, and in 2010 there is no bigger underdog than the team from England south coast. The seasiders are one of if not the smallest club to enter the top flight since the inception of the Premier League in 1992. Under the management of the charismatic Ian Holloway, the club took the Championship by storm in the early half of 2010, finishing in the final playoff spot in the race for promotion. Their improbable playof run culminated in their trip to Wembley and a shock 3-2 win over Cardiff City in the playoff final to make it up. The thing that makes this club fun to watch is their attacking style of play, Holloway has not compromised this so far in the Premier League scoring a big win at Liverpool. The key man on the squad is Scottish international Charlie Adam who has been the teams playmaker, however you have to look at the squad as a whole to really appreciate what they are doing. Blackpool struggled to sign players due to the lack of funds at the club, they played the first month of the season away from home as Bloomfield Road had to be renovated to accommodate PL standards and where picked by most pundits to finish dead last in the league....currently they are 8th and just outside a spot in Europe.

3) Lille (Ligue 1)

Gervinho of Lille

Les Dogues have slowly been building and bring up so exciting young talent in France that are now starting to show their worth. The attacking trio of Eden Hazard, Moussa Sow and Gervinho spearhead the northern French club who are sitting first in Ligue 1. I've mention Hazard on a few occasions on this blog as I believe he has what it takes to become a superstar in this game. Gervinho also has this ability and showed flashes of what he could do at this years' World Cup. As for Sow, he's finally getting his shot to be the the number 9 on a game in game out basis. He's repaid manager Rudi Gracia's faith by currently leading France in goals with 14. The excitement for this team doesn't just lay with the offence, playmaker Yohan Cabaye provided both the creativity and strong defensive covering a box to box midfielder requires. At the back the pairing of France International Adil Rami and Aurélian Chedjou has helped the club to one of the best defensive records in France.

2) Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Gareth Bale- A Brazilian right backs worst night mare

Dirty Harry has done it again, he's taken a club who was bottom of the table when you found them and turned them in Champions League club who can beat Inter Milan at home. Though not the finished article yet this side can on dazzling displays of attacking football which at times is sorely lacking in England. It's been fun watching the development of Gareth Bale blossom into a top level player capable of jaw dropping performance like the ones against Inter this this years Champions League group stages. He still has to show some consistency in his game but at 21 he's only going to get better and grow as a footballer.

1) Barcelona (La Liga)


Unfair at times....just unfair



Champions of Spain....again. I know I haven't shocked the world with my number 1 but really who's going to deny the greatness of this club? It's not just Messi, or Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Puyol, Dani Alves, Valdes, Pedro, Bojan, Guardiola or the ball boy who can dribble better than anyone on the TFC roster. It's the philosophy of play and the willingness to stick to the principle no matter who you play. Barca try and play attactive football all the time, it is demanded from the top senior level, right down to the youngest youth player. When you watch this club play it feels like your watching an art form in motion, I know my words are romanticising the team but it really does. The argument has been raised about if this generation of Barca players are the greatest club team of all time? I'm not sure if that is a valid argument as you really can't compare teams from different generations, but I've personally never seen a better club side, and this comes from a die hard United supporter who loves the 98/99 squad that won the treble. This is the best club side in the world...period.

Cheers,
Mike

The DeRo Dilemma...and why he needs to go.

Over the last few days long suffering Toronto FC supporters have been watching an evolving soap opera of events take place at the club between management and its best player Dwayne DeRosario. And just like a soap there is a third party to complete the sordid triangle in legendary Scottish club Celtic. All jokes aside this trial...or training or tryout whatever DeRo's camp is calling it is starting to become an unwelcome distraction of a club that is trying to sort itself out for the upcoming MLS season.

The facts are this, DeRosario has gone to Scotland to "workout" with Celtic for a week in Scotland to keep himself fit..... in his terms. TFC first came out on Monday denying that DeRo was even in Scotland, then had to admit he was there when pictures surfaced of him in Celtic training gear in Lennoxtown. Now the club has come out stating that they knew he wanted to go but had no permission from the club to go train. Then there is Celtic who seemed to be convinced that a) The player and agent had permission from the club and b) that he was on trial with the possibility of a short term lease, or even a permanent switch.

On the surface the issue is whither or not permission to train with Celtic was given by MLSE to DeRo, right now things do not look good for the TFC captain as both the club and the league appear to be in the dark about the whole thing if you read their statements. However if you scratch below the surface the issues between club and player are coming to a head.

Last seasons cheque writing goal celebration  by DeRo put him in the dog house for the first time since his arrival in early 2009. It was clear money was an issue for the captain who felt he should be receiving DP level money considering he was by far the club's best player. Although he may have been right in asking for a raise, the way in which he went about it was "unacceptable" in the eyes of club President Tom Anselmi and put the club in a difficult position, say nothing and you are seen as condoning the behavior, say too much too strongly and best player demands a move out.

This latest move by DeRosario once again puts the club in the same position with an added dilemma, "should we let him go?"

On this question you will get many different reactions some for, many against but what supporters and management have to weigh is " What's more important? star power and drawing power? or building a strong nucleus for the club?"

Right now DeRosario is in the middle of a 4 year deal with a roughly $400,000 a year salary. That made him the 3rd highest paid player on the squad behind Julian DeGuzman and the now departed Mista. If you take that $400,000 hit off the salary cap, TFC could bring in a lot of good pieces that could make this club a contender in the MLS very quickly and very cheaply. However the down side is the loss of quality, there can be no doubt that he is the most gifted player on the squad, who can go on massive goal scoring runs. But how many times last year was it asked, who else is going to score the goals? Who will provide the wide play? Who can stop the other teams best player? Sending DeRo and his massive contact to Scotland could begin to answer some of these questions.

Here's what Dwayne needs to understand, with his current contact and the club's current salary cap situation he CANNOT get a raise his salary is at the max for a non DP. As for the oft wondered option of making him a DP the answer is probably a no as well. The league likes to have clubs reserve those spots for international talent coming from overseas; plus the only "life long MLS'er" who has made that jump is Landon Donovan for political reasons more than anything. So unless DeRosario can find a way to live with his contact he could be seeing the door sooner rather than later.

At 32 he has only a hand full of real options available to him, one is to try and make a last ditch effort to catch on with a club in Europe (which he's trying to do now, no matter how much he denies it) Try and force a trade to another MLS club, but seeing how the re-entry went not a lot of teams are looking to pick up big ticket contacts right now. The third is to stay put.

Whatever he decides to do this latest move by the Canadian international is one of serious disrespect to both the club management no matter what you think of them, and to the supporters who will not take this one lying down.

Cheers,
Mike N

CWNT unbeaten in 10 as they win Brazilian Tournnament

The Women's national team made it a national record 10 unbeaten as they drew with 3rd ranked Brazil in Sao Paulo 2-2 to capture the Torneio Internacional Cidade de Sao Paolo tournament on goal differential. This caps on of the most successful years for the senior Women's side who end 2010 with a overall record of  13 wins 3 draws and 2 losses. This tournament title is also the third this year for the women program who have made incredible strides under head coach Carolina Morace.

"We're very confident right now, I think Carolina and the coaching staff, have worked so hard with us and we've really developed under them, and I think the results are starting to show" said Christine Sinclair who's rocket left footer off the far post tied the game up at 2-2, after Josee Belanger opened scoring in the 43rd minute with a header from a Melissa Tancredi cross.

Brazil's two goals came from current world player of the year Marta, the first from a brilliant run past two Canadian defenders in the 55th minute to tie it at 1-1. Then she gave Brazil a temporary lead in the 72nd on a penalty when Marie-Eve Nault had been judged to handle the ball in the box. Nault was sent off with her second yellow, and Canada played the rest of the match down a player.

Sinclair who was recently named Canadian Women's player of the year by the CSA for the 6th year running, took the ball on the right flank and curled a hard shot on goal in the 82nd that angled in off the far post. It was defiantly the talking point of the match.

"Melissa Tancredi laid it off to me I think, and it just came back perfectly and set it up nicely for a one-time shot.," said Sinclair

I've added a video of the match highlights here. Please note the commentary is in Portuguese, if anyone wants to translate some of what's being said add to the comments.



Cheers,
Mike

The road to Wembley really begins!...Champions League round of 16 match ups.

I'll have thoughts on these match ups a bit later, but the draw shook down pretty much the way I though it would, especially for Arsenal and Spurs. Real Madrid are out for revenge against Lyon for last years dismissal at this stage, and finally we have a rematch of last years final between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. Great match up, however both sides are a shadow of the sides that played in the final in May.

Here's the results of the draw....discuss amongst yourselves!

Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk

AC Milan v Tottenham Hotspur

Valencia v Schalke

Inter Milan v Bayern Munich

Lyon v Real Madrid

Arsenal v Barcelona

Marseille v Manchester United

FC Copenhagen v Chelsea
 
Cheers,
Mike